Pursuing Justice: The Call to Live & Die for Bigger Things

by Ken Wytsma, D.R. Jacobsen (With)

The ONLY way to find abundant life and happiness is to give your life away. If God designed us to experience true happiness and abundant life, why do so many Christians feel dissatisfied and purposeless? We try to make our lives better by chasing our own dreams, but that only makes the problem worse. Instead, the path to a just life that’s satisfying and permeated with meaning leads us alongside the orphan, the widow, and the powerless. Using clear evangelical theology and compelling narratives drawn from two decades of global ministry and travel, Ken Wytsma, the founder of The Justice Conference, shows God’s unchanging love for all His children. On the way, the author calls us back to a proper understanding of biblical justice, a redeeming glimpse into the true meaning of righteousness and the remarkable connection between our own joy, the joy of others, and the wondrous Gospel of Jesus Christ. Pursuing Justice shows that God isn’t primarily concerned with personal piety but about empowering His children to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with their creator. The message is as hopeful as it is when you discover anew the meaning of the Gospel and give your life away, you will find it…and it will be the best life you can imagine. First-time author Wytsma (with an assist from Jacobsen) is one of the new breed of evangelical Christians returning to scripture to redeem justice as a central tenet of faith…. Wytsma infuses his writing with fresh experiences from working with the millennial generation…. “Apathy tells us that it’s perfectly acceptable to live with illusions of our own justice,” he writes, neatly linking those concerns. This accessible guide provides trustworthy scriptural analysis, examples of contemporary justice issues…and a solid philosophy for understanding the role of justice in today’s society…. “Justice cannot be divorced from God’s heart and purposes,” he writes. “It permeates them.” Wytsma’s authorial voice is engaging, encouraging, and invitational. His humor helps the reader recognize her own humanity and transformative potential within the unfolding moral arc of the universe. -- Publishers Weekly

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

330 pages, Paperback

First published February 12, 2013

About the author

Ken Wytsma is a leader, innovator, and social entrepreneur respected for his insight and collaborative spirit. He is the president of Kilns College, where he teaches courses on philosophy and justice. He is the founder of The Justice Conference—an annual international conference that introduces men and women to a wide range of organizations and conversations relating to biblical justice and God’s call to give our lives away.

Ken is a consultant and creative advisor to nonprofits and a sought after speaker on justice, church and culture. A church planter and lead pastor at Antioch Church, Ken lives in Bend, Oregon, with his wife, Tamara, and their four daughters.

Ken’s first book, Pursuing Justice: The Call to Live and Die for Bigger Things, was released in 2012 and his second book, The Grand Paradox: The Messiness of Life, the Mystery of God and the Necessity of Faith, was released in January 2015.

Reviews

[Timothy Hoiland · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I started researching and writing the article that would become “Serving Justice vs. Saving Souls” for Reject Apathy last year, I decided right away I’d need to interview Ken Wytsma. As the pastor of a church, the president of a college, and the founder of a conference dedicated to helping people think theologically about justice issues, I knew he had an important perspective to share. “Justice makes demands of us in every aspect of our daily existence,” he told me. “It’s something too big for any of us to live up to, which is why we need grace. Grace is what keeps us from falling flat.”

In Pursuing Justice: The Call to Live and Die for Bigger Things (Thomas Nelson), written with D.R. Jacobsen and slated for release on February 12, Wytsma expands on those ideas, and he does so, importantly, with grace.

- See more at: http://tjhoiland.com/wordpress/2013/0...

[Kyle Unger · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book should be required reading for new and old Christians alike. Phenomenal.

[Sarah]

I tried to get into this book. Really, I did. In the end, I just felt like he was going on and on without saying much.

[Brother Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A challenging, but important read.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well written book, grounded solidly in Biblical Scripture and faithfully focused on the mission to reflect Jesus in thought, word, and action in taking up the life long mission of advocating for justice. The author presents a loving reproach to the apathy that keeps so many self professed christians on the sidelines and offers an invitation to engage in the mission to bring justice in our families, communities, nation and world.

[Nathan Albright · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Note: This book was provided free of charge by BookLook/Thomas Nelson Press in exchange for an honest review.]

