September 14, 2015
In an article published in Canon and Culture, Barrett Duke makes the argument that the secret to transforming culture lies not in legislation alone, but in the arts: Without doubt, our nation’s dilemma is principally spiritual in nature. Our culture is decaying because too many of us are living without God in our lives. The church must take this seriously and do all it can to call men, women and children to faith in God through Jesus Christ. The surest way to cultural change is for people to be transformed spiritually by God. The work of evangelism and disciple-making is, and will always be, the church’s most important work.
September 10, 2015
Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. — Hebrews 4:14-16
Overcoming Pride and Anxiety
By Chris Matthews From Yale Faith & Action
What motivates you everyday to do the things you do? Two common motivators for us tend to be pride and anxiety. In this lecture, we look at what God says should motivate us in all things and how to overcome pride and anxiety as our primary motivators... Listen Now >
September 8, 2015
When someone has an irrational fear, no trained psychologist advises them to completely remove themselves from that which causes them discomfort. This approach does nothing in the way of overcoming fear; in fact, it amplifies it—feeding the fear of even encountering fear. Yet most American universities today are coddling their students’ minds, allowing them to wrap themselves in an offense-free cocoon that decelerates their maturation, leaving them unprepared for the life that awaits them after college.In the past five years, American college campuses have seen a remarkable rise in the usage ofthe term “microaggression.” Microaggressions are defined as “small actions or word choices that seem on their face to have no malicious intent but that are thought of as a kind of violence nonetheless.” For instance, asking a person of Asian descent for help with math could be considered a microaggression. In this charged atmosphere, one could characterize simply throwing a football to an African American in a pick-up football game when there are other people open to be one as well.
August 27, 2015
Flowers and bees work together to ensure each other’s reproduction. Wolves hunt in packs to efficiently kill their prey. Humans come together and form families, communities, and nations. Achievement through relationships is clearly life’s modus operandi, ordained by God. Men succeed in loving God and each other through relationships. How then, can we seek God through our relationships? Human relationships are part of God’s creative design. When God made man, He made him in His image. God is a Trinitarian being—a unified relationship in itself. Then, once God made Adam, he created Eve as his companion. God made men and women to serve, love, and protect each other. We see this relational imperative throughout Scripture.
August 26, 2015
Therefore let us be grateful for receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, and thus let us offer to God acceptable worship, with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire. — Hebrews 12:28-29
Face to Face: Developing Intimacy with God
By Rob Reimer From Harvard College Faith & Action
Have you ever felt like God is a distant phenomenon with little interaction in your daily life? Do you wish that He would speak a little louder and a little more often? That your relationship with Him would be more of an amalgamation of friend and father than stodgy professor? Pastor Rob Reimer, from South Shore Community Church, spoke at Harvard College Faith & Action's Doxa, Christian Union's leadership lecture series at Harvard, on how to develop intimacy with God through the Holy Spirit... Watch Now >
August 25, 2015
Developing Intimacy with God
Have you ever felt like God is a distant phenomenon with little interaction in your daily life? Do you wish that He would speak a little louder and a little more often? That your relationship with Him would be more of an amalgamation of friend and father than stodgy professor? Pastor Rob Reimer, from South Shore Community Church, spoke at HCFA's DOXA, Christian Union's leadership lecture series at Harvard, on how to develop intimacy with God through the Holy Spirit. (46:35)
August 19, 2015
Fyodor Dostoevsky’s The Brothers Karamazov is primarily a novel about the meaning of suffering. For this reason, it is fitting that Dostoevsky would choose Job as his main vehicle of philosophical thought. Job is considered the best work on suffering produced in the ancient world, chiefly because it focuses on an age-old philosophical question that remains relevant to us today: why is there suffering in the world? Dostoevsky evokes the story of Job with The Brothers Karamazov; the three titular brothers each representing something of Job himself in their differing perspectives on suffering. Ivan Karamazov, the eldest, voices what Job only hints at: some suffering is simply incomprehensible; God might not be just and righteous after all. The second brother, Alyosha, affirms with Job that God is good and suffering will be surely be redeemed. Dmitri, the third brother, surprisingly, comes closest to Job overall: neither despairing of God’s goodness entirely nor claiming to understand his circumstances. The brothers’ reflections and interactions take place against of a backdrop of sparring claims about God and the human condition: is God just? Is He loving? Is suffering a form of divine cruelty, or a powerful vehicle for God’s redemptive purposes?
August 12, 2015
Heal me, Lord, and I will be healed; save me and I will be saved, for You are the one I praise. — Jeremiah 17:14
The Marketplace and Social Shalom
By Dr. Anthony Bradley From ChristianUnion.org
Dr. Anthony Bradley, professor, public intellectual, and author was the featured speaker at New York City Christian Union's July 2015 Forum. Dr. Bradley explores the implications of understanding business as a social justice vocation by nature and defines the ways in which marketplace leaders are invaluable as the primary change agents for communities seeking to help the poor and bring peace... Watch Here >
August 11, 2015
In the wake of the Supreme Court’s egregious same-sex “marriage” ruling, the church faces a host of challenges. The secular gospel of sexual liberation as a human right has captured the public imagination, thanks especially to the aggressive marketing of corporate and media establishments. Marketing ploys portray a confused and deeply harmful view of sexuality, one that debases men and women, as “beautiful and true.” How can the church help expose the flawed logic of the sexual revolution and bring hope and healing to society? First and foremost, the church needs to be persuasive to the up and coming generation. Too many times has the church come across as irrelevant or even oppressive. The church must present a compelling response to the “liberating” claim of the sexual revolution, exposing this claim for the lie that it is and fleshing out a biblical alternative that is more fulfilling and life-giving individually and socially. To be effective, this articulation must not be confined to like-minded circles, but fully conversant with the predominant secular narrative, going toe-to-toe with its best spokespeople.
