Something Needs to Change

by David Platt

New York Times best-selling author David Platt takes readers on a heart-wrenching, soul-searching journey through impoverished villages in the Himalayan mountains. With riveting passion and surprising vulnerability, Platt dares readers to make a difference in a world of urgent need, starting right where they live.

While leading a team on a week-long trek of the Himalayas, bestselling author and pastor David Platt was stunned by the human needs he encountered, an experience so dramatic that it "changed the trajectory of my life." Meeting a man who'd lost his eye from a simple infection and seeing the faces of girls stolen from their families and trafficked in the cities, along with other unforgettable encounters, opened his eyes to the people behind the statistics and compelled him to wrestle with his assumptions about faith.

In Something Needs to Change, Platt invites readers to come along on both the adventure of the trek, as well as the adventure of seeking answers to tough questions like, "Where is God in the middle of suffering?" "What makes my religion any better than someone else's religion?" and "What do I believe about eternal suffering?" Platt has crafted an irresistible message about what it means to give your life for the gospel--to finally stop talking about faith and truly start living it.

Genres: Christian, Nonfiction, Faith, Christian Living, Christianity, Religion, Theology

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 17, 2019

About the author

DAVID 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.

Reviews

[Meghan · Rating 5 out of 5]

“This book will change your life.” We see it on the cover of personal development books so often, we’re numb to it... but of this book it may very well be true. This wasn’t a book I couldn’t put down—it was a book I HAD to put down so I could pray, reflect and ponder what’s truly important in my life and my ministry.

“Because you and I need to remember that our homes and our health and our bank accounts and our vehicles guarantee us nothing... one day (and it could be today), they’re all going to be gone, so we need to remind ourselves to live today for what lasts forever.” Dear God, I hope to represent the gospel better, to work hardest to keep people from eternal suffering and to work hard to help well amidst earthly suffering and poverty. And to remain grateful for the unmerited grace that sustains my life.

Thank you, Pastor, for doing the work and encouraging us to “go therefore.”

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Whew. What a creative concept and important book.

[Nathan Albright · Rating 3 out of 5]

[Note:  This book was provided free of charge by Multnomah/Waterbrook Press.  All thoughts and opinions are my own.]

There is no doubt that much is wrong with this world.  That said, what is to be done about it is by no means an obvious question.  This book has the feel of someone who went to Nepal and Tibet for a couple of weeks and saw the deep spiritual oppression there and felt woke and that he needed to write a book to encourage people to change the world and make it socially just.  The author seems to be under the belief that it is within our power to change the world, and that the world is supposed to be made fair and just through the efforts of human beings.  There are a great many assumptions at the base of this book and the author's approach that amount to his selective quotation of various verses and those are assumptions that I don't happen to personally share.  And thus while I may share the author's horror at child trafficking and the persecution and martyrdom of Christians as well as the terrible state of health for ordinary people in many parts of the world, I don't happen to agree that it is our job to fix the world here and now.

This book is about two hundred pages long and consists of the author's travels in the remote areas of the Himalayan mountains to evangelize to people in the area and provide some encouragement to Christians in an area of the world that is rather unfriendly to Christianity over the course of eight days or so.  The author's experiences, where he tends to paint himself as a naif (it is hard to imagine that he could possibly be as clueless as he frames himself to be) are interlaced with quotes from the author's diary, questions for the reader, as well as quotations from scripture.  The quotations from the diary are written in a font that makes them harder to read in an attempt at providing some sort of verisimilitude, and the whole book as a whole appears to amount to virtue signalling that makes it appear as if a great many more authors with social justice leanings are going to write books based on their mini-missionary trips, which is admittedly not something I am wholeheartedly enthusiastic about.

If you want to be inspired to help make the world a better place and believe that engaging in social justice right now is something that matches with your post-millennial optimism about the effects of such activism in the contemporary world, this book will likely be up your alley.  There are likely a great many people (myself among them) who have or will spend two or three weeks or so engaging in efforts at helping people around the world, be it teaching useful skills or helping to construct wells or serving at camps or clinics or whatever the case may be.  The author's tone and approach are likely not to appeal to pietists or others who take a much less radical view about the relationship between Christianity and social change as well as politics, and who have much stricter limits on the sort of expectations they have of the sort of change that can be effected in this world, but this author isn't writing for such people.  He is writing for (other) radicals who are far more optimistic about the power of believers to effect justice in this world, and that audience is likely to find much appealing here.

