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.
Greetings from Cambridge!
In this monthly email update, I'd love to share with you a recent article that I have written about how God is moving at Christian Union Gloria to give you encouragement and inspiration that your support is changing lives at Harvard!
Rekindle the Gift of God to Overcome
By Michael Racine, writer and ministry fellow at christian union lux at yale
Paul, apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, according to the promise of life in Christ Jesus, to Timothy, beloved child: Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and from Christ Jesus our Lord. I give thanks to God, whom I serve, as my forefathers did, with a clear conscience, as I constantly remember you in my prayers night and day, longing to see you, having been reminded of your tears, so that I may be filled with joy, receiving remembrance of the sincere faith that is in you—which was first in your grandmother, Lois, and in your mother, Eunice, and which I am convinced is also in you.
The Heart of Christian Union's Ministry for Each and Every "One"
by erin conner, writer and communications associate
“May the Lord use these theologically informed, biblically equipped, spiritually growing graduates as significant leaders in the next great awakening." -William Tennett, founder of the Log College (later formed Princeton University)
Kenneth Jasko, '78, in his essay "God at Work" writes, "Princeton University is a school which has an exciting Christian history. Founded as a result of the Great Awakening, it has educated many notable men of God amidst numerous campus revivals. Princeton students have had a great impact on American Christianity, for they have been responsible for starting the American Bible Society, American Tract Society, Intercollegiate YMCA, Student Volunteers Movement, and many other Christian works." Jasko continues, "Princeton University has its roots in the Log College, founded in 1726 by William Tennett. The log college was little more than a small log house…it was here that Tennett educated a small group of men for the ministry."
photo credit: williamtennett.org
In 2024, almost three hundred years later, there is still a place at Princeton where believers are educated and equipped for the ministry: opened in June 2017, Christian Union Melrose Center is a house near campus where Princeton students are being developed as Christian leaders, devoted to making Jesus known to the entire university and to influencing the culture for Christ.
Robert L. Melrose Center for Christian Leadership, Christian Union Nova’s Ministry Center at Princeton
On any given night, you will find groups of students at the Melrose Center worshiping, praying, studying Scripture, encouraging one another, attending leadership lectures, and/or breaking bread together, giving thanks to the Lord. Ministry director Mike Vincent, ‘10 and two ministry fellows, Jacob Thomas and Qwynn Gross, serve hundreds of Princeton students each year here, inspiring and equipping them to seek the Lord wholeheartedly and to share the gospel in power and sincerity with others.
This fall, the Bible courses are very full, as there are currently 12 groups of students studying the Book of Mark. In this season, the Lord is showing students at Princeton, in part, the significance of one soul to the heart of God: one roommate, one stranger, one floormate, one student sitting beside them in class, at the dining hall, or at an event.
At the start of the fall term last year, Cynthia Makachi attended a Christian Union event at the Melrose Center, but arrived late. There was only one seat left. The empty seat was beside a freshman girl she had never met, so Cynthia believes that she would not have chosen that seat otherwise. During a break, they both walked to the kitchen together and over a counter of food, the freshman girl told Cynthia that she was an unbeliever who was invited by another CU student in a hallway of her dorm earlier that day to attend this event. She came to the Melrose Center because she had questions that she needed answered.
Cynthia asked her if she’d like to talk somewhere more privately, and they decided to go to another room in the ministry center to talk. Cynthia ended up asking her, “Do you want to accept Jesus today?” and the girl said yes. Cynthia proceeded to lead her through a prayer of salvation, prayed for her afterwards, met up with her for a meal the following week, and connected her to CU Nova's women's ministry fellow. Julian Jensen-Lim, '25, who led two of his roommates to Christ, said, "I am excited about what God is doing right now in terms of outreach to unbelievers at Princeton."
Jacob Thomas, men's ministry fellow at CU Nova, said, "this fall, one sophomore student, who is not a believer, is consistently attending leadership lecture nights at the Melrose Center as his friends keep on inviting him, loving him, and welcoming him into Christian community. This student powerfully shared with me how much he cares about the students here and wants to know why they care so much about this."
This is a simple yet profound example that illustrates the hearts of CU Nova students to step outside the comfort of the "ninety nine" for the "one" (Matthew 18:12-14); they are eager to make others feel welcome, to foster a loving Christian community, and to serve the Lord with everything they have. They are sacrificing much of their time and energy to build a community to seek God together and to invite those who don't yet know Him to come and see that He is good.
