Anyone who has ever wondered whether there is more to the Christian life than the sorts of things offered by a normal church experience in a typical Western country will find much to think about in Gary Haugen’s challenging book Just Courage: God’s Great Expedition for the Restless Christian. It is only a short book, but it does not take many pages for the author to issue a comprehensive challenge to the way in which most Christians live their lives.
Most of us are going on the journey but missing the adventure. 150 years ago, John Stuart Mill observed that Christians seem to have the ability to say the most wonderful things without actually believing them, things like “blessed are the poor and humble”, “it’s better to give than receive”, “judge not, lest you be judged”, and “love your neighbour as yourself”. How different would life be if we acted on these words, rather than just repeating them?
Haugen’s book tells some of the story of his International Justice Mission organisation, and the challenges which he has faced in confronting the powers of evil in the world. But more than just being the story of the author and other courageous individiuals, the book is a challenge to every reader who yearns “for liberation from small and trivial things, to experience the passion and the power of God on the more jagged edges of faith”. According to the book, the call to be a follower of Jesus is a call to join the struggle for justice in the world, something which requires bravery rather than safety, and something which cannot be done without relying on God. I highly recommend this book.
One reply on “What a real follower of Jesus does”
John,
Thank you so much for your post on Just Courage. We at IJM are so glad that you were impacted by these words as much as we are . It is an encouragment and a joy to know that you want to share this book with others as well. Thank you.