The following is the Purpose and Mission of CLS of Minnesota, as found in our Articles of Incorporation and Bylaws.
Purpose
Our purpose is outlined in our Articles of Incorporation:
1. To provide high quality, Christian, “holistic” legal aid, lawyer referral, religious freedom, and counseling services for the glory of God, which shall be designed to integrate matters of law and faith and would be·available to serve both those within and those outside of the Christian church.
2. To obey God’s command to share the gospel message and the love and concern of Jesus Christ for the physical and spiritual needs of all persons.
3. To coordinate the above-related ministries dealing in the areas of law, justice, and mercy.
4. To educate and train lawyers, law students, paralegals, pastors, laymen, and the community at large in the following:
a. Skills in dealing with problems involving legal aid, counseling problems of the poor, and religious freedom issues;
b. The Biblical basis for concern and action in each of the above areas; and
c. Encouraging their participation as well as that of Christian churches and groups in fulfilling the purposes of the corporation and assisting in achieving God’s justice for all and participation in individual programs in their own churches and groups.
5. To assist in unifying Christian churches and the entire body of Christ by involving various Christian churches and groups in a single cooperative effort under the lordship of Jesus Christ.
6. To evangelize and disciple the legal profession, including lawyers, judges, law students, paralegals, etc., to introduce them to Christ, to assist them to become more mature Christians, and to apply their faith to their life and practice.
7. To assert Biblical and legal bases for religious freedom and identify appropriate spiritual and legal strategies to secure such freedoms.
8. To broaden awareness of critical areas in constitutional church-state religious freedom and build bases for cooperation between elements of the Christian community
9. · To develop a structure that implements Biblical teaching in connection with the Christian services being rendered by the corporation. ·
10. To seek to educate the legal and lay Christian community with respect to said Christian services.
11. To provide avenues of Christian service by attorneys that give opportunity for ministry to the body of Christ and thus, enhance the concept of the Christian lawyer as a servant of Christ.
12. To make contributions to, or receive contributions from any organization described in Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1954, or its successor.
13. In the furtherance and not in limitation of the objects and purposes hereinbefore stated, it is expressly provided that this corporation may engage in any lawful act or activity for which nonprofit corporations may be organized under the Minnesota Nonprofit Corporation Act.
Mission
Our mission is outlined in our Bylaws:
1. Purposes. In furtherance of the CLS Mission, the purposes of this Chapter are the mutual support and encouragement, fellowship, and spiritual growth of lawyers, judges, law professors, and law students who identify themselves as followers of Jesus Christ, in order to more faithfully live out that commitment in their personal and professional lives.
2. Goals. The major goals to this Chapter shall be:
1. To proclaim Jesus as Lord through all that we do in the field of law and other disciplines.
2. To provide a means of society, fellowship, and nurture among Christian legal professionals and law students.
3. To encourage Christian legal professionals and law students to view law as ministry.
4. To clarify and promote the concept of the Christian lawyer and to help Christian legal professionals and law students to integrate their faith with their professional and academic lives.
5. To mobilize, at the local level, the resources needed to promote biblical conflict reconciliation, public justice, religious liberty, and the sanctity of human life.
6. To encourage, disciple, and aid Christian students in preparing for the legal profession.
7. To provide a forum for the discussion of problems relating to Christianity and the law.
8. To cooperate with bar associations and other organizations in asserting and maintaining high standards of legal ethics.
9. To encourage lawyers to furnish legal services to the poor and needy and grant special consideration to the legal needs of churches and other charitable organizations.
10. To provide a link between CLS, the Chapter, and individual Chapter members and to encourage Christian legal professionals and law students to become and remain active members of CLS and supporters of CLS ministries.