A Powerful Bible Study on the Book of Job
By Erin conner, Writer and communications associate
Christian Union seeks a spiritually vibrant nation marked by Christian values permeating every corner of society. This vision is being advanced through the publication of Christian Union Bible Studies that are available to anyone who seeks to know the Lord and His word better.
Christian Union's latest Bible study on the Book of Job was released April 1st on Amazon.
Based on the Bible course model that has been developed and implemented in the Christian Union Universities ministries, CU Bible Studies will empower you to learn Scripture as never before. These guides are more exegetically focused and academic than a devotional book, yet more accessible and application-oriented than a commentary.
Christian Union Bible Studies empower you to grow in your relationship with God by feasting on His word. These guides provide more substantive, exegetical teaching than a typical devotional book yet remain more accessible and application-oriented than an academic commentary. Proven effective at the schools where Christian Union serves, these Bible studies facilitate a diligent pursuit of God with heart and mind, consistently delving into three essential questions: 1) What does the Scripture say? 2) What does it reveal to us about God—what He is like, what He loves and values, and what He hates? And 3) What shall we do with that information?
Notes on translation, historical background, literary genres, and the meanings of Hebrew and Greek words will help you gain clarity about what exactly the text is and is not saying. These studies draw from the best biblical scholarship available, presenting it in an accessible and concise format, along with observations drawn from the author's devout meditation on the text at hand and the Scriptures as a whole. Application questions throughout will challenge and encourage you to be a doer of the word, not merely a hearer. In ten lessons, this study will help you dive deeply into the book of Job, either on your own or in a group context.
The first Bible studies published by Christian Union in 2022 are available here: Psalms 1-41, Psalms 42-89, and Psalms 90-150.
Christian Union's newly released Bible study on the Book of Job is available here.
January 2025 Devotional from Christian Union America's National Fast
By marcus buckley, vice president of development for christian union
"As for you brothers, do not grow weary in doing good."- 2 Thessalonians 3:13 ESV
Over twenty years ago I was recruited to be a special agent for the Federal Bureau of Investigation. This may seem an odd situation in which a young pastor would find himself, but there I was. I wasn’t worried about the polygraph, the drug test, the background check, or any of the other myriad tests that stood before me and the start of training at Quantico.
Faith and Work of an 18th Century Abolitionist
By christian union; first published in 2015; revised & edited in 2025
Christian leaders have been influencing the world for millennia. While the full impact of their work can never be truly measured, many leaders have already made their mark in history, bequeathing the ensuing generations with wisdom and examples to inspire and guide them.
One such figure is 18th century British abolitionist William Wilberforce. Known and noted for his devout Christian faith, William Wilberforce led the anti-slave trade movement in Britain during the 18th century. Just three days before his death on July 29, 1833, Wilberforce learned that the Slavery Abolition Act – which would free almost all the slaves in the British Empire – would pass through parliament.
Christian Union Libertas Celebrates Spring Baptisms
By sheri casali, ministry fellow at christian union libertas at brown
"Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to Himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is in Christ God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation."- 1 Corinthians 5:17-19
We are praising the Lord for four baptisms back-to-back the last two Sundays! This past Sunday, two of our seniors, Amaya Allen and Nikki Tang, were baptized at Aletheia Church in Providence. The prior Sunday, two of our freshmen, Claire Piron and Chia Ikeyi, were baptized at Sacred City Church. Each lady shared powerful testimonies of how Jesus has transformed their lives in miraculous ways. Their steadfast commitment to serve Jesus has been an encouragement and brought much joy to their peers. There is something so beautiful about watching a believer take this step of obedience in their walk with Christ.
Devotional from January 2025 Christian Union National Fast
By Sheri Casali, ministry fellow at Christian Union Libertas at Brown University
"'Return, O faithless sons; I will heal your faithlessness.'
'Behold, we come to you, for you are the Lord our God.'"-Jeremiah 3:22
The words of the Lord can pierce our hearts when we are convicted as faithless. We may sometimes believe that we are walking in faith, when in reality the Lord sees us as faithless. Yet He is full of unending love and mercy with the promise to heal our waywardness, given we return to Him with a repentant heart. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we are invited to respond to Jesus and resist hardening our hearts in stubborn rebellion when He speaks to us.
