All

Transform Realty into Generous Giving

Giving a gift of real estate, such as a personal home, vacation home, undeveloped property, or a farm, can be a highly effective philanthropic and financial strategy. Each of the following gift arrangements has distinct tax benefits, which Christian Union would be happy to discuss with you:

• Your property can fund a trust that makes payments back to you or someone you name.
• You can choose to make an outright gift of real estate, which can be used for funding a ministry fellow or other purposes.
• If you are planning to sell your real estate, you can transfer ownership of an interest in the property to Christian Union. After the sale, the ministry receives its share of the proceeds.
• You can make a gift through a retained life estate arrangement, under which you give Christian Union your home, but retain the right to live there for the rest of your life. You also receive a current income tax deduction.
• The property that you contribute is removed from your taxable estate.

Steps for Gifting Real Estate >

---

For Assistance

If you need assistance with any of these giving opportunities, call a financial partner representative at: 1-609-688-1700 Option 2 or email giving@christianunion.org.

Establish your legacy

Christian Union can help you explore ways to make a bequest that will assure your own legacy through a life-changing ministry. Making a gift from your estate begins with the following steps:

Understand Ways to Give

Name Christian Union as a beneficiary 

• Christian Union welcomes gifts of a remainder interest in an IRA or other qualified retirement plan (Keogh, tax-sheltered annuity, or qualified pension or profit-sharing plan). For some people, these can be the most highly taxed assets they own, since retirement plans assets can be subject to both estate and income taxes. Christian Union is a tax-exempt organization, so when you name the ministry as a beneficiary of your qualified retirement plan, these assets can pass to the ministry without being taxed. Similarly, when you name Christian Union as a beneficiary of your life insurance policy, the assets pass to the ministry tax free. Please contact your own Retirement Plan Administrator for a beneficiary designation form. The legal name for Christian Union is: "Christian Union Inc" and the tax ID number is: 22-3834440.

Make a gift through your will or living trust. 
Few legal instruments are more important to the people and causes you care about than your will. Before you meet with your attorney, we suggest that you become familiar with the ways you can make a bequest:

• A specific bequest directs a dollar amount or particular assets, such as securities, real estate, tangible personal property (works of art or rare books), to Christian Union.
• A residuary bequest directs all or a percentage of the remainder of your estate, after specific amounts bequeathed to other beneficiaries are distributed and estate-related expenses are paid, to Christian Union.
• A testamentary trust can be helpful for you and your family as well as for Christian Union. A lead trust saves estate taxes by providing annual payments to Christian Union in lieu of taxes; the remaining amount goes to your family or friends. A remainder trust provides payments to your surviving family members or friends for life or a set term, with the remainder going to Christian Union.

 

Think about your Christian Union Legacy

A gift to Christian Union may memorialize a friend or relative, or carry in perpetuity the name of the donor.
• An unrestricted bequest allows the ministry to determine how to use the funds based on its highest and most pressing needs. If you prefer to make an unrestricted bequest, we suggest the following sample language: "I give and bequeath to Christian Union Inc, a New Jersey not-for-profit corporation, the sum of ___________ Dollars {or all the rest, residue, and remainder of my estate} to be used for the general purposes of the Ministry in the discretion of its Board of Trustees."
• A restricted bequest directs assets to a specific fund or a particular purpose. If you are considering designating your bequest for a specific purpose we suggest that you speak to a development officer at Christian Union. The ministry will help ensure that your gift is used as you would like. Staff members are available to discuss what you want to accomplish through your gift and can provide sample language for you and your attorney to review.

Resources

Letter of Intent >
Sample Bequest Language > 

---

For Assistance

If you need assistance with any of these giving opportunities, call a financial partner representative at: 1-609-688-1700 Option 2 or email giving@christianunion.org.

40-Day Seasons

Christian Union invites Christians from around the country and world to join together in special seasons of prayer and fasting.  

