Dear Friends and Partners of Christian Union at Penn,
Our students are in count-down mode: 7 days remaining of classes, 14 days until final exams, and 28 days until graduation. As the semester comes to a close, we are so thankful for the wonderful year we have had with our students. We’ve seen God’s sovereign grace bring new spiritual life, we’ve had the joy of baptizing new believers, and we’ve seen God’s grace poured out in countless ways. Thank you for your prayers for these students and our amazing staff. Would you continue to pray for:
In a world fixated on the immediate and material we don’t often find ourselves part of conversations about transcendence. “Transcendent” is not a theological term, yet it certainly has theological relevance in its meaning of “supernatural”, “surpassing”, and “overarching”. In the just concluded Easter season the idea of transcendence is highlighted as we celebrate Christ’s death and resurrection. The resurrection in particular highlights God’s redemption of both our souls and, indeed, all things to the hope of glory and completeness in the new heavens and new earth.
To learn more about Nexus 2019, click here.
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.
— Psalm 139:13-14
Geoff Sackett
Christian Union ministry director
Cornell University
When Jesus was a baby, did he soil his undergarments? As an adolescent, did he cry? When he was full-grown, was he ever angry? No disrespect is meant by these questions, but they do point out the full humanity of Jesus, without in any way reducing his full divinity. And they show that it was entirely fitting for the second person of the Trinity to enter our world as a baby, who developed physically into a mature man. Such an entrance shows us that Jesus really was “one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). He cried, he got dirty, and he grew, even as we do, and yet he alone did so without any moral defect: sinless and perfect was our Lord even from his birth.
Hollywood does a nice job depicting the preternatural hero. For example, in a memorable scene from The Man of Steel, Superman descends from the clouds and hovers above a gathering of mere, but powerful, mortals who are awed by his presence. The movie opens with his special birth. He is depicted throughout as apparently perfect. The messianic overtones are clear.
Salon with Chuck Stetson
On Thursday 18 April, Christian Union New York invited Chuck Stetson to speak on Biblical Literacy. With George Barna’s research showing that only 7 percent of Americans have a biblical worldview (whereby the Bible is the primary resource through which one understands the world), Stetson took the evening to tell his audience what can be done to see that number increase and why this endeavor is so important.
Get Involved
If you would like to learn more or to get involved with CU New York, please email: cunewyork@christianunion.com.
By Matt Allen
On Thursday 18 April, Christian Union New York invited Chuck Stetson to speak on Biblical Literacy. With George Barna’s research showing that only 7 percent of Americans have a biblical worldview (whereby the Bible is the primary resource through which one understands the world), Stetson took the evening to tell his audience what can be done to see that number increase and why this endeavor is so important.
Students Experience Personalized Prayer at Nexus 2019
Sarah Camp
In February, Christian Union hosted more than 200 undergraduates at Nexus 2019: The Christian Union Conference on Faith and Action. Students from Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, Stanford, and Yale converged for three days in New Brunswick, New Jersey, to meet one another, seek God together through worship and prayer, and explore how God could use their aspirations and influence for His glory and society’s good. 
Through plenary speakers, breakout sessions, and small groups, the conference offered insight, inspiration, networking, and practical advice on discerning God's purpose for life, campus, and career. A variety of vocational panels were led by Christian professionals representing a variety of fields. Another highlight of the weekend was SpokenWord. Student teams presented Scripture dynamically, interweaving dramatic, poetic presentations.
The plenary speakers anchored the conference with inspiring talks that unpacked the conference theme of being “Courageous in the Ways of the Lord”. A student from Yale explained, “The message to go forth in courage in the ways of the Lord has encouraged me to put down my fears … and step up, listening to what he calls me to do, and obeying it.”
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;
his greatness no one can fathom.
One generation commends your works to another;
they tell of your mighty acts.
They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty—
and I will meditate on your wonderful works.