[Abigail · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am still dazed and in shock at what I just read in the past 2 hours. I was on the verge of tears from this raw, authentic, and challenging book. My heart broke for every person mentioned. My heart raced when I could see God's hand moving throughout this story.

I believe that every Christian should read this book. Yes, it will be challenging. Yes, it will make you feel uncomfortable BUT I believe that we, Christians, in America need to read books like this. We NEED to have our eyes open to see the need for Christ around the world and around us. We NEED to allow Christ to do a work in our hearts and live for the growth of the His Kingdom. We NEED to allow ourselves to be open to do WHATEVER God calls us to do.

We tend to forget in the business of life that there is a Hell. Sure, we know it but we never think about it. We never see those around us as souls that are doomed for eternal suffering and separation from God. We hear statistics about people dying overseas from preventable diseases yet we never stop and think about how those are souls heading straight to Hell.

God calls ordinary people to do extraordinary things. God has given us everything we need to do the work that He has called us to do. We have gifts that He gave us when we became believers. The only thing is, is will you listen to God's call when He calls you? Will you surrender your whole life to Him? Will you allow yourself to be one of those ordinary people doing extraordinary things through the One who saved us?

I honestly am not sorry if this makes anyone feel uncomfortable or upset that I am talking this way but I will have you know that everything I am saying is backed up by scripture and I will not be silent on it. I will not be silent anymore. I am going to speak up and I want to see a change in America and around the world. I want the church of America to wake up and get out of their selfish desires. I want the church to have a heart for missions and orphans like God calls us to have. I want us to be a people that is so on fire for God that everyone around us can see it.

Y'all, something really does need to change. And guess what that change starts with you and me.

*FTC: I received this book from Multnomah and Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion. I was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts are my own.*

[Emily Fisher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm crying. My heart hurts even more for those who have never heard the gospel. Something needs to change in my life, in everyone's life, and in the church as a whole. I highly recommend this book to anyone. I think it answers very nicely the question, "What is God's will for my life?" No matter what degree you have, no matter where you live, His will for your life is always to bring the gospel to those who haven't heard it yet, to share of His glory and grace in your neighborhood and around the world.

[Avery Rhein · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well this is certainly my favorite book ever!!!! David Platt does such a good job at driving home the spiritual needs of unreached people groups without diminishing the physical needs of these communities tucked away inside the depths of the Himalayan Mountains.

Platt’s recount of his 8 day trek through the Himalayas encourages readers towards radical life change for the gospel. No pun intended. My heart feels stirred toward overseas missions even more!! This book was also a great topic of conversation with some of my unbelieving friends, which is always a huge win:) hehe oops long review but like I said it was my favorite so what did ya expect? Okay anyways, it was great. Ask me about it, and I’d love to tell you more❤️❤️❤️

[Jeff Klick · Rating 5 out of 5]

Something Needs to Change is a clarion call to move from apathy to action. Social justice is all the rage currently, but there is more involved than simply demanding equality or writing checks to our favorite causes.

The message David Platt shouts through his latest book is clear – get out of your comfort zone and spend some serious time seeking God about what you personally can do to alleviate suffering in your world.

We are surrounded by the destruction caused through the ravishes of sin and God expects His people to be the hands and hearts on the ground in the battle to overcome this mess we call life.

This message or call is couched in a trip to the remote Himalayan trails. From medical issues to sex trafficking heartbreak, the author calls to anyone and everyone to shake off their indifference and get involved.

We can’t do everything but as the Body of Christ, we must do something. Being a Christian is so much more than simply sitting in our air-conditioned pews. We are called to get out, get involved and share the love of Christ.

Christianity is an active faith and it begins where we live. We may not go the ends of the earth, but everyone knows someone that is hurting. We can make a difference. We must.

Some quotes to ponder from this challenging work:
• It makes me wonder if we’ve lost our capacity to weep.
• Surely God didn’t design the gospel of Jesus to be confined to our minds and mouths in the
church, yet disconnected from your emotions and actions in the world.
• It’s a pretty empty feeling to pray for someone when deep down inside you’re not actually
believing it’s going to matter.
• The church as God has designed it to be. A people fearlessly holding on to God’s Word while selflessly sacrificing to share and show God’s love amid the needs of their world. (this quote was written while viewing people spending two hours walking up a mountain, and back down again in the dark later, to attend a service, while many of us complain about a fifteen-minute drive!)
• He and I have totally different education, experiences, gifts, and passions, but we each have a unique part to play in using what God has given us for spreading His love and meeting the world’s urgent needs.