This particular book offers a biblical approach to justice as foundational to God’s ways that seeks to bridge the gap between theological liberals who are a part of the social gospel movement and fundamentalists who have tended to focus exclusively on personal morality apart from any larger social concerns. Both of these extremes, apart from the other, represent a classic satanic false dilemma of orthodoxy versus orthopraxy, when both justice and personal morality are required [1]. The eighteen chapters and 300 or so pages of this book are a very patient exploration of justice in many facets, pointing on the relationship between justice and love and mercy and a detailed explanation of many biblical passages that equate justice with righteousness, pointing to justice as not only the avoidance of harm, but the active action of outgoing love and concern for others, particularly those who are the most vulnerable, like foreigners and fatherless children and the poor.

This particular book manages to avoid many of the pitfalls of its less wary competitors by seeking to avoid guilt trips and presenting only one way for someone to behave in a just fashion, but pointing out the seriousness of the responsibility of living justly in one’s own circumstances based on one’s own gifts, with an eye towards a larger and more complicated picture in which justice (or injustice) can be shown in all walks of live. One of the more poignant stories in this particular book is the story of a man from the Democratic Republic of Congo who came to speak at the author’s daughter’s Oregon elementary school only to be asked questions about fancy clothing and PlayStations, not aware that a rare metal used in the Sony PlayStation led to atrocities and exploitation in the man’s homeland, where the people did not have the PlayStation but suffered so that it could be made. The author dwells repeatedly on issues of slavery (including the horrors of Elmina Castle and the rape of young women there enslaved by Europeans) as well as sexual slavery all over the world (including, sadly, in Portland). This book is full of warmth and empathy, but more than that is seeks action so that we may respond to the imago dei that we see in others as fellow children of the Most High God, in whom burns a passionate longing for justice and mercy.

This book is very excellent, and a great read for those who have a deep longing for seeing how God’s ways are to be practiced in our world. That said, this book is not perfect. One of the minor flaws is the fact that the book shows a flawed theory of multiple Isaiah authors. There are more serious flaws, though. In particular, although this book discusses several passages dealing with the Sabbath (most notably Isaiah 58), it completely fails to recognize the importance of the seventh day Sabbath in showing God as a creator (and therefore pointing to concern for God’s creation as the stewards of the earth, an area this book deals with) as well as the Sabbath in providing the way to lighten the burden on the poor and sick (similar to the way that Jesus Christ continually healed on the Sabbath and the way that the Sabbath continually points to justice and freedom from the burdens of life in a fallen world in God’s word [2]. Although this book rightly points out the problems of gnostic dualism that are present in many aspects of Christianity, it fails to present the Sabbath as a centerpiece of God’s justice as it shows itself in this world. That said, this book gives an idea of justice that ought to encourage those with the knowledge that would take this book further and in an even more biblical fashion. This book should therefore encourage readers who believe that God’s laws are the foundation of His justice, and who wish to celebrate and honor and follow in God’s ways from a heart of love towards God and towards other people.

[1] See, for example:

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[2] See, for example:

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[Meg · Rating 5 out of 5]

In a time which, for Americans of all stripes, represents new challenges, "Pursuing Justice" is a call to bring our focus to what truly drives us as Christians. I sincerely encourage anyone - of any faith - to read this wonderful book.

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Bible is clear in its mandate for justice, but just what is justice? Law and order? People getting what they deserve? Social equity?

As Christians, we should take our definitions from Scripture, and that's what Wytsma sets out to do in this passage. He creates a biblical case for the essential role of justice in the life of a Christian and then describes it as multifaceted, encompassing many aspects.

I've been in church all my life, and it seems to me that many passages about caring for widows, orphans, the poor, and the oppressed are largely skimmed over while other passages are taught over and over again. Wytsma turns that around and shows why that's not good enough.

Although he offers some practical things people can do, he is clear this is not a primer for how to engage in justice but rather an argument for justice as a primary value. He also describes some of the ways his church and other organizations have engaged in pursuing justice and ways some of our Western systems actually perpetuate injustice.

I ended every chapter praying that God would show me what I'm supposed to do with this. I don't just want this to be something I know more about.

[Sue Schlesman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wystma knocks his message out of the park with this thoroughly-researched and defended handling of the issue of social justice. His connection of the true gospel with championing the forgotten and abused really hit me hard. I appreciated his distinction between the Golden Rule (what you must do) and the Silver Rule (what you must not ignore doing). I was continually challenged and convicted about how I see justice and the gospel of Christ. It has similarities to Toxic Charity in its revelation of how helping the impoverished often hurts them, but it stands a broader spectrum in its treatise of the issue of social justice.

