The World Is Not Ours to Save: Finding the Freedom to Do Good by Tyler Wigg-Stevenson

by Tyler Wigg-Stevenson

We want to save the world―and we have a dizzying array of worthy causes to pursue. But passionate enthusiasm can quickly give way to disillusionment, compassion fatigue or empty slacktivism. As we move from awareness to mobilization, we bump up against the complexities of global problems―and liking Facebook pages only goes so far. Veteran activist Tyler Wigg-Stevenson identifies the practical and spiritual pitfalls that threaten much of today's cause-driven Christianity. He casts an alternate vision for doing good based on the liberating truth that only God can save the world. Wigg-Stevenson's own pilgrimage from causes to calling shows how to ground an enduring, kingdom-oriented activism in the stillness of vocation rather than in the anxiety of the world's brokenness. The world is not ours to save. And that's okay. Discover why.

Genres: Nonfiction, Theology, Justice, Social Justice, Christian, Faith, Christian Living

Mass Market Paperback

First published November 28, 2012

About the author

Tyler Wigg-Stevenson is the founder and director of the Two Futures Project, a movement of Christians for nuclear threat reduction and the global abolition of nuclear weapons. He also serves as chairman of the Global Task Force on Nuclear Weapons for the World Evangelical Alliance.

Tyler began his involvement in nuclear policy over a decade ago under the late U.S. Senator Alan Cranston at the Global Security Institute, on whose board he still sits, and as study assistant to the Rev. Dr. John Stott. He is the author of Brand Jesus: Christianity in a Consumerist Age, a contributing editor at Sojourners magazine, politics columnist at Relevant magazine, and a regular writer and speaker on matters of faith and public life. His work has been profiled by a variety of secular and Christian media, including the Washington Post, Christianity Today, CQ, WORLD, ABC World News, and PBS’s Religion & Ethics Newsweekly. Tyler is an ordained Baptist minister with degrees from Swarthmore College and Yale Divinity School.

Reviews

[Maddie · Rating 5 out of 5]

“We do not have to imagine that the battle hinges on our efforts. Instead, we are free...the battle is won, the conflict is done, the anthem sung, and the kingdom comes.”

This is by far one of the most convicting and humbling books I’ve read in a while. I can see my own hearts tendencies through the pages as the writer describes his journey.

The most beautiful truth this book offers humbles the heart of pride and lifts it up into true genuine freedom: you may want to save the world, you may want to remove its brokenness, you may want to restore justice, but you can’t. Just as you can’t save yourself, remove your brokenness, and restore your own heart to beat to every rhythm of injustice. But God can and He will. He promises He will. It is His world to save and we just get to allow Him to use our lives to show pockets of His kingdom and grace. This is how we wrestle with the brokenness in the world of Christ followers,

“God said, ‘The world is not yours, not to save or to damn. Only to serve the one whose it is.”

[Bryan Kibbe · Rating 4 out of 5]

For those that are familiar with it, this book offers a great companion to James Davison Hunter's book, To Change the World. Both books express similar themes, though each are very different in style, tone, and pacing. Hunter's book exhibits a certain density characteristic of more academic books, while Wigg-Stevenson's book is sure to be more accessible to a wider audience. For example, Wigg-Stevenson uses an abundance of everyday experiences and encounters to inject a sense of narrative into his thesis that Christians should not be about the work of saving the world, but, instead, should seek to bear witness to God's promised future kingdom. This is a fitting strategy, since part of Wigg-Stevenson's argument is that Christians and Jews are people that are framed and nurtured by the narratives and narrative of Scripture, and thus there is a certain narrative orientation in Judeo-Christianity. My major criticism is that at times Wigg-Stevenson moved on too quickly to the next point when he could have delved more deeply and explored a few issues in more systematic fashion. Nonetheless, I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others.

[Zeke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Powerful and timely book. I think Wigg-Stevenson does a great job stripping away the misconception (even among the church) that the world's problems can be solved just by caring a little bit more. It's challenging in all sorts of ways and I highlighted and starred passages all over the book. I do think he stretches his Biblical exegesis of Micah 4 a little bit in the second half of the book, but the lessons are still worth learning even if they don't come directly from that passage. Would have also loved some more direct application for laypersons in the local church, but I'm nitpicking. This book features challenges for the activist and hope for the burned out -I'm sure I'll recommend it to plenty of people this year.

From the book, which captures the heart of the message: "Our job is not to win the victory, but to expose through our lives that the victory has been won on our behalf. And as a result, we will see shoots of God’s kingdom erupt in our midst."