We all are not called to leave and go to some distant village on the other side of the globe, but we are all called to use our gifts, talents, money and time to invest in someone, somewhere. We must.

David Platt is unique in his gifting and calling, but not in his service. If you read this book, you will discover that you are needed in God’s plan and in His service. You are gifted in just the right way to accomplish what God has planned for you.

Something does indeed need to change and that is usually our heart and mind.

This book was provided by Multnomah in exchange for an honest review.
Dr. Jeffrey A. Klick

[Dr. David Steele · Rating 3 out of 5]

In an age where it has become in vogue for pastors to question the Christian faith, compromise the faith, or even abandon the faith - David Platt is a breath of fresh air. The fiery Washington D.C. pastor and author of Radical is back with another thought-provoking book, Something Needs to Change.

Pastor Platt invites readers on a life-changing journey to the rugged Himalayan trails where he encounters poverty, human trafficking, and a host of problems that lead to a personal crisis and life change.

Platt is not content to hoard his life-changing journey; he wants to share it with others. He wants to challenge others and inspire them to something greater. According to Platt, then, something needs to change. A few highlights help summarize the general flow of the book. The author intends:

To integrate what we know in our minds with our hearts and feel genuine compassion for lost people (my words).

Challenge readers to engage their hearts with a broken world.

Motivate readers: “What we need is not an explanation of the Word and the world that puts more information in our heads; we need an experience with the Word in the world that penetrate the recesses of our hearts.”

Spur reader to take action: “We need to dare to come face to face with desperate need in the world around us and ask God to do a work deep within us that we could never manufacture, manipulate, or make happen on our own.”

The real beauty in this book is found in Platt’s insistence to steer clear from the social gospel. To be sure, the author never minimizes the massive human need for food, shelter, medicine, or education. He never skits the difficult subjects of poverty, human trafficking, or disease. These are all areas that followers of Christ must address when the opportunity arises. Yet, these physical needs are penultimate. The greatest need of every image-bearer is the gospel. The greatest need of human beings is being in a reconciled relationship with a holy God. The greatest need of creatures is redemption.

The response to social justice alone makes this book a worthy read. Too many churches are neglecting the purpose of the church by drawing lines that maximize social justice and minimize the gospel. Something Needs to Change is the biblical antidote to the misplaced emphasis of the so-called social justice movement.

David Platt is to be commended for his heart and passion for the truth. But strong dogma never discourages maximum impact. Rather, strong dogma demands maximum impact - so that God might be glorified among the nations!

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.

[Shane · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I got tired of talking" went a little too hard Aaron... randomly walked into Indigo, saw this book and got hooked by the first two pages. Solid book — God spoke through Platt to me and made me think a lot about the question he wants readers to engage in.

[Mark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I admit I don't read enough non-fiction, but David Platt is one of the few non-fiction authors I read and keep up with. Getting the chance to review his newest book was a no-brainer.

There are books which can be life-changing, and this is one such book. The book is an interesting and fascinating read. Platt does a great job of relating his experiences on his trek though the Himalayas. He is honest, very bluntly so, about what emotions he experienced and the questions he faced as he saw and experienced things we never have to deal with here in America.

As interesting as the book is, it isn't an easy read. Not only does it show how easy we have it here in America, it shows how shallow and selfish American Christianity is. It causes you to take a mirror to your own Christianity and question just what you are truly willing to do for God and to spread the Gospel.

Throughout the book in addition to relating what they encountered, Platt shares portions of Scripture he read each day, along with his journal entries about what he read and about what he saw and experienced on his trek. At the end of each chapter are a couple of questions for the reader to think about and answer.

If you are the kind of Christian who doesn't want to get out of your comfort zone, or put yourself out much to spread the Gospel, this book is not for you. But I definitely recommend reading it. It does have the possibility of being life-changing.