[A.J. Mendoza · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a wonderful recommendation to any layperson. Easy to read, clear in its message, well illustrated and diversly constructed with interludes of pictures, poetry and prayers. Wytsma's goal is quickly accomplished, that is, to bring Christians to a working understanding of God's expectation of his people being just. Relationships between righteousness and justice, joy and justice, community and justice, and worship and justice are masterly interacted with. The effect of this book on my life will have to be yet proven; however, my mind has definitely been changed. My prayer is that my actions will soon follow.

[Madison · Rating 5 out of 5]

A wonderful thought-provoking book about service to others and finding purpose. This is the kind of book that can direct your trajectory towards meaningful work and realign you when you feel off track.

It's grounded in Christian theology which I intuitively understood as I was raised in the church, but if you're not Christian don't let this dissuade you from reading. It has powerful anecdotes and guiding principals for anyone who is values service and a clear argument on why we should all commit ourselves to such causes.

[Meagan Church · Rating 5 out of 5]

An important message for all Christians to read, understand and live out. This well-researched book explains how worship is more than the songs we sing on Sunday mornings. Worship is pursuing justice and laying down our lives for all the things God cares about...the widow, the orphan, the poor, the oppressed, His creation.... This book challenges Christians to look beyond our comfortable lives and our pursuits of consumerism to see how our actions and inactions affect others.

[Jasmine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely the sort of book believer's in Christ need to be reading. There is a call to love and serve the people around us as we are a reflection of God's heart for the world; Pursuing Justice gives language to not only what Justice is when seen through the lease of Christianity, but gives us practical tools to engage in a world that is utterly broken and in need of a Savior.

[Renee Goble · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Unless we've chosen to sacrifice our life to serve the most vulnerable, we shouldn't pretend to be 'all on fire' [for Jesus]." BRB, going to go think about all the truths in this book for the rest of the day...

[Jake · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ken's wisdom and passion weave together so many contemporary issues and injustices while compelling us to participate in God's narrative of justice. This book speaks to all, and carries a challenging and necessary (and timely) message for the Church today- a read I recommend to everyone.

[Marilyn Elliott · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thought provoking book

Thought provoking book for Christians exploring a deeper understanding of their God. Take the time to read slowly and reflex.

[Hector Mujica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is my new anthem. It empowered me with the right articulation and tools to center my views on justice and the gospel. Particularly timely during this racial reckoning moment.

[Kaitlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazing and challenging. I would encourage all Christians to read it and realize that justice is a command. Not an option.

[Carolyn Ogrosky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must-read for any Christian seeking to understand the deep scriptural underpinnings of justice work.

[Tim · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book that helps you to understand God's vision for justice in the world. This is one that everyone who wants to follow Christ should read.

[Robert Durough, Jr. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pursuing Justice by Ken Wytsma, founder of The Justice Conference, is the introduction to pass along to others for understanding the need and instilling a desire and passion for justice as we lives for God, assuming they haven’t already grasped it from the Bible. Although Wytsma does not take anyone through a specific form or topic of justice, he brings his reader face to face with it is, its necessity, and the door through which one walks to begin living it and looking for those specificities one may have wanted within the text itself. There are, however, plenty of injustices mentioned—some with accompanied anecdotes—but the reader is not necessarily provided a path by which to remedy the injustice; rather it is hoped that the reader will be given a heart for wanting to bring about justice and discover on one’s own ways in which that may come about.

If one who is already on fire for participating in the righteousness and justice of God and has the time to read another 300+ pages, I offer this book as a great resource for fueling that fire. However, for those questioning the phrase “social justice” and the inclusion of “justice” as part of the “gospel,” I offer Pursuing Justice as a “must read.” For those who confuse the phrases “social justice” and “social gospel” and don’t want to make it through the first 200 pages with a persistent bias against anything written on the subjects, I recommend first jumping to Chapter 13, “Justice in Society.” for a well-articulated argument and explanation of the controversy and how to play one’s part in ending the perpetuation of certain misunderstandings thereof.