A Closer Look at Humility: The Beauty of Holiness
By christian union; first published in 2014, edited and revised in 2025
"My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise."- Psalm 51:17, ESV
In Andrew Murray’s book, Humility: The Beauty of Holiness, published in 1895, he observes that there are three great motivations to seek humility. They are our status as a creature, as a sinner, and as a saint. Humble dependence, then, is the proper posture for creatures before their Creator, sinners before a holy God, and the saved before their Savior.
Movement Must Be Concerted, United, and Sustained
by christian union; first published in 2021; republished 2025
The following article, by the late scholar and preacher of revival Dr. J. Edwin Orr (1912-1987), was reprinted with permission from www.jedwinorr.com.Dr. A. T. Pierson once said, “There has never been a spiritual awakening in any country or locality that did not begin in united prayer.” Let me recount what God has done through concerted, united, sustained prayer.
Christian Union Asks Student Body, "What is the Purpose of Your Life?"
By Erin conner, Writer and communications associate
"God is moving mightily at Yale, and we are seeing students boldly proclaim the gospel like never before," said Jeffrey Walsh, the ministry director of Christian Union Lux.
Night after night this semester, 20-25 students are walking across campus, sharing the good news of Jesus and praying with their peers. Just before Christian Union Lux's evangelism prayer and worship event at Battell Chapel on February 21-22, an email titled “What is the Purpose of Your Life?” was sent out to every student on campus. This email ignited a firestorm of discussion, going viral on Yale’s internal social media platform, Fizz, with 2,100 comments in a single day. "The curiosity and spiritual hunger this initiative sparked is overwhelming," Walsh said.
Evangelism Campaigns at Some of Our Nation's Most Secular Schools
By erin conner, writer and communications associate
On March 3, Cliffe and Stuart Knechtle from the Give Me An Answer Ministry visited Stanford, boldly proclaiming Christ and engaging students in deep conversations about difficult questions of faith. The crowd grew to nearly 250 students toward the end, with still more stopping by throughout the four-hour event in White Plaza.
"In the days since, I’ve heard several testimonies of how students have had many conversations with their non-believing friends about Christ, the gospel, and faith. Cliffe and Stuart’s example emboldened students in their faith, and we see clear evidence that God is at work in hearts on our campus," shared Justin Woyak, the ministry director at Christian Union Caritas, one of the ministries that helped to host this outreach event. Christian Union Caritas was honored to partner with other Christian ministries at Stanford to help proclaim the gospel in such a bold way.
Devotional from January 2025 Christian Union National Fast
By matt bennett, founder and president of christian Union
“Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people whom he has chosen as his heritage! The LORD looks down from heaven; he sees all the children of man; from where he sits enthroned he looks out on all the inhabitants of the earth, he who fashions the hearts of them all and observes all their deeds.”-Psalm 33:12-15
Reflection:
The opening verse of this passage, “Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD,” is a profound declaration of divine favor. It reminds us that the true blessing of a nation, and indeed any people, comes not from wealth, power, or worldly success, but from recognizing and submitting to the sovereignty of the LORD. This recognition is not merely a matter of formal acknowledgment but requires a deep, heartfelt commitment to God as the ultimate authority and guide.
In the context of today’s world, where nations often seek prosperity through economic and military might, this psalm offers a counter-cultural truth: the real blessing lies in being chosen by God and walking in His ways. It’s not about the external markers of success but about aligning our hearts and lives with His will.
Testimonies Reveal God is at Work in America's Most Influential Universities
By erin conner, writer and communications associate
Universities such as Brown, Cornell, Princeton, and Yale produce a disproportionate number of influential leaders across the nation, as these schools fall into the top ranking universities in America. In fact, almost seventy percent of America's most influential leaders graduate from just 20 of America's 3000+ undergraduate educational institutions.
Across America, many believe that these schools are too secular to see a move of God, but others believe that these schools sit at the heart of a future national revival. Despite the increase in destructive ideologies that are pervasive in these types of institutions, God is on the move to demonstrate truth, love, and the way out of a secular culture and mindset of depavity, deception, and despair.
