Justice in the Burbs: Being the Hands of Jesus Wherever You Live (emersion: Emergent Village resources for communities of faith) (Paperback)

by Will Samson (Author), Lisa Samson (Author)
Key Phrases: American Christians, Helping Hands, Old Testament (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
Award-winning Christian novelist Lisa Samson (Songbird; Quaker Summer) and her husband, sociology doctoral student Will Samson, intertwine fiction and nonfiction in this challenging and inspiring book about justice. Lisa Samson's novella features the Marshalls, a suburban family with all the accoutrements: Matt climbs the corporate ladder, Christine cares for their three children, and both are busy with numerous church leadership positions. One day, Matt and Christine visit an inner-city mission, and their ideas about how they should be living gradually but dramatically change. The nonfiction portion of the book examines the issues these characters (and most of the book's readership) face. The Samsons talk about why God cares what we eat, where we live, how much electricity we use and to whom we minister. Astonishingly, the authors manage to do this without hitting a sanctimonious note. On the contrary, they repeatedly highlight the heartbreak and complexity of what they refer to as thinking and living in keeping with God's heartbeat of justice and frequently acknowledge their own struggles and failures. The Samsons include short meditations at the end of each chapter written by a variety of Christian authors, as well as a series of helpful discussion questions at the end. (Aug.)
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Product Description
In the suburban world of nice homes, neat lawns, and new cars, it can be easy to forget about social justice issues. Life keeps us busy, and the poor and disenfranchised of our world are invisible as we go from our garage to our workplace and back again. But suburbanites can be a force for social justice in the world. In this unique book, readers will take a journey with a young couple from the 'burbs as they learn to notice and act on the issues of justice that abound no matter where you live. This engaging narrative helps readers kiss apathy and ignorance goodbye in favor of a life of concern and action in order to help our fellow human beings.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Baker Books (August 1, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0801068096
• ISBN-13: 978-0801068096
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.7 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars See all reviews (14 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #104,332 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars hope for suburban christians, August 27, 2007

By	Keri W. Kent "writer and reader" (Illinois) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

As a suburbanite who is deeply concerned about social justice, I often felt like a walking oxymoron. Or sometimes, just a moron. In the last year, I've taken a class on urban ministry and racial reconciliation, I've started volunteering at a homeless shelter in a rough neighborhood in the city. I've been wrestling with what it means to "act justly and love mercy." But I felt conflicted when I returned home to my quiet, safe suburban neighborhood. This book offered both healing encouragement and a kick in the behind, and I needed both. It offered hope and insight on how to, as the subtitle says, "be the hands of Jesus wherever you live." In the suburbs, knowing your neighbors' names is counter-cultural. I realized that I not only know my neighbors, I know their families, the details of their lives. I pray for them, specifically. This book challenged me to continue that, in fact, to be more intentional about showing God's love to my neighbors, but also to realize that people in the inner city and all over the world are my neighbors as well. I highly recommend it.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A book of substance and authenticity, October 8, 2007

By	Swimming Rabbit - See all my reviews

This is a great, multi-facted look at the dilemma suburbanites face when awakening to the fact that God may have a different dream than their culture's picture of the American dream. I was impressed by the different angles that the Samsons are willing to tackle in the book, and I particularly appreciated their broad, 'holistic' perspective that reminds readers to serve their own communities and not just see the "inner-city" people as the only people who need to be served. I also appreciated the emphasis on joining in with ministries already going on and being willing to learn from the people who have been in the trenches rather than starting something new. Too often I hear white people raving (with good intentions, of course) about how they're saving the world, wanting credit for everything they do. But the Samsons really stress the normality of this "new normal" life, and they certainly deserve credit for that in my book! Their humility and authenticity really impressed me.

The fictional account of a suburban family on their journey is really well-written and evocative...very effective. However, there were a few places that were so cheesy and white-man's burden-sounding (particularly the last page) that I just groaned. But the great good in this book far outweighs any of that, and I can see it changing lives...I hope many people will listen to their voices and be moved to think through the hard questions along with those like the Samsons who have already traveled this path.

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A clear, compelling, and realistic call, October 14, 2007

By	David Robertson "David R" (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This books uses every trick but dancing girls and neon lights: There is a fictional narrative alongside the nonfiction teaching, there are "celebrities" offering short responses to each chapter, and there are even two authors writing. Given all these tricks, I was tempted before reading the book to think that the authors didn't have enough to say, or didn't really know how to say it. Thankfully, I was very wrong.

Lisa and Will Samson have a clear and cogent point to make, and they make it masterfully. The fictional narrative was written by Lisa Samson, an accomplished author of several novels. Her skill shows in the deft sketches of real, conflicted, and interesting characters. The teaching ("discourse") , which seems to have been mostly written by Will, is equally clear. Although the writing here does not flow as smoothly as it does in the narrative section, the messages are well delivered and compelling . Will's modesty and sincerity make the reader want to listen closely.

I found the meditations superfluous. They are too short to make much of an impact, especially if you don't know the authors. It seems they were added on for people who already know Brian McLaren and Leonard Sweet's work, and therefore might attach credibility to this book, by association. But Will and Lisa need no such props: their message and delivery are strong enough to stand on their own.

The book starts at the beginning: the first chapter is "Why Read a Book about Justice?" After providing a strong answer to "Why?" (scripture and history), they take the reader gently and clearly through the "how". There are chapters on listening to the voice of justice, how to find time to serve, finding opportunities to serve, and overcoming opposition (both from inside our churches and from the communities in which we choose to serve).

"Justice in the Burbs" avoids saccharine sweetness. Will and Lisa are realistic about the challenges of trying to live a just life. They repeatedly caution that the people we serve may be ungrateful, unaware, and inconvenient. None of that changes our need to follow Jesus in service to others.

This books seems to speak clearly to a particular audience: couples raising children in the suburbs and trying to follow God in the way of Jesus. To them, Will and Lisa speak powerfully, clearly, and in an engaging way. I highly recommend this book. I have read it twice already, and will read it several more times, I'm sure.


[Full disclosure: I'm on the board of Emergent Village, which partners with Baker Books in the publication of this book. However, I had exactly zero to do with any of the writing, editing, or publishing of the book. I bought it from Amazon, and I'm very glad I did!]