NATIONAL FIELD REPRESENTATIVE FOR CLA
The heart of Dr. David Gibbs, Jr. is to help churches, pastors and individual Christians who face legal resistance or attack for practicing what the Bible teaches. Dr. Gibbs and the team of legal missionaries who constitute the Christian Law Association emphasize prevention. Preventing legal trouble is far superior to getting out of it. Many simple and inexpensive steps can be taken by pastors and churches to both reduce the risk of a legal attack and provide a defense should an attack come.
I can greatly help a pastor and church with direction. I am not an attorney however I served from 1964 through the current as senior pastor of three churches and am quite familiar with church issues and vulnerabilities. My presentations help churches and pastors become aware of areas of weakness. More importantly they acquaint God’s people with how to legally fortify themselves. CLA knows the areas of greatest vulnerability and has many, many resources that can help.
Pastor, you would do well to schedule a CLA representation. It could save you enormous grief and money. In the eyes of the courts, ignorance of the law is no excuse. After attending a CLA seminar one pastor recently said to me, “Before noon, I was aware that I was guilty of six felonies.” I fear that many pastors and churches have no realistic grasp of what it is like to be caught up in a law suit especially in one where the church did little in taking proactive steps to fortify its self. One Sunday in your church could mark a turning-point that might very well save your church and your ministry. Since I now am pastor of a church, I am not able to personally conduct many representations; however, CLA has representatives who would be happy to come to your church and help you.
A TYPICAL CLA REPRESENTATION
Normally a CLA representative is at a church for either the A.M. or the P.M. service. Many pastors schedule both services.
Ideally pastors schedule the Sunday school time to present CLA and legal issues to a combined adult/high school assembly. In the worship service, the representative preaches a message on America and how God’s people are to respond to perilous times. When the representative is in a church for only a Sunday night or Wednesday night service, he combines the two. To insure that key children’s workers and staff members hear the CLA prevention message, some pastors ask for a Saturday night session, often in a banquet setting.
A representative has two main objectives: (1) He wants to present a clear picture of the ministry of CLA and the need that churches have for it. (2) He also wants to open the eyes of God’s people to the perilous times facing America and to challenge them on how to respond in the face of adversity.
MUCH MORE THAN A REPORT
A CLA representation in your church is a factual look at the work and ministry of the Christian Law Association but it is much more. After hearing the presentation you and your people will indeed have a clear understanding of who CLA is, why she exists and how she functions. However the presentation is far from sterile and detached from your church.
Right away your church will find itself right in the middle of the presentation. The information is about us and our church. Legal activity is at work in America that affects us and our church. Somebody here may be doing something (or failing to do something) that could get us into serious legal trouble including a lawsuit. A lawsuit impacts the entire church, not only the leadership. Ignorance of the law and failure to take the right steps could cost us: all of our money and property. Under certain circumstances it could get into our personal pockets. The representations address quite specific about areas where legal attacks are most likely. They are also specific about how vulnerable many churches are. Yes! CLA representations are far, far more than a somewhat impersonal report. They get right into the gearbox of the church. They are specific, positive and helpful.
TO SCHEDULE A CLA REPRESENTATION
Those who would like to schedule a CLA representation should contact the CLA office in Mason, Ohio.
To schedule an appointment call:
- CLA office – 800-CLA-1969
You may schedule an appointment by e-mail:
- Steve Kluth: skluth@christianlaw.org
Pastor Hutson preaching for CLA at the First Baptist Church in Benson, Arizona