Previous 40-days initiatives have made a tremendous impact in the lives of participants. Christian Union has heard from many of the hundreds who participated, encouraging the ministry to call and give leadership to ongoing 40 Day Initiatives.

During each of the 40 Days Initiatives, participants have shared wonderful stories about ways that God moved in their lives. These 40 Days Initiatives are now being run through Christian Union's new Day & Night ministry. To learn more, go to DayAndNight.org/moves. 

Stay Engaged with Christian Union

Christian Union welcomes any and all Christians who have graduated from any of the universities at which the organization ministers to get involved with alumni programming, regardless of involvement with the ministry at the undergraduate level. Join the mission to develop and connect transformative Christian leaders!

 
Christian Union Boards

---

Volunteer Time and Talents

Become a mentor, city welcomer, or volunteer for a board.

There are various ways to get involved with the mission beyond the leadership of an alumni board.

Volunteer as a mentor to encourage graduating seniors in their journey beyond the university.

Attend or help host a reunion event to get to know the ministry staff, see the ministry center, and reconnect with peers.

Welcome recent graduates into a new city.

Volunteer on a committee focused on specific alumni initiatives.
 

Contact alumni engagement to learn more and get involved.

 

---

Stay Informed

Christian Union, in partnership with alumni and Cornerstone Partner volunteers, gathers and sends monthly email newsletters including prayer requests from each university faculty team. To sign up to receive these monthly updates, email prayer@christianunion.org and include which university ministry to subscribe to.

 

Likewise, the ministry wants to know the latest happenings in the lives of alumni and Cornerstone Partners worldwide. Please share news, events, trends, or new contact information with alumniengagement@christianunion.org. The content provided just might be featured in an upcoming newsletter!

 

---

Give Back Financially

Sow into Christian Union’s University Ministries

 

Countless hours of faculty time and many financial resources are regularly poured into the ministry by generous financial partners. Some are alumni of the Christian Union’s ministry or these schools; others are not. All are giving in obedience to God’s call.

 

Your charitable gift of $25 or more will make you a Cornerstone Partner and help lay the foundation for revival and spiritual health in our nation. Please prayerfully consider becoming a Cornerstone Partner today.

Welcome to Christian Union

Christian Union’s mission is to develop and mobilize godly leadership across all sectors of American society. I founded this Christian leadership development ministry in 2002 to do so, by bringing sweeping spiritual transformation to the nation’s most influential universities and to key cities that shape American culture. 

Below, you will find general information about the ministry and resources such as the leadership team, the ministry logo, and photos. Christian Union has been featured in several news outlets over the years. You will find more details about that below as well. 

Please contact me to learn more and to request an interview for your organization or news outlet.

In Christ,

Matthew W. Bennett 
Founder and President

---

Quick Facts

Christian Union Founded	2002
Princeton ministry launched	2002
Harvard College ministry launched	2008
Yale ministry launched	2010
Columbia ministry launched	2011
Dartmouth ministry launched	2011
Christian Union New York launched	2012
Cornell ministry launched	2012
Harvard Law ministry launched	2013
Penn ministry launched	2013
Brown ministry launched	2014
Stanford ministry launched	2016
Christian Union Day & Night launched	2016

---

Christian Union Leadership

Executive Leadership
Board of Trustees

---

Resources 

Christian Union Logos
(A downloadable .zip file of both a vertical and horizontal Christian Union logo in .eps format)

---

Media Contact

Please direct all interview requests to the CEO's office. Email the Executive Assistant to the CEO to arrange an interview.

---

Past Media Coverage

CBN's 2017 interview with Christian Union Founder & President, Matt Bennett
World Magazine: "Influencing the Influencers."

Sharing a Vision to Transform Dartmouth

The alumni board is an alumni-led organization which will inevitably play a vital role in the future of the ministry at Dartmouth College. The alumni board is committed to furthering the development of programs focused on alumni as it furthers the following objectives: advance the work at Dartmouth College, transition graduates well, develop Christian leaders and bring revival.

