Yale

By chuck hetzler

The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so.  – Acts 17:10-11

The Bible says that the Bereans were “more noble” than the Thessalonians because they were eager to hear what Paul and Silas had to say. They did not quickly take offense to the concept of a suffering Savior, crucified as a criminal, and raised from death to life as the victorious Son of God. They did not consider it inconceivable that God could fulfill thousands of years of prophecies in this God-Man, Jesus of Nazareth. Some people today can be quickly triggered when hearing unfamiliar messages, but such a reaction is ignoble and immature. We should be able to hear different views and then patiently weigh and test them through the Scriptures, just as the Bereans did. 

Christian Union America's Mentoring Program Launches Alumni Well

By christine foster

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their labor: If either of them falls down, one can help the other up. But pity anyone who falls and has no one to help them up.  - Ecclesiastes 4:9-10

For many Christians, the most challenging phase of life begins the moment they graduate from college. Robust discipleship, through which many students grew strong in college, suddenly disappears. The members of their Bible Course group scatter across the country and around the world. Young graduates suddenly find themselves in a new city, with a demanding job, and no home church. Christian Union’s Alumni Mentoring Program aims to smooth this time, by equipping these graduates with some support. The intention is to see these new alumni continue to network with other faithful people and grow into the full Christian leaders God intends for them to be.

A Devotional 

By qwynn gross

If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, you will ask what you desire, and it shall be done for you.  - John 15:7, NKJV

The Word of God is the bedrock, basis, and fabric of Christianity; spoken in the beginning and framing the world in which creation lives, the Word is the manna from heaven that became flesh and dwelled amongst man, written on tablets of stone and transferred to man’s heart so that all would be warned and find great reward, the Word was given to one, Adam, and defied by two, Adam and Eve; a covenant to be kept by a nation astray in heart but upheld by the Savior who would be faithful and true. Established as the one thing that will never pass away, neither return to God void, the Word of God is the Truth that endures forever, and that must abide in every believer, as imitators of Christ, that prayers may be answered, faith can be seen, and fruit is produced. 

FCA v San Jose Unified School District

By erin conner

In an article on the FIRE (The Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression) website, Robert Shibley reports that in 2019, at a high school in California, Fellowship of Christian Athletes' (FCA) recognition as a student group was revoked for requiring that student leaders comply with their statements of belief. These statements align with the basic tenets of Christian theology.

On September 13, 2023, belief-based student groups won an important victory in the lawsuit that followed, Fellowship of Christian Athletes v. San Jose Unified School District, which restored the ability of many such groups to meet on public campuses and schools in the many western states covered by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. 

Christian Union Bible Courses Challenge Students

By erin conner

Intellectual engagement, one of the six core values of Christian Union, embraces God’s command for us to love God with all our mind. (Mark 12:30) As a result of the desire to intellectually engage university students to build faithful leaders, Christian Union offers rigorous Bible Courses.

Students involved in Christian Union ministries in the fall semester of 2023 have an opportunity to join a 10-lesson study on the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Colossians, which is often referred to as a “prison letter,” as Paul wrote it while “in chains.” (Colossians 4:3, 10, 18.)  

Ministry Snapshot: Christian Union Vita at Cornell University

By erin conner

“Let us not love with words or tongue, but with actions and in truth.”  - 1 John 3:10

In February of 2023, Marcus Buckley and his wife, Lea Ann, packed up their life in Florida as church leaders to move to Ithaca, New York to answer God’s call to serve Cornell students.

This call did not come without sacrifice. 

Three Lessons in Revival

By erin conner

In this article published by Desiring God, Pastor Jeremy Walker writes a brief summary and analysis of the revival that took place in Wales, England in the  1700's. 

Walker notably writes that “the Lord was pleased to stir the listless and lethargic to liveliness and labor during the 18th Century in various parts of the world by various human instruments. In England, God raised up George Whitefield. In America… Jonathan Edwards, and in Wales… Daniel Rowland.” 

Announcing the October 13-14 CU Fire National Simulcast Retreat 

By grace ann arvey

CU Fire Retreats—quarterly simulcast retreats for believers across America—help participants experience spiritual rejuvenation and encouragement with their friends, their church, or any other Christian community to which they belong, from the comfort of their own homes. The next CU Fire Retreat will take place October 13-14, 2023.

