Leadership Board for the Fall and Winter 2009

Great things are happening at Baylor Law, and a large part of that is the work that our IJM Chapter is doing and planning to do. This fall we are will be having some great new events and more people will hear about the pains in the world and do something about it.

But we need leaders in the organization to continue beyond the "plans" and really make it happen. If you are interested in joining the the Baylor Law IJM Leadership Board, please email me at j_schneider@baylor.edu. We have a small application to aid us in our selection. Below is a description of the Board and positions available:

Article III: Leadership
1. The commitment of the Baylor Law IJM to a theology of justice founded in the Christian doctrine of God shall be reflected and embodied in the lives of its leaders. As such, leaders must endeavor to live their lives consistent with:
a. Submission to the authority of Scripture:
b. Membership in good standing of some manifestation of Christ’s church.
c. Adherence to the following basic tenants of the Christian faith:
• One God, eternally existent in three persons, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
• God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.
• The Deity of Jesus Christ I whom we trust as our only Lord and Savior, God’s only Son conceived of the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary; His vicarious death for our sins through which we receive eternal life; His bodily resurrection and personal return.
• The presence and power of the Holy Spirit in the work of regeneration.
2. Officers: There shall be a Leadership Board (“Board”) consisting of all IJM officers and a faculty sponsor. The Board is primarily responsible for maintaining and executing the chapter’s strategic goals in order to accomplish the chapter’s vision and purpose. The Baylor Law IJM officers shall fill the various roles and positions of an IJM chapter and will be appointed by consensus of the outgoing Board based upon nominations made by chapter members and input from the chapter’s faculty sponsor. The Board shall consist of not less than two and no more than eight student members and a faculty sponsor. Each member of the Board shall have one vote on all issues before the Board. The faculty sponsor may vote on all issues and provide the deciding vote in the event of a tie. The Board shall consist of, but is not limited to, the following roles, constituting the primary functions and responsibilities of an IJM chapter:
a. President: This position is responsible for recruiting law student leaders to be involved, overseeing and coordinating the activities of the chapter and monitoring the usage of funds for the organization. The president is the chapter’s representative to the campus (law school administration, faculty, student government, etc.), the local community (churches, businesses, other schools) and to IJM. The president shall work with the vice-president and the other Board member in order to develop strategic goals that will accomplish the chapter’s vision and purpose.
b. Internal Vice President: This position assists the president in developing, implementing and evaluating the goals set forth by the Board. The vice-president shall work with the other members of the Board in regular discussions of the chapter’s vision and direction. This position develops ways that individuals and groups can use their skills, gifts, and talents to serve God’s passion for justice and serve the victims of abuse and injustice in our world through their active and hands-on involvement. The goals is to give all members an opportunity to contribute to the chapter’s success. This position may serve as the IJM chapter president in the president’s absence.
c. External Vice President: This position helps the chapter, the campus and/or the community understand a) what constitutes injustice, b) specific injustices pcurring in the world c) God’s passion for justice and His heart for these victims. And d) things that can be done to seek justice and rescue the oppressed.
d. Prayer Coordinator: This position is responsible for encouraging and organizing individuals, small groups and the law school student body as a whole to pray on a regular basis for the work of justice, the work of IJM and the individual victims of abuses and injustices served by IJM. Pursuant to this task, the coordinator is responsible for dissemination of monthly prayer letters and updates.
e. Fund-Raising/Special Events Coordinator: This position is responsible for developing and implementing the programs necessary to raise funds for IJM and to raise awareness of the work that IJM is engaged in across the world.
f. Treasurer: This position is responsible for developing a budget for the chapter, developing strategies for securing a budget and administering funds.
g. Secretary: This position is responsible for maintaining records of meetings of the leadership board and any other relevant activity.

Cambodia: Prayers Now

I just spoke with my friend Jeff Cook who is currently an IJM Fellow in Cambodia. A very important case is before a 3 judge panel today. While he did not give me many details, he did ask for prayers that everything goes well:

• The justice system here needs some improvement, and we never really know what will happen when a case goes to trial. There are three judges (no jury) and a lot of time the defense lawyers do not show up. So just pray that everything goes smoothly and that the perpetrators are held accountable.

On Monday we met to pray for the people of Cambodia. The thing that continues to strike me is that our fight against injustice is not just against a rich and powerful minority that abuses that power, but also against a culture of indifference. The fact that nearly 2/3 of those involved in the sex industry of Cambodia are forced against their will shows that this problem is deep. These victims are trapped physically and psychologically, and too many people are unwilling to fight. Today, I am going to pray for more and more people to gain the strength to rise up against the "norm". It's time to end the breeding of our culture of indifference. Cambodia should not accept the evils contained within its society, and neither should we.