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Follow Me by David Platt & Francis Chan
What did Jesus really mean when he said, “Follow Me”? In this new book, David Platt, author of the New York Times bestselling book, Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream, contends that multitudes of people around the world culturally think they are Christians yet biblically are not followers of Christ. Scores of men, women, and children have been told that becoming a follower of Jesus simply involves believing certain truths or saying certain words. As a result, churches today are filled with people who believe they are Christians . . . but aren’t. We want to be disciples as long as doing so does not intrude on our lifestyles, our preferences, our comforts, and even our religion. Revealing a biblical picture of what it means to truly be a Christian, Follow Me explores the gravity of what we must forsake in this world, as well as the indescribable joy and deep satisfaction to be found when we live for Christ. The call to follow Jesus is not simply an invitation to pray a prayer; it’s a summons to lose your life―and to find new life in him. This book will show you what such life actually looks like.
- GenresDiscipleship
Paperback
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About the author
David Platt
141 books1,051 followersDAVID PLATT serves as Lead Pastor at McLean Bible Church in Washington, D.C. He is the founder and chairman of Radical (Inc.), an international ministry that serves the church for the cause of Christ—to glorify God by making disciples and multiplying churches among all nations. Resources from David Platt and Radical can be found at radical.net.
Books by David Platt include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, and Something Needs to Change, as well as the following volumes in the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series: Exalting Jesus in Matthew, Exalting Jesus in James, Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus, and Exalting Jesus in Galatians.
David Platt received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Along with his wife and four children, he lives in the Washington D.C. metro area.
Connect with David on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
Books by David Platt include Radical, Radical Together, Follow Me, Counter Culture, and Something Needs to Change, as well as the following volumes in the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series: Exalting Jesus in Matthew, Exalting Jesus in James, Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus, and Exalting Jesus in Galatians.
David Platt received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Along with his wife and four children, he lives in the Washington D.C. metro area.
Connect with David on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 28, 2024
It honestly just felt like Platt was being the grammar police & correcting the Western church for the first half of the book. Platt often would identify an idea of how the American church is failing in a particular area- for example, Platt would say that the language of “I invited Jesus into my heart & have made Him my Lord & Savior” would not be the proper way to communicate one’s decision to place their faith in Christ (pg.32) because we, in our sin & death cannot make that invitation. He then says that “the only reason we can seek Christ in our sinfulness is because Christ has sought us as our Savior” (pg.47), & ends the chapter by thanking God that He didn’t leave the invitation of salvation to sinful human beings (pg.49). And that’s it. He never comes back around and offers a better alternative of how to communicate that salvation. This is super frustrating, because for 25 pages he essential says we need to use correct vernacular, goes on a theology rant about depravity (yay!), & then says thank you God. Great, how are we supposed to improve? Even as a Christian who could theologically identify the means of salvation, this really did nothing but bum and stress me out because I want to be able to communicate the Gospel clearly & biblically to others. HOWEVER, I will say that from chapter 6 or 7 onward it was pretty solid; I really enjoyed his thoughts on the Christ follower's commitment to the local church & even convicted me to get moving on some decisions that I've personally been wrestling with for a while with the local church. All in all, this is not a bad book, I just wish that Platt would've done a better job communicating with clarity for that first half.
April 22, 2024
This was a good book starting out in my faith. I knew a lot of the things covered but overall when starting it was needed for me to have a heart and knowledge of why I was suppose to follow Jesus
July 26, 2025
Most people who call themselves Christ followers don't obey Christ's great commandment to make disciples. David Platt wants to inspire those lukewarm or cultural Christians to make Jesus their top priority in their lives and to start making disciples.
In short, the two main parts of this book are an indictment of casual, comfortable Christianity and a call to action.
The truth is that few self-identified Christians actually ever share their faith with non-believers. Platt attributes the inaction to most Christians not really believing what they say they do, or to them being unloving and unwilling to help others avoid eternal suffering.
Despite his years in ministry, Platt realized he hadn't been making many disciples either, He changed his church activities to prioritize proselytizing. "Follow Me" was written to inspire others to join him in making disciples.
The proportion of Americans who identify as Christian has been steadily shrinking since the 1970s. Consequently, Christian churches have been shrinking for decades. Thousands of churches have closed their doors. Gray hair predominates in many of churches that remain.
