The Justice of Jesus: Reimagining Your Church’s Life Together to Pursue Liberation and Wholeness

by Joash P. Thomas

"Theologically grounded and refreshingly practical."--Kristin Kobes Du Mez, New York Times bestselling author of Jesus and John Wayne

What if the way we've been taught to follow Jesus is missing something essential? What if there's more to the gospel than we've experienced--something that could revolutionize how we love our neighbors and serve our communities?

In The Justice of Jesus, public theologian and international speaker Joash Thomas reveals how authentic biblical faith naturally leads to caring for the vulnerable and working for positive change in our neighborhoods. Drawing from his unique perspective serving in churches across different cultures and continents, Thomas shows how justice isn't just a "social issue"--it's at the very heart of what it means to follow Christ. Whether you're a pastor, small group leader, or simply want to make a real difference in your community, this book offers practical wisdom you can actually use:

● simple steps to help your church better serve struggling families in your neighborhood
● biblical foundations that show why caring for others isn't optional for Christians
● real success stories from churches that are making a tangible impact in their communities
● practical ideas for prayer, volunteering, and partnerships that don't require a huge budget
● fresh insights on following Jesus that will deepen your faith and expand your heart

This isn't about politics. It's about discipleship.

The Justice of Jesus is perfect for:

· church leaders seeking authentic community engagement
· small groups wanting to study practical discipleship
· Christians curious about faith-based social action
· anyone asking, "How can my faith make a real difference?"

Thomas doesn't just point out problems; he provides hope and concrete solutions. Drawing from Scripture and real-world examples, he shows how ordinary believers can do extraordinary things when they embrace Jesus's vision for justice and healing.

The Justice of Jesus will inspire you with achievable ways to live out your faith more fully and help your church become a beacon of hope in your community.

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

192 pages, Paperback

Published September 30, 2025

Reviews

[Richard Propes · Rating 5 out of 5]

It would be easy to feel convicted by Joash P. Thomas's "The Justice of Jesus: Reimagining Your Church's Life Together to Pursue Liberation and Wholeness."

However, the overall feeling I came away with from Thomas's effort here is one of revolutionary hope. Thomas, a public theologian and speaker recognized internationally, dives into a discussion that feels especially relatable with material that is theologically grounded, applicable to daily life, and immensely relational.

"The Justice of Jesus" isn't just a lecture toward us. It's a conversation with us. Thomas connects-the-dots in a discussion about how honest, authentic biblical faith leads us toward living a faith that isn't simply about "social issues" but essential to how we follow Christ.

Oh sure, Thomas isn't afraid to challenge us. He isn't afraid to call us out. However, he does so in a way that leads us toward communal justice, caring for the community's most vulnerable, and leaning into positive change.

While Thomas grounds his discussion in Scripture, his writing here feels so relational that there's an immense compassion in the way he writes and gives us easy to understand actionable info and illustrations:

1) As a church to better serve our community and struggling families inside/outside our congregations
2) To illustrate that caring for others isn't an option - it's part of what it means to be a Christian.
3) Brainstorming ideas for making a difference even when the budget doesn't seem to allow it.
4) Offering tangible examples of churches leading the way. And yes, in this world when so much in Christianity can seem askew there are churches, organizations, and people providing tremendous examples of how a church's life can pursue liberation and wholeness.

As is often true of Brazos Press titles, "The Justice of Jesus" is a weaving together of academic exploration and compassionate application in life. Its ideal for small groups studying discipleship, those wanting to better understand faith-based social action, and those asking themselves "How can I live a more meaningful life of faith?"

It's easy to feel convicted by "The Justice of Jesus," though for those who surrender to its infinite possibilities this is a book that will guide and encourage all of us and our faith communities toward living a more just and meaningful life of faith.

[Isaiah Padgett · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very helpful (and hopeful) book. Joash Thomas did a great job here in balancing analysis of the many ways in which the white, western church has failed to care for, protect, and listen to the needs of the marginalized throughout the world with ways in which Christians and churches can pursue justice in their communities.

A full review is forthcoming in Faith Today.

[Angie M · Rating 4 out of 5]

For years I thought I was crazy. I just could not fit in white evangelical spaces. This book is written by a Malayalee, familiar with the St Thomas traditions. His journey is familiar and reminds me I’m not broken, I’m just not an American Christian. My parents have lived a decolonized faith and thankfully that example has centered me. The focus on Jesus’ words/actions, the priority on meeting people’s physical needs, an embrace of the mystery, the constant awareness of privilege, and value of community. Good read!

[Jason Baskerville · Rating 4 out of 5]

First completed book of 2026!