 

Andrew Shuffer '18

Board Member

Kenneth Kvistad '63

Board Member

Elaine Lunsford '17

Board Member

 

Contact Us:

AlumniEngagement@ChristianUnion.org.

Alumni with a Vision to Transform Princeton

The Alumni Board is an alumni-led organization which will inevitably play a vital role in the future of the ministry at Princeton University. The Alumni Board is committed to furthering the development of programs focused on alumni as it furthers the following objectives: advance the work at Princeton University, transition graduates well, develop Christian leaders and bring revival.

 

Kenneth Jasko '78 

Chair 

Vince Naman '82 

Board Member

Edward (Ted) Duffield '58 

Board Member

Tiffany Agyarko '23 

Board Member

Betsy Salazar '10

Board Member

 

Contact Us:

AlumniEngagement@ChristianUnion.org

Sharing a Vision to Transform Yale

The alumni board is an alumni-led organization which will inevitably play a vital role in the future of the ministry at Yale University. The alumni board is committed to furthering the development of programs focused on alumni as it furthers the following objectives: advance the work at Yale University, transition graduates well, develop Christian leaders and bring revival.

Kia K. Quinlan '16

Chair

 
Edward Duffy '75

Board Member

 

Jin Li '21

Board Member

Stuart Monk '19

Board Member

 

George Taylor '68

Board Member

 

Contact Us:

AlumniEngagement@ChristianUnion.org.

Serving Christian Union's Financial Partners 

Contact the Christian Union development staff by email using: Firstname.Lastname@ChristianUnion.org

 

---

Cheryl Ennis Self

Vice President of Development

Cheryl Ennis Self, ACFRE was the Founder and Chief Development Officer of the consultancy Funding for Change (FFC). Since 2016, FFC has provided expert guidance to both nonprofit and for profit corporations in the areas of creative visioning, innovative strategic planning, excellence in resource generation, and sustainable attainment of stated goals.

Prior to serving as a Business Consultant, Ms. Self was the Executive Director of Global Social Partnerships at World Vision (WV). Her prior roles at World Vision over 16 years included leadership of major donor, corporate and foundation development officers, while personally stewarding a strong portfolio of donor relationships. 

Her previous experience includes service as National Director of Advancement at Prison Fellowship Ministries, Washington, DC, and Interim Director of Development at The Stony Brook School, Long Island, NY. She began her early career as a teacher, then sales and sales management in Manhattan before moving into the nonprofit sector.

In 2013, The Association of Fundraising Professionals, the largest community of professional fundraisers in the world, awarded its highest professional certification, the Advanced Certified Fundraising Executive (ACFRE) to Ms. Self. Available only to senior-level fundraisers who have worked in the profession for 10 or more years, the ACFRE is a distinguished achievement earned by only 104 professionals since the inception of the program in 1992. 

Ms. Self holds a BA in French Language from Gettysburg College, PA, where she graduated cum laude. She and her husband of 30 years, Jim, live in Northern Virginia.

---

Isabella Campolattaro

Development Writer

A longtime freelance writer and communications consultant, Isabella holds an MS in management and public relations, and BA in communications studies, both from the University of Maryland. Isabella is an active Christian blogger, author, and contributor to nearly twenty books, including several Guideposts devotionals. 

Born in Southern California and raised in Maryland, Isabella now lives on Florida’s lush and lovely Suncoast with her two amazing school-age sons, Pierce and Isaac.

---

David Cole

Director of Technical Services

David brings over ten years of fundraising operations experience serving organizations across the religious, social service, and education sectors. David specializes in helping non-profits optimize donor databases, streamline processes, and enhance data-driven strategic planning efforts.

David is a native Texan, a devout Catholic, and an Eagle Scout. He lives in Dallas-Ft. Worth area with his wife, Jennifer, and two daughters. He earned a BA in Communications from the University of Texas in San Antonio.