The first two Leadership Lecture Series at CU Nova this fall had almost 100 students in attendance, almost doubling numbers from last year. A deeper hunger for God is growing at Princeton yet again.
Let us praise God for all He has done throughout the history of this university and for what He is doing now in His body of believers for His glory and honor.
And let us pray for God to continue to pour out His Spirit for the benefit of each and every one of the students at this university and in our nation.
Learn more about Christian Union's Universities ministry.
Christian Union Washington, DC Hosts First Annual Reception
by erin conner, writer and communications associate
On a warm October evening in Arlington, VA, close to two dozen people gathered to attend Christian Union's first annual Washington, DC reception. This reception included a meet and greet for attendees to connect with other Christian Union alumni and friends of the ministry. It also hosted Carrie Sheffield, a nationally renowned columnist and broadcaster, as the guest speaker to share an overview of her recently published memoir, Motorhome Prophecies. Sheffield, a Harvard alumna and member of Christian Union America, will be serving in an advisory role for the Christian Union Washington, DC Board of Advisors.
Carrie Sheffield sharing at Christian Union's Washington, DC Reception
Alumni Spotlight: Sarah Deonarain, Harvard Class of 2023
by erin conner, writer and communications associate
"Something holy was there," said Sarah Deonarain about her first visit to Christian Union's Leadership Lecture Series at Harvard called Doxa. "Peaceful, genuine communities coming together to worship God in the middle of campus created a beautiful space… something I had not experienced before." Deonarain grew very attached to this space over her undergraduate career at Harvard.
Her journey to how she got to Christian Union testifies to the fact that God provides us with the people, places, and things we need to grow close to Him if we are willing to see and say "yes." Deonarain admits at first she didn't, saying "no" several times to an invitation to come and experience Christian community. Like many students, she admitted to being swept up in the busyness of the culture, but when change was needed, she said yes to a persistent and faith-filled friend who warmly invited her time and time again.
Devotional from Christian Union America's National Fast, August 2024
by grace ann arvey, director of christian union america
“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’" - Matthew 25:31-36
Final judgment might not be a popular topic for sermons or devotions in our time, and many churches likely wouldn’t dare preach a fiery sermon similar to Jonathan Edwards’ famous “Sinners in the hands of an angry God” today. Yet, it is crucial for every believer to understand. In this passage, Jesus paints a clear picture of what will happen when He returns, clarifying what He previously taught the disciples through parables.
But God's Remnant Stands Firm, Deeply Rooted in His Promises
by sadie sasser, ministry fellow at christian union gloria at harvard
The heart of Harvard’s undergraduate campus is called Harvard Yard. Many of the academic lecture halls are situated here, as well as all the first-year student dorms. Here, the towering trees hide the ground from sunlight and old brick buildings reflect the campus's age. And, of course, the entire yard is enclosed by red brick walls.
I recently started reading through the book of Jeremiah. Jeremiah’s call comes early in the book-the first chapter is dedicated to it! I was truly struck by what I read there. God says to Jeremiah that in the place of the fortified city of Jerusalem, who had forsaken the ways of God and would be judged through exile, He would replace Jerusalem with Jeremiah.
"And I, behold, I make you this day a fortified city, an iron pillar, and bronze walls, against the whole land, against the kings of Judah, its officials, its priests, and the people of the land. They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you, for I am with you, declares the Lord, to deliver you."
A place that was once dedicated to the Lord and tasked with extending His reign and glory to all had come to forsake and turn against Him. So, Almighty God instated Jeremiah to be himself the fortified city, a person with whom God would dwell and who would speak the words of God. And God is doing the very same thing at Harvard with students in Christian Union Gloria. This university was once committed to training ministers in “Truth for Christ and the Church.” It has abandoned its station, but God is raising up students at this very university to continue the mission once given to Harvard students at large. The walls of Harvard have crumbled, but the walls of God’s people remain strong.
How does a group of forty or so students impact a campus of over seven thousand? The math doesn’t seem to add up, especially considering the turnover that is inherent in the four years of university. Scripture, however, tells us a different story.
Throughout the metanarrative, a remnant continues. There are those who remain faithful to the Lord and continue to follow Him despite cultural circumstances. Experience also tells us a different story. Before God opened the door for me to serve at CU Gloria, I had been a student at Asbury Seminary and was employed there during February 2023, when the “outpouring” (as they called it) occurred. In times of revival, we look for signs of faithfulness in seeking God that help determine what is an authentic move of the Spirit and what is not. And there had been a steady group of people praying together for revival to visit Wilmore again for many years. The renewing and worshipful experience I had in Hughes Auditorium is a testament to the work of the few, who fortified themselves to see a work of God and brought over fifty-thousand people to experience His glory.