This book presented me with new challenges in thinking, beginning with the author's inquiry: "Why is it only Christians in the Western church who are asking me what I mean by justice?" Wow - a poignant place to start. Chapters about decolonizing my theology led me past my limited knowledge of what that could possibly look like and into introspection about how I benefit from colonization and how that benefit is systematically embedded in theology that I have long taken for granted. If that sounds like a lot, it is. It is not something that will be solved over night.

This is a book that I need to read again to really understand and grasp the different mindset that is presented here. Suffice it to say, it details how the justice of Jesus can look when we (the Western church) expand our perspectives and become curious learners about how people outside our Western traditions can influence our understanding of justice and injustice and how Jesus lived and experienced both of these at different times throughout his life and death. Keep your journal close - I expect that you'll have some thoughts and emotions to work through. That's a good thing.

[Erin Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very interesting book that explains how the church is supposed to advocate for justices especially for those on the margins of society. I was most excited about his pivot from short term mission trips to vision quests. I want to go on and send my kids on those. Well worth the read and I feel like points out important blind spots of western Christianity

[Travis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really appreciate this book. The author expanded my understanding of justice, especially in regards to the way denominational theologies can limit justice efforts. Well worth the read!

[Shireen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lately I have found myself wishing for community, for hope, in times when it feels like many churches steer clear of discussing or pursuing justice because it is deemed too political. This book came at a time I needed it and was a gift. I'm still mulling so many of the questions asked, but I'm also walking away with more hope that there can be paths forward even in our very broken world.

Some longish quotes that stuck with me:

-Because of the Western church's long-standing access to political power, much of it has little to no idea what it is like to live on the margins. Yet unless we learn to identify with those on the margins, we will never be able to faithfully proclaim the fullness of the gospel... Jesus, the Son of God and Second Person of the Trinity, had everything. Literally everything. But still he left the comforts of heaven to come to earth and make himself nothing. He walked among us as a Brown Middle Eastern Jew who was born into a refugee family fleeing genocide. Ultimately, he died as an unjustly executed criminal of the state at the hands of corrupt government authorities... we must also believe that Jesus subjecting himself to the status of a marginalized human being was no coincidence... the question is not whether or not Jesus is on the margins; the question is whether or not we have the eyes to see him already present and at work there" (110)
- So if Jesus came as a humble learner, what's stopping those of us in the Western church with power, influence, and affluence from taking a similar learning posture with our siblings who may have something to teach us through their unique life experiences? And how do we invest in becoming better learners who sit at the feet of our oppressed and marginalized neighbors? (130)
- Our goal as Christians must never be to reelect specific politicians, our goal should always be to faithfully advocate for our neighbors on the margins - regardless of which party or politician is in power. (159)
-The following is from Lakeside Church's statement of faith: It is our commitment to Jesus that compels us to move towards others (unity). The deeper we grow in the love of Christ for us, the wider our love should extend to people who are unlike us. We call this deep faith, wide embrace. (104)
- As much as I love these two pastors, it grieves me to say that they are no longer seeking justice Jesus's way. They're seeking justice America's way - ways that don't cost them. While the justice of Jesus requires us to prioritize justice despite personal cost, justice the American Empire's way shapes us to prioritize individual, material success over the self-sacrificing love of Jesus for our marginalized neighbors. And just like the rich young ruler we see in the Gospels, they're unwilling to pursue Jesus in a way that has a cost to them. (44)
- So allow me to challenge you by asking: Is doing justice actually costing you something? Do you love your neighbor enough to give up your own comforts and luxuries? Or do you love your neighbor just enough that you'll do justice and love kindness as long as it doesn't actually cost you anything? ... We have also established the tendencies of the Western church to prefer cheap justice, which is a kind of justice where we do the bare minimum and pat ourselves heartily on the back for it... And just as many of us individually need an encounter with Jesus on the road to Emmaus, I would argue that the Western church also collectively needs such an encounter with Jesus (60)

[Maree Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finished reading this earlier in the week and it's so good, I had to sit with it for a few days before sharing a review, to let the information sink in. I'd recommend this firstly to anyone who, like me, has been harmed by the church and wants to hear a different perspective or vision of how our churches could be, and to anyone who is in leadership or on staff in a church.

The wisdom Joash offers, if implemented widely, has the potential to radically change perspectives within the Western church and to offer healing.

Joash comes with a unique perspective, having descended from the St Thomas Christians of India (many generations over 2000 years), but he has also lived in Canada and the US and has experienced how Western churches operate. His key piece of advice? To decolonise our faith.

I realise the term 'decolonise' can be considered a bit of a swear word in some Christian circles, but what he means is firstly to broaden our perspectives by actively learning from colonised and oppressed cultures, such as our Black, Indigenous and Palestinian brothers and sisters. He advises we should also use our finances to look after not just people's spiritual needs, but more so their physical needs, which he rightfully identifies as an area we lack in the Western church.

It was an encouraging read, with some really practical steps we can take to change our church cultures for the better.

