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"I am trying here to prevent anyone from saying the really foolish thing that people often...
July 2, 2019

Studying Scripture On Campus

Brianna deeply values Christian Union Bible courses and she shares the impact of Christian Union in her life.


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Christian Union develops Christian leaders at some of America's most influential, and deeply secular, universities. Prayerfully consider supporting our ministry. Click here to donate today. To learn more about Christian Union, click here.
July 1, 2019

Theological and Practical Application of Biblical Rest

Alan shares the impact of Christian Union on his spiritual life. Alan's relationship with God is transformed by theological understanding of rest. Listen to his testimony: 


July 1, 2019
Scott Crosby
Ministry Director,
Christian Union New York City
Christian Union Washington, DC 

ScottBlog7119 
Athens in Paul’s time was no longer a politically important city.  Greece had given way to Rome, and its political influence had declined through the centuries. It was, however, still the intellectual center of the world. This city was heir to the great philosophers who set the standards and patterns of thought: Socrates, Plato, Epicurus, and Pericles.

After hearing about Athens all his life Paul, the academic and now the apostle, is finally there—a city intellectually and culturally sophisticated but morally decadent and spiritually dead—in spite of having, according to some accounts, up to 30,000 statues of gods.

No wonder they had a statue to “the unknown god!”

July 1, 2019

CU Cities Conference 2019



In this breakout session, Wanda will discuss how easy it is to lead in the flesh, but how do we lead as Spirit-filled people? Looking at the life of Moses, we will study principles of leadership to help us at work, home and in our communities.

July 1, 2019

CU Cities Conference 2019



What does it look like to thrive in prayer and intercession amidst a full schedule? Pastor and Christian Union Ministry Fellow Qwynn Gross will share her strategies and encouragement toward prioritizing seeking the Lord, and the fruit that comes from it, no matter how busy life gets.

July 1, 2019

CU Cities Conference 2019



In this breakout session, we will look carefully at Paul's pastoral wisdom as he allows the gospel to reshape our moral and social imagination on topics such as wealth, power, conflict, sexuality, vocation, and personal giftedness. 1 Corinthians fleshes out what following Jesus in the real world (whether ancient or contemporary) entails, in light of the centering conviction that the story of Christ crucified reveals both the heart of God and the portrait of of what it looks like to be fully, genuinely human in a world of idolatry, greed, interpersonal conflict, perpetual heartbreak and structural injustice.

June 27, 2019

Dear Friends and Partners of Christian Union at Penn,
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope” (Romans 15.13, ESV).

By God’s grace, we are entering a season of rest for our staff. Immediately after Penn’s graduation, I joined with other Christian Union staff in visiting Fiji for a time of learning and fellowship with the Fijian church. Kelly led a team to Uganda to serve with ROWAN (Rural Orphan and Widow Aids Network). We returned to Philadelphia tired but excited about sharing with our students all that we experienced. As we re-convene and begin planning for next fall, would you please pray for the following:

  • rest (both spiritual and physical) for our team as we return to work and professional development. Pray that Penn’s staff would be further equipped to bring the Gospel to our students with boldness and grace.
  • wisdom as we plan for NSO (New Student Orientation), which will begin in mid-August.
  • Penn’s incoming class of 2023. Pray for hearts and minds, that the students would be prepared to meet Jesus Christ in a powerful way upon entering Penn.
  • Penn’s returning CU students, that they will grow in leadership as they serve in churches this summer. It is incredibly easy for our students to struggle spiritually when they are out of the semester routine. Pray for discipleship, service, and care for them this summer.

Thank you for your continued partnership in the Gospel here at Penn. We are grateful for you!

in Christ our King,


Tucker Else

Ministry Director

Christian Union at Penn

June 27, 2019

We recently concluded our annual Christian Union Cities Conference. Held here in New York, June 21-22, the conference theme was taken from 2 Chronicles 17:6, Courageous in the Ways of the Lord. The church in America lives as “exiles in a strange land” as the apostle Peter describes in his first letter to the church in Asia Minor. Therefore, how we engage our city, community, vocation, and relationships becomes a matter of understanding both the culture and our faith, and our courage in stepping forward in engagement.

June 20, 2019

June 20-21, 2019

New York City, New York

The CU Cities Conference 2019 convened graduate students and diverse professionals, from recent graduates to seasoned pros, from across industries, to explore compelling ideas about faith and its relevance to every facet of our lives. You can find video recordings from our plenary speakers here and audio recordings from our breakout speakers here from the CU Cities Conference in 2019. 

CUCities201910

June 19, 2019
There's No Way to Deny that 'Pro-Abortion' is the Right Term; On Quitting Netflix; The Age of Pelagius; A Father's Love; Help Reach the Class of 2023 and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief.
 
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For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.
— 1 Peter 3:18

June 17, 2019

Your Gift by June 30 Will Share Gospel and Change Lives

donate nowPlease consider a special gift to Christian Union by June 30 to support the next Freshman Campaign. The Class of 2023 will be here before we know it!

The ministry will connect with freshmen before they even set foot on campus to welcome and warmly invite them into biblical studies, Christian community, and spiritual and leadership growth.

Your gift helps set lives on a new course!

june19

June 17, 2019

Greetings from a Christian Union Parent

Aloha from Hawaii!

My daughter, Sara Kay, is home for the summer from Dartmouth. I am amazed at her growth and maturity in her walk with Christ.

aloha

June 16, 2019
Tucker Else
Christian Union Ministry Director
University of pennsylvania

In Genesis 22, we are given a story about a dad and his son. The patriarch Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation, is commanded by God to sacrifice his son, Isaac.