— Psalm 145:3-5
Tucker Else
Christian Union Ministry Director
University of pennsylvania
Jesus gives radical commands in the Bible, such as to “take up your own cross and follow me.”
This is a call to kill our own desires and follow him in loving others sacrificially, even to the point of death. Often-times, these commands come alongside warnings.
Christian Union Events Examine Art and Philosophy
by tom campisi, managing editor
Christian Union at Brown helped organize two key events that made inroads and friendships in the arts and philosophy communities.
In February, Christian Union co-hosted an art exhibit entitled “How Do We Live a Good Life?” The event, held at the Leung Family Gallery at Brown, was co-sponsored by the Veritas Forum, Ethical Inquiry, the Office of the Chaplains and Religious Life, and Cornerstone Magazine.
Teeto's Story
During a difficult sophomore year at Princeton, Teeto and her peers grew closer together as they truly walked alongside each other through their spiritual, academic, and professional journeys.Audrey's Story
"I thought that God just didn't care about anything in my life, that He didn't care about me...I also thought that a lot of Christians use God to do really hypocritical things."Get Involved
To learn more or to get involved with Christian Union Gloria at Harvard, click here.
Allie's Story
"My perspective on God has changed massively if I'm looking back. CU has been the force that changed that perspective...Coming in, I didn't really care about God to be honest. I thought He was an abstract concept...CU provided the community to delve into who God is."https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Oq3g-1SrLc&feature=youtu
Get Involved
To learn more or to get involved with Christian Union Vox at Dartmouth, click here.
Salon with Caleb Brown
by Matt Allen
Christian Union New York adopted a new format for their latest salon on March 26, 2019, when they invited guest speaker Caleb Brown to speak on the topic How (And How Not) to Watch a Movie. Rather than the usual lecture followed by Q&A format, Brown led a room of nearly thirty attendees through the pilot episode of Downton Abbey, taking regular pauses to point to the expertly crafted use of camera-angles, iconography, and audio that casual viewers (i.e. the majority of us) rarely pick up on. A short but lively discussion followed.
Partial Audio Recording
Please join our Christian Union at Brown community in praying for the following:
and all His ways are just.
A faithful God who does no wrong,
upright and just is He.” (Deuteronomy 32:4)
Greetings,
We continue to give God praise for his work on Columbia’s campus through Christian Union. By His grace, we continue to minister faithfully in every way that He has called us. This semester,our major outreach initiative has been the book giveaway and discussions around Ravi Zacharias and Vince Vitale’s Jesus Among Secular Gods. The outreach culminates in Vince Vitale coming to speak at our Illumina. These book discussions have been aimed primarily at skeptics of the Christian faith. We held our first discussion a few weeks ago on the topic of Scientism. Non-Christians were in attendance, including a Buddhist student. Pray that these discussions would lead ultimately to conversions, and that Christians who attend may be strengthened in their faith.
- This semester, we have been doing a Mocha Mondays coffee giveaway. At this point, we have established a regular presence on campus giving away coffee, hot chocolate, and tea. Pray that this would lead to relationships and a chance to present the gospel.
- We had a showing of the documentary Liberated: A New Sexual Revolution, with a panel following that including students and staff discussing the dangers of the hook-up culture. Pray that the fruit of this would continue to show itself as students think through these important topics.
- The new Bible course with men in Greek life has been consistently going well and has led to some very fruitful discussions. Pray for the continued growth of students in their spiritual lives as we continue to disciple them.
- There are a number of events that need to come together for the end of the semester. Pray for student volunteers, especially as they try to navigate their busy schedules.
Ministry Director
Christian Union at Cornell
Please note: if you would like to receive regular updates on how to pray for Christian Union's work at Cornell, please email prayer@christianunion.org.
Maybe, you’ve read some of the great leadership books by Jim Collins (Good to Great, Great by Choice) or books by Simon Sinek (Start with Why) or Joseph Grenny (Crucial Conversations)? I highly recommend another book about leadership, written way before any others - Nehemiah.
