Life in this world is unfair and inhumane. Humans will continue to enslave fellow humans. There will be slaves of sexual exploitation, slaves of racial discrimination, slaves of economic oppression, and slaves of the poverty trap. Of course, we can also be slaves to wealth, pleasure, and power. At the risk of sounding simplistic, all forms of slavery and social injustices are but evidence of our primary slavery – that of the human self to sin.

To be sure, there is a phenomenal increase in the awareness of social injustices around the world, especially among young people today. The spirit of volunteerism seems to mark the generation of the under 30s with so many across the globe actively involved in community service and even pioneering initiatives to speak for those who are powerless and voiceless, whose plights need to be heard. The media eases its own social conscience by highlighting laudable efforts of celebrities like Oprah and Bono in championing and supporting causes that seek to stop human trafficking or make poverty history. Businesses are stepping up in discharging their corporate social responsibility in a big and sustainable way. You know what – doing good has become the new cool!

The good news is that churches are also reaffirming the biblical mandate and call to respond to social justice issues, following the legacies of outstanding examples in William Wilberforce, Lord Acton, George Muller, William and Catherine Booth, to name just a few. In this issue, we seek to engage you with our thoughts as well as inspire you through the examples of individuals and groups who are expressing the heart of God for the oppressed and disadvantaged (Jeremiah 7:5-7) and defending the rights of the afflicted and needy (Proverbs 31:8-9).

Life in the Kingdom of God is different. It will be according to His attributes – holy, loving, and just. In fact, there is only one kind of slave in God’s Kingdom – slaves of Christ, a favorite self-description of the Apostle Paul. It is not an image depicting a brutal existence, senseless exploitation, and an impersonal servitude. Rather, it is a response of gratitude to be set free from former enslavements and to be led by a most gracious and loving Master. When we are slaves of Christ, doing good is beyond cool.