This wouldn't be happening if the church made their top priority attracting new believers (as opposed to poaching believers from a different church). But the "casual, comfortable, cultural Christianity" is the norm.
There is a common misconception, asserts Platt, that becoming a Christian merely requires a simple prayer of repentence and belief. Millions of people have been misled into thinking they are saved from their sins because of a 60-second prayer.
This conversion formula is not explicitly found in Scripture. Those who simply say the prayer, but who never do anything else, are being deluded about what conversion means.
There are verses, however, that seem to support belief as sufficient. In John 5:24, for example, Jesus says, "I tell you the truth that whoever hears my word and believes in him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned."
In John 11:25-26, Jesus says, "He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die." In John 3:34, Jesus says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life..."
Platt apparently disputes the meaning of those verses. Claiming to believe does not provide a ticket to heaven, Platt insists. Jesus calls his followers down a hard road that few will take. In John 14:23, Jesus says, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word...He who does not love Me does not keep My words." In other words, we are to follow his commands, not just to believe he is God.
Platt frankly explains that fully following Jesus means giving up a lot. It means to undergo radical change, "to die to ourselves and to live in Christ." How do we die to ourselves?
Jesus said, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters -- yes, even his own life - he cannot be my disciple...Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple."
(The word Jesus used does translate from the Greek as "hate.")
He also says, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in- law against her mother-in-law, and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.” (Matt.10:34-36)
This is hardly a call for Christian family values. During Jesus's ministry, those who followed him left their homes and families behind. Cults expect undivided loyalty, which is why family attachment is abandoned. Any modern religious leader who said that we should prefer him over our families would be considered a cult leader.
It is quite a commitment to give up family and "everything" else and to hate one's own life. No wonder so few who say they are Christ-followers actually follow.
Platt explains that becoming a disciple means hating the things of the world we once loved. It means "we go wherever Jesus says, we give whatever Jesus commands, and we sacrifice whatever it costs to spend our lives in uncompromising obedience to his Word."
No wonder those who find the narrow gate are so few. Platt is convinced that the majority of Christians would not say their purpose in life is to make disciples of all nations. "So many people in the church have settled for superficial religion instead of supernatural regeneration."
As the reader can tell by now, Platt says a number of things that make most Christians uncomfortable. Here are some more.
God hates sinners. We know that because the Bible tells us so. Psalm 5:5-6 states, "The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong. You destroy those who tell lies, bloodthirsty and deceitful men the Lord abhors."
It's not just in one passage. God's hatred toward the sinner is mentioned 14 times in the first fifty psalms. John 3:36 states, "Whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."
Platt says we should "teach people to obey all that Christ has commanded us." Here's an interesting command:
“For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 5:18-19)
Jesus seems to be commanding us to follow the Jewish law. Does that mean circumcision is required, pork is verboten, and picking up sticks on the Sabbath is a capital offense? Did the resurrection make that passage obsolete?
Should believers expect to have special powers to drink poison etc.?
“And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:17-18)
In sum, Platt makes a telling critique of the modern church. Most Christians do not try to make disciples, and sharing the gospel with non-believers is generally not the top priority.
On the other hand, the single-minded commitment to evangelism is enough to deter most people, especially if they take literally the passages about hating and fighting with family and hating their life. -30-
In short, the two main parts of this book are an indictment of casual, comfortable Christianity and a call to action.
The truth is that few self-identified Christians actually ever share their faith with non-believers. Platt attributes the inaction to most Christians not really believing what they say they do, or to them being unloving and unwilling to help others avoid eternal suffering.
Despite his years in ministry, Platt realized he hadn't been making many disciples either, He changed his church activities to prioritize proselytizing. "Follow Me" was written to inspire others to join him in making disciples.
The proportion of Americans who identify as Christian has been steadily shrinking since the 1970s. Consequently, Christian churches have been shrinking for decades. Thousands of churches have closed their doors. Gray hair predominates in many of churches that remain.
This wouldn't be happening if the church made their top priority attracting new believers (as opposed to poaching believers from a different church). But the "casual, comfortable, cultural Christianity" is the norm.
There is a common misconception, asserts Platt, that becoming a Christian merely requires a simple prayer of repentence and belief. Millions of people have been misled into thinking they are saved from their sins because of a 60-second prayer.
