Ministries
Experience God Like Never Before
A CU Fire Retreat is a 1.5-day nationwide simulcast retreat. Experience spiritual rejuvenation and encouragement with your friends or any other Christian community. This can all happen at your church or from the comfort of your own home with your friends.
Watch this 3.5-minute video to witness the power of a CU Fire Retreat:
The Next CU Fire Retreat
America Returning to God
October 4-5, 2024
Learn more at CUFire.org or click the button below to register.
Register Now!
Why CU Fire Retreats?
CU Fire Retreats were created to help believers experience God more deeply and fully. If you long for a closer relationship with the God who loves you, a CU Fire Retreat might be a tremendous next step. Taking more time to seek the Lord and draw close to Him will dramatically impact your closeness to God.
While we can all seek God in our own time, doing so with friends and people you want to get to know helps deepen the bonding and creates powerful camaraderie.
Christian Union founder and president, Matt Bennett, said, "Focused times of drawing near to God have an incredibly positive impact on Christians. Such times provide powerful spiritual strengthening and renewed vision. You can view Matt Bennett’s bio here and an interview with Matt by CBN here (5:21).
As more and more Christians take time to seek God and grow stronger in Him, God draws near to us with His increased power and presence in our churches, communities, and nation. Many are frustrated with the spiritual decline in their communities and the nation, and seeking the Lord is the answer.
As believers grow strong in the Lord, their vibrant faith will bring a supernatural change.
Visit CUFire.org to learn more or to sign up for a CU Fire Retreat today.
Fire Retreat Speakers
The speaker lineup for the October 2024 Fire Retreat is as follows:Matt Bennett
Topic: "Repenting of Worshiping Other Gods"
Matt Bennett is the Founder and President of Christian Union, a Christian leadership development organization with the mission to bring sweeping spiritual and cultural transformation to our nation and the world by developing and networking Christian leaders to make an impact for Christ. Christian Union focuses on America's most influential universities and professionals in the nation's key cities.
A native of Houston, Texas, Matt earned a BS and MBA degree from Cornell University and holds a Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He worked for Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru) at Princeton University for 12 years and developed the ministry into one of the largest in the history of the Ivy League. In 2002, he founded Christian Union. The ministry has been featured in The New York Times, PBS, NPR, Christianity Today, and World Magazine. Matt currently resides in New York City.
Dimas Salaberrios
Topic: "Power of Prayer in Reviving God's People"
In addition to being a NY pastor and the Ministry Associate for CU New York, he is the author of “Street God: The Explosive True Story of a Former Drug Boss,” and his film “Chicago: America’s Hidden War” was recently nominated for an Oscar for “Best Documentary Feature”! Pastor Dimas Salaberrios is a faith leader, film producer, prayer warrior, and author. He is the founder and former pastor of Infinity Bible Church in New York City, and the President Emeritus of Concerts of Prayer Greater New York. Dimas has been on the frontlines of the earthquakes in Haiti, and Hurricane Harvey in Houston. After the shootings in Saint Paul, Dallas, Charleston, and Paris, Dimas organized believers to infiltrate the protests and pray with hurting people. He has also organized prayer during the George Floyd protests in Minneapolis and New York City. His directorial debut is titled “Chicago: America’s Hidden War” (https://www.chicagoshiddenwar.com), and he co-produced the documentary film “Emanuel.”
Dimas is married to Tiffany and has three daughters. Learn more about Dimas by visiting http://thedynamiclifeministry.com/pastor-dimas/
Andy Woodard
Topic: "Cultivating a Lifestyle of Seeking God Wholeheartedly"
Andy is the Executive Director of Christian Union New York.
CU Fire Retreat Schedule
(Subject to Change)Friday Evening :: 6-9pm Local Time
| Welcome and Orientation |
| Start / Group Sharing or Testimonies |
| Zoom Message (Streamed) |
| Group Prayer / Response to Message |
Saturday :: 8am - 8pm Local Time
Saturday Morning
| Arrival / Prayers of Adoration and Praise |
| Bible Reading |
| Zoom Worship and Message |
| Live Q&A |
Saturday Afternoon
| Group Discussion (Response to Message) |
| Bible Reading followed by Group Discussion: What is God Like? |
| Group (Streamed) Worship + Video followed by Group Discussion |
| Prayer |
Saturday Evening
| Meal |
| Zoom Message |
| Group Discussion (Response to Message) |
| Group Wrap Up (Testimonies, Discussion, and Prayer) |
Perspectives:
“CU Fire was amazing. The way I was able to meet with God and connect to others has broken some chains off of my heart!! The experience was invaluable.”