I have two specific critiques, though minor, I hope others will consider when reading this book and others. First, Wytsma peppers the text with lists of perceived injustices, some of which I believe are mere preferences and desires for a happy life and have no direct connection to bringing about “justice”—I would put universal health care and education provided by a government in this box. Though injustices may certainly be found within the methods by which some of these things and those associated therewith are discussed and implemented (e.g., discrimination between race and gender), I do not think the lack of such things are indicative of injustice. I would have hoped for a bit more careful nuance to be made in the given examples of injustice, but found many of these remarks to be side comments that are not necessary to come away from the text with a changed perspective for the better. Second, I often caution others in how they use statistical information, encouraging a better understanding of how the information has been gathered and disseminated. All too often numbers are used to sensationalize and reinforce a point that may be good but not actually appropriate. I’m careful not call this way of using statistical information in all circumstances “dishonest”—some simply do not know what they are doing—but I would have expected a bit more of an honest approach to some information used in such a large and well-thought-out work as Pursuing Justice.

Overall, I do not know how someone can walk away from a thorough reading of the book without a heart for pursuing social justice, but I say the same thing about the Bible! Blessings upon all who pursue the heart of God, a heart of love—a heart of justice!

*Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

[Jon Stephens · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pursuing Justice: A Call to Live and Die For Bigger Things is a new book by Ken Wytsma. Wytsma is the lead pastor of Antioch Church in Bend Oregon, the founder of The Justice Conference, and the president of Kilns College.

In having personally served in numerous countries in justice projects and finished my MA with a project on human trafficking, I have read dozens of books on the subject of justice, and Pursing Justice is by far the most comprehensive book I have read. Pursuing Justice is compelling, convicting, rich in theology, and very accessible.

The highlight of Pursuing Justice for me, was how it does such an outstanding job in developing a theological understanding for justice. Typically books in this genre quote a few passages from scripture and rely on statistics and emotional stories to build a reason for “why?” Wytsma goes far beyond quoting a few verses and builds a solid theological foundation for the “why?” of justice through a thorough study of scripture. With that said, scriptural truths are illustrated with stories and moving poetry interludes between chapters.

The exposition of Isaiah 58 in chapter fourteen was brilliant. One of the themes throughout the book is the connection between righteousness and justice. Sadly the church has a long history of separating those two things, but this chapter did a great job in showing how they are one in the same according to God’s purposes.

Here are a few of the many portions of the book that spoke to me:

Justice is rooted in the character of God, established in the creation of God, mandated by the commands of God, present in the kingdom of God, motivated by the love of God, affirmed in the teaching of Jesus, reflected in the example of Jesus, and carried on today by all who are moved and led by the Spirit (xxii).

Biblical shalom requires the active pursuit of what ought to be (p. 27).

When we drive a wedge between righteousness and justice, we separate two things Scripture sees as continuous, overlapping, and even synonymous (p. 98).

When justice is a duty, it will weigh you down. When justice is the place where you are closest to God, giving your life away becomes your greatest delight (p. 165).

The ethical demands of God’s love force us into the awkward position of not just changing one or two behaviors, but of reevaluating our entire framework of life. God’s love, on one hand, is overwhelming and crushing; on the other, liberating and joyous (p. 179).

When you take even a surface look at some of the injustices in our world today, like poverty, hunger, and slavery; the whole idea of justice can seem just too overwhelming. Wytsma does a great job calling his readers to not get lost in either being overwhelmed or underwhelmed. There is absolutely hope in this very broken world, not because of who we are, but because of who it is who has called us to live lives of justice.

There’s just no way a follower of Jesus could read this book and not be deeply affected by it. I would recommend this as a first read for anyone looking to study the subject of biblical justice, not because it’s a basic introduction, but because this is exactly the foundation you want to build theologically. I think every pastor, elder board, and missions board should read this book to better inform and inspire their leadership in local church communities.

Pursuing Justice is an incredible book for developing a God honoring understanding of justice, nothing short of a masterpiece on the subject.

www.jonathanstephens.wordpress.com

[Malin Friess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ken was kind enough to sign my hard back copy of Pursing Justice and I am happy to review this excellent defense of why Christians are called to something so close to God's own heart: Justice.