[Paul Berger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I deeply enjoyed Joash's book. It was one of the few books that, as I began to casually scan the book's contents and skim the beginning, I was deeply pulled into it and couldn't put it down. I hadn't even planned on sitting down to read anything and yet I was sucked in by its compelling topic, writer, and content. The Justice of Jesus challenges the reader to rethink and reprioritize. The Western church needs more of this than we realize, perhaps even after reading a book like this! This book makes you imagine a world where the institutional church puts sacrifice, surrender, sacrament, and generosity over its own privilege, platform, power, wealth, and status. What if.....

Through this book, I reflected on Jesus, justice, and the Body of Christ with Joash Thomas as my guide. I began to find words and expression for many of the ideas and sentiments that have been swirling within me the last few years as I have wrestled with theology, politics, and church history as an observer of past and present events in the West. I deeply appreciate that Joash platforms the Global church, not just in words but in action with his book! And that is what left me so hopeful at the end of a book that pondered on a lot of flaws within the West: the future of the Global church!

[Hannah Comerford · Rating 5 out of 5]

A lot of books about problems within the Church, especially within Evangelicalism, leave me struggling for hope. That's not because these books are bad--in fact, I believe they are good and vitally important. Rather, I think their purpose is not to give a way forward so much as it is to expose darkness.

This book is different.

I was struck even from the beginning by Joash's gentleness. He exposes issues within the Church and does not shy away from sharing ugly parts of our history I'd never heard before. However, he does this with the patience of someone who truly loves God's people. He does not beat his reader over the head, but he admonishes so he can show a way forward.

Joash gives very practical steps that we can all take, and he gives long-term vision for the slow and steady change that comes when people's hearts are moved. He recognizes that we can't expect a congregation, much less the world, to be changed overnight, and so his vision gives a sort of hope that seems attainable.

I believe this will be a fantastic resource for any Christian, but especially for those who work in ministry. I'm excited to share it with my friends.

[Monica Godoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a believer from the Global South. As a child who first heard the liberating message of Jesus through integral mission in Latin America. Yet, over the years, I was also exposed to a highly colonized version of the gospel—one that increasingly abandoned the most vulnerable and aligned itself with a form of Christianity distant from real human needs. Reading this book restores my hope, not because change will come quickly or easily, but because it opens the space for the necessary conversations of reevaluation.

Joash, in a very direct way, lays out the causes and effects of inherently unjust colonizing systems that have broken entire societies, and shows how these systems have permeated the way we live out the gospel of Jesus. By bringing these to light in various areas, he challenges the Western church to reconsider its practices, to move alongside the oppressed, and to become aware of its own shortcomings. At the same time, he reminds us that hope remains, that we have much to learn from the Global South, and that there are many silenced voices that must urgently be heard.

[Adam Jarvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating book that takes a hard but compassionate look at how the evangelical Christians have approached our faith and the gaps that often, to this day, remain unaddressed. From a Global South Christian perspective, Thomas points out factors that remain invisible to Western Christians, if we choose to stay within our bubble. He asks all of us to consider what the justice of Jesus looks like, and learn from our sisters and brothers from other parts of the world.
I believe the purpose of this book is not a condemnation of Western Christianity, but rather a plea for Christians everywhere to fully and completely embrace what it means to follow Christ, and be willing to address the areas we have been missing.
Loved the story in the last chapter about the refugee family.

[Jonny Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

wow wow wow!

so brilliant, practical, loving, and full of hope for how we as a body can better enact the Justice Jesus taught us too!

I'll have to come back to this as there's so much practical advice to utilize I can't do everything today! but It's truly a powerful and moving exploration of what Justice is, how it can be corrupted within Western Church theology. It beautifully highlighted marginalized voices, emphasizing how much there is to learn from them, and that Jesus is already waiting for us in the margins!

I think everyone will find something compelling in this. He dodges so many pitfalls of Idiocracy and simply plainly advocates for the well-being of all people in love! I see only an honest and pure heart and message closely in line with that od Jesus!

[Darcy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Joash Thomas offers up a clarion call to reevaluate church priorities and re-examine the call of “the just and liberating gospel of Christ.” The invitation is to see the very real human condition that Jesus himself addressed in his ministry, and so embody that same ministry, ending the schism between spiritual and physical and the conditional justice often offered up by churches. I appreciate how Thomas fully engages and explains the issue of decolonization in poignant and practical terms. This book is not for the faint of heart and is something highly recommended for group study, especially among church leaders.

[Charles Meadows · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing book this is! Joash Thomas challenges western Christians to sit in dialogue with global south brothers and sisters, and to be willing to learn from them. If justice means everyone having what God wants them to have, then why is justice not a priority for so many of us? Never scolding, and never despairing, Joash walks us through the lessons we could take away from such a meeting, and offers actual strategies for incorporating "justice work" into the lives of western churches. A MUST READ!

