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5th out of 21 books
—
1 voter
Just Courage: God's Great Expedition for the Restless Christian
"There must be more to the Christian life than this--more than church each Sunday and waving to my neighbors and giving some clothes to Goodwill when I go through my closet each spring." These aren't bad things, of course. But they're safe and comfortable and easy. And there's a reason they're not satisfying your desire for something more significant and meaningful--we're...more
Hardcover, 148 pages
Published
June 5th 2008
by IVP Books
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As someone who is in ministry I'm always on the lookout for good books to read with or recommend to others. Just Courage is now THE book I would choose if I wanted to introduce other Christians to the Biblical call to justice. It is powerful, well-written, and theologically on point. Haugen weaves together stories from the ministry of International Justice Mission, Biblical teaching, and a compelling call to courageous obedience of God. There are probably better books for people who already beli...more
Oct 20, 2009
Troy
rated it
3 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Anyone wondering if there's more to life, and church, etc....
Recommended to Troy by:
Nate Hagerty, et al.
Challenging book. I find it interesting that the points he uses to present what he's advocating for the individual believer's and church community's life are much the same as those used by most who want to advocate for a more 'radical' Christian life of some sort, or another, or another.
But what he's calling to is so high, and so right.
I need to continue to grapple with this one personally, and think it's worth anyone giving a hearing. Could just change your life...
I was interested in this after...more
But what he's calling to is so high, and so right.
I need to continue to grapple with this one personally, and think it's worth anyone giving a hearing. Could just change your life...
I was interested in this after...more
Would we rather be safe or be brave? This study makes you think deeply about the question and what it means for the Christian. Haugen is a lawyer and he is passionate about justice. So is our creator. He gives a very clear definition of what the word justice means. I think it is a bibical one at that. He also points out without righteouness, there is no justice. Sometimes the world cries justice, but without righteouness. Haugen is part of an organization that gets deep into the world of organiz...more
I've long been a fan of IJM & Gary Haugen.
I read this book several years ago & reviewed it again after reading Sheryl WuDunn's "Half The Sky." I'm trying to wrestle through the issues raised in these 2 books.
Among my takeaways from this book:
1. We are far too easily pleased (the CS Lewis "Weight of Glory" quote on p 31.
2. Hope is a virtue - p 78
3. Who we truly are and were meant to be is evidenced more by our yearnings than our history - p 104
4. Would I rather be safe or brave?
5. What d...more
I read this book several years ago & reviewed it again after reading Sheryl WuDunn's "Half The Sky." I'm trying to wrestle through the issues raised in these 2 books.
Among my takeaways from this book:
1. We are far too easily pleased (the CS Lewis "Weight of Glory" quote on p 31.
2. Hope is a virtue - p 78
3. Who we truly are and were meant to be is evidenced more by our yearnings than our history - p 104
4. Would I rather be safe or brave?
5. What d...more
Jul 24, 2011
Brian Eshleman
added it
Excellent book. The push to enact Christianity as part of the Social Gospel is an old one and maybe a tired one. Haugen's push, though is different. He isn't asking God to sign off on what enlightened people who happen to be nominal Christians have come up with, he is rooted deeply in God's expression of His character through His Word and sees the fight for social justice as an extension of that.
This fight, he argues, will spread the Gospel at phenomenal speed by SHOWING the love of Jesus to tho...more
This fight, he argues, will spread the Gospel at phenomenal speed by SHOWING the love of Jesus to tho...more
Would you rather be safe or brave?
Gary Haugen is the president of International Justice Mission (IJM) a human rights organization based in DC. In this book he challenges Christians to not be content with complacency, but to take seriously God's call "to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke." (Isaiah 58) Drawing from the stories of brave men and women who have risked much to free modern-day slaves and victims of sex-t...more
Gary Haugen is the president of International Justice Mission (IJM) a human rights organization based in DC. In this book he challenges Christians to not be content with complacency, but to take seriously God's call "to loose the bonds of wickedness, to undo the straps of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke." (Isaiah 58) Drawing from the stories of brave men and women who have risked much to free modern-day slaves and victims of sex-t...more
Gary Haugen writes a great book about Justice and how real justice is brought to real needy people. Currently it seems politics has us focussed on Americans without healthcare, or losing their homes, or illegals invading somebody's land. But Haugen points out that the really needy people are the millions of people that are slaves, or forced into child prostitution, or forced into certain death poverty. It is true he shows us how we can involved, and perhaps, our country's woes might sound a bit...more
Written in an clear style. Good illustrations, simple message.
Talks about Christians going on the journey but missing the adventure when we opt for being safe rather than brave.
"God is calling his people to a pathway out of fear and triviality through the struggle for justice."
Struggling for justice for others fills one's life with adventure, faith, miracles,getting to know Jesus better.
Good stories of unsung heroes in the fight. Good discussion questions in the back.
This is a book to read once...more
Talks about Christians going on the journey but missing the adventure when we opt for being safe rather than brave.
"God is calling his people to a pathway out of fear and triviality through the struggle for justice."
Struggling for justice for others fills one's life with adventure, faith, miracles,getting to know Jesus better.
Good stories of unsung heroes in the fight. Good discussion questions in the back.
This is a book to read once...more
I feel bad only giving this book two stars. On one hand I think that the message of the book with the stories upholding that message is one worth reading. On the other hand I think some of the subtle theological implications are off-base and somewhat misleading, and at times it seems to me that the book was hastily written and constructed; or that Haugen wrote the book well at first but then someone said, "Hey, it should be longer, add some stuff."
