By Msgr. Noel C. Burtenshaw

Here’s the case.

Mary finds that her marriage to John is about to break up. For a number of years the going has been rough; they both have jobs, communication between them has been only minimal. Now Mary finds that John has been unfaithful to her.

They separate. It seems that their relationship is over. Mary decides that she will get a lawyer and file for divorce. John, knowing that Mary has these plans, begins to look for a divorce lawyer, too. It is then that the troubled couple hear about David Montgomery. He is the young executive director of the Christian Conciliation Service of Atlanta. They go and see him.

David has been through this drama before. He knows that he must and can help. If they decide to divorce, he can assist in helping the couple separate quietly, calmly, without bitterness. He can also provide his services inexpensively.

In this case he tries his other skill – reconciliation. He talks understandingly to John and Mary. They see that this young man is dedicated, prayerful and hopeful for their happiness. He recommends Christian counseling for them. They agree to go. The journey is uphill. They continue to go. New beginnings are arranged. Mary and John make it back together. David Montgomery hears by letter that the couple has been reunited and are working hard at their marriage.

Case closed.

“They don’t all end like that,” says this handsome, young Atlanta lawyer. “But it’s great when some do. And there’s always hope.”

Hope is this young man’s business. He heads a new organization in Atlanta that wants to bring a lot of hope to people’s lives. “Christians are called to be reconciled or at least to show their differences in a peaceful, Christlike way. That’s where we come in. Christian Conciliation Service of Atlanta wants to be there when healing is needed.”

David has an interesting statistic for the churches of Atlanta and the nation. “Last year,” says David, “there were 30,000 lawsuits among church members in metro Atlanta. The legal costs – not to mention all the bitterness – of those church battles were in excess of $120 million. We believe at Christian Conciliation Services that those funds are needed for other ministries. We want those funds to go to those ministries – that’s why we are in business.”

But that’s really not the full story. David Montgomery is in business because he is a talented lawyer who loves the Lord and feels called to serve his brothers and sisters in this innovative way.

Originally from Knoxville, David graduated with a shiny new law degree from Yale University in 1980. Like all bright, young law prospects he was courted by large firms from around the nation. He chose one of the giant law offices in Atlanta. “I was the usual type, I suppose,” says David with a smile. “I wanted the good life, success, recognition and easy street. I believed I was on the first rung of the ladder.”

A year later that all changed. David recommitted his life to Christ and became active in his church and in the Christian community. His priorities and his values changed. About this time he met, and was influenced by, another Atlanta attorney, John Tucker. John was about to start an organization that was in place in 30 cities across the nation called Christian Conciliation Service. Tucker was looking for an executive director. The rest is recent history.

“In the spring of 1983,” says David, “we got together and now we are beginning to get off the ground.”

That same year David left his law firm. His new position offered no money, no clients, no guarantees. However, he felt a need to put his talent and his Yale law degree to work for the Christian community. That work has begun.

The Christian Conciliation Service is a ministry. It is an alternative to the secular courts and has its basis in Scripture. “We look to Scripture for our charter,” says David. “We especially look to St. Matthew, chapter 18, and to St. Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians, chapter 6. Both Scriptures tell us how to handle disputes. This ministry is an effort to put it all into practice. It’s a big job, but it is becoming most effective.”

What David means is that disputes to be settled are coming to his door. “One case recently involved settlement of a property dispute within a church,” says David. “Part of the congregation wanted to take the dispute to court to get a settlement. However, we were asked to intervene, a panel was selected and a settlement was agreed upon. No civil court was involved.”

Not all cases are the total success story. “We tried to medicate a divorce situation recently,” says the young lawyer, “but the separation was too difficult, there was no reunification. But after talking to the wife and eventually to the husband, who had left the marriage, I think both felt better and not bitter about the separation. So the Lord was at work.”

David Montgomery, John Tucker and the Christian Conciliation Service is on its way. An ecumenical board has been set up, office space has been leased and cases are being served. “That makes us very happy,” says David. “We will look for funding now from the proper foundations. Our only charge to a client is $50. We want to be sure our ministry is available to all who need it.”

This bright, dedicated young man of the law is confident his ministry will grow. He can be reached in Atlanta at 577-3068. The number is beginning to ring on a constant basis. The sound is part of the good news to David Montgomery. It means that some troubled parties are willing to put the gospel to the test.

David Montgomery likes that.