David Platt (pastor)
David Joseph Platt is an American pastor and author. He is currently pastor-teacher at McLean Bible Church, and previously he was the senior pastor at the Church at Brook Hills in Birmingham, Alabama, at the time he was the youngest megachurch pastor in the United States. He is the author of the New York Times Best Seller Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream and since then has released numerous other books.[1] From 2014 through 2017, Platt was president of the International Mission Board. Platt founded a resource ministry, Radical.net, which promotes his books, sermons and podcasts and multiple simulcasts throughout the year and provides resources concerning persecuted believers.[2] He is known for conducting the intensive Bible study simulcast, Secret Church, meant to imitate the Bible study experiences of the underground church.
David Platt | |
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Platt in 2010 | |
Born | |
Nationality | American |
Occupation | Pastor, author, educator |
Years active | 2005–present |
Notable work | Radical Radical Together Follow Me Counter Culture |
Spouse(s) | Heather |
Children | 4 |
Theological work | |
Era | Early 21st Century |
Tradition or movement | Southern Baptist |
Main interests | The Gospel |
Background
Platt graduated from the University of Georgia with a B.A. in journalism.[3] From there he attended New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.[4] There he received the degrees of M.Div, Th.M, and also a PhD.[5][2]
After he finished his doctorate, he served at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary as Dean of Chapel and Assistant Professor of Expository Preaching and Apologetics. He also served at Edgewater Baptist Church in New Orleans and resided in a parsonage when Hurricane Katrina hit, flooding the parsonage.[6]
At the age of 26, Platt was hired to lead the congregation of The Church at Brook Hills, a megachurch in Birmingham, Alabama.[7] He was the youngest megachurch pastor in America.[5]
In 2014, Platt was elected president of the Southern Baptist Convention's International Mission Board.[8] The International Mission Board is one of the largest missionary sending organizations in the world.[9] He was appointed to this position after a trip to Nepal.
In February 2017, Platt began serving as interim teaching pastor at McLean Bible Church in Vienna, Virginia while continuing his primary role as president of the International Mission Board. In September 2017, Platt was hired as pastor-teacher of McLean Bible Church. In February 2018, he announced his plans to resign as president of the IMB on the hiring of his successor.[10]
On June 2, 2019, Platt prayed for President Donald Trump when he made an unscheduled stop at McLean Bible Church during Sunday services.[11] Platt published a letter explaining the situation and his prayer, highlighting the biblical command to pray for those in authority (1 Timothy 2:1-6) as his motivation.[12]
Works
- Radical: Taking Back Your Faith From the American Dream
- Radical Together: Unleashing The People of God for the Purpose of God
- Something Needs to Change: A Call to Make Your Life Count in a World of Urgent Need(2019)
- Gospel Threads
- Twelve Traits: Embracing God's Design for the Church
- Nine Marks of a Healthy Church
- God's Love Compels Us
- Risk is Right
- Counter Culture
- Follow Me
- Multiply
- He Came
- To Us a Son is Given
- Mission Precision
- 1 John: Love Made Known Bible Study
- Christ-Centered Exposition series, Exalting Jesus in Galatians, Exalting Jesus in 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus, Exalting Jesus in Matthew, Exalting Jesus in James, Exalting Jesus in Psalms Volume 2 51-100
References
- Platt, David (2010), Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream, Colorado Springs: Multnomah Books, ISBN 978-1-4487-9902-2, retrieved December 8, 2012
- "About David Platt". Radical. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
- "MBC Teaching Pastors". McLean Bible Church. February 12, 2017.
- Meet Our Pastor, The Church at Brook Brook Hills, archived from the original on August 19, 2014, retrieved December 8, 2012
- Brooks, David (September 7, 2010), "The Gospel of Wealth", The New York Times, New York, p. 25, retrieved December 8, 2012
- Garrison, Greg (August 15, 2006). "At 28, Pastor Has Five Degrees and a 4,300-Member Flock". Christianity Today. Religion News Service. Retrieved December 8, 2012.
- Hansen, Collin. "Platt Commissioned by Brook Hills in Final Sunday as Senior Pastor". The Gospel Coalition.
- "imbConnecting". imbConnecting. Archived from the original on March 1, 2016. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
- "Pastor David Platt succeeds Tom Elliff as IMB president". Baptist Press. Retrieved February 23, 2016.
- McGowan, Julie (September 14, 2018). "Platt to step down from IMB; Meador named interim president". imb.org.
- "David Platt: What he learned praying for Trump". al. June 10, 2019.
- Platt, David. "PRAYER FOR THE PRESIDENT". McLean Bible Church. Retrieved June 2, 2019.