Jeremiah 1 states, “And the word of the Lord came to me, saying, 'Jeremiah, what do you see?' And I said, 'I see an almond branch.' Then the Lord said to me, 'You have seen well, for I am watching over my word to perform it.'” This beautiful word play in Hebrew uses the similar sounds of “almond” (šāqēḏ) and “watching” (šāqaḏ) to show Jeremiah that whatever God gives Him to do or say, it is God Himself who accomplishes it.
God Himself will fortify Him as a city for His glory, and when Jeremiah experiences conflict, the presence of God will not allow the conflict to cause him to crumble.
The students and faculty of CU Gloria take the almond branch and the fortified city as promises to Harvard in this season- the promises that God will continue to make our students into strong forces that proclaim His glory in the midst of a place that has abandoned Him and that God Himself will watch over His promises to make them come to pass.
Join us to help make Christ known at Harvard and beyond.
Intellectual Freedom Under Attack at American Educational Institutions
by erin conner, writer and communications associate
On September 16th, 2024, Dartmouth College aligned its written policies of free speech with First Amendment principles. Consequently, Dartmouth officially reclaimed the overall “green light” speech code rating from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE).
According to a recent article published by FIRE, Dartmouth is the only green light school in the Ivy League, one of four in New Hampshire, and one of 68 nationwide. FIRE awards green light ratings to institutions with no written policies that seriously imperil student free speech rights.
“Say something controversial at most elite colleges and you’re liable to get shouted down, canceled, reported, and disciplined,” said FIRE Director of Policy Reform Laura Beltz. “But Dartmouth has shown it aims to foster a better environment for free speech through adopting these policies and encouraging dialogue across difference.”
According to FIRE, "Dartmouth first earned a green light rating in 2005, but in 2013, the school set up a 'bias incident reporting' protocol that FIRE deemed threatened student speech. Under this protocol, students could be reported by their peers — and investigated and disciplined by administrators — for offenses as minor as 'joke telling' and 'stereotyping.' At the time, FIRE told Dartmouth that the protocol was inconsistent with the school’s stated commitment to free expression, but administrators chose to keep it in place. As a result, in 2015, FIRE was forced to downgrade the school to a “yellow light” rating."
photo credit: FIRE.org
Dartmouth President Sian Beilock took office in 2023. “As a community committed to learning and growth, Dartmouth thrives on the exchange of diverse viewpoints,” said President Beilock. “It is through the respectful sharing of different perspectives that we challenge our ideas, broaden our understanding, and advance our academic mission. Engaging with voices that differ from our own is not just important—it is essential to creating the kind of dynamic, inclusive environment where true learning takes place.”
FIRE maintains that, under President Beilock, "Dartmouth fixed two flawed policies governing harassment and revised the bias reporting protocol that cost the school its green light nearly a decade ago. These changes still maintain compliance with all applicable legal standards. Bias incidents can still be reported under the new protocol, and students may receive support and community resources. However, the new policy clarifies that speech that is protected under free speech principles will not be subject to investigation or punishment. Actions in violation of Dartmouth’s Nondiscrimination and Anti- Harassment Policy will continue to be investigated under that policy. Beyond revising Dartmouth’s policies, Beilock is passionate about cultivating a culture of free speech, expression, and dissent. As she said in her inaugural address, 'I want our campus to be a place where every member of our community not only feels comfortable expressing unpopular views, but in questioning others who hold views they disagree with.'"
The article continued to note that, "In January 2024, Dartmouth launched Dartmouth Dialogues, an initiative which offers programming dedicated to facilitating conversations that bridge political and personal divides. A cornerstone of Dartmouth Dialogues is the Dialogue Project, which trains students, faculty, and staff to cultivate the respectful and open exchange of ideas.And just last week, Dartmouth announced the expansion of the Open Expression Facilitators program. Open Expression Facilitators are trained faculty and staff who serve as neutral observers at controversial campus events and ensure that deplatforming and disruption do not occur. Until now, Open Expression Facilitators focused on undergraduate events, but now their mission extends to the entire campus community."
