Mention one or more of the hot button social issues of our day like abortion, homosexuality, pornography, sex tracking or any other issue like it and you’re guaranteed to get a variety of opinions. In response to these issues, Christians have a treasure trove in the Word of God that is inspired, inerrant, authoritative, and sufficient to rule over their lives, and to inform their reality. This is why I greatly enjoyed Counter Culture: A Compassionate Call To Counter Culture In a World of Poverty, Same-Sex Marriage, Racism, Sex Slavery, Immigration, Persecution, Abortion, Orphans, and Pornography by David Platt. Platt’s book is a wakeup call to the church to stop sitting on the sidelines on many of these issues and take up the mantle of the Word of God, and follow their Master– Jesus in obedience to His revealed Truth.
The sub title of this book explains what this book is all about. This book is a compassionate look at almost every major social issue of our day. As Dr. Platt looks at each of these issues he does so with a view to first explain what the Bible says about them, and proceeds to call the Church, and Christians to obedience to the Word of God. While there is much that could be said about this excellent book—there are two issues that Platt tackles that I’m especially passionate about, pornography and abortion.
Pornography and abortion are two massive issues in our day. Many men, and now women, in the Church have bought the lie that they cannot overcome pornography. This isn’t true. Jesus saves us from sin and to Himself. He calls His people to put off what is of the flesh and put on Himself. After all, He has clothed His people in His righteousness which He imparts to them by faith in Jesus. Along with an excellent discussion on pornography, Platt also rightly connects pornography to sex trafficking, an often neglected topic. Thankfully, many are starting to write on sex tracking which is helping many Christians understand this issue for the first time. Abortion is another issue that, while much has been said, much more can and needs to be said. I’m thankful for Dr. Platt’s voice on these issues and more.
Why should you read this book? First, choose to be educated about these issues. The media has much to say about abortion but not a lot to say about sex tracking, pornography and other issues like it. As Christians we are to be informed and reformed by the Word of God. Platt does an excellent job walking his readers through what the Bible teaches with a view to help them walk in obedience to the truth of the Word. Second, even if you’re knowledgeable about these topics, Platt writes in an engaging way that you can still learn from. Third, this book doesn’t stop at instruction. It includes a passionate call to the gospel for the glory of God. The book ends with a call to reach the unreached, a topic that Dr. Platt has given his life to preaching and teaching on. Furthermore, Dr. Platt is not someone on his soapbox spouting of his latest opinions but rather a skilled practitioner of what he preaches. His book is full of personal examples of how he has engaged these issues during the course of his life and ministry to date. This gives us a firsthand perspective into the issues he discusses in his book.
The issues that Dr. Platt discuses are one’s that real people with real problems face every day all over the world. Dr. Platt speaks not only as a seasoned biblical exegete, and preacher, but as a pastor committed to seeing God’s people love Him and obey Him by His grace. This outstanding book truly is a game changer. This is a book that will rock your world by reorienting you to the experiences that others face every day. I highly recommend this book and believe it will help you, perhaps for the first time, to understand why social issues are one’s Christians shouldn’t ignore but engage well in with the Word of God. Christians are not to avoid the public square but, as Paul models in Acts 17, to engage it with the Word of God. The aim of this book is the aim of the Bible-to see the lost saved and disciples made to the glory of God. My prayer is that the Lord would powerfully use this excellent book for to edify and challenge the saints His glory.
Buy the book at Counter Culture: A Compassionate Call to Counter Culture in a World of Poverty, Same-Sex Marriage, Racism, Sex Slavery, Immigration, Abortion, Persecution, Orphans and Pornography
or from Tyndale.
Author: David Platt
Publisher: Tyndale (2015)
I received this book for free from Tyndale for this review. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Dave Jenkins is happily married to his wife, Sarah. He is a writer, editor, and speaker living in beautiful Southern Oregon. Dave is a lover of Christ, His people, the Church, and sound theology. He serves as the Executive Director of Servants of Grace Ministries, the Executive Editor of Theology for Life Magazine, the Host and Producer of Equipping You in Grace Podcast, and is a contributor to and producer of Contending for the Word. He is the author of The Word Explored: The Problem of Biblical Illiteracy and What To Do About It (House to House, 2021), The Word Matters: Defending Biblical Authority Against the Spirit of the Age (G3 Press, 2022), and Contentment: The Journey of a Lifetime (Theology for Life, 2024). You can find him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, or read his newsletter. Dave loves to spend time with his wife, going to movies, eating at a nice restaurant, or going out for a round of golf with a good friend. He is also a voracious reader, in particular of Reformed theology, and the Puritans. You will often find him when he’s not busy with ministry reading a pile of the latest books from a wide variety of Christian publishers. Dave received his M.A.R. and M.Div through Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.