I also don't agree that living a Christian life...more
I also don't agree that living a Christian life...more
God’s Great Expedition for the Restless Christian. Haugen challenges today’s Christian to be brave rather than safe, in the context of a world of injustice where 27 million slaves moulder in misery. The book is not sensational, just a gentle but firm call to believe what Jesus said and then launch out into the deep trusting in His promises to care of us if we do his will. And his will is to seek justice.
He starts the book by quoting John Stuart Mill’s essay, On Liberty in which Mill explains th...more
He starts the book by quoting John Stuart Mill’s essay, On Liberty in which Mill explains th...more
Snatch excerpts from pg. 130 - "As it turns out, it's quite possible to be very earnest and also be afraid. - because we really don't believe He will take care of us in the end. He wants us to completely trust Him, to walk in the freedom and power and joy that comes from authentically believing that all will be well in following the all-good and almighty God." An answer to this call is the essence of IJM's role in the lives of people, both those who serve within and those who are served and touc...more
This is a great book filled with some great information inside of it. It takes a look at God from a science point of view. When you really take a look at the facts you come to find that Science supports that there is a God more than it proves that there isn't. Though at times it does read like a text book - shooting facts at you so much that your mind begins to wander - it is still something I would strongly suggest reading especially if you are a non-believer or on the fence.
10 pages in I was thinking "Dude, where's your ghost writer? And why am I reading this?" 20 pages in I was floored. Haugen presents the facts in the simplest of fashions - I wanted him to spend more time talking about his experiences at IJM and what he had learned there. But his simplicity, as a writer, ultimately helps his cause by demanding that the reader imagine just what this man has got himself into by leaving a well-paid job at the Department of Justice to start a ministry that is a force...more
Very light, poorly written Christian pablam. Makes aurgument that fighting for justice on behalf of the poor is a powerful, effective way to make a long-term difference in their lives and that believers should take action to "do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God." But not many good ideas for how we can realistically do this except support IJM's efforts. Great example of the shallowness and market driven content of today's Christian publishers.
Gary Haugen basically says to combine compassion and courage and let them overwhelm fear. Put them to work in service and you will come alive in the fullness of what God intends for your life. His focus is on injustice (see http://ijm.org). He defines injustice as the events in which the powerful take from the weak those things that God intended for them: Beauty, freedom, dignity, etc. And he calls us to muster our courage to act.
I need to go back and read this one again. It was about on par with Platt's book (Radical). It was full of a lot of agenda, and scripture was massaged to support the points a lot of times. It seems harmless, but history tells us (scripture tells us!) that massaging scripture even a little to support even a good cause has devistating effects (crusades, inquisition, Abraham and Haagar = Islam).
Feb 14, 2011
Matt Swaffer
added it
The author of Just Courage: God's Great Expedition for the Restless Christian, was a lawyer for the Justice Department working in the Civil Rights division in the 1990's. He also was the director of the United Nations genocide investigation in Rwanda. In 1997 he left all that behind to step out in faith to start a non-profit organization to seek justice around the globe. International Justice Mission now has 14 field offices around the world and over 300 people on staff, 90% of whom are national...more
This book really challenged me to get off my butt and do something about injustice in the world. This book focuses on human trafficking and slavery that is going on today. It was eye opening and challenged my level of compassion. This book was one of the reasons I went on a mission trip to Iraq this year.
I liked his Biblical interpretations of what justice and injustice are. He definitely called me to act with his question about being brave or staying safe. It would be good for someone considering a major sacrifice to change careers from for-profit to direct justice-seeking work.
This book is about a group of real life superheros. The International Justice Mission, they rush into harms way to fight for human rights. It's written for the Christian struggling to find more in their faith, but I think anyone can find it a fascinating book.
In a compelling and moving book Gary Haugen shows how passion and action for justice in the world can be a cure for the bland spiritual life so many Christians experience. A great adventure is in store for us if will simply stand up and choose it.
Gary Haugen knows how to paint a word picture. His charging the darkness story (his little kids afraid of their room at night in the dark)alone makes this book worth reading - not to mention the inspiration of what he is doing.
Great book about steping out in faith and making a difference in the worlds evils(child slavery and sex trafficing) You can learn not to be paralized by the size of a problem but to begin and change one life at a time.
Gary Haugen is the founder of the International Justice Mission which uses legal aid to break the bonds of modern day slavery and oppression in other countries.
Great book. It discusses an issue that has been mostly overlooked by most churches and Christians (including myself) and challenges us to do something about it.
I had hoped that this book would be inspirational in conquering fears in life, the small everyday ones mostly. I won’t say that it didn’t do that. The stories shared by the author were inspirational, but I found the focus to almost solely be on the International Justice Mission that the author is the president of. A worthy cause no doubt. But personally, I was a bit disappointed in the book.
I "read" this via audiobook.
I "read" this via audiobook.
This is a beaitful rendition of stories Gary has to tell from IJM, as well as a call to live as Jesus called us to live...courageously!
Soul-stirring and challenging. This is one that you should read if you find yourself sometimes callous toward the down-trodden.
Aug 04, 2011
Aaron Thomas
added it
What an awesome book. This guy hates the word "safe" and I love it. Makes me wish I could go work for him.
Jul 30, 2011
Pam Howell
added it
I was challenged by this book in so many ways ... this is a great book to help you grow as a follower of Christ.
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