[Ben · Rating 4 out of 5]

How To Disarm A Secular Bomb

This was a great book on activism, church, and how to properly change the world as a Christian.

Another great recommendation from a friend of mine in my Men's Group Bible Study.

I loved it as I am an activist myself.

Also, a lot of the book was about nuclear disarment. Very important, especially with the news these days years.

4.1/5

[Nate Duriga · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of those books that was so good, I didn't want it to end! The author's thoughtful framing of what it means to work for justice and why we should is helpful, and his description of the limits of our role are freeing. His writing style is engaging, enjoyable and personal.

[Karla Haberman · Rating 5 out of 5]

I appreciated this author and how he points us back to what we are to be about as Christians.

[Michael Wear · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the best Christian books of the last decade.

[Bob · Rating 5 out of 5]

We can't save the world, and that is because in Christ, God already has, and will one day complete the job that we cannot. That sums up the main idea of this life-long activist's book.

Wigg-Stevenson's book is broken into two parts. The first explores the limitations of activism, which begins with his own anti-nuclear bomb activism, increasing despair and conversion both to faith and a different way of thinking about his activism. He chronicles our pretensions to heroism ('everyone wants to be a David'), the reality that the world is broken beyond repair and that the beginning of a durable activism is the fear of the Lord and a grasp of what it meant for God to save the world ('take these snakes', referring to John 3).

The second part of the book explores 'our deeper calling', which is a call to peace, not anxious toil--peace with God, peace among the nations, and peace in community. He concludes with what it means to live out our callings which includes a personal and moving tribute to John R W Stott, whose study assistant he was in 2005-6. Stott was a model of a life of passionate commitment to Christ, to the pastoring of God's people, and to pursuing a global ministry of peace while living as a placed person in London, a single and simple life. In these chapters he also gives us moving accounts of the Tent of the Nations farm on threatened Palestinian land and of a visit to South Africa to learn the story of his wife's grandfather, a Colored school principle, Perceval George Rhoda, an example of peacemaking in community.

Wigg-Stevenson has not stopped being an anti-nuclear activist. He writes movingly both of his encounters with the children of those who died in Hiroshima and describes in vivid detail the devastation that would be wrought by a single nuclear bomb detonated in Washington, DC during a state of the union address. But he contends that our activism is a stewardship of gifts and call that heralds the coming kingdom of peace, sometimes succeeding in bringing a measure of that future into the present. He also has a telling word coming at the end of an era of evangelical political activism which he describes as asking How can public goods be obtained using Christianity? He advocates, instead, a "kingdom-oriented activism" that asks, What unique and authentic contribution can the Christian church make to the public square?

I hope to see more from this moving and eloquent writer!

[Jennifer Lucking · Rating 5 out of 5]

It took me months to get through this book. Not because it was a chore or was a bad read, but because there was just so much for me to digest. This book was exactly what I needed to read right now. I am immersed in social justice issues - professionally, educationally, personally - and even with faith and self care, this type of work can be heavy. I often found myself asking questions like "why? Why am I doing this? Slavery has been around for centuries." Advocacy and mobilization was beginning to feel futile. And while I knew that it is not my job to "end slavery" (or, as the title of this books suggests, "save the world"), I felt like a pessimistic fraud not buying into motivational statements like "our generation will be the one that ends slavery!!!" This book helps lay the framework for Christian activism: we don't engage in activism because we think we can save the world, we engage in activism because God has called us to vocations and our "vocation is to be like Jesus Christ through discipleship" (p. 188).

"I hope that a model of activism based in the distinctive practices of the church and individual Christians will remind us that we labor in light of a kingdom that we have not established and that we cannot build with permanence. At best we can steward the time and space that God has allotted us. By grounding our compassion and action within Christ's invincible church, against which the armies of hell will someday fall, we ensure that we are working in the right direction and for the right reasons." (p. 203).

This book is a must read for every Christian. Those who are not actively engaged in social justice issues will benefit from learning how Christ calls us to address issues of injustice. Activists will find this book instrumental in examining healthy, sustainable and Biblical models of living out our call to address social justice.