To give some background; I don't know Ken Wytsma personally but he is the pastor of my parent's church (a Church plant from Foundry Church (formery known as First Baptist Church of Bend, Oregon.) I have heard Ken preach and he is thoughful, creative, and passionate about teaching theology. I think his "Justice Conference" of which I attended in 2011 in Bend, OR and in 2012 in PDX, OR struck a nerve with rising hipster Christian movement(socially conscience about the inner city and with the environment) and mission minded evangelical Christians (who are mission minded about the poor in the developing world).

There was a lot I liked about this book: my favorite parts was the personal anectodes Ken tells about people and places I know in Bend: Broses (missionaries with World Relief in Baltimore and Burundi and my former boss as a chemical engineering firm), stories of Antioch interns that wouldn't mow the lawn (where's the justice?), or Micah Bournes well written rap/poem: Who Broke Africa (Africa is no damsel in distress, and we are not her saviour.)

I'll leave you with a few well spoken words that Wytsma leaves us about Justice:

We are no closer to God than when we are pursuing Justice by serving others.

Justice is best defined as "what ought to be."

There are 2100 verses in the Bible that mention poverty.

Wystma struggles with the realities of doing Justice: Its hard to figure out finances when my daughters need braces at the same time the immigrant family down the street have no health care.

90% of NGO's have been created in the last 10 years..which has created Empathy. But that can be the end goal...to languish in Empathy. Empathy when used well, leads to unity and partnership. Empathy is the engine that powers justice.

We sometimes hear a debate about whether we should focus on local or international justice, relief, and development. This is...a false dichotomy. We should be focusing on both.

Wystma struggles with the engine of short term missions: Is it effective? Why do we do it? " Are we trying to be good (go to the Congo) because it's an adventure? Or are we committing ourselves to do justice because God is just?)

Wystma calls Justice the 6th love language.

We talk about the Golden Rule (do unto others as you would have them do unto you), but we often live the silver rule (Do not do unto others as you would have them not do unto you.) Avoiding bad (Silver Rule) allows us to keep our hands clean, Doing Good (Golden rule) asks us to get our hands dirty in the problems of the world (addictions, poverty, loneliness).

God is more concerned about how we spend our scattered time than our gathered time.

5 stars. Wytsma covered an enormous and controversial topic with Justice..but handled it delicately. I think conservatives and liberals will find a lot to agree with.

[writer... · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since the delivery service arrived at my door this week bearing this review package, I've been working my way through Ken Wytsma's debut writing success, Pursuing Justice. Considering today is Valentine's Day, at this point I will say Ken's discussion of the 'Love' connection alone, is worth picking up the book. Here's the set up, abbreviated, but in Ken's words..
A "biblical concept of justice has a lot of shared space with synonyms such as love, mercy, charity... Justice is a sum of many parts.." All flowing from the very heart of God. From that heart flowed Love toward us, humankind. God's only begotten son, Love. Yet in the interpretation of culture, that Gift, that Love, has been lost in translation.
Love today, as described by Ken, is " an intensity of desire and longing. In essence, the more I want something, the more I love it."
This, vs Yeshua's version of loving others, as He exampled Love to us. The distinguishing characteristic of His Love visible via His followers is to be our life laid down for our friends. Open hearted giving. Loving in deed and Truth, not in empty words. " for Jesus, the metric of love is sacrifice. The irony, then, is that without our noticing, the meaning of lovehas been replaced with the definition of lust—
measured by intensity of desire or longing.... the converse of its original significance. Our culture’s concept of love is primarily self-driven and pleasure-seeking." A temporary state. At odds with the depth and focus of self-giving Love exemplified and characteristic of Christ's call to Love.
"Love that is identified primarily by the intensity of its longing or its desire isn’t love—it’s lust. And actions that demonstrate an ongoing willingness to sacrificially serve others are, by Jesus’ definition, love. We think we love when we ache with passion; for Jesus, the measure is sacrificial action."

On this annual date with Love, may our actions of Love support our words of Love ...

May today be a truly Happy Valentine's Celebration!


*Full Discussion Guide for Pursuing Justice available for free direct download HERE plus additional free resources to check out ...



WIth appreciation to Thomas Nelson for providing a review copy without obligation in exchange for sharing my perspective.

