A Film Recently Released about Theologian Dietrich Bonhoeffer
By erin conner, writer and communications associate
After 12 years in the making, Bonhoeffer opened in 2,000 theaters across the country starting on November 22. Faith-based films like this one raise thought-provoking questions that lead viewers to explore their own faith and actions in their spheres of influence, as well as the implications of their actions in shaping the contours of culture and history.
Preview the trailer of this film here: https://youtu.be/eK2sPrMlsQs
Dear CU Vita Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
Greetings from Ithaca! God continues to move and do mighty things here on the campus of Cornell. Even as students face growing challenges and struggles, the Lord shows His mighty hand in ways both large and small, demonstrating His care and provision towards these precious students.
2018 Christian Union National Fast Devotional
By Fady Ghobrial, Ministry Fellow Christian Union at Harvard
"And when the queen of Sheba had seen the wisdom of Solomon, the house that he had built, the food of his table, the seating of his officials, and the attendance of his servants, and their clothing, his cupbearers, and their clothing, and his burnt offerings that he offered at the house of the Lord, there was no more breath in her. And she said to the king, "The report was true that I heard. ... Blessed be the Lord your God." -2 Chronicles 9:3-5, 8 (ESV)
The queen of Sheba had heard of the fame and wisdom of Solomon and she thought, “I have to see it for myself.” The Bible records her visit in this wonderful passage, giving us insight into the nature of excellence and wisdom.
How to Join a Movement to Transform Culture for Christ in America
By erin conner, writer and communications associate
Christian Union Universities (CUU) is developing leaders with spiritual depth at strategic places for cultural engagement to change the world. CUU serves students at Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Harvard Law, Penn, Princeton, Stanford, and Yale. You can join this movement to equip our nation's students at these highly influential and secular schools with the power and love of Jesus in the following ways:
1. Pray
"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." -Matthew 7:8, 9When believers pray, God hears and responds.
2. Give
When you give to Christian Union, you help evangelize an unreached people group - the relatively small number of men and women whose leadership choices affect the daily lives of millions and who help to shape culture, from the economy, to entertainment, to the legal system. Help develop men and women of wholehearted devotion to God, and help them to build relational and professional networks that will increase Christian cultural influence by giving an end of year gift of any amount today.
Donate >
3. Advocate
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- Talk to Christian parents - Many Christian parents of students applying to college have well-founded concerns about their children attending these leading universities, known for their sometimes intense secularism. Talk to parents about the role Christian Union is playing to develop students into mature believers and effective culture changers.
- Inform high schools - Share with administrators, teachers, and guidance counselors of Christian schools about the Christian leadership development ministries at these universities, if you are able, so they in turn can communicate with parents and students.
- Discuss with friends and colleagues - Many believers are passionate about changing our culture and may be eager to learn more about a few ways how.
4. Share Socially
5. Refer Others to Subscribe to Our Newsletter
For culture to be transformed by the gospel, thousands of believers must learn about and come alongside to support Christian Union’s and other ministries' strategic approach. Christian Union's primary way of communicating is through bi-weekly email newsletters. Subscribe by clicking on the link. Please feel free to share link with:
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- Friends
- Alumni
- Staff & Faculty
- Parents
- Churches
- Foundations
6. Connect Students to Ministry
Let Christian Union know about incoming and current students at Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Harvard Law, Princeton, Penn, Stanford, or Yale that would benefit from Christian leadership development. Christian Union faculty and student leaders are warmly welcoming of interested and curious students, inviting them to participate in the ministry in a variety of meaningful ways. Send students names to Vickie.Coonan@ChristianUnion.org.
7. Engage with Your Alma Mater
If you are an alumni of Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Harvard Law, Princeton, Penn, Stanford, or Yale, you can have extraordinary influence with your alma mater. By being involved with your universities, you can be a powerful witness for Jesus Christ.Some suggested ways to engage:
- Participate in alumni boards and activities
- Attend reunions
- Write respectfully to the administration or alumni magazine when Christian values need to be defended
8. Share Story Ideas
Christian Union seeks to inform readers about the spiritual activity on the campuses where they serve. Let the ministry know of opportunities and challenges for the gospel at these universities. Share encouraging stories of alumni who are Christian leaders in their respective fields.Send stories ideas to Erin.Conner@ChristianUnion.org.
9. Share Your Story
If you would like to share about your experience as a student, parent, donor or friend of Christian Union, please feel free to send in your thoughts to Erin.Conner@ChristianUnion.org. We'd love to be encouraged by them.God bless you as you consider how to help students have an impact on the lives of others for eternity.
