All
It is exciting to write this inaugural prayer letter! Please praise and thank God along with us for what has happened so far this fall:
Greetings from the campus of Harvard Law School!
Famous for its fall foliage, the bright colors that once hung so magnificently in the New England autumn sky now drape the ground in subdued and faded shades of brown. Like life, fall foliage reminds us of the cycle of birth and death that marks our own journey through the present world to the heavenly Zion.
Dear friends,
Thank you for your continued prayers, support, and encouragement to all of us who labor for Jesus Christ on the campus of Princeton University. As you know, Christian Union’s ministry at Princeton has a goal of developing Christian leaders to transform culture; we seek to never lose sight of this goal, as we teach students the Bible, train and mentor young men and women, and do our best to equip them for lives of service, leadership, and influence in our world for the glory of Jesus Christ and the good of all people in Him. Below, I offer you a few brief updates on various aspects of our ministry at Princeton.
With the Thanksgiving season at hand, the idea of gratitude should be on everyone’s minds. Yet, despite the fact that we are celebrating a day of gratitude, we seem strangely out of touch with the meaning and importance of gratitude. For most of us, we have a vague understanding of the term, but perhaps not a firm grasp on how and why we should practice this staple virtue. In an article entitled ‘Why we Should Be Thankful for the Gift of Gratitude’, Joe Carter explores the essential nature of this attribute, as well as helpful suggestions for how to grow in it.
In an article entitled ”How My Millennial Students Found Their ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide’ to a Secular Age”, Dr. James K.A. Smith, Professor of Philosophy at Calvin College, touches on the insights and impact of of philosopher Charles Taylor. He examines Taylor’s riveting, but challenging, 900-page book entitled “A Secular Age,” which covers religious belief and skepticism in the 21st century. The biweekly eNewsletter from Christian Union
For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth.
— Psalm 47:2
Dear Prayer Partners!
Thank you for your prayers and support of Christian Union at Yale. Shortly after I sent the last prayer email, one of you encouraged me to keep on spiritually “mothering,” and later that day a student confessed some sin to me, asked for my advice and help to get out of the situation and then said to me, “Thank you for being my mom that I can tell things to” (as opposed to her mom that she can’t tell things to).
Dear Friends and Partners of Penn,
My family is new to Philadelphia and Christian Union at the University of Pennsylvania, and at times it seems as though we’ve crammed 3 years into our 3 months here. But what a joy it has been. We have seen God working in the students of Penn, in the churches of Philly, and in the ministry team here of which I’m overjoyed to be a member. Thank you for your continued prayers for myself and my family, and the prayers for the other new Ministry Fellow, Kelly Schaaf, and her family, and Ministry Director Justin Mills and his family.
For Namans, Giving is a Family Endeavor
Christian Union supporters Dr. Vincent and Dian Naman have lovingly served side by side over the course of 31 years (and counting) of marriage. Together, they have raised four godly children and have made a significant impact on their community through their professional endeavors, service to their home church, and their commitment to furthering Christ's Kingdom.
Sadly, many Christians have a stunted understanding of economics, with some even insisting that the Bible doesn’t really concern itself with such topics. In reality however, the Bible bestows upon us a wholesome worldview to which we can apply and shape our different spheres of life, whether they be economics, politics, or culture.
