In his call to us to seek justice for victims of violent oppression, God offers a rugged challenge – a task that requires the great energy stored in the global church. The work of justice can be difficult and even scary – but it is not work we are asked to undertake alone. As we follow his call to bring victims of injustice the relief they urgently need, God frees us from the fear and triviality that can stifle our faith.

As your church steps forward in the adventure of following this call to justice, we believe that you will discover that this work is truly a journey. And, like any journey, we believe your trip will be most successful if you have prepared spiritually for it, and if you have the right tools to use along the way. IJM’s Church Mobilization staff is here to help you as you take this journey – we have the gear to get you going, and we want to support you in this work.

While no two churches are the same, we have found that this justice journey usually involves three phases – Educate, Explore and Engage. In the Educate phase, we invite you to learn about injustice and how God calls us to respond to it. In the Explore phase, you will give this information context as you learn about the justice issues of your congregation, your community and your world – and about the specific skills your church community may be able to bring to this battle. In the Engage phase, you will put this period of prayerful study and investigation to action as you discover the specific way in which your church will contribute to the work of justice in the world.

Determine where your church is on the justice journey by exploring the categories – EDUCATE, EXPLORE and ENGAGE – in the diagram above. Click on each category to find the appropriate IJM resources to help you take the next steps.