Defiant Joy - by Abraham Cho (Paperback)

About the Book

In a world increasingly dominated by anxiety in our inner life, loneliness in our communal life, and outrage in our public life, joy becomes a form of resistance. This book shows that Christian communities of happy nonconformists are the most compelling case for the gospel in our contemporary world.

Book Synopsis

What if joy is the defining mark of Christian distinctiveness?

In Defiant Joy, pastor and thought leader Abraham Cho presents a theologically rich vision of joy as a quiet yet powerful act of resistance--and as the church's most compelling witness to the grace of God. In a cultural moment defined by anxiety, loneliness, and outrage, he shares how believers can develop expressions of joy that transform every dimension of life, including

- cultivating inner joy through practices like Sabbath;
- restoring communal joy through shared rhythms of feasting; and
- embodying public joy through justice, generosity, and Jubilee.

For pastors, leaders, and thoughtful Christians weary of fear-driven expressions of faith, Defiant Joy shows how a life shaped by joy can disrupt fear, heal division, and point others toward the beauty of the gospel. The book includes a foreword by Rich Villodas.

About the Author

Abraham Cho (DMin, Fuller Theological Seminary) is vice president for thought leadership at Redeemer City to City and a teaching pastor at Redeemer East Harlem in New York City. Previously he served as lead pastor of Redeemer East Side and was on the Redeemer Presbyterian flagship staff alongside Tim Keller. He is the coauthor (with Tim Keller) of the DVD-based study guide Generosity and has written for the Sola Network and The Gospel Coalition. Cho has spoken at the Redeemer Center for Faith and Work, Hope for New York, the Asian American Christian Collaborative, and Jubilee. He lives with his family in Hell's Kitchen.