I was provided a copy of this book by the publisher. All opinions in this review are my own

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an Advanced Reader Copy from Multnomah. I had taken about a two month break from reading books, when I was about halfway through this book (though my break from reading was not because of the book) or I would have finished this much sooner. It’s a hard book to read, not literally hard because of the wording or anything, but because the content is heavy. David Platt does his best to cast vision for the church to be the loving community it was designed to be and to meet the needs of a suffering world, by retelling his experience hiking in the Himalayan mountains of Nepal. The book is filled with personal stories, of people he met on his trip. Stories about the brokenness of sex trafficking, poverty, people dying of treatable sickness because they lack access to healthcare, and how God is at work in the midst of it. Platt also weaves in some of his personal prayers and journaling from the trip, and his meditations on the Gospel of Luke that he had been reading during the trip. In short, Something Needs to Change, is a book written to convince Christians that complacency can not be, and something needs to change in our lives, our families, our communities, and our churches.

[Kayla Peker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enthralling... Humbling... Challenging... David Platt beautifully challenges Christians to rethink the simplicity of what it means to follow Christ. Love God and love people. It really is that simple. I HIGHLY recommend this to all people, but especially recommend to the Christian wrestling with understanding how to care for their neighbor’s physical but also spiritual needs.

[Yolanda Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Some books provoke deep thinking, and others are a call to action. This is both.

[Natalie Herr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Compelling memoir of Platt’s trip through the Himalayas - didn’t expect the book to be this style, but I thought his honesty (in his prayers and questions for God about poverty/suffering) was so refreshing in a world where many Christian leaders feel like they have to have it all together and appear to have no personal doubt. Definitely challenged me in how I respond to poverty and suffering around me.

[Emma Claire · Rating 5 out of 5]

just finished this on a study break and it was SO good! you cannot walk away from it without feeling convicted (but I mean it is david platt so who is really surprised). Eye-opening on physical and spiritual needs throughout the world. 5/5, 10/10, would recommend

[Sarah Hyde · Rating 5 out of 5]

It wrecked me. David Platt made me feel like I was right there with him trekking through the Himalayan mountains. Work hard amid earthly suffering, and hardest to keep people from eternal suffering (!!).

[Aubrie Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

The content in this book was amazing. I was emotionally wrecked by the end of pretty much every chapter. The author doesn't shy away from the hard topics dealt with on his trip.
My one complaint (other than crying every other chapter) was the writing style itself was a little choppy.

[Adam Young · Rating 5 out of 5]

Must Read! If you feel like God is telling you that Something needs to change, you need to read this book!!

[Jeanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A invitation to travel along side David Platt in the mountains of the Himalayan. To witness what he witnessed when he realized that something needs to change.

David Platt is a well known pastor and author of many Christian books. I remember reading the book Radical and I believe this text is a balance that I needed to hear and experience. From his encounter with his friend Aaron who ministers to the Himalayan people and who invited David to see for himself the great need of the people but also see the greatest need of his own heart which I believe is the greatest need of our hearts as well. Aaron's own testimony of coming to the mountains is one of that changed his life forever. Going with friends on a hike when they encountered Sex Traffickers coming down with girls ranging from 8 to 14. Seeing the girls with empty eyes and with nothing to live for. How these men used girls as young as 8 for their own pleasure and how their families let their daughters go believing a better way.

The stories of the people that David meant are tragic however, they also show the conditions of our own heart and how change is needed. I appreciated the balance of the gospel and meeting the needs of the people was dealt with. How the gospel changes community as believers come together to make change and how we can part of that in big or small ways. It is easy to make our world small and not see or want to see the evil that millions endure but also more importantly do not have the gospel to put their hope in. The Gospel is hope because death will come. David's own journey encouraged him to look at the Parables of Jesus again and see the scriptures in a different light. We need to look at the scriptures in the light of poverty, oppression, and evil because we will never see the beauty of the Gospel if we do not.

A Special Thank you to Waterbrook and Multnomah and Netgalley for the ARC and the opportunity to post an honest review.

[Lana Wilson Hill · Rating 1 out of 5]

The author uses emotional manipulation technics to guilt his readers into feeling like they are not doing enough for the billions of people who live in severe poverty and corruption. Granted, this is a reality of our world and there are real, urgent needs, but there are also mission fields in our own backyards. Not everyone is called to go into missions overseas. The most urgent need is for people everywhere to know Jesus as Lord and Savior.