---

Landon Eckhardt

Director of Development

Landon represents Christian Union in the Northeast Region, working closely with ministry financial partners, including individuals, churches, and foundations. His role is to steward their participation in developing Christian leaders to impact culture across the country.

Born and raised in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas metroplex, Landon earned a BSBA in finance from Samford University in 2009, an MDiv from Palmer Theological Seminary in 2014, and an MBA from Eastern University in 2017. Prior to joining Christian Union, Landon worked in development at The Bowery Mission in New York City where he managed a team overseeing donor relations, donation processing and receipting, and various data and reporting mechanisms.   

Landon and his wife, Amanda, currently live in New York City and are avid foodies, coffee lovers, and enjoy spending quality time with family and friends.

---

Patty Fillman

Administrative Assistant

Patty provides crucial administrative support to the development team. She graduated from Mansfield University with a degree in Early Childhood Education and has worked a variety of secretarial and managerial jobs while fulfilling her primary responsibility of raising her children.

Patty has three wonderful, grown children: Adam, Rachel, and Hannah. Between them, she and her husband, Jim, have four children and three grandchildren.

---

Dave Magnuson

Associate VP Strategic Gifts

Dave directs the work of the directors of public affairs. He also works closely with financial partners in the Central Region and around the country.

Dave hails from Minnesota. He earned a Bachelor's degree in Business from Bethel University in 1983 and an MBA from Lake Forest Graduate School of Management in 1992. Prior to joining Christian Union, Dave served successfully as the Chief Development Officer at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Presbyterian Homes, and The Salvation Army in Chicago. Dave has also been active as a board member with several international social service ministries.

Dave and wife, Caryn, live in the Chicago area and are the proud parents of three adult sons, Trent, Caleb, and Nathan, and daughter, Grace, who is in college.


  

---

Deborah Oladapo

Data Director

Deborah grew up in Auburn, Alabama. She attended the University of Alabama where she received her BA in International Studies and Spanish and her MBA. She spent eight years working as an IT professional with Rohm and Haas Company, The Dow Chemical Company, and with a non–profit community college before joining Christian Union.

Deborah is married to Abiola. They have two children and live in Columbus, Indiana.

---

Edit Planas

Senior Development Associate

 

Christian Union operates additional ministries to encourage renewal and revival, and equipped and networked Christian leaders.

The Christian Union Conference on Faith and Action

Nexus runs two parallel conferences, one for students from a select number of universities, and one for professionals. Each conference offers an inspiring weekend of dynamic worship and thought-provoking messages from world-class speakers. 


The 2017 Nexus student & professional conferences will be held in Stamford, Connecticut, April 7-9, 2017. 

Nexus for Students

Learn More & Register 

Nexus creates space for students from some of the world's leading universities to gather together and learn about Christian leadership and its potential for impact in culture today. Student attendees can look forward to:

Dynamic Worship || From gospel to contemporary to classic, draw closer to God with exciting worship, prayer, and music in diverse musical styles.

Engaging Speakers || Be encouraged from God's Word with talks by world-class speakers, pastors, and thought leaders.

Building Relationships || Get to know students from other campuses and develop a network of passionate Christians who desire to impact the world.

Nexus: Professional 

Learn More & Register

The Christian Union Conference for Professionals convenes influential professionals from across many industries for a life-changing weekend of dynamic worship and compelling ideas about faith and its relevance to our entire lives. Attendees will interact with recent graduates as well as seasoned professionals.

As Christian leaders in a broken world, it is important that we are unified in our mission to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ and engage to transform our culture. This weekend will encourage you and equip you to be a part of God's redemptive plan in your workplace.

"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways and that we may walk in his paths." - Isaiah 2:3

To watch videos or listen to audio recordings of the Nexus 2016 plenary sessions, or to download and listen to audio recordings of breakoutsessions, please visit the Nexus 2016 website. 

---

Christian Union Day and Night