Student Leadership Ministry Equips Students to Share Christ
By erin conner, writer and communications associate
As Christians around the world prepare their hearts this Lenten season to acknowledge Christ's death and resurrection, Christian Union is preparing student leaders to boldly proclaim the gospel.
Every spring, Christian Union holds an eight-week evangelism campaign across their ten ministries at some of our nation's most secular and influential schools, equipping students to share the gospel in multiple, meaningful ways. From social media ads to initiating conversations with strangers in the street to hosting highly visible, large group events on campus, student leaders are devoted to sharing the life-giving message of Jesus Christ to all who have ears to hear.
Devotional from January 2025 Christian Union National Fast
By Justin Yim, Ministry Director of Christian Union Gloria Law at Harvard Law School
“Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” — Philippians 3:13-14 ESV
I’ve participated in the Boston Marathon for a few years now—not as a runner, but as a volunteer, to be clear! Every year that I watch the elite runners run past the last water station towards the finish line—sweat pouring down their face, muscles burning, and exhaustion weighing heavily—I ask how they can run over 26 miles in less than 3 hours. I imagine their eyes are fixed on the tape ahead, not on the pain or the miles they’ve already covered. With every ounce of strength, that final push brings them to victory. This image echoes the message of Philippians 3:13-14: the Christian life is not a sprint but a marathon. It’s a journey of perseverance, focus, and pressing forward toward the prize.
Seeking a Spiritual Awakening in America
By christian union, first published in 2021; revised 2025
The following article by David Bryant is adapted from his essay in the 2004 updated edition of Jonathan Edwards’ influential book on prayer marked by a thirty-six word title that began with three famous words: An Humble Attempt. The modern version’s title is “A Call to United, Extraordinary Prayer…An Humble Attempt.”
Brown and Columbia Student Leaders Reflect on Worship
By Erin conner, writer and communication associate
Christian Union Universities, a Christian leadership development ministry at ten highly secular and influential educational institutions in America, aims to provide training and growth opportunities for students to lead others in devotion to God in their spheres of influence.
One area of leadership that students develop during their time with Christian Union is worship. The following thoughts from Christian Union ministry team leaders at Brown and Columbia University reveal the power of worship on their campuses and in believers' lives.
Would you join your voices and hearts in prayer through these prayer points?
When God Woke Up Wales
By erin conner, writer and communications associate
In an article published by Desiring God, Pastor Jeremy Walker writes a brief summary and analysis of the revival that took place in Wales, England in the 1700's. Walker notably writes that “the Lord was pleased to stir the listless and lethargic to liveliness and labor during the 18th Century in various parts of the world by various human instruments. In England, God raised up George Whitefield. In America… Jonathan Edwards, and in Wales… Daniel Rowland.”
Devotional from January 2025 Christian Union National Fast
By Tim Pillsbury, Ministry Director of Christian Union Vox at Dartmouth
“Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing."–James 1:2-4 ESV
God and the devil both recognize the incredible value and opportunity of suffering. In fact, we humans might be the only ones who do not! So many times, in the midst of suffering, our goal is simple: stop suffering. And we turn all our energy and attention to that task, desperate to be done with our trial.
But James 1:2-4 paints a different picture. “Count it all joy,” he writes, “when you meet trials of various kinds.” James does not call us to enjoy suffering—that would be masochism—but instead to count our suffering as joy. We are to view it not as something senseless, but as a trial of faith, a necessary testing ground which produces good fruit.
“How can a young person stay on the path of purity? By living according to your word. I seek you with all my heart; do not let me stray from your commands. I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you. Praise be to you, LORD; teach me your decrees. With my lips I recount all the laws that come from your mouth. I rejoice in following your statutes as one rejoices in great riches. I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways. I delight in your decrees; I will not neglect your word.” -Psalm 119:9-16 (NIV)
Greetings from CU Libertas!
Dear CU Lumine Cornerstone Partners and friends of the ministry,
Greetings from New York City!
The students are back on campus after a much-needed vacation to decompress from all the stress from the fall semester. We are back to ministering to their needs as they finish shopping for classes and settle in for the spring semester.