[Mike · Rating 2 out of 5]

The author's point is important: God is sovereign and this is His world to do with as He wishes. To think that our causes, slogans, protests, etc. are going to save the world from itself is absurd. However, in his apology for his attitude for his activism, he justifies it and does not apply a critical eye to it. Whatever we do, we can't just question WHY we are doing something, but WHAT we are doing. He seems loose in his application of Scripture to the tactics that one might use for his or her cause; for example, while he thinks Christians should minimize militant activities, he allows for it. He gives the example that in protesting nuclear weapons, it may be ok to break into a federal installation and bang on bombers with hammers until the police come. He should read Romans 13 more carefully. Except for Peter's refusal to stop preaching the Gospel, I can't think of a new testament saint who broke the law for any other cause. The bar for disobeying God - appointed authorities is fairly high. Towards the end, the author also drifts off into left-wing social justice causes.

His chapter on the fear of God is his best and underscores a doctrine that almost all modern Christians have forgotten.

[Timothy Hoiland · Rating 5 out of 5]

There’s been a recurring theme on this blog early in 2013. In my very positive review of Ken Wytsma’s Pursuing Justice, I put forward a gentle critique of the optimistic way he talks about “changing the world.” Soon afterwards, I offered some thoughts on James Davison Hunter’s sobering assertion that Christians would do well to practice “faithful presence” rather than thinking that changing the world is particularly within grasp. Then, in the pages of a book on faith and learning by Cornelius Plantinga, Jr., I thought I found a sort of middle ground.

Then along came the timely and much discussed book by Tyler Wigg-Stevenson, The World Is Not Ours To Save: Finding the Freedom to Do Good (IVP). Wigg-Stevenson leads the Two Futures Project, an evangelical movement aimed at abolishing nuclear weapons. If there ever was a “world-changing” undertaking, this is it. Yet Wigg-Stevenson, a dedicated activist, wants to tell us that the world is not ours to change, or at least it’s not ours to save. And he insists this is good news...

- See more at: http://timhoiland.com/2013/04/the-wor...

[Jeff · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm quite familiar with the kind of rhetoric that glories in grand plans to save the world. It's simply assumed that is what's pleasing to God. Wigg-Stevenson maintains that sort of talk and resultant action fails to understand the (dysfunctional) world as it is and the complexity of actually bringing about meaningful change. He suggests that if there is saving to be done it's God who, in the end, will do it. This might seem to be something of an echo of the naysayers that told William Carey that if God wanted the heathen saved He'd do it without Carey's help. Meanwhile Carey got on with the work and the rest, as they say, is history.While the author is addressing social activism and not evangelism he, nevertheless is keen to tell us that we need to take a deep breath, back off a step and let God be God, as such the saving is his to do. What's left for us is to identify our calling within God's purposes and to pursue that calling leaving the final outcomes to God. This is helpful perspective and will preserve some from needless burnout and others from unwarranted triumphalism, perhaps.

[Joel Wentz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was quite surprised by how much I loved this book. Wigg-Stevenson is able to deftly move from heart-wrenching personal stories to extremely humorous satire regarding Christian activist culture (his overview of the typical "Christian cause" video had me laughing out loud!). As a major anti-nuclear weapons activist himself, he brings an air of credibility and authority to the topic, without being arrogant, which I greatly appreciate. If you are passionate about justice causes, or even find yourself burnt out on the subject, you owe it to yourself to give this a read.

[Jim · Rating 5 out of 5]

An incredibly helpful and timely book that helped me to start to correct some harmful perspectives about mission and service that I've picked up from my early formative years in the church. That we are called to be ministers of God's gospel of peace in an overwhelmingly broken world and not heroes and saviours in ourselves has been my main takeaway.

Your time will not be wasted in reading this book. One of the best I've read in a while.

[janice l. dimond · Rating 5 out of 5]

In our current desire to pursue social justice, this book is a great reminder of how to really effect the world for the better. A must for any Christian involved in the battle for justice.

[Lee Ann · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to admit that I didn't finish this book. The basic premise, however, that we are not placed on this earth to save the world but to do the will of God was something that interested me. At this particular time in my life, I am adjusting to early retirement & an empty nest in a country (US) where almost everyone is passionate about activism and taking on one social justice issue after another OR just self-promoting their passion to help others achieve their best self through blogging and life coaching. The business that I sold was a service business that, over the years, ministered to hundreds if not thousands of families in need. What's a retired superhero to do? How does one reinvent? I've had this nagging feeling that what God is asking me to do in this season is be still and patient. That perhaps once I learn to do that He will reveal the next steps. So this book was perfect for helping me realize that there's no rush. The world will survive without me. That while there are millions of areas where all of us can help to combat injustice and poverty, and have the opportunity to be Jesus to those that need Him desperately, ultimately, it is HIM not us that makes the difference. And as a Christian, it is humbling to realize that perhaps our job on this earth is not to eradicate the ills of the world so much as it is to serve those who suffer. Again, I admit, I did not finish this book.