A Cornerstone Partner Visits Christian Union Libertas at Brown
By Don Stahl; written in February of 2023
Ever wonder, “what is that ministry really like?”
As a Cornerstone Partner, I certainly knew something of what Christian Union seeks to do, and saw lots of evidence that it was genuinely touching the lives of the next generation of leaders. But in my experience working with over 100 non-profits and ministries throughout my career, I have found there is nothing like “showing up!”
So, by prior arrangement, I did. Am I glad I went!
Christian Leader in Media Shares Life-Giving Message in a Culture of Despair
By erin conner, writer and communications associate
Carrie Sheffield, a renowned columnist and broadcaster in Washington DC, released a memoir this past spring entitled Motorhome Prophesies that proclaims liberty is possible for the captives of trauma. Sheffield is a Harvard alumna, a member of Christian Union America, and serves in an advisory role for the Christian Union Washington DC board of advisors.
Sheffield 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, articles, appearances on television shows and podcasts, and at forums across the nation.
Christian Union Provides Support and Resources for Spiritual Strengthening
By erin conner, writer and communications associate
Your spiritual vitality is a matter of national importance. Perhaps that sounds dramatic, but consider it–our culture is shaped by the daily decisions of industry leaders who either embrace secular values or who embrace biblical values, many of whom may not know how to integrate their faith and their profession. How well are American believers equipped to bring Christian faith and values into their spheres of influence? And what are the implications if they don't? As disciples of Christ, each one of us, whether we work in education, on Wall Street, in the arts and entertainment industry, in local or national government, in medicine or in care-giving, is called to carry the presence of God and His transforming love and power with us wherever we go. We are all called, regardless of profession, to be ambassadors of Christ and ministers of reconciliation (2 Corinthians 5: 16-21).
Christian Union Universities and Christian Union America is focused on helping followers of Christ increase in spiritual maturity and fervency, connect with other Christian leaders, and gain tools to fulfill our calling to represent Christ where ever we work, serve, and live.
Role models of a movement to transform culture for Christ include businessmen and politicians such as William Wilberforce, who abolished the slave trade, JC Penny and John Wanamaker, who built businesses on Christian principles, and numerous other Christian lay men and women who have used their positions for cultural impact. Biblical examples include Daniel who served King Nebuchadnezzar and Esther who used her position of influence as Queen of Persia to prevent a Jewish genocide.
Christian Union seeks to empower believers to align their lives with God's purposes and allow God to work dramatically through them. Listed below are several resources that explore the need for a Christ-centered culture in the field of mathematics, sociology, and medicine:
BOOK: Redeeming Mathematics: A God-Centered Approach by Vern Poythress
What does God have to do with mathematics? Everything. In this book, Vern Poythress argues that the harmony of abstract mathematical truths, the physical world of things, and the personal world of our thinking depends on the existence of the Christian God.
BOOK: Redeeming Sociology: A God-Centered Approach by Vern Poythress
In their pursuit of social welfare, sociologists and everyday citizens alike have adopted a worldview that fails to account for both the nature of God and the depravity of humankind. Ignoring God and sin has resulted in misguided analyses and ineffective solutions to societal issues. The time has come to rethink the study of sociology as those faulty assumptions have clearly affected the discipline as a whole.
AUDIO: The Challenge & Opportunity of Gene Editing: Scientific and Ethical Considerations Christian Union New York's February 2017 Forum speaker was Stanford University Medical School professor, Dr. William Hurlbut. Dr. Hurlbut addressed what MIT Tech Review calls the "biggest biotech discovery of the century," the new gene editing technique CRISPR/Cas9. This gene editing breakthrough provides dramatic new powers to manipulate genetics at every level of life—and raises numerous difficult ethical questions when applied to direct interventions in human life.
Join the movement to make Christ known in our nation's most influential and secular universities and cities.
Former Christian Union Student President Claims Victory in Recent Election
By Erin conner, writer and communications associate
Leaders developed at Dartmouth shape the future of our country by determining what media gets disseminated, what laws get passed, and how major decisions get made. Dartmouth has produced influential figures, including author Dr. Seuss, beloved T.V. personality Fred Rogers, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and former central banker and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner. Another name of influence has been recently added to this list: Brandon Gill.
Brandon Gill claimed victory in the congressional race for the 26th district of Texas over Democrat Ernest Lineberger III in the recent November election.
Gill's Congressional webpage states, "I attended Dartmouth College and graduated cum laude with degrees in both Economics and History. I was President of the conservative paper, The Dartmouth Review. I was also President of Christian Union and grew it to be one of the largest student groups on campus, despite being on a campus hostile to the Christian faith. In college, I fought the left nonstop - on their own turf - and I left Dartmouth even more conservative than when I arrived."
