Christian Union Celebrates 20th Anniversary
By Anne Kerhoulas, Staff Writer
“They say Aslan is on the move—perhaps he has already landed.”
And now a very curious thing happened. None of the children knew who Aslan was any more than you do; but the moment the Beaver had spoken these words everyone felt quite different....At the name of Aslan each one of the children felt something jump in its inside. Edmund felt a sensation of mysterious horror. Peter felt suddenly brave and adventurous. Susan felt as if some delicious smell or some delightful strain of music had just floated by her. And Lucy got the feeling you have when you wake up in the morning and realize that it is the beginning of the holidays or the beginning of summer. - C.S. Lewis, The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe
Christian Union file photo (Harvard University)Harvard, Yale, Columbia, Princeton, the University of Pennsylvania, Brown, Cornell, Dartmouth—most people recognize these schools for their prestigious status as some of our nation's top universities. But for Christian Union, it’s a ministry field of enormous potential. And for the past 20 years, Aslan has been on the move—perhaps already landed.
What CS Lewis so imaginatively describes in his book—Aslan the Lion returning to His Kingdom in justice, truth, and power—is what the ministry faculty and staff of Christian Union have been watching unfold over the past two decades. Students hearing the gospel, repenting and believing, seeking God, and running in the ways of Christ. Truly, what’s happening on these campuses through the work of Christian Union is a reawakening to the person of Christ, the movement of His Spirit, and the will of the Father.
Twenty years ago, Matt Bennett founded Christian Union as a leadership development ministry designed to engage students with the gospel, disciple them in the way of Jesus, and equip them as Christian leaders to go into their spheres of influence with a bold faith and a hunger for revival.
Through the diligent work of seminary-trained ministry faculty, students began rigorous Bible courses, received one-on-one discipleship, heard challenging lectures from local professors and acclaimed thinkers, and were tasked to lead in almost every possible capacity within the ministry. Aslan was on the move. (article continues after photo)
Christian Union file photo (Cornell University)
The fruit was immediate, and by God’s grace, Bennett’s mission expanded from Princeton to Harvard to Yale, then Columbia, Dartmouth, Harvard Law School, University of Pennsylvania, Brown, and finally Stanford. At each campus, Christian Union sought to instill something often lost in modern Christianity—a serious pursuit of God every day by those who call themselves Christians. In addition to impacting college students, Christian Union’s vision has expanded over the years to include alumni and adults through its CU Day and Night ministry.
The Seeking God Lifestyle, which is a five-week Bible course taught to first-year college students, was developed as a way to teach the fundamentals of Christian living. Marked by daily time in Scripture and prayer, spiritual disciplines like fasting, church attendance and involvement, and other foundational tenets of the faith, Bennett desired to see students—and Christians everywhere—return to a way of living that actually reflected the beliefs we declare: radical dependence upon the Spirit, obedience to Christ, and a passion to share the good news.
Christian Union file photo (Dartmouth)In an era where the dissonance between what Christians say they believe and how they live out their faith has never been greater, the work of Christian Union is narrowing the gap as mature, godly students are graduating each year and embarking on a life marked by Christ. As Christian Union celebrates its 20th anniversary this year, we thank God for the thousands of students who have prayed for their campuses, shared the gospel with their friends, grown to maturity in Christ, and lit a spark of faith at universities that have been dwelling in deep darkness.
Praise God that He is with us and for us and continuing to work through the ministry of Christian Union to raise up the next generation of faithful men and women who will declare His goodness, His power, and His grace. Surely, Aslan is on the move.
RELATED: Want to go deeper in your faith? Click here to receive a free download of Christian Union’s "Seeking God Lifestyle” Bible Course Manual.
