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Christian Union Universities Proclaiming the Good News This Spring
By Tom Campisi, 2022, revised and edited by erin conner, 2024
“What shall you do then with Jesus which is called Christ?”
That was the question posed by preacher Dwight Lyman Moody at his Illinois Street Church in Chicago on October 8, 1871. In the sermon, he paraphrased the question asked by Pontius Pilate in the Gospel of Matthew (27:22). Moody challenged the congregation to think about it during the week and return to church the following Sunday with an answer—would they crown Christ as Lord or, like Pilate and the misguided mob of that time, deny his supremacy? However, as Moody finished his sermon, a warning bell began to ring. The Great Chicago Fire was raging. There was no next week at his church, which burned to the ground like many of the buildings in the city.
CU America's 2024 National Fast, "Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace for All Nations"
By Qwynn Gross, Ministry Fellow, CU Nova at Princeton University
"And because lawlessness will abound, the love of many will grow cold. But he who endures to the end shall be saved" – Matthew 24:12-13.
As a youngster, I can think of plenty of extracurricular activities that I began with curiosity and zeal or out of a parental charge to participate, and for one reason or another, I soon opted to stop–-from piano lessons to Girl Scouts to running track to being a debutante, and many other activities–-however, when my firstborn was placed in my arms there was a conscious decision to continue regardless. This unwavering commitment to the children I bore would only be eclipsed by my commitment to live for God simply because I found out that He is alive. Now, with adult children and a life in Christ that spans close to forty years, I can attest that my endurance has not been easy, nor has it been without opportunities to quit, but rather because value and worth were assigned.
Assigning importance and meaning or significance to something or someone is not strange. It’s done all the time;however for Christians, the commitment to cherish and esteem Jesus means to safeguard why we value Him even during the ecological, economic, and ecumenical tumult that Jesus warns will not only come, but cause the strongest of believers to defect because of pervasive lawlessness.
Highlight: CU America Member, Carrie Sheffield
By erin conner, writer and communications associate
Carrie Sheffield, a Harvard alumna and a member of Christian Union America, is releasing a memoir this March entitled Motorhome Prophesies and launching a subsequent book tour across the U.S.
Sheffield, a columnist and broadcaster in Washington, D.C., shares insights with millions of Americans on networks like CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, CBS News, CNBC, BBC, and more. From ABC’s Good Morning America to HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, PBS, and C-SPAN, she brings a voice of virtue to the American communications and media industry through boundless interviews for articles, appearances on television shows and podcasts, and at forums across the nation. Consequently, many Americans know the professional side of Carrie Sheffield's life.
In her memoir, we learn about a different side of her life. The book's overview states, "Carrie Sheffield grew up the fifth of eight children with a violent, mentally ill, street-musician father who believed he was a modern-day Mormon prophet…She and her seven siblings were often forced to live as vagabonds, remaining on the move across the country. They frequently subsisted in sheds, tents, and, most notably, motorhomes. They often lived a dysfunctional drifter existence, camping out in their motorhome in Walmart parking lots. Carrie attended 17 public schools and homeschool, all while performing classical music on the streets… at times while child custody workers loomed…Carrie struggled with her mental health during college and for most of her adult life."
Student Spotlight: Jackson Parrott, '27, Yale University
By Erin conner, writer and communications associate
As a first-year undergraduate student and prospective Global Affairs major at Yale, Jackson Parrott has an impressive resume of experience in the spheres of public policy and politics. He is a researcher for the Yale Foreign Policy Initiative, a Policy Analyst for the Space Policy Research Collaborative, and a member of the Yale Undergraduate Moot Court Team. He has previously served as the Head of Global Organizational Outreach for the Climate Science Olympiad and as an Economic Policy Fellow for the Greater Good Initiative; he served as a Field Director and staff intern for both a lieutenant gubernatorial candidate and for a US Senate campaign. In addition, Parrott is an Air Force ROTC Cadet and is a Harvard Undergraduate International Relations Scholar.
