A Brief Review: "Just Courage" Just Misses

I decided to listen to the audiobook of Gary Haugen's Just Courage after hearing his message at The Master's College on a podcast--it was very good. I've followed the work of International Justice Mission, and have read many positive reports on their work. [Full disclosure: I actually met Gary when he was still a student at Harvard--his brother was living with me at the time--but we've had no contact since.]

As I listened, I recognized that Haugen is a good storyteller; his illustrations were engaging and certainly helped make his points. He is a thoughtful Christian who has seen an evil in this world that has become his passion, and he has lived out his concern through directing IJM in its work around the world. His thrust in this book was straightforward--just as the calling of Christians down through the ages has been to act with courage in overcoming the cultural evils of the day (African slavery, poverty, etc.), the call today is to seek justice, and specifically in the freeing of those sold into slavery (most often as laborers in factories or into the sex trade)and protection of the oppressed. This calling requires facing fear and danger, but this is why faith-inspired courage is necessary.

His passion and commitment to his cause his clear, and he believes that it's neglect cannot go on. He acknowledges that not everyone is called to this ministry, but presses a strong case that it must be embraced by all.

I applaud this concern and am thankful for the ministry of IJM. I praise God that our church is actively involved in a similar ministry that rescues and helps those enslaved in sex trafficking. A number of our members have traveled to Thailand to participate firsthand, and we will continue to increase our involvement in fighting this evil and bringing hope with the Gospel. It is the right thing for us to do in the name of Jesus.

That is the point at which the book left me with a question. I didn't hear much about the tie between the activity of setting captives free and an equal concern for seeing them set free from spiritual bondage. It may happen, and IJM may in fact be passionate about this, but it didn't come through clearly as I was listening to the book. There were appeals to the gospels concerning how believers were to live, and appropriate applications of that to seeking justice. But I didn't catch a direct link between seeking justice and freedom for slaves and bringing the gospel to recently freed but spiritually enslaved people. This has been the hallmark of Christian endeavors around the world throughout history. While Christians have often had their failures come back to haunt them, the successes of bringing the gospel and cultural change are most significant.

A related concern was a passage where Haugen argued that some are called to medical mission, some to alleviating poverty, some to evangelism and discipleship, and some to seeking justice (there may have been others in that list, but it was that kind of list, with those kind of elements). What bothered me a bit was the separation of evangelism and discipleship from the other activities. I don't think that evangelism is special activity that servants of Jesus can choose to do in the world, or choose instead to do justice ministry or poverty relief. And the servant of Jesus who chooses the others and leaves evangelism out of the picture because it isn't his calling is not acting faithfully in such a context, either. I'm not referring to preaching services, and there is plenty of need for culturally sensitive witnesses who may "go slow" to gain a hearing. But my resistance goes up when I see a dichotomy created where there should not be one.

Finally, I had the thought as I went through the book that if it were a person with a passion to feed the hungry, or end poverty, or provide medical care to those without, it would sound the same. Change the illustrations slightly and any "cause" could use this script. Again, that is not to say it isn't well written or a good cause; these causes, though, are ancillary to the great cause, however, of bringing God glory by leading the nations to worship Him. We bring good because we also bring the gospel. A story about a reunited family that gives no indication that they have even been exposed to the good news about Jesus doesn't inspire me. I'm guessing that they have been, but it's only a guess at this point.

Just Courage presents the argument for Christians to engage in the fight against the evils sin has brought into our world--in this case the injustices of slavery and oppression. It is a valid argument, but one that would resonate more strongly if it were more clearly anchored in a holistic approach that brings the opportunity for spiritual as well as physical freedom.