– Kimberly
"And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another--and all the more as you see the Day approaching."
– Hebrews 10:24
My first experience as a participant of a CU fire retreat connected me with like minded believers seeking the Lord for revival. Our time praying together and seeking God in the scriptures was powerful. When given the opportunity to host during the next CU fire retreat I was all in.
– Guy
The Next Christian Union Bible Study
Christian Union is pleased to announce, as a f0llow up to its three-volume series on the book of Psalms, a new study that will be published in 2024, on the book of Job.
New information will be published here as the publication date nears.
. . .
Learn more about the Psalms studies (shown below), or order them today >
A Series on the Psalms, Available Now!
Christian Union's Bible Study Series on the Psalms will empower you to dive into this wonderful book as never before.These guides are more exegetically focused and academic than devotional books, yet more accessible and application-oriented than commentaries. Proven on the campuses of the nation’s most academically intense and influential universities, CU Bible studies provide a deep understanding of biblical texts through explanations about translations, historical background, literary genres, and the meanings of Hebrew and Greek words.
They draw from the best biblical scholarship available, presenting it in an accessible and concise format. This three-volume series is perfect for people who want to grow in their faith through in-depth studies of Scripture that supplement their regular Bible reading. Bible studies are typically ten lessons, helping you dive deeply into the Scriptures on your own or in a group context.
Buy the first of the three studies, Psalms 1-41, from Amazon.com >
Buy the second in the series, Psalms 42-89 from Amazon.com >
Buy the third in the series, Psalms 90-150 from Amazon.com >
ALSO, DON'T MISS
Coming in late 2024: A new Bible study from Christian Union, on the Book of Job!
Spiritual Strengthening for Christians
CU America is Christian Union’s ministry to adults across the nation. The values of Christian Union shape and direct the particular offerings that CU America currently provides and is planning for the future. Christian Union develops leaders for the promotion of national revival and reformation.
When CU began in 2002, its first strategic program started at Princeton University and quickly spread to other academically intense, influential undergraduate and graduate schools. Even though CU Universities led the way for the organization, the overall mission of the ministry has always been to influence the entire nation directly.
Find out about CU America’s Fire Retreats, National Fasts, Cities ministry, Resources, and Alumni ministry to see which ones may strengthen and connect you with other like-minded Christians until the Lord’s ways mark every corner of society.
DONATE TO CU AMERICA
Thank you for your faithful, seasoned prayers for the work of God through Christian Union New York! The purpose of our prayers may be best summarized by Elisabeth Elliot: “Prayer lays hold of God’s plan and becomes the link between his will and its accomplishment on earth. Amazing things happen, and we are given the privilege of being the channels of the Holy Spirit’s prayer.”
In this confidence, Christian Union NY asks you to please pray that His will may be done right here in NYC, as we all expectantly hope for amazing things to continue happening in the lives of leaders who are on fire for Christ!
“The guys have been missing getting together...”
Those words were spoken by one of the football players after meeting up for a one-on-one in the summer describing our Bible course group from the spring. The students will be wrapping up summer classes or internships and heading home for a few weeks before the fall semester. On behalf of all the students who are a part of CU Lumine, thank you for your continued support and prayers for this ministry. We could not have done this past year without you. Your faithful prayers and financial giving have truly made an impact on the lives of students at Columbia University.
Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. — Hebrews 1:14
Christian Union had an amazing faculty and staff conference during the first week of August. Thank you for praying for us! For five days straight we spent almost all day reading Scripture, hearing Bible teaching, fasting (except for dinners!), praying, listening to God, confessing and repenting of sin, sharing testimonies, getting to know one another, worshiping God, and more—both together and alone. Not surprisingly, it was an incredible time! For me at least, each day got better and better. God drew near to us as we drew near to Him, praise His Name (James 4:8)! What an incredible God we serve, who dwells “in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite” (Isaiah 57:15).
Greetings from Penn!
I am still pushing toward our summer goals of building the support base for CU Martus and CU Fire Retreats. Thankfully, the Lord is blessing those efforts and showing his faithfulness. The summer has also been a great time to seek the Lord, make new connections for the ministry, and write a “game plan” for the upcoming semester.
Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. (Proverbs 3:3-4)
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