WHAT'S HAPPENING IN USA-WHERE TO FROM HERE
Reflections by Elenne Ford, Barrister, Queensland

1. HIGHLIGHTS of the 10 day convocation in Washington DC (Advocates International in conjunction with the Christian Legal Society):

• Personal testimonies of Federal Appeals Judge Paul Michel and Federal District Court of Claims Judge Eric Bruggink (available on video from Christian Lawyers Society in Queensland) and visit with Justice Antonin Scalia of the U.S. Supreme Court
  
• Peacemaker Ministries seminar (books available from Christian Lawyers Society)

• Church on Sunday - 5,000 members, choir/orchestra 205 
  
• Banquet for 1,000 - donations to CLS totalling more than US$160,000/singing.

2. ADVOCATES INTERNATIONAL

Launched in 1991, Advocates International ("Advocates") envisions a global network of advocates committed to religious liberty, conflict resolution and professional ethics. It¹s aim is to prepare and preserve the ground through law for religious freedom, conflict resolution, and professional ethics.

Advocates patterns its approach after the model described by Jesus to a lawyer in the parable of the Good Samaritan. It looks for "innkeepers" ­ those in law and related professions ­ who are positioned to advance justice now and in the future. Working relationally, professionally and spiritually, Advocates: 1) builds meaningful relationships with those in leadership; 2) works as law professionals on issues and cases on a pro bono basis; 3) seeks to integrate spiritual truths in law and life.

With a full time staff of only 4-5 people Advocates has been involved in over 170 projects. For example:

• has been granted official consultative status at the U.N.and has a representative in both Geneva and New York;
  
• Albania: Advocates conducted judicial conferences for 150+ judges in 1993, 1994 and 1995, providing robes for all judges; co-chaired the 1996 religious liberty conference; and provided input to the Constitution adopted on November 22, 1998. The constitution has strong guarantees on religious freedom, and Advocates will work with Albanian leaders and the courts in their implementation. 
  
• Mongolia: Advocates gave input to a new Canon on Judicial Ethics in 1996; co sponsored judicial seminars in 1997 in Mongolia and Washington; co-chaired a religious liberty conference and established a Law Institute in 1998 which helped register the Union Bible Training Centre and cancel a $39,000 fine. Advocates has been asked to give input to the Mongolian Parliament on human rights and related issues. 
  
• Nepal: In 1993, Advocates established the Golden Rule Society and helped register the Christian Evangelical Alliance. The Alliance organized a team of 110 U.S. doctors and nurses to give medical aid to 8,000 refugees.
  
• Russia: Advocates helped launch a legal aid ministry for Russian prisoners in 1991 and has been a source of support ever since, helping over 8,000 inmates. In 1999, Advocates will continue to support this legal aid ministry.

Sam Ericsson the President of Advocates is a man who thinks BIG and steps out in faith. He says that when we move beyond our beliefs and act upon those beliefs, God will do the impossible - but we need to act on opportunities that are presented.

3. PHILIP YANCEY

One of a number of impressive speakers at the Convocation in Washington DC was Phillip Yancey, journalist and author of 16 books. He said:

• the church will always fail -the church is the only institution which is founded on the principle that it will always fail - that we are human, sinful and fallen. The reason we exist is that we know we will fail and are in desperate need of God¹s help - it is why we come together in a Christian convention/church. Our clinging together is not a way of saying we are better than everyone else and we¹ll solve the problems of the world - its a way of saying we will fail and we need help.
  
• Jesus did not call us to clean up the world - its not our charge. Jesus was not so concerned about cleaning up the world. When he used images of the church/kingdom they were images of very small things - a little bit of salt sprinkled on a pound of meat to preserve it, a little bit of yeast worked into dough to cause the whole loaf to rise. Jesus said the kingdom of God is like the smallest seed in the garden that when planted will grow into a large tree. Jesus did not say to the woman at the well do you realize how dangerous promiscuous sex can be? He asked her if she was thirsty and whether she would like to know about water which was satisfying.

Yancey challenged us, the church, that exists in a kingdom which causes us great grief, hostility and persecution, to not take our orders and our image from that kingdom but to march to the beat of a different drummer - to march as citizens of the kingdom of God - committing ourselves to do God¹s will on earth as it is in heaven. To act like a city on a hill, a light shining in darkness, a new community that operates by different rules than the one we live in everyday.

4. WHERE TO FROM HERE

It is important that as Christian lawyers we do all that we can to be of service to others. But first we must be the person God wants us to be. The latter is much harder. As Charles Spurgeon said in respect of Martha ....

Her fault was that she grew ³cumbered with much serving,² so that she forgot Him, and only remembered the service. She allowed service to over-ride communion, and so presented one duty stained with the blood of another. We ought to be Martha and Mary in one; we should do much service, and have much communion at the same time. For this we need great grace. It is easier to serve than to commune. Joshua never grew weary in fighting with the Amalekites; but Moses, on the top of the mountain in prayer, needed two helpers to sustain his hands. The more spiritual the exercise, the sooner we tire in it. The choicest fruits are the hardest to rear; the most heavenly graces are the most difficult to cultivate. Beloved, while we do no neglect external things, which are good enough in themselves, we ought also to see to it that we enjoy living, personal fellowship with Jesus. See to it that sitting at the Saviour¹s feet is not neglected, even though it be under the specious pretext of doing Him service. The first thing for our soul¹s health, the first thing for His glory, and the first thing for our own usefulness, is to keep ourselves in perpetual communion with the Lord Jesus, and to see that the vital spirituality of our religion is maintained over and above everything else in the world.

When we become Christlike, people will be attracted to us as they were to Christ and to John the Baptist - people came from far and wide to see and hear them. If we become the persons God wants us to be we will not need to think about ways we can serve - service will just happen as people come to us seeking the answers to life that they see we have.

Let us consider how we can assist one another to become Christlike - to be a light shining in darkness in our homes, our offices and our chambers.