[James · Rating 5 out of 5]

Say you wrested a shard of glass from its setting in a beautiful mosaic, took it home and placed it on the table and declared to anyone in earshot, "This is a magnificent piece of art!" Ken Wytsma  says, "No matter how lovely that single shard was it in no way captures the glory of the whole" (6). And yet often our treatment of justice, is a mere single shard treatment:

Justice is like a mosiac. It's not only about single pieces--it's about all the pieces working together in a stunning whole. All too often we believe that our desire to pursue justice can only be lived out or understood in a single shard. Criminal justice. International development. Creation care. Education. Anti-trafficking. Works of mercy and love.

All of these shards are vital parts of God's mosaic of justice. (Wytsma, Pursuing Justice 6-7)

Wytsma's book Pursuing Justice explores the multifaceted nature of justice and helps us get a sense of God's larger vision for Justice. Wytsma, who launched the annual Justice Conference is passionate about presenting justice in all its full-orbed flavor.  So he explores how justice helps us know God and live in light of the good news, gives us meaning significance and happiness, confronts our own religious hypocrisy, and challenges our consumerism. worship,He also explores how justice, needs to be done justly and wisely to be truly just, and the ways that jutice enables real relationship between people and people and people and God.

The chapters of this book are punctuated with interludes---interviews, poems, pictures and poetic prose which evoke our concern for deeper justice. Wystma tackles some heavy issues (i.e. sex trafficking and sexual violence, racism, poverty, etc. These little 'interludes'  help maintain a hospitable place to explore the issues.

I liked this book a lot and plan to refer back to it. It is rare to find an author that opens up the concept of justice so completely. I mean, Wolterstorff, kind of does but he isn't accessible to the general reader. Wytsma on the other hand has graphics, stories and personal examples which are compelling. I give this book five stars and recommend this to anyone wishing to explore the meanng of God's justice and what it means to act justly and love mercy. ★★★★★

I received this book from the publisher for the purposes of review.

[David Woods · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am blessed to be in Ken's congregation at Antioch, and absolutely love having him as our main teaching pastor! Pursuing Justice came out a few years ago, and I finally read it over the last 6 months. I found that I had heard a lot of the material in the book through is sermons, as Justice is a very close topic to his heart. I wonder how much more profound the book would have been if I hadn't been exposed to a lot of the material. That said, it was a great book, and every follower of Christ needs to understand how justice is intertwined with, and is the gospel message.

Some things from the book that really grabbed a hold of me:
-"looking after those who require everything and seem to give nothing in return is the very picture of God's love for us."
-Truth is what is, whereas justice is what ought to be
-The idea that Shalom is so much more than the absence of conflict, that it is justice, it is completeness, wholeness, "unimpaired relationships with others"
-What will my kids think I'm passionate about by watching me? How do we do justice as a family so that our kids find purpose and joy in life?
-"The reality is that our happiness, God's glory, and loving our neighbors are all bound together."
-"Empathy is not the goal; it simply carries us into actions that are just."
-How can our family turn our blessings into blessings for others?

And probably the biggest conviction for me was what Ken calls the Silver Rule: we have interpreted the golden rule to be "Do not do unto others as you would not have them do unto you." This "silver rule" offers me a safe place, where I can feel good about myself, and I can follow it without interacting with anyone! I just go about not doing bad! Well this is not the Golden Rule, in which I actually tangibly do good for others. This distinction has stuck with me and has continued to dwell in my heart and mind while I wrestle with what that looks like in all facets of my, and my family's lives.

This book is a must-read on the intersection of faith and justice.

[James Pate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about why social justice should be important to evangelical Christians. Wytsma goes into the biblical passages about God’s concern for the poor and the vulnerable, the historical reasons why many conservative Christians have had an aversion to churches focusing on social justice, how rampant consumerism in the United States has warped people’s perceptions, and the importance of—-not just refraining from harming others (the silver rule)—-but of actually caring about others’ well-being (the golden rule).

My favorite parts of the book were Wytsma’s narration of his own personal religious journey, his scenarios of good Christian people in Nazi Germany and Jim Crow South who were caring yet blind to the injustices around them, and his analysis of how certain Christian approaches to charity in the Third World are misguided: they are paternalistic and they do not listen to the people receiving assistance. Wytsma strikes a fine balance between optimism and an acknowledgement of the horrors that many continue to face. He notes that poverty in the global South has declined, and yet he talks about problems that a two-week mission trip alone cannot solve.

