Just Love and the Big Justice FightTom Christmas - 7 Jun 2016

Just Love are a really great student organisation making waves across the UK as they fight for justice issues, on Campus. Tom is their national co-ordinator.

"We want to see Christians fighting for justice and bringing change in every sphere of society..."

Nearly four years ago, I took a trip to South Africa where I met some incredible children: but then I discovered that they were being abused by gangs, police and poverty; facing things that children should never have to face.

The global injustices I knew about in my head were realities in front of me, and as I reflected on these, I began to ask why so few of the Christian students were engaging with, and fighting against these injustices.

“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?”

Isaiah 58:6

And so, Just Love was born, with a vision to inspire and release every Christian student to pursue the biblical call to social justice.

Quickly, this movement grew beyond my university in Oxford, and now there are eight groups across the UK; and six in the last year! During that time we’ve:  

Put on over 800 events

Raised over £25,000 for other charities

Given almost 8000 volunteer hours in their local communities.

We’ve seen homeless people leave the streets; hundreds of students changing their consumer habits; and we’ve even seen 117,000 boxes of sanitary items transported to vulnerable and homeless women across the continent as part of a Just Love campaign in Durham.

But while Just Love’s vision starts with Christians impacting the world around them at university, it doesn’t end there.

This pursuit of social justice isn’t just a student phase, but a lifelong commitment.

We’re passionate about students graduating and becoming leaders and innovators in the charity sector; people who bring integrity and change to politics; people who set up businesses with social benefits and give their profits away.

We want to see Christians fighting for justice and bringing change in every sphere of society.

I remember the leader of one of our Just Love groups standing up at the beginning of the year and asking new freshers: “What are you going to fight for?”

It’s so tempting to spend our time fighting for a safe and comfortable existence for ourselves; but the challenge is to accept the opportunity to be a part of something so much bigger; to be a part of God’s redemptive plan to restore all things.

Will you fight for an end to modern day slavery? For an end to religious persecution? Will you fight for a society where homeless people and marginalized people are included and cared for? For supply chains that respect and value all workers? Will you fight for a politics of hope and justice rather than one of fear and division?

Just Love aims to help you to find resources and information to start engaging with the issues you’re passionate about– but the first step is deciding if you’re up for it.

It all starts when we pray; when we ask for God’s heart for the world’s injustices. And if you’re not sure – think about what makes you angry, and commit to fighting for something better.

What are you going to fight for?

Start a Justice Fight

Head to our Pick A Fight pages which contain info and prayer points on a variety of justice issues; and details of charities who are working hard to make a difference.  

Find out more about how to get involve with Just Love at your university: head to justloveuk.com