July 16, 2015
The LORD is my strength and my shield; in Him my heart trusts, and I am helped; my heart exults, and with my song I give thanks to Him. The LORD is the strength of his people; He is the saving refuge of his anointed. — Psalm 28:7-8
All Christians are Gospel Missionaries
By Lorri Bentch From ChristianUnion.org
Every Christian, regardless of which career path he or she is pursuing, is called to make disciples. In this recording from Rooted, the Christian Union Leadership Lecture Series at Yale, Christian Union Vice President of Operations Lorri Bentch challenges all believers to be disciple-makers — to be missionaries — within their respective spheres of influence... Listen Here >
July 3, 2015
Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. — Romans 5:1-2
Perspectives on Obergefell
By Various From First Things
How should we respond to the ruling by the Supreme Court in Obergefell v. Hodges that there is a constitutional right to same-sex marriage? What’s next?... Read More Here >
June 18, 2015
Every good thing given and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow. — James 1:17
Bored to Life: Secularism and its Malcontents
By Scott Jones From Princeton Faith and Action
Do all of your earthly accomplishments end up feeling like hurdles on an endless path? Christian Union Ministry Fellow at Princeton, Scott Jones, speaks at Encounter, the weekly leadership lecture series resourced and supported by Christian Union at Princeton... Watch It Here >
June 14, 2015
...to Make Disciples
by Rebekah Hannah
We are all disciples of someone.
We all have someone in mind we want to emulate. We dress like others. We talk like others. We do what other people say is best. We take pieces of other people and put them together to build the best version of who we want to be. Whether good or bad, we all emulate someone who came before us. That being said, we also have more influence than we could possibly imagine.
June 14, 2015
Family Helps Next Generation Grow to Spiritual Maturity
by Sarah CampWhen Tim Kuo '96 arrived at Princeton as an undergraduate, he wanted to be part of a Christian community, but admits he didn't expect Christ to be central to his college experience.June 14, 2015
A Biblical Theology for Changing Times
by Michael J. Wilkins
As I stand on a bluff overlooking the blue Pacific Ocean near our home in Southern California, I watch lines of waves forming far out on the horizon. The waves that finally break near shore are much larger today than normal.
I check out the surf report and find that these waves were generated by a monstrous storm. The weather is sunny and calm where I stand, but the waves that break below me were generated by a ferocious, hurricane-force storm many days ago and thousands of miles away off of the tip of New Zealand.If I am to surf these waves effectively, I need to know as much as possible about their size, power, direction, and speed.Similarly, as we stand here, midway through the second decade of the 21st century, waves of various kinds of practices, fads, and styles continue to sweep upon the church.
June 14, 2015
Christian Union Ministry Fellow Leads by Example
by Eileen Scott, Senior Writer
While Christian Union faculty teach rigorous and intellectually rich Bible courses to students at some of the nation's leading universities, they also walk alongside the young adults through troubling times, stressful semesters, and doubts about their faith. Serving as role models and mentors, ministry fellows like Scott Jones open their hearts and lives to students, emulating Christ as they share what it means to live a seeking God lifestyle.
June 14, 2015
Christian Union Ministry Fellow Leads by Example
Students Exhibit Boldness in Speech Class
by Eileen Scott, Senior WriterTwo students took a classroom assignment and used it for God's glory, buoyed by the strength and courage they received from participating in Christian Union's ministry at Cornell.In their Oral Communications class, Elisabeth Mistur '17 and Nashon Garrett '16 each chose to present a position that runs contrary to popular views. Mistur discussed the public policy issue of whether to require women to view their ultrasounds before an abortion; Garrett spoke about creation being taught alongside evolution in science classes.
June 14, 2015
CU Ministry Hosts Panel on Race
by Eileen Scott, Senior WriterWhat does the Gospel have to say about race?That was a question asked by students involved with Christian Union's ministry at Columbia University this winter.As the fall semester was coming to a close, Jim Black, Christian Union's ministry director at Columbia, and Yolanda Solomon, a ministry fellow, encouraged the students to be a voice on campus following nationwide racial unrest.
June 14, 2015
CU Faculty Helps Law Students Maintain Balance
by Eileen Scott, Senior WriterBeing a Harvard Law student is quite a challenge. Add being a spouse and parent, and you've got a balancing act to rival the Flying Wallendas. Some Harvard Law students with families are maintaining equilibrium by keeping their eyes on Christ and following the lead of Christian Union faculty at Harvard Law School.
June 14, 2015
Christian Union Hosts Wintersession Lectures
by Catherine Elvy, Staff WriterA group of students with Christian Union's ministry at Harvard College probed some of Christianity's toughest questions during the Wintersession break.In collaboration with Ravi Zacharias International Ministries, the students hosted three talks in January in Boylston Hall to examine questions that are core to the faith. The topics included the resurrection of Christ, the intersection of science and faith, and why God is sometimes perceived as hidden.