A Devotional from CU National Fast, January 2024
By sadie sasser, ministry fellow, christian union gloria at harvard
"Wisdom is better than weapons of war, but one sinner destroys much good." – Ecclesiastes 9:18
Since the fall, humans have turned to violence and war to solve our problems. It could be argued that we have even created an industry out of it! Over the course of history, innumerable conflicts have stricken mankind. As such, there have been many military leaders of note; but even with the vast pool from which to choose there are leaders that rise to the top of the list. Names such as Napoleon Bonaparte, Julius Caesar, Alexander the Great, and Ulysses S. Grant line the rankings when discussing the greatest military leaders of all time. There are various reasons these people are noteworthy, but one of the common traits allowing them single-digit status is tactical brilliance.
The Hebrew word used in Ecclesiastes 9:18 for “wisdom” includes connotations of skillfulness in war, administrative savvy, shrewdness, prudence, and even sometimes includes an ethical tone. Thus, when Solomon states that such wisdom is better than actual weapons, he is not speaking of the wisdom of books or knowledge that can only be found in an ivory tower. He is speaking of practical and tactical brilliance, the ability to have an overarching plan and execute it well. The actual weapons used in battle are of little consequence in comparison to good strategy.
Christian Union Provides Support for Alumni
By Erin conner, writer and communications associate
Tiffany Agyarko, a civil engineer and Princeton alumna, had many new aspects of life to manage when she graduated in May 2023. In the course of just a few weeks, Agyarko had packed up her life as a university student in New Jersey to move to Houston, Texas, to immediately begin her career.
The one area of her new life that she did not need to invest time and energy into researching was the area of spiritual mentorship. Christian Union had provided this small yet meaningful anchor for her when she relocated. Moving to an entirely new city, sometimes even to a new country, to build a professional life and find a supportive, like-minded community of faith can be daunting. With this in mind, Christian Union established its mentoring program to help ease the post graduation transition.
Public Declarations of Faith Start the New Year
By erin conner, writer and communications associate
"...Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10).
A new year brings hope for new beginnings, and at Brown University, the start of the year brought forth a celebration of new life in Jesus Christ. Christian Union Libertas at Brown celebrated the baptisms of two students, Matteo Sredzinski and Layla Lynch, this January.
Experience the Power of a CU Fire Retreat — without Leaving Your Town!
By Erin Conner, Writer and communications associate
What is the significance of meeting together in a community to seek the Lord? Why are followers of Christ encouraged in the New Testament to "not give up meeting together?" (Hebrews 10: 25).
Throughout the Scriptures, we find patterns of regularly seeking God in community with others. For example, daily morning and evening gatherings when the sun rises and the sun sets are found in Numbers 28:1-8. Weekly meetings are held Sunday (originally Saturday) in Exodus 20:8-11; Leviticus 23:3; Numbers 28:9, 10; Deuteronomy 5:12-15 and in the first century Church, as recorded in Acts. Monthly or "new moon” gatherings are found in Numbers 28:11-15, and annual special gatherings are held several times per year, especially with seven-day gatherings every six months in the spring and the fall, as shown in Leviticus 23:1-44.
Testimonies from the January 2024 CU National Fast
By matt bennett, founder and president of christian union
By God’s grace, thousands of lives have been powerfully impacted! Nearly 8,000 of us completed a 21-day fast to start the new year focused on the Prince of Peace for the nations, and we praise God for His grace and mercy towards us.
Through history, the people of God have fasted, prayed, repented, and sought the Lord wholeheartedly when they desire the Lord’s healing and grace poured out in their own lives or in the lives of their community. Remember Ezra, who led his people in fasting and prayer for God’s protection from enemies amidst rising war and evil, declaring, “we fasted and implored our God for this, and he listened to our entreaty (Ezra 8:23).”
When Christians devotedly seek the Lord through fasting, the Lord loves to pour out his blessing, his power, and his spirit.
Practical Teachings on Supernatural Healing in the Church Today
By Anne Kerhoulas (2022), UPDATED and revised by erin conner (2024)
The gospels depict a supernatural world in which demons are cast out, the dead are raised, and the sick are healed. But for many Christians today, the world of the Bible seems to have little to no bearing on our present-day world—we see the demonic as fantasy and believe that healings and miracles are either impossible or due to human achievement, not to the power of the One who brought all things into existence.