God is at Work Through CU's Freshman Welcoming Campaign

By erin conner

The great commission of Jesus Christ, to his followers, is to “go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.” (Matthew 28:19-20)

At universities across America, students entering college can discover a culture that seems to silence discourse about existential purpose and meaning; about faith and God. This is especially true at the ten academic institutions where Christian Union serves. To follow the great commission in these contexts requires courage to resist the pattern of this world. 

A Devotional

By dr. Marcus buckley

Since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for “All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of grass. The grass withers and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.” – 1 Peter 1:23-25 

“The grass is always greener on the other side.” It has been said that cliches which linger in our vocabulary do so because they have a strong element of truth, and the endurance of this statement is good evidence. How many times have we been enticed to wander off to pastures a deeper shade of emerald, only to find that they are filled with problems not readily visible from a distance?

An Update

By erin conner

Fasting and prayer are two spiritual disciplines recorded in Scripture that help to align people’s hearts with the Lord’s. Which is why, in part, Christian Union America leads two nationwide fasts each year toward its mission to develop and connect transformative Christian leaders for national revival and reformation. As Chuck Hetzler, Vice President of Biblical theology for Christian Union, states, “the Scriptures are clear: God is moved by the humility that fasting demonstrates when it is combined with proper attitudes and actions surrendered to God’s ways.” 

Currently, one of CU America’s bi-annual fasts is underway. It began on Tuesday, August 1 with 5,175 participants from across the country and will continue through Monday, August 14, 2023. Approximately a quarter of the participants involved in this fast are alumni from our nation’s top 30 colleges and universities. 

CU Lux Will Host Carter Conlon of Times Square Church

By Anne Kerhoulas

Christian Union Lux will host the Worldwide Prayer Meeting on Wednesday, April 19, 2023. The Worldwide Prayer Meeting began in 2015 as a prayer ministry of The Times Square Church in NYC. For the past eight years, the gathering has challenged believers to seek the Lord in prayer, crying out to Him on behalf of their churches, families, and nation. 

CU Lux Student Starts Mental Health Support Group

By Anne Kerhoulas

The stats are in and the outlook is bleak: universities are failing to provide adequate mental health services for their students. While the pandemic has certainly worsened the situation, the crisis was in full swing before lockdowns and remote learning. And at top-tier universities where the pressure to perform is the daily sustenance for most students, the mental health of students is even more grim. 

Universities Experience Spiritual Awakening

By Anne Kerhoulas

Editors Note: In light of the recent moves of the Spirit at Asbury University, Lee University, and Samford University, this article from the spring of 2022 is more relevant than ever.

“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

The Heart of Christian Union's Mission

Freshmen Launched Prayer and Fasting Team 

By Tom Campisi

When two first-year Yale University students studied Christian Union’s Seeking God Lifestyle manual they put their faith into action and displayed exemplary leadership. In the spring semester, Yoska Guta and Zaneta Otoo, attendees of a Christian Lux Bible course, stepped up and launched a prayer and fasting team that had a passion for revival.

Christian Union Hosts Impactful Student Conference

By Tom Campisi, Managing Editor

At the conclusion of the academic year, Christian Union hosted Spiritus, a two-week-long, invitation-only conference that introduced students to Daniel Spirituality and inspired them to be transformative Christian leaders. Spiritus, held at the D.L. Moody Center in Northfield, Massachusetts, featured doctrinal teaching with an emphasis on prayer, fasting, and repentance.

Recent Alumni - In Their Own Words

Editor’s Note: The following article contains first-person accounts from alumni who were actively involved in CU Lux, Christian Union’s ministry at Yale University. 

Fondly Remembering An Evangelistic Blitz from 1985

By Tom Campisi, Managing Editor

Christian Union is currently in the midst of an ambitious evangelistic initiative called CU Rise, which includes social media campaigns and outreaches at the nine universities where it hosts leadership development ministries. CU Rise will run for eight weeks.

Yale Students Find Ways to Share their Faith Despite COVID-19

By Kelly Parks, Staff Writer

Editor's note: This Throwback Thursday article originally appeared on our site in January of 2021 as ministries like CU Lux at Yale were adapting to the challenges and restrictions of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

“Why do Christians believe what they believe?” It’s a question that has intrigued our world for centuries. While cultural Christianity may have sufficed as a reason for some to associate with the Church in years past, in our increasingly secular age, Christians must think more critically about what they believe, and more importantly, why they believe it.