Background
CMAS (Christian Mediation and Arbitration Service) was founded & affiliated to International Christian Chamber of Commerce (‘ICCC’) in the early 1990s, responding to the NEED to resolve disputes without going to court
as outlined in 1 Corinthians 6
The principal focus was initially on resolving commercial disputes between businessmen in a biblical manner.
CMAS started encouragingly in the late 1990s, but later the level on work dropped and it was renamed ‘Resolve’ and activity revived. Since then, the volume of requests have been somewhat erratic although our record in successful mediation outcomes was outstanding. However, in recent years, the number of requests for Mediations has dropped off and in order to try and understand why, we undertook some detailed research.
The results revealed just how most Christian businesses, church organisations, groups and individuals were:-
1. Resorting to settling disputes via secular LAW, rather than
using biblical principles.
2. Lacking teaching and understanding of the need to use
biblical dispute principles.
3. Following what the world was experiencing in the growing
levels of DISUNITY – linked to the break down in
relationships and the pressures on families, business, etc.
TODAY
We see it as essential to ‘understand the times’ &
‘what the Bible says‘ about the future,
taking seriously what it means to be a Christian,
encouraging & assisting one another to respond to conflict
‘BIBLICALLY‘ & ‘Be RECONCILED‘ .