As a dad myself, it is a hard story to read. “Take your son, your only son, whom you love…”
fathers loveWhy would God ask such a thing, particularly of this “Son of the promise” through whom the nation of Israel would come to be?

After so many years waiting for him, why would Abraham be put through such a test?

June 6, 2019
True Paradox: How Christianity Makes Sense of Our Complex World; Trivial Pursuit?; Why ‘Follow Your Passions’ Is Bad Advice for Graduates; The Sexual Revolutionaries Got Sexual Satisfaction All Wrong; Revival at an Army Base and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief.
 
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I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go;
I will counsel you with my eye upon you.
— Psalm 32:8

June 4, 2019
Tucker Else
Christian Union Ministry Director
University of pennsylvania

One of the most popular games of the 1980s was Trivial Pursuit, a trivia game that people found either wildly entertaining or inexpressibly dull. My family would often gather around the table and play — yes, we did have occasional Normal Rockwell moments — and while my Mom would be hoping for Entertainment or Literature categories to come up, my brothers and I would bank on Sports, and little else.

TP2019

The questions were sometimes manageable, but oftentimes nearly impossible: “What was the name of the Douglas family’s dog on My Three Sons?” Which would inevitably be answered with “Chip,” as he was really the only Son (let alone dog) that could be remembered from the show.

What was always most vexing to me were the Sports questions that had absolutely nothing to do with sports: “What do Las Vegas blackjack dealers stand on?” First of all, who cares?

June 1, 2019
At Christian Union’s Nexus Student Conference in February, Schultz was a member of the law and government panel during the vocational breakout sessions.

Q and A with Lisa Schultz

Lisa Schultz is the Chief of Staff for United States Senate Chaplain Barry C. Black. She directs all of Chaplain Black’s programs and outreach to Senators, their families, and hundreds of Senate staff. Schultz has spent 15 years overseeing Capitol Hill-focused ministries, first as Director of Outreach for the D. James Kennedy Center for Christian Statesmanship and the last 11 years for the Senate Chaplain. Prior to her time serving on Capitol Hill, she lived as a missionary in Schladming, Austria, for seven years under the umbrella of Torchbearers International.

 

At Christian Union’s Nexus Student Conference in February, Schultz was a member of the law and government panel during the vocational breakout sessions.

 

June 1, 2019
For his Joshua Faith Challenge, Christian Union Founder and CEO Matt Bennett met up with six friends to take the Gospel to the New York City subway! Asking for prayer in advance of the big day, Matt wrote: “I’ve never done such a thing and am a little nervous, but also excited to see what God will do!”

The Great Experiment in the Big Apple  


by whit hazelton

On Thursday, March 7, a small group of Christians took on a “Joshua Faith Challenge” that would stretch their faith and inject new energy into their walk with Jesus. As part of The Great Experiment, a ten-day spiritual challenge to seek God for revival, participants were asked to pray and ask God to show them something they could do to put their faith into works. It was to be something specific, concrete, bold, and out of the ordinary—something that would require courageous faith in God (Joshua 1:8, 9). In response to the challenge, a number of the five thousand Great Experiment participants came up with creative evangelism plans for their faith challenge.

 

For his Joshua Faith Challenge, Christian Union Founder and CEO Matt Bennett met up with six friends to take the Gospel to the New York City subway! Asking for prayer in advance of the big day, Matt wrote: “I’ve never done such a thing and am a little nervous, but also excited to see what God will do!”

June 1, 2019
Through the Stover Foundation’s stewardship, Christian Union has been richly blessed with the resources to increase its work with students. In addition to supporting several of the campus ministries, the foundation has played a pivotal role in the acquisition of two of the ministry’s newest buildings at Princeton and Columbia.

Susan Stover and Arthur Stella

He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness. 

- 2 Corinthians 9:10

 

Early in Susan Stover’s life, her parents, Bob and Joan Stover, sowed the seeds of generosity. “My parents’ faith journey had a tremendous impact on me,” Susan noted.

“My father became a Christian as a young man after serving in the Navy during World War II. His life reflected his personal belief that he needed to use his talents and resources in the Lord’s service.” After the war, Bob Stover began a temporary employment agency in San Francisco.

June 1, 2019
“They challenged me to press further into the Word of God and grow into the woman that God has called me to be,” she said. “Christian Union has made my time at Columbia something that I will cherish forever.” 

Seniors Show Appreciation for Christian Union at Dinner

by tom campisi, managing editor

In April, students with Christian Union at Columbia hosted a senior dinner at the organization’s new ministry center. It was a sweet time of reflection, prayer, and even a few tears, as seniors looked back with gratitude on four years of spiritual growth and Christian community.

“Student after student commented on how the ministry has made a difference in their lives and how they have made lifelong friends,” said Yolanda Solomon, a Christian Union ministry fellow at Columbia. “They talked about connecting and staying in touch and how they will miss Christian Union.”

June 1, 2019
The students gathered on Wednesday nights in February for the Bible course, which also featured time for dinner and prayer. The experience left Yim excited about watching God transform the lives of some of the nation’s sharpest legal minds and making inroads among graduate students in the prestigious Kennedy School of Government. 

Harvard Law, Kennedy School Students Study Nehemiah

by catherine elvy, staff writer

The account of Nehemiah offers timeless lessons in spiritual and practical leadership. God raised up the Jewish official for a strategic mission, pointing to the role of providence in the form of human managers.

Those were some of the themes that emerged during a recent series from Christian Union’s ministry at Harvard Law School. During the spring term, the ministry offered an in-depth study on the book of Nehemiah to students from Harvard Law School (HLS) and the John F. Kennedy School of Government. “These young adults are in a position to become our leaders in the next generation,” said Justin Yim, Christian Union’s ministry director at Harvard Law School.