This conversion formula is not explicitly found in Scripture. Those who simply say the prayer, but who never do anything else, are being deluded about what conversion means.
There are verses, however, that seem to support belief as sufficient. In John 5:24, for example, Jesus says, "I tell you the truth that whoever hears my word and believes in him who sent me has eternal life and will not be condemned."
In John 11:25-26, Jesus says, "He who believes in me will live, even though he dies, and whoever lives and believes in me will never die." In John 3:34, Jesus says, “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life..."
Platt apparently disputes the meaning of those verses. Claiming to believe does not provide a ticket to heaven, Platt insists. Jesus calls his followers down a hard road that few will take. In John 14:23, Jesus says, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word...He who does not love Me does not keep My words." In other words, we are to follow his commands, not just to believe he is God.
Platt frankly explains that fully following Jesus means giving up a lot. It means to undergo radical change, "to die to ourselves and to live in Christ." How do we die to ourselves?
Jesus said, "If anyone comes to me and does not hate his father and mother, his wife and children, his brothers and sisters -- yes, even his own life - he cannot be my disciple...Any of you who does not give up everything he has cannot be my disciple."
(The word Jesus used does translate from the Greek as "hate.")
He also says, “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth; I have not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to set a man against his father, and a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in- law against her mother-in-law, and one’s foes will be members of one’s own household.” (Matt.10:34-36)
This is hardly a call for Christian family values. During Jesus's ministry, those who followed him left their homes and families behind. Cults expect undivided loyalty, which is why family attachment is abandoned. Any modern religious leader who said that we should prefer him over our families would be considered a cult leader.
It is quite a commitment to give up family and "everything" else and to hate one's own life. No wonder so few who say they are Christ-followers actually follow.
Platt explains that becoming a disciple means hating the things of the world we once loved. It means "we go wherever Jesus says, we give whatever Jesus commands, and we sacrifice whatever it costs to spend our lives in uncompromising obedience to his Word."
No wonder those who find the narrow gate are so few. Platt is convinced that the majority of Christians would not say their purpose in life is to make disciples of all nations. "So many people in the church have settled for superficial religion instead of supernatural regeneration."
As the reader can tell by now, Platt says a number of things that make most Christians uncomfortable. Here are some more.
God hates sinners. We know that because the Bible tells us so. Psalm 5:5-6 states, "The arrogant cannot stand in your presence; you hate all who do wrong. You destroy those who tell lies, bloodthirsty and deceitful men the Lord abhors."
It's not just in one passage. God's hatred toward the sinner is mentioned 14 times in the first fifty psalms. John 3:36 states, "Whoever rejects the Son will not see life, for God's wrath remains on him."
Platt says we should "teach people to obey all that Christ has commanded us." Here's an interesting command:
“For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one letter, not one stroke of a letter, will pass from the law until all is accomplished. Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” (Matt 5:18-19)
Jesus seems to be commanding us to follow the Jewish law. Does that mean circumcision is required, pork is verboten, and picking up sticks on the Sabbath is a capital offense? Did the resurrection make that passage obsolete?
Should believers expect to have special powers to drink poison etc.?
“And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.” (Mark 16:17-18)
In sum, Platt makes a telling critique of the modern church. Most Christians do not try to make disciples, and sharing the gospel with non-believers is generally not the top priority.
On the other hand, the single-minded commitment to evangelism is enough to deter most people, especially if they take literally the passages about hating and fighting with family and hating their life. -30-
February 23, 2024
This was a wonderful study. It made me think how easy my walk with Jesus has been and how I am not doing much to spread the word. David Platt also reminded me how important it is to find a good church and surround yourself with good Christian people who will hold you accountable. I highly recommend this book if you are searching for a more understanding on how to be a disciple of Jesus and create more disciples to continue spreading the word and the love of Jesus.
May 25, 2025
I recommend this everyone that willing to be challenged and feel uncomfortable for short periods time. This book was very truth filled! It reminds us to take seriously the call of great commission of Jesus. It’s time we step out of our comfort zones and do what God has called us to do. Only read this book if you want to be challenged and take seriously the great commission!!🙌🏼
June 30, 2024
Challenging book!
October 2, 2025
I don’t think I will be following David Platt (or Francis Chan for that matter) but I will probably definitely be following Jesus for the foreseeable future
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews