Five Crucial Aspects
Christian Union was founded in 2002 to develop and connect transformative Christian leaders. The mission can be unpacked into five aspects. Developing leaders is the first of the five crucial aspects.Leaders matter. In Scripture, God used Moses, Daniel, Esther, and Paul, all of whom were in highly leveraged positions, to advance His purposes in the world, and to bring glory to Himself. The top leaders of the next generation are attending a handful of universities today and working in key cities.
Leading Universities
Each fall, as thousands of students arrive at some of the nation’s most influential universities, Christian Union is there. The ministry works directly with students to share the Gospel and ensure these future leaders are, learning to seek God with energy and commitment, and gaining advanced leadership skills to be effective and influential for Him. Students who take part in Christian Union’s Bible courses, mentorship, and leadership coaching experience profound spiritual and leadership growth.Major Cities
Role models of the movement to transform a major cultural center such as New York City 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.Each of these individuals allowed God to work dramatically through them. On the way, however, each was either mentored or joined by a community of believers to challenge and encourage them. Together they accomplished far more than could ever be done by one lone person. The ministry offers professionals in New York City programs for spiritual and leadership growth tailored to demanding schedules and helps them build vibrant and interconnecting networks.
The Spirit is stirring up spiritual hunger at some of the nation's leading universities and in New York City. Will you help share the Gospel and transform US culture?
You Can Make a Difference
- Pray for the hearts of those poised to lead society would turn to the Lord.
- Connect others to the ministry of Christian Union.
- Give generously to develop more godly leaders to transform American culture.
Learn More
With Spiritual Depth >
Leading Universities
Imagine entering a room in which are gathered the most influential leaders in the United States. You meet editors of major newspapers, presidents of universities, CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, Supreme Court Justices, and current and former US Presidents. As you walk through this room, you discover that more than 60 percent of those you meet attended a small pool of US colleges and universities, no more than twenty. The schools include Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Harvard Law, Penn, Princeton, Stanford and Yale.Just a few US schools and their alumni significantly shape American culture. That should give us pause. Over more than three centuries in the case of some of these universities, while extraordinary influence consolidated at these universities, they have become intensely secular. {tweetme}At most of these leading schools, students have little-to-no contact with Christianity; many have never even read a Bible.{/tweetme} The secularism promoted by these schools and their alumni affect us all, disproportionately shaping our economy, government, media, and education. That can change. Christian Union envisions a day when these schools bless the nation with Christian scholarship and thought leadership. God is presenting an opportunity to utterly transform the spiritual climate of these leading schools.
Major Cities
US culture is shaped by the daily decisions of industry leaders who either embrace secular values outright, or by believers who may not know how to integrate their faith and their profession, and so tacitly promote secular values. From Wall Street, to arts and entertainment, to local or national government, medicine, and other key fields, Christian Union New York is focused on helping believers to increase in spiritual maturity and fervency, connect with other Christian leaders, and gain tools to lead with excellence and in such a way as promotes godliness and genuine human flourishing.The nation desperately needs godly leaders. Please help to develop courageous, faithful Christian leaders.
You Can Make a Difference
- Pray for the hearts of those poised to lead society would turn to the Lord.
- Connect others to the ministry of Christian Union.
- Give generously to develop more godly leaders to transform American culture.
Learn More
For Cultural Engagement >
Five Crucial Aspects
Christian Union was founded in 2002 to develop and connect transformative Christian leaders. The mission can be unpacked into five aspects; this is the fifth.National Focus, Global Implications
The primary focus of Christian Union is the renewing of the United States of America through its leadership and cultural institutions and by encouraging all Christians nationwide. The reason for the national focus is twofold. First, the nation has experienced sharp spiritual decline that needs to be reversed. Second, the spiritual vitality of the United States has a profound impact on the rest of the globe.God loves each man, woman and child in the United States and offers reconciliation through the Gospel. The need to promote the Gospel and to renew a declining society is pressing, and the Lord has called this ministry to work faithfully to address it in the most strategic ways that it can identify.
The focus on the US anticipates a global impact: Historically, America has blessed the world by sending thousands of missionaries, and donating billions of dollars for international evangelization, development and poverty relief. That legacy is at risk because of increasing secularization of the country through its leaders, but it can be restored. The universities and key cities where Christian Union operates are cosmopolitan. The power of the Gospel, seeking God, and reforming society will have global reach as alumni fan out across the world, as international students do likewise or return home to work, and as professionals serve in other countries.
You Can Make a Difference
- Pray that the hearts of those poised to lead society would turn to the Lord.
- Connect others to the ministry of Christian Union.
- Give generously to develop more godly leaders to transform American culture.
Protection of Human Life
In virtue of being created in the image of God, human life is sacred. We furthermore affirm that human life begins at conception. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life.
Opposition to Racial Discrimination
In virtue of being created in the image of God, people of all ethnicities, nationalities, and races are of equal worth. Furthermore, the diversity of human cultures, languages, experiences, and individual makeup is intended by God and showcases his creativity and diversity. Jesus has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, uniting them in himself in a glorious display of God’s love and unity. Therefore Christians have the responsibility to oppose any form of ethnic, national, or racial discrimination.
Care for the Poor
In virtue of being created in the image of God, people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and statuses are of equal worth. Furthermore, God defends the cause of the fatherless, the widow, the alien, and the poor, and Christ rescued us when we were poor and helpless. Those who have been made new in Christ and who seek to serve God will likewise defend the cause of the oppressed and show compassion to the poor. Therefore Christians have the responsibility to aid the poor and needy.
Stewardship of the Environment
In virtue of the earth being created by God and graciously given to humanity as its habitat and physical means of sustenance for the purposes of human flourishing, Christians have the responsibility to steward the environment in a way that brings glory to God and shows love to others.
Justice and Integrity in Government
In virtue of God’s governance of world affairs, his desire for justice, and the Christian’s call to pray for government leaders for the sake of peaceful and just societies, Christians have the responsibility to seek integrity among government officials and that they would promote justice in broader society.
Financial Generosity
In virtue of God’s generosity and the biblical call to love God more than money, to be generous, and to steward resources wisely, Christians have the responsibility to avoid greed, consumerism, and materialism and to give generously and sacrificially for the sake of making disciples of Jesus Christ, relieving human suffering, and blessing others.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, though he was rich, became poor for our sake, that through his poverty we might become rich. These riches––physical, spiritual, relational, and otherwise––Christ gives to his church in part even now and in their fullness in the life to come. When we sow these riches bountifully, using the varied abundance God has given each of us to supply the needs of others, we will also reap bountifully. God will multiply our seed for sowing and increase the harvest of our righteousness, enriching us to be generous in every way. We therefore joyfully affirm God’s principle that we reap what we sow, for our joy and good and for his glory, and we thank God for this inexpressible gift!
However, God makes his grace and gifts abound to us not so that we may serve our remaining selfishness or greed, but so that we may abound in good works and increase the harvest of our righteousness. We also recognize that the Holy Spirit distributes the varied gifts and riches of God through Christ’s merit, not our own, and sovereignly, as he wills and not necessarily as we will. Furthermore, we will nevertheless face trouble in this world until our Lord comes again to renew it. The chief and only assured blessing among these riches is restored fellowship God, now and forever. We therefore deny any teaching that offers blessings of our choosing––health, wealth, or any other––as God’s assured promises in this life.
Affirmation of the Image of God in Male and Female
In virtue of all people being created uniquely, distinctly, and equally in the image of God as male and female and being called to live holy lives with respect to sexuality, Christians have the responsibility to affirm marriage, legally and morally as exclusively between one man and one woman as the only place for legitimate expression of God’s gift of sexuality. Christian ministers are obligated to teach and defend God’s truth in these matters. They have no recourse to allow other Christians or Christian ministers to hold views different than those stated above, without refuting them. Furthermore, all Christians have the responsibility to flee all manner of sexual immorality, including fornication, pornography, adultery, and homosexuality in their personal lives and romantic relationships.
See also our Statement of Faith
A Process of Drawing Close to God
Seeking the face of God is the process of drawing close to God, and therefore attracting His presence to your life and community. It is hard work to seek God's face, which takes time and effort like anything else worthy of pursuit in this life. Becoming a Christian is only the first step, and without diligently applying yourself, you will never draw close to the Lord or experience His presence and power in your life.
To live what we call a Seeking God Lifestyle is to truly invest yourself in seeking digilently to discover what He loves and values, and connecting with Him in order to have those same values permeate your own heart. It's about knowing the heart of God, identifying with Him and carrying out His purposes. As you seek Him, He responds to you and comes upon your life in power so that you may fulfill your destiny and you and your community will be blessed.
You should know that it is costly to seek the Lord wholeheartedly. Not only does it take a lot of time and effort, but it means making His plans and purposes the focus of your life. It's disruptive, almost always entails some degree of suffering, and puts Him as Lord of your life instead of yourself.
Seven principles are found to characterize the lives of biblical believers, early Christians, and Christians today of many other nations. Seeking God with the energy that God expects of you will result in periodic fillings of the Holy Spirit in your life which you need for joy, revelation and victory over sin.
1. Humility
The Christian should humble himself/herself profoundly, taking advantage of the help that fasting provides. He should fast regularly (the first-century Christians fasted twice a week), and should fast for longer periods of time for special occasions (examples in the Bible include periods as long as three days, ten days, 40 days, 70 days, and 120 days).2. Fervent and Frequent Prayer
Including Bible reading and memorization, a Christian should spend two or three set times per day in prayer, totaling 1.5 to three hours, either alone or with others. This is in addition to time spent lifting up prayers throughout the day or before meals.3. Massive Intake of Scripture
The amount of time a Christian should take in the Bible each day is explained in #2 above. Taking in the Scriptures includes reading the Bible, memorizing it, reciting it, meditating on it, listening to it, studying it, and listening to good sermons explaining it.4. Personal and Corporate Repentence of Sins
Christ must be LORD of everything in your life including your sex life, your recreational life (it can't be so time-consuming that it crowds out your prayer and Bible reading), and your finances.5. Obedience to God, Day by Day, Moment by Moment
Living a consistent righteous life over time draws God's presence.6. Perseverance in Seeking After God Day After Day, Month After Month.
There's no way you can seek God wholeheartedly for a whole year and not see significant changes, but seeking God is not something to be pursued just for a year, but as a way of life for the rest of your life.7. Gathering with Others
For your two or three set times per day praying and reading the Bible, join with other Christians as much as you can. Of the 14-21 times per week, try to join with others for many of those sessions. Additionally, set aside time for two week-long Christian conferences per year so that you stay strong in your devotion to Christ. Lastly, encourage and plead with others to join you in seeking the LORD.Does a Christian really need to do all of the activities mentioned above? That depends on your perspective in two ways.
Christian Union
Matt Bennett
Founder and President
Matt Bennett is founder and president of Christian Union, a Christian leadership development organization with the mission to bring sweeping spiritual and cultural transformation to our nation and the world by developing and networking Christian leaders to make an impact for Christ. Christian Union focuses its activity on America's most influential universities and on professionals in the nation's key cities.A native of Houston, Texas, Matt earned BS and MBA degrees from Cornell University and holds a Master of Divinity from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He worked for Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru) at Princeton University for 12 years, and developed the ministry into one of the largest in the history of the Ivy League. In 2002, he founded Christian Union. The ministry has been featured in The New York Times, PBS, NPR, Christianity Today, and World Magazine. Matt currently resides in New York City.
Follow Matt Bennett on Twitter: @MattWadeBennett.
Marcus Buckley
Vice President of Development and Communications
Jeffrey Walsh
Vice President of Christian Union America and Finance/Legal
Jeffrey Walsh is a retired U.S. Army Master Sergeant with over 23 years of experience as a Military Police Soldier, Educator, National Director of Police, and leadership education. He is also an ordained Christian minister with a lifetime of experience in pastoral ministry. He has served in various assignments and attachments worldwide with the U.S. Army National Guard Bureau, the 5th Special Forces Group, and the 169th Regional Training Institute. Jeffrey spent the last ten years in senior leadership positions, including National Director and Subject Matter Expert of Military Police Education and Leadership and Senior Leader of Advanced Leadership Training Programs.
Jeffrey is an expert in spiritual care and reducing destructive behaviors like suicide, sexual assault, and domestic violence. He has trained military leaders across North America in his former role as the National Military Law Enforcement Subject Matter Expert and Connecticut State Equal Opportunity and Sexual Assault Program Coordinator. He is pursuing his Doctor of Ministry at Alliance University in New York City, with prior education in Biblical Theology and Pastoral Ministry from Nazarene Bible College in Colorado Springs. Jeffrey's overseas combat experience has earned him numerous service awards, including the Bronze Star medal with Valor and four presidential unit awards. His passion for serving others stems from a personal journey of healing and transformation through the Spirit of God.
Jason Walsh
Vice President, Christian Union Universities
Jason Walsh honorably served 10 years in the United States Marine Corps, 3 years in the 102nd Mounted Infantry Battalion with the Connecticut Army National Guard, and 4 years as a Firefighter/EMT for the City of Stamford Fire Department in Stamford, CT. At the Pentagon, Jason served as a Mission Planner, supporting the highest levels of U.S. leadership, including the resident, Vice President, Secretary of Defense, Joint Chiefs of Staff, and military generals across all branches. While deployed to Afghanistan, He was a Combat Aviation Operations Chief at Camp Dwyer, Afghanistan, a Forward Operating Base (FOB) to combat insurgent activity in the Helmand Valley, which was a hotbed of terrorist activity and the most dangerous province in Afghanistan at the time. Jason served in and out of combat zones with multiple government agencies, including the CIA, FBI, Secret Service, the U.S. Army’s 20th Special Forces Group, and the British SAS.
Throughout nearly 20 years of service in military and local agencies combined, Jason’s leadership has been at the forefront! Jason graduated from Marine Corps Recruit Training, Parris Island, SC (Boot Camp), as the Platoon Honor Graduate, #1 out of 96 recruits. He was promoted to Sergeant within his first 4 years of Marine Corps service. He was selected from the top 1% of the Marine Corps globally for recruiting duty. Jason was also a .50 Cal Machine Gunner, becoming proficient in all U.S. Army Infantry weapons systems, criminal profiling, and interrogation. He was selected in the top 10 out of 2000 applicants to be a Firefighter/EMT. He was later selected as an instructor at the Stamford Regional Fire Training School after unanimously being voted platoon leader in his own firefighter recruit class. His service is recognized with numerous military medals and personal awards, including the Afghanistan Campaign Medal, 2 Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, 3 Marine Corps Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal.
Jason is the Vice President of Christian Union Universities, based at Yale University. He is also an associate pastor at The Rock Church in Wallingford, CT. Jason’s passion for Jesus and service is deeply personal. Overcoming homelessness and personal hardship, he attributes his transformation to the love and healing power of Jesus Christ. He is committed to sharing this message and believes that Jesus has a unique plan and message for each individual that can transform their life.
Jason holds a bachelor’s degree in Pastoral Leadership and Ministries from Nazarene Bible College in Colorado Springs, CO, with additional education in Theology and Urban Missions from Alliance Theological Seminary in Manhattan, NY.
Quincy "Wolfgang" Watkins
Vice President, Spiritual Formation
Quincy earned a BS in Economics from Temple University and an MBA in Marketing and Organizational Development from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. He has held numerous executive-level, corporate positions and is a gifted business strategist. In addition, Quincy is a sought after preacher, lecturer, and prophetic minister with more than two decades of ministry experience. A bishop with One Accord Assemblies, he has overseen five congregations. Quincy joined Christian Union in 2008, bringing a dynamic blend of corporate and ministerial experience to his roles, including five years as a ministry fellow. As VP of Spiritual Formation, Quincy ministers to Christian Union faculty, staff, and students, helping develop and deepen lifestyles of seeking God wholeheartedly.Quincy's lifelong mission is to provide health and balance to the Body of Christ through holistic preaching, teaching, and deliverance. As a bi-vocational minister, he continues to serve as lead pastor of The Neighborhood Church in Darby, Pennsylvania, and Wilmington, Delaware. A native of Chicago, Quincy is happily married to Fay.
Andy Woodard
Executive Director Christian Union New York Bio coming soon.
Join the Movement to Change Culture
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.
How to pray for Christian Union >
Christian Union's ministry faculty and staff is also committed to praying for others, and if you have a prayer request you'd like to share, please do—so we can know how to pray for you.
Submit your prayer requests here >
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 .
Donate >
Advocate
-
- 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 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 Christian Union. Please tell them about the unique focus and approach of this ministry.
Share Socially
By taking the simple step of sharing content posted here or on social sites with your friends, you expand the ministry's reach and will help accelerate the mission to bring about culture change.
Refer Others
For culture to be transformed by the Gospel, thousands of believers must learn about and come alongside to support Christian Union’s strategic approach. Christian Union's primary way of communicating is through the free quarterly Christian Union Magazine and monthly prayer e-mails (recipients select which of the Christian Union university ministries they wish to hear from).Those you refer do not need to be affliated with the eight universities where Christian Union operates. Your friend with a heart burdened to see culture change may be an exciting match for the mission of this ministry.
Send the address and/or e-mail address of those you think may be interested to receive these communications. Please include a first and last name.
Referrals could include:
-
- Friends
- Alumni
- Staff & Faculty
- Parents
- Churches
- Foundations
Connect Students to Ministry
Let Christian Union know about incoming and current students at Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, Penn 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 student name >
Engage with Your Alma Mater
If you are an alumni of Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, Penn or Yale, you can have extraordinary influence with your alma mater. By being involved with your universities, you can have 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
Magazine Story Ideas
Christian Union seeks to inform readers about the spiritual activity at Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, Penn and Yale through Christian Union: The Magazine. 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 >
Share Your Story
If you would like to share about your experience as a student, parent, donor or friend of Christian Union, please send in your story. The ministry may ask for permission to share it as an encouragement to others who are learning about Christian Union.Send stories >
Opportunities to Develop as Christian Leaders
From conferences, to campus-specific Christian leadership development, to summer ministry opportunities, Christian Union offers students opportunities to grow year-round.
Nexus: The Christian Union Congress on Faith and Action
Every year students from Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, and Yale are invited to attend a life-changing weekend of dynamic worship and world-class speakers. Over the course of the weekend, students will be challenged to think deeply about their faith, to consider how they might put that faith into action right now on their campuses, to recognize how God can use them in the vocation they pursue to impact culture for Christ, and to grow closer in faith and devotion to Jesus Christ in fellowship with like-minded peers. Nexus website >
Year-Round Opportunities
Christian Union works with undergraduate student organizations at Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania, and Yale and and with graduate students at Harvard Law School.Christian Union's high-caliber ministry fellows serve these organizations by developing and training Christian leaders to make a difference in the nation's culture and throughout the world. Learn more about the ministry at your university here.
Summer Opportunities
Christian Union is offering five unique summer opportunities to students for summer 2017. International projects offer very different types of ministry experiences in Uganda, Israel, and El Salvador. In the United States, there is a project for students interested in deepening their Christian worldview, and one for students who have secured summer internships in New York City.
Explore these opportunities at Christian Union's Summer Project site, CUthisSummer.com >
Help Transform Lives and Culture for the Glory of God
The Mission
The mission of Christian Union is to transform our nation and the world by developing and connecting bold Christian leaders.The Need
Christian Union is growing and seeks talented and motivated individuals to join the ministry in a variety of capacities.Currently open positions are listed on pages in the menu in the left column of this page.
Seeking God matters.
Thank you for your interest in seeking God with Christian Union and joining us in praying for Christian Union's various ministries. Prayer and fasting are at the core of everything that Christian Union does. We are excited to share the Three Spiritualities, annual fasts and times of prayer, fasting resources, and a wealth of devotional materials. Please pray that God is glorified and that His name is lifted in all the ministry does.The Three Spiritualites provide rich theological and biblical content to ground seeking God practices in the Word of God and spiritual exemplars like Paul or Daniel. The Three Spiritualities aim to cultivate a deep hunger for God, a commitment to spiritual disciplines, joyful obedience and repentance, and more.
Fasting, in particular, is a powerful way of cultivating humility before God. Please consider joining fasts or beginning your own to seek God for this nation. “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).
For more resources on prayer and fasting, as well as information on Christian Union's upcoming fasts and events, visit cuamerica.org
There are many ways we'd invite you to consider praying:
-
- To pray at a high level for Christian Union, please subscribe to our eNewsletter. It will arrive in your email box every other week, and include prayer requests for Christian Union's various ministries.
- If you'd like more detailed prayer emails from specific Christian Union ministries, there are two ways to get them. If you send an email to prayer@christianunion.org with your email address and a list of which ministry prayer updates you'd like to receive, you will be subscribed. You can also scroll down and click on the cities or universities link to see the most recent prayer requests. You will also be able to subscribe to those pages.
- Please join with other believers across America by signing up to pray for our nation at Christian Union America website.
Christian Union Cities
Please pray that God would be glorified and move powerfully in and through the lives of each person involved in the ministry. Pray for those seeking to bring about cultural change in the city through their spheres of influence, that they would seek God with all their hearts. As Jesus reminded us, pray for laborers because the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.
Specific requests for Christian Union New York >
Christian Union Universities
Pray for Christian students, their non-Christian peers, Christian Union Bible courses, the various student organizations that Christian Union serves, and for God to move powerfully on these campuses in the hearts and minds of tomorrow's future leaders.
Join Us in Asking God to Intervene
Psalm 127:1 reminds us that "unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain." We are profoundly aware how reliant we are on God as we seek to make a difference for Him. Any lasting fruit will be the result of His work in the lives of those to whom we minister.We count it a privilege to be involved in the lives of others. Would you please join us in praying for our various ministries?
CHRISTIAN UNION'S UNIVERSITY MINISTRIES
| Brown University | Prayer Requests |
| Columbia University | Prayer Requests |
| Cornell University | Prayer Requests |
| Dartmouth College | Prayer Requests |
| Harvard College | Prayer Requests |
| Harvard Law | Prayer Requests |
| Princeton University | Prayer Requests |
| Stanford University | Prayer Requests |
| University of Pennsylvania | Prayer Requests |
| Yale University | Prayer Requests |
A Free Online Publication
Welcome to The Magazine, Christian Union's online publication of ministry updates, feature stories, and news. Christian Union orignially launched a quarterly magazine, the Ivy League Christian Observer to report on what God was doing at the eight schools that make up the Ivy League. As the scope of Christian Union's ministry grew, the quarterly publication was re-named Christian Union: The Magazine. As Christian Union has continued to evolve and grow so has our desire to provide content to readers and ministry partners in a more current manner, leading us to the launch of our current online publication.Some readers may be disappointed that the print version has ceased to exist, but many have written expressing their desire for online content that is both more easily accessible and sustainable. An archive of past issues is available and can be found in the left column of this page.
The goals of The Magazine are unchanged: to inform Christian alumni, staff, faculty, students, parents, community members, supporters, and friends about the spiritual state of America's most influential universities from a Christian perspective, to encourage followers of Christ to seek God wholeheartedly, and to keep friends of the ministry updated about Christian Union's work to develop Christian leaders to transform culture.
The newly-reimagined The Magazine will feature new articles, features, and updates in an ongoing manner each week. Best articles will be highlighted in our bi-weekly eNewsletter and the ministry emails to subscribers.
If you do not currently subscribe to the eNewsletter, please subscribe here to receive a digest of encouraging and challenging content from a wide range of sources as well as from The Magazine. Alternatively, visit The Magazine's new front page, here.
Christian Scholarship and Apologetics
Tennent Media is a partnership between Christian Union and students on various campuses with the purpose of publicizing the remarkable life, teachings, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.Tennent Media is named after William Tennent, who led a school for itinerant evangelists during the first Great Awakening in the 1730s and 1740s. He trained students in Neshaminy, Pennsylvania, and his death and the subsequent closing of his school led to the founding of Princeton University.
At different times, the students involved have created Web sites for other students, and have created and placed ads in student newspapers.
Ads for—and by—Students
Here are ten examples of ads placed in the Cornell student paper, written by Cornell University students. Similar ads, written by Yale, Harvard and Princeton students, have been run in their respective newspapers:- Life: God made us and gave us life to know and enjoy him
- Life 2: A love that lasts, a purpose to life, eternity in our hearts... because God made us for a relationship in Him
- Death: We have forsaken our relationship with God by rejecting Him, resulting in spiritual death
- Death 2: Loneliness, war, addiction, grief, despair, racism, death... the experience of separation from God
- New Life: God's loving initiative in his son Jesus Christ offers us new life in a renewed relationship with God
- New Life: God became human in Jesus Christ
- New Life: Jesus died the death we deserve to offer us forgiveness and new life
- New Life: Reconciled, freed, healed, accepted, made whole, given new life... because Jesus took what was mine and gave me what was His
- Life or Death: We must choose to trust in Jesus in order to receive new life from God
- Life or Death: Two ways to respond to Jesus
The Ivy League Christian Observer
Download past issues of the Ivy League Christian Observer below. Each of the below links will download the issue to your computer in the Adobe pdf file format.
at Brown University
The Adoniram Judson Ministry Center at Brown is used by campus Christian ministries for fellowship, meals, Bible studies, prayer, training, and administrative work. Learn more about Adoniram Judson in this article from Christian Union: The Magazine.
Judson Center
Address: 168 Lloyd Avenue, Providence, RI 02916
An Effective Way to Meet an Urgent Need
Christian Union was founded in 2002 to develop and connect transformative Christian leaders. This video (4:00) explains the strategic importance of focusing considerable attention and effort on spiritual renewal at some of the nation's most influential universities.Christian Union focuses its energy on developing Christian leaders at the leading universities in America and select cities because of their extraordinary influence on our culture and society. For instance, out of the 3,039 four-year colleges and universities in the country, 68 percent of the most influential leaders in our nation come from the top one percent of schools. Graduates from these schools also have an extraordinary influence on the international scene.
Although some leading universities were founded on Christian conviction, they have become intensely secular. {tweetme}While students are academically bright, they know little about Jesus Christ. Fewer than 10 percent will experience any Christian ministry regularly during their student years.{/tweetme} Even with the help of local churches and national campus ministries, the proportion of Christian involvement and impact on these campuses has not changed in 50 years.
New approaches and energy are urgently needed.
A Strategic Approach
Christian Union takes a unique approach, employing highly qualified ministry faculty and producing an exceptional curriculum to develop Christian leaders. The ministry helps students and professionals discover the intellectual validity of Christian faith, the profound joy of seeking God wholeheartedly, and the practical skills to become significantly more impactful in their spheres of influence. Currently, Christian Union works with students at Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard College, Harvard Law School, Penn, Princeton, Stanford, and Yale.The second part of Christian Union's strategy, beyond working at these key universities, is to develop networks of Christian leaders—alumni from Christian Union ministries and graduate students and professionals—in key cities, including New York City. The pages of history reveal that even small groups of committed, passionate Christian leaders have impacted their respective cultures in different eras.
If you are interested in strengthening Christian influence in the United States, please consider becoming a financial partner, praying, or connecting like-minded friends and colleagues to the ministry.
Learn More
Christian Union is:
Developing Leaders >
With Spiritual Depth >
In Strategic Places >
For Cultural Engagement >
Developing Christian Leaders. Sharing the Vision.
Please select from the following teams to learn about those who lead Christian Union for organizational excellence; those who develop Christian leaders; and those who share the vision for culture change with supporters.
Email any member of the Christian Union team by using the following convention: Firstname.Lastname@ChristianUnion.org.
Protection of Human Life
In virtue of being created in the image of God, human life is sacred. We furthermore affirm that human life begins at conception. Human life is of inestimable worth in all its dimensions, including pre-born babies, the aged, the physically or mentally challenged, and every other stage or condition from conception through natural death. We are therefore called to defend, protect, and value all human life.
Opposition to Racial Discrimination
In virtue of being created in the image of God, people of all ethnicities, nationalities, and races are of equal worth. Furthermore, the diversity of human cultures, languages, experiences, and individual makeup is intended by God and showcases his creativity and diversity. Jesus has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation, uniting them in himself in a glorious display of God’s love and unity. Therefore Christians have the responsibility to oppose any form of ethnic, national, or racial discrimination.
Care for the Poor
In virtue of being created in the image of God, people of all socioeconomic backgrounds and statuses are of equal worth. Furthermore, God defends the cause of the fatherless, the widow, the alien, and the poor, and Christ rescued us when we were poor and helpless. Those who have been made new in Christ and who seek to serve God will likewise defend the cause of the oppressed and show compassion to the poor. Therefore Christians have the responsibility to aid the poor and needy.
Stewardship of the Environment
In virtue of the earth being created by God and graciously given to humanity as its habitat and physical means of sustenance for the purposes of human flourishing, Christians have the responsibility to steward the environment in a way that brings glory to God and shows love to others.
Justice and Integrity in Government
In virtue of God’s governance of world affairs, his desire for justice, and the Christian’s call to pray for government leaders for the sake of peaceful and just societies, Christians have the responsibility to seek integrity among government officials and that they would promote justice in broader society.
Financial Generosity
In virtue of God’s generosity and the biblical call to love God more than money, to be generous, and to steward resources wisely, Christians have the responsibility to avoid greed, consumerism, and materialism and to give generously and sacrificially for the sake of making disciples of Jesus Christ, relieving human suffering, and blessing others.
Our Lord Jesus Christ, though he was rich, became poor for our sake, that through his poverty we might become rich. These riches––physical, spiritual, relational, and otherwise––Christ gives to his church in part even now and in their fullness in the life to come. When we sow these riches bountifully, using the varied abundance God has given each of us to supply the needs of others, we will also reap bountifully. God will multiply our seed for sowing and increase the harvest of our righteousness, enriching us to be generous in every way. We therefore joyfully affirm God’s principle that we reap what we sow, for our joy and good and for his glory, and we thank God for this inexpressible gift!
However, God makes his grace and gifts abound to us not so that we may serve our remaining selfishness or greed, but so that we may abound in good works and increase the harvest of our righteousness. We also recognize that the Holy Spirit distributes the varied gifts and riches of God through Christ’s merit, not our own, and sovereignly, as he wills and not necessarily as we will. Furthermore, we will nevertheless face trouble in this world until our Lord comes again to renew it. The chief and only assured blessing among these riches is restored fellowship God, now and forever. We therefore deny any teaching that offers blessings of our choosing––health, wealth, or any other––as God’s assured promises in this life.
Affirmation of the Image of God in Male and Female
In virtue of all people being created uniquely, distinctly, and equally in the image of God as male and female and being called to live holy lives with respect to sexuality, Christians have the responsibility to affirm marriage, legally and morally as exclusively between one man and one woman as the only place for legitimate expression of God’s gift of sexuality. Christian ministers are obligated to teach and defend God’s truth in these matters. They have no recourse to allow other Christians or Christian ministers to hold views different than those stated above, without refuting them. Furthermore, all Christians have the responsibility to flee all manner of sexual immorality, including fornication, pornography, adultery, and homosexuality in their personal lives and romantic relationships.
See also our Statement of Faith