Meanwhile, (spoiler) he concludes by revealing that after this life changing experience, God has called him to stay and pastor his mega-church that brings in multiple millions of dollars per year...

The tone was whiney, overly emotional, and manipulative. I honestly think he was just out to sell another book and make another million (hopefully to give away all proceeds to spread the gospel abroad, if he is being consistent with his premise of the book). It was painful to finish, but I am a finisher.

[Morgan Brabender · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listening to David Platt read his own book was quite the treat! He read it with the passion and conviction that he meant the reader to understand and I loved that. I was deeply impacted by the book and so appreciated the honesty and vulnerability with which he shared. I could relate to so many of the thoughts that he had - like thoughts that I never felt okay sharing on mission trips. I enjoyed that this was written as a story that David was sharing and was super touched by all of his experiences. I HIGHLY recommend and want my friends to read it so we can talk about it!!

[Utah Kershner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was so good! I love a Christian perspective book and this one was but also was a narrative too. David Platt walks through his ten day trip through the Himalayas and how it changed his perspective of how he views what God’s call for him is. It made him question if something in his life needed to change. The stories in this book are compelling, impactful, emotionally moving, and in some cases tragic. It will prompt you to consider if you are living too comfortably and to ask God if He is calling you to something greater. Not every Christian will or should be a missionary but I think Platt makes the point that everyone Christian should consider the possibility. Great read! I recommend the audiobook. :)

[LA · Rating 5 out of 5]

Through telling his story of a trek through the Himalayas encountering unimaginable physical & spiritual need, David naturally leads readers praying the prayer he ends the book with. “God, we will do whatever you want us to do with all you’ve given us.”
I really enjoyed the journal entries fitted between stories of what he experienced & getting to walk through the emotions & questions he was left to ask himself reading scripture amidst the circumstances he found himself in.

[Cole Ragsdale · Rating 5 out of 5]

A 24hr read.
Essentially a 200pg journal entry as Platt journey's through the Himalayas.

Once again, I was reminded of the urgent physical and spiritual needs in the world. The unanswerable questions of "why does suffering/evil exist" and "what do we do in light of this evil" are dead center.

Impossible to not be challenged by this book. Am I building a life of selfish comfort or living a life of selfless service??

Big rocks:

- TALK IS CHEAP. ("I got tired of talking") We talk about how much we care about "justice" and "loving people" but how often does that just equate a social media post and being nice?

- LOVE NEIGHBOR AS SELF. (actually play this scenario out)

- A life of the CROSS or a life of COMFORT ?

[The Book Bunch (Sam) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very heavy topics covered in this book. We follow David as he goes on a mission trip/hike in the Himalayas, reaching people so remote they have never even heard the name of Jesus. He, along with 2 friends and some guides encounter life shaking situations and unique people. It was good but I found that I just couldn't relate to the discussion questions as I haven't been shaken like he has and I don't have the same doubts he has.

[Maddie Huffman · Rating 4 out of 5]

“What something needs to change in your life to effect change with the hope of Jesus in a world of urgent physical and Spiritual need?”
Been thinking a lot about what is a person’s most urgent need. Physical suffering in this world (poverty, starvation, disease) is horrible, but it is nothing compared to the eternal suffering of those who don’t know Jesus. We must meet the most urgent need first-introducing all people to Jesus. This book has some super convicting reflection questions at the end of each chapter.

[Michael Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was touched by this story. I think this book is one that I would recommend to the Christian who does not yet have a global mindset. It is the perfect launching point for those who are unaware or even ignorant towards the desperate condition of our world.

“There’s really only one thing worse than being lost. What’s worse is being lost when no one is trying to find you”

Thank Jesus he left the 99 to come for me. We also must go out for those who are lost.

[Meriblake22 · Rating 5 out of 5]

“The gospel is the greatest news in all the world, it meets the greatest need in all the world, and, as such, we must work hardest at making it known” 🔥 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 i appreciate Platt’s raw emotions/journal entries, alongside his acknowledgment of the real difficulty in reaching such places and things to beware of in alleviating poverty (I.e. when helping hurts.) praise God for the clarity and conviction of this book!!

[Kimberley Woodhouse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book. Loved how David takes you on the journey with him and you experience it all. Makes you think.

[Anna Goodwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Challenging read! Felt like I was along for the journey with David. Really brought the urgency of the gospel into prospective.