Devotional from 2018 Christian Union National Fast
by matt bennett, founder and president of christian union
"So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander. Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into salvation." - 1 Peter 2:1-2 (ESV)
City Celebration to Acknowledge His Great Name
by erin conner, writer and communications associate
In May of 2025, the “Jesus is Lord Parade” will unite churches, ministries, pastors, and Christians across New York City and across the nation to lift up and glorify the name of our Lord, Jesus Christ. For His glory and by His power, the parade is anticipated to be the largest Christian parade in the history of the US.
As one of the most influential cities in the world, NYC draws the attention of many. Glorifying God publicly in the center of Manhattan is a powerful way to acknowledge Jesus Christ as Lord of all. The aim of the parade, according to its primary sponsor, the Heritage Pastors Association, is for God to be honored and for hearts, enthusiasm, and joy of Christians to be boosted in the city, across the nation, and perhaps even around the world as thousands of churches, pastors, attendees,and ministries celebrate all that Jesus Christ has done throughout history for the well-being of humanity. God's blessings are not often recognized or celebrated in large public celebrations in the United States, yet it is because of Christ that millions have received forgiveness, salvation, hope, health, and freedom.
Servant Leadership at Christian Union Martus
by Cory Lotspeich, Ministry Director of Christian Union Martus
At one of our recent Philia meetings, the weekly Christian leadership lecture series we hold for Penn students, we discussed the significance of leadership and servitude from John 13:3-5 (ESV), “Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going back to God, rose from supper. He laid aside his outer garments, and taking a towel, tied it around his waist. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples' feet and to wipe them with the towel that was wrapped around him (emphasis added).” The phrase “all things” is also used in Ephesians 1:22, “God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made him head over all things for the benefit of the church.”
Paul is almost mirroring John’s writing in the gospel. The main point discussed was what Jesus did once everything was given to Him–He served. He used His authority, His influence, His power to serve.
Greetings from Stanford!
We have had a wonderful season of welcoming new students over the last three and a half weeks! God has been opening doors for us to meet and connect with many who are hungry for truth and community. This fall, we’re excited to be launching two new Bible courses—one for freshman men and one for freshman women. Our Bible courses are the core of our community, and we’re so thankful to be able to host two new Bible courses.
A Call to Unite to Fervently Pray for Our Nation
By christian Union america
The spiritual condition of our day demands a serious, wholehearted, unified response from the Church; the nation and the people of God in America need a fresh work of the Spirit of God. Unity in any human organization is powerful, but Christian Unity comes with supernatural power. At Christian Union, we say, “Unity of the Spirit precedes a filling of the Spirit.”
Greetings from Princeton!
In this monthly email, I'd love to share with you a recent article about how God is moving at Christian Union Nova to give you encouragement and inspiration that your support is changing lives at Princeton University.
Greetings from New Haven!
In this monthly email update, I'd love to share with you a recent article with a video about how God is moving at Christian Union Lux to give you encouragement and inspiration that your support is changing lives at Yale!
Greetings from Providence!
We are in the middle of working around the clock on our month-long freshman welcoming events, but wanted to share prayer requests and some news.
Last week, Christian Union Libertas students met on campus before convocation to pray for the 2028 class and give out Del's lemonade. Students at Brown only pass through the Van Wickle gates two times: at convocation and graduation, while the church bells from First Baptist Church are ringing. We were blessed to be there meeting many familiar and new faces!
“For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” -John 3:16
There’s nothing like the simple gospel to change and inspire. Even in the midst of our First-Year welcoming campaign, this core remains true: that we do it all because of what Jesus did for us.
Greetings from New York City!
I wanted to take a moment to share with you all the exciting events that have been happening during the months of August and September. We took 21 students on a retreat before the semester started in August. During the retreat we had an opportunity to seek God through prayer, encourage them in the Word, and also get reconnected with each other after being away all summer. We also spent time planning activities to engage the incoming class of freshmen for our Freshman Welcoming Campaign. There were 64 incoming students interested in participating in our Bible Courses.
Greetings from Ithaca!
It’s hard to believe we are already a month into the 2024-25 academic year at Cornell! The campus is buzzing once more, as students fill the streets, hills, and slopes of this beautiful campus; we have already been hard at work ministering to the thousands of students who are here.
Greetings from Harvard Law School!
In this monthly email, I'd love to share with you a recent article written about Christian Union Gloria Law to give you encouragement and inspiration that your support is changing lives at Harvard Law School.