The Organization of American Historians defines academic freedom as “the principle of freedom of expression for scholars engaged in discipline-related teaching, learning, research, publication and service.” Academic freedom is a foundational necessity for colleges, faculty members, and students across our country as universities must not be confined to a one-size-fits-all cult of conformity.
For over two decades, Christian Union has defended academic freedom and intellectual discovery at some of our nation's most secular and influential schools, and would love your help to continue this work for the benefit of students and the good of our nation.
Read FIRE's full article here.
Join the movement to make Christ known at Dartmouth and beyond.
One Student Ministry's Unstoppable Heart to See God Transform Lives
by Erin conner, writer & communications associate
It's not easy or convenient to plan a weekend away. It is much easier to choose not to disrupt the pattern of life and to stay within the confines of routine. Disruption is not easy for anyone, but it is especially difficult for Ivy League students. Their rigorous academic schedules are full of the demands and pressures of achievement at the highest level, so stepping away from it all during the school year is nothing short of revolutionary.
Stepping away to retreat with the Lord and with each other is a beautiful gateway into the freedom Christ came to give--freedom, in part, from the weight of the standards, values, and identity placed upon us by the world. The students of Christian Union are learning to live in this kind of freedom, and, as a result, they are sharing it with others.
Each year, hundreds of students, who are a part of Christian Union's leadership development ministry at ten of our nation's most secular and influential educational institutions, step away from it all to attend fall, winter, and/or spring retreats. They do this to be in the presence of God and to recenter their lives on Christ and His values. Insodoing, they are declaring that their identity is not found in their achievement or status (or anything else of this world,) but is found in Christ alone.
fall retreat 2024, Christian Union (CU) Lux at Yale University
Yoska Guta, a '26 student at Yale University and a member of CU Lux 's ministry, has attended many Christian Union student retreats.
Most recently, she and 75 other Yale students attended a fall retreat at Douglas Camp Meeting in Massachusetts, a retreat center established in 1875 to worship God in the splendor of His holiness. David Blaney, the president of Douglas Camp Meeting shared, "We were more than blessed to host Christian Union. Christian Union's hunger and thirst for more of Jesus was inspiring! There is hope for the next generation as we seek first His kingdom and His righteousness."
Douglas Camp Meeting has hosted many significant Christian leaders over the last 149 years, including Second Great Awakening revivalist, Charles Finney.
historic Christian leaders at Douglas Camp Meeting
Jeff Walsh, ministry director of Christian Union Lux, said, "It is amazing to know that just before Finney went on to be with the Lord that he preached from this very stage. And yet today God has continued to keep a remnant of believers worshiping his name, crying out yet again for God to do a work in New England among this generation from the very same place."
Another notable retreat held by Christian Union in 2024 entitled "CU Proclaim" was held at Cornell during spring break in March and hosted students from Cornell, Yale, Dartmouth, and Columbia. At this retreat, students held an evangelical worship event at Sage Chapel, during which many attendees accepted salvation in Christ, found freedom from afflictions, and came forward to confess their need for God's help and healing in their lives.
Regardless of the specifics of the retreat, students always leave them carrying the demonstrative love of Christ back to their communities. To illustrate, last semester, Christian Union students shared the gospel 46,654 times and held 601 evangelistic conversations with their peers across the campuses where CU serves.
This past April, CU Lux at Yale partnered with other Christian organizations to host an outdoor Worldwide Prayer Meeting entitled "Rekindle" held in the heart of their New Haven, Connecticut, campus. This event hosted 500 people in person and invited more than 100,000 people around the globe to submit prayer requests and join the live stream to proclaim and exalt the name of Jesus Christ.
In addition, this past spring, Christian Union students at Stanford partnered with other Christian organizations to lead an outdoor worship event entitled "One" with Francis Chan in the heart of their Palo Alto, California, campus.
From the New England region to the west coast of the US, Christian Union retreats are transforming students' lives and the communities in which they live.
When reflecting on the opportunity to be a part of such a strong Christian community, Guta shared, "I’m tremendously grateful for and blessed by the way God has brought this group of people together–each member belonging to all the others for the benefit of each other and for the glory of God."
Retreats are truly revolutionary, holding the power to transform and equip believers to impact eternity with the gospel of Christ.
Watch this powerful four-minute video of Christian Union Lux at Yale's recent fall retreat.
Greetings from New Haven!
This month, Christian Union Lux students and leaders are working around the clock to welcome freshmen to our campus and to our ministry! We recently hosted a pre-retreat to plan all the events and details of this month-long campaign and to grow in the Lord!
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!