My main problem with the book is that I wish that it had mentioned concrete things that people can do to help address world problems. Occasionally, Wytsma did this, but, so often, he spoke in terms of pouring one’s life into other people and being willing to die for justice. As laudable and as admirable as this is, I doubt that most people (even most evangelical Christians) will be willing to go that far. What are some manageable steps that they can take to pursue justice?

Note: I received a complimentary review copy of this book through the BookLook Bloggers (http://booklookbloggers.com/) book review bloggers program. The program does not require for my review to be positive, and my review reflects my honest reaction to the book.

[Kelsey Bryant · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book! I savored it for as long as I could, but eventually it had to end.

The Christian life is so much bigger than the individual experience you have with God.

That’s where it starts, of course, and we should cherish it. But let’s not forget the hundreds of verses in the entire Bible that call us to pursue justice: to help the orphan and widow and other needy people of society, to put ourselves in a place where we can minister to and share the Gospel with people who need Yeshua (Jesus), and to show that our God loves them. To be His hands and feet.

“Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter—when you see the naked, to clothe him, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood?” Isaiah 58:6-7

I read this book over a period of a couple months. At first I found it difficult—my eyes were being opened and I agreed with everything Wytsma was saying, but I was discouraged because I wasn’t acting out those beliefs. And I didn’t know how to. But as I read on, the belief started coalescing into a conviction that I should actively do something, and that I was capable of it. I felt purposeful after that, and totally on board with every word, eager to learn what more Wytsma could show us about pursuing justice.

This book teaches from many, many passages of the Bible, defining justice with a biblical definition and demonstrating how we as Christians need to be all about the work of the kingdom. God has us on this earth for this specific purpose. Loving and helping the needy is absolutely one of the most important things we should be doing. Giving our lives to God’s service is when change can happen.

If you want to be challenged and encouraged in your life of discipleship, Pursuing Justice is a must-read.

[Andrew · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Pursuing Justice, Ken Wytsma portrayed that justice is important because we must listen to God and His calling to reach and touch as many lives as we can. Justice is loving people who need our help in our everyday interactions and making a different in other people’s lives. Ken Wytsma said, “The biblical concept of justice has a lot of shared space with synonyms such as love, mercy, charity, the law, righteousness, and more” (Page 4). No one likes to see the injustice being done in the world today. We have a wide range of injustices including human trafficking, poverty, hunger, racism, AIDS victims, orphans, widows, and many others.



An extremely significant question that Ken had to ask himself was, “What am I blind to?” He pointed out that Germany didn’t believe that Hitler was much of a threat. And we all know the evil that Hitler massacred many of the Jews. We can’t be blind to the injustices going on in the world. God has called us to make a different and love people like Jesus did. Many people enjoy turning social justice into politics and they love to debate the issues wrong in the world. But they don’t take the steps and actions to relieve and fix the problems.



I would recommend this astonishing book to everyone who cares about justice and has a huge passion for helping others. The only way to stop injustice is to inquire about getting involved in reaching out to others. You don’t have to travel to another country to change the world. You can start in your community. Giving your life away to what God wants isn’t easy but it’s worth it. When we lay down our own dreams and desires and follow what God wants us to do our lives, joy and love spread. This book will challenge your beliefs on justice and loving others completely.


I recieved a free advance copy of the book from Ken Wytsma for this review.

[Annie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Throughout the book, Wytsma questions Christian apathy toward loving our neighbors and doing justice. He cites many verses in the Bible that call believers to act out their faith – that without clothing the least of these, we are not bringing about Kingdom changes. The main theme of this book is that without living out justice and reconciliation for the most vulnerable, Christians are completely missing the point of Jesus’ message.

Pursuing Justice is a good balance of life stories and practical advice. Wytsma cites examples in the Bible of how justice is commanded and gives actual stories of people living out these commands.

I had only two criticisms: In Chapter 11, Wystma talks about a life-changing book that got him on the path of justice, yet he never shares the title of that book. I looked in the notes, but could find nothing. My other pet peeve was the constant translation of Greek and Hebrew words. Sometimes the translation was helpful, but mostly it was distracting from the message.

I feel like this would be a good book for a wide spectrum of readers. For those who are interested in justice, but don’t know where to begin, Wytsma gives encouragement, resources, and help in getting started. For those who are immersed in justice work, this book would be a good source of what others are doing. Wytsma has years of experience and resources that those in that world would find relatable.

**I received this book free from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion.**