[Tim Littleford · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stiff, sobering drink of reality for Christian's, churches and denominations that slip into a saviour complex, forgetting that we have a saviour. It's not us, it's not the church and it's definitely not a denomination or movement. The world is Jesus' to save, and his alone, and he has. We are not the main character of the story. This frees us from the crippling reality that there is so much we as people of the kingdom of God need to advocate for, so much evil, so much injustice. We are free to genuinely love. Free to focus on our station, our calling, tackling injustice in the context of our life and calling. Jesus has the world covered, where is he calling you to advocate for justice?

This is a third-way book. It's great. It locates social justice properly in the kingdom of God. I've already given a copy of this book out and will continue to.

[Jenny Kast · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was pretty excited about this book. In my 20s I may have literally thought that I could save the world. I was ready and willing to make a very large splash. Here am I, send me.

In my 40s I'm tired. Some days, cleaning my pantry and not speaking a word all day sounds pretty darn life giving.

I thought this book would give me permission to rest from the thoughts that I'm never doing quite enough, never living up to my potential, always wasting some of the gifts I have been given.

Nope, not this book. He seems rather cynical, while also remaining dedicated to his work with the prevention of atomic bombs. (Worthy work.) Maybe if I had a different expectation going into the book I would have liked it more but....it wasn't for me!

[Paul Spencer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tyler WS presents a vision of peace in light of the victory already gifted to us through Christ. Because the Kingdom of God is at hand, we don't have to toil under the weight of global responsibility, but can instead work joyfully and dutifully in pursuit of human flourishing. A refreshing, practical, and uplifting analysis of Christian activism.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was overall mostly enjoyable, especially the moments when Wigg-Stevenson would flesh out a story on a personal hero of his. But it often got lost in its ambitions and the minutae of the thesis, and I left this book underwhelmed, though convinced nonetheless. Anyone with a background in Inaugurated Eschatology will find familiar arguments here.

[Miranda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Should be required reading for all of us who love God and love justice and find ourselves struggling to "make a difference." This flips your perspective upside down and I'll be re-reading parts of it frequently.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm sad I read this in a rush to finish. It is a book that is best with time for reflection and probably group study.

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was assigned for me to read at just the perfect time in my life. I cannot recommend it enough. Read it!

[Mia Morrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this book.

[Dr. Z · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. Didn't finish. Not my cup of tea.

[Dave Conroy · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first half of this book is intriguing, thought provoking and worth reading. The second half drags on with more mundane content and ideas.

[Dekker · Rating 5 out of 5]

10/10.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you're interested in making a difference in the world in way that keeps you both rooted in the gospel and dependent on Jesus, this would be a great read.
Tyler - who's own work could be categorized as urgent (bringing down any use of nuclear bombs) - helps see that despite the brokenness in a world that desperately needs restoration, the world is not ours to save. God's kingdom project is already at work. However, before you think you've got nothing to do, read the book and discover how you can make a difference - whether big or small - reflecting God's kingdom through peace, community, and action.
Tyler shares great stories, but brings the point home in each section. With some pretty interesting experiences himself, he's not just sharing theory.

At one point in the application section I was getting frustrated with a long story, until his final 2 pages brought it all together in a way the story was such a need prerequisite.

Still would have liked a few more practical applications, but the book inspired me to serve the public good in Jesus' name, while not feeling the weight of the world on my shoulder. More importantly it keeps the focus on God's kingdom both present and future. Today's activists need that before they 1. burn out or 2. think it's their job to solve every problem in the world.

[David · Rating 3 out of 5]

I came to this book as one never should: I liked the cover. It's not a cover I wanted lying around for other people to misconstrue, but it grabbed me. Tyler Wigg-Stevenson has helped me want peace more. I've never been pro-war or anti-peace, but he wrote a book which helped ground me in Biblical Theology while covering events such as apartheid in South Africa, the devastation of Hiroshima, and the place that defines "unpeaceful," Palestine. He writes of these places with empathy and with some personal experience and provokes me. He asks hard questions--questions I've often asked but never meditated long enough upon the answers. It's honest writing. In the end, I know Tyler would be a good friend if I knew him. We don't always agree, but he speaks his mind. And I'm the better for it.

[James Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

A timely, forthright, charitable, hope-full, wise book for a rising generation. Well-written, rooted in front-lines experience, theoretically- and theologically-sophisticated while remaining accessible and concrete. A good antidote to Kuyperian triumphalism.