[Emma Hahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a culture consumed by Christian nationalism, the western church needs the message of Jesus’s justice & care for the oppressed now more than ever!

Joash is an immigrant and South Asian Christian with a rich faith heritage dating back to the original disciples of St Thomas who preached the gospel in India in the first century.

His book is a gentle redirection to the church who has allowed our theology to be clouded to exclude the liberating justice of Jesus. Joash delivers a clarion call to return to the ways of Jesus, who always stood for those in the margins.

[Missy Matty · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great read for church leaders!

I follow Joash on socials and I've always enjoyed his passion for the marginalized and his perspectives. Overall, some really good insights in this book. As an individual who doesn't go to church and who's in a phase of life where social activism is not in the cards (raising babies is activism in and of itself ..) I found a lot of the guidelines were not applicable to me. He calls for group action in church settings which is wonderful, just not super helpful to those like myself who sit outside of the church. I would like to reread this when I'm on a position to be more involved in social justice and/or a church.

My only other complaint is he gets redundant at times.

[Ian · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Justice of Jesus is such a needed book for those interested in our political climate, care about their faith life, and searching for answers!
Joash P. Thomas manages to blend deep theology with warmth, honesty, and hope. It’s not just a book about justice- it’s a reminder that real faith is active, inclusive, and healing. This book feels like a gentle call to live out love the way Jesus actually did.

[Brittin · Rating 5 out of 5]

"The colonizer's gospel stands in stark contrast with the just and liberating gospel of the Jesus of Nazareth."

I am eternally grateful for this book and Thomas's life work as he lives out his commitment to the justice of Jesus. I learned a lot and have a renewed sense of orienting my life to the same.

"If the good news of Jesus is not good news for people who are poor and oppressed, it is not good news for any of us."

I found this a particularly timely read in light of current global events where Christian hypocrisy is on full display.

"Deconstruction without decolonization is pointless, and ultimately does nothing for our marginalized neighbours. And to decolonize the western church, we must start by decentering the pulpit and recentering the table."

I highly recommend this book for all Christians and anyone interested in what Jesus actually stands for.

"If seeking justice doesn't cost us, we are likely not doing what Jesus asks of us."

Audiobook: 6h 14m

[Tyler Bowman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mandatory reading for anyone who does not know what liberation theology is and identifies as a Christian. Anyone who wants to save souls to get them to heaven, and is a little hazy on the importance of doing things in the material world. Anyone who does not know what the legacy of colonization is and what it means materially and how it shaped thought.

[Jordan Chitwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

A voice of hope in a challenging time. This book was hard to put down. I have never read something so encouraging yet equally challenging.

[Adam Cheney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Why do we separate biblical justice and social justice? Isn’t God the God of justice?
Love it.

[Katie Axelson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! I feel like we Christians sometimes forget the broader picture of why and how justice matters, and Joash did a great job of explaining and unpacking in a respectful and healthy way.

[Spencer Falk · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The body of Christ was broken to make us whole; and through our wholeness, we extend the offer of wholeness to others."

[Rebekah Ureña · Rating 5 out of 5]

It might only be January but I think I’ve found my favorite book of 2026. So meaningful and profound. This book is everything I need in our current political climate as a Follower of Jesus who often gets push back about social justice issues. I am thankful I found this book when I did and its call to lead us towards a life filled with of mission and advocating for the Least of These.

[Susanna L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Convicting, but in love, exactly how I would want a friend to confront me when I need it. But it’s not just convicting it’s hope filled! We don’t need to remain in the same racist beliefs of our ancestors. We can have radical change, in our hearts and the way we live out the gospel of Christ, that helps the world and heals the church.

[Jarrel Oliveira · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm grateful for Minister Joash's ministry outside of this literary world, however, I want to take this time to appreciate this work of liberative and restorative art. Centering Christ in our missional calling is the gospel call of the ages. From the first prophet to Christ we have an unrequited responsibility to be witnesses of a saving faith AND an actionable purpose on earth as followers of Christ.

Any gospel which focuses heavily on one or the other, namely, only heaven or only earth ministry, falls short of beautifully reflecting Jesus's ministry on earth.

This world does not need limited justice, righteous anger, or a comfortable apathy that leaves the oppressed in shambles and the wicked in power. Our world needs the justice of Jesus which restores our humanity and fights for our humanity before both men and God.

Worth the read, folks!

[Andrea · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fantastic read that not only shares history and reasoning, but practical steps forward that can be taken at the individual and communal level.

[Stacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a MUST READ! I listened to the audio version, which I appreciated because the narrator is the author.

[Caity Gill · Rating 5 out of 5]

So grateful this book exists. This was phenomenal. Hope-filled, honest, and practical. It put a little spark back in my faith that was wilting under the constant bad news of Christian nationalism.