February 15, 2015
Day Thirty-Five Devotional
My three teenage daughters, much like the college students I know, live in a state of almost constant sleep deprivation due to the pressure of extracurricular activities and academics. Breaks in the schedule, such as the one we just had over Christmas, provide welcome opportunities to catch up on sleep. Slumber is perhaps more desired than anything under the Christmas tree!We know our bodies need rest, and anyone who has battled insomnia knows that a good night’s sleep is a blessing from the Lord. But we’ve also all experienced that too much sleep can make us lethargic and dull. Spiritual sleepiness is the counterpart to the physical manifestation, and Scripture is full of warnings against it, such as: “awake, O Sleeper!” (Ephesians 5:14), “wake up from your slumber!” (Romans 13:11), and “wake up from your drunken stupor” (1 Corinthians 15:34). In Revelation 3, in the word to the church in Sardis, this sobering judgment is given by the angel:February 12, 2015
Penn Student Seeks to Establish Peer Counseling
Roy Lan cares about people.From assisting in cancer research and volunteering for the welfare of children, to participating in model UN at the University of Pennsylvania, the breadth of his compassion is evident. This semester, Lan is extending a helping hand even further as he spearheads a new organization that seeks to come alongside students that struggle to care for themselves.As a response to the several suicides at Penn in the last year and a half, Lan is working to establish a student-run peer counseling organization for undergraduates. And he credits Christian Union's ministry at Penn with helping him develop the leadership skills needed to form the new organization.February 10, 2015
A Devotional from the 40 Days Initiative
Day 30“Beware of practicing your righteousness before other people in order to be seen by them...” - Matthew 6:1 “And when you pray, you must not be like the hypocrites.” - Matthew 6:5 “And when you fast, do not look gloomy like the hypocrites...” - Matthew 6:16February 10, 2015
In the face of increasingly distressing forms of secularity in our culture, Christianity appears to be making a resurgence, growing stronger and becoming more widespread across the U.S. According to a new Pew Research Study, 73 percent of American adults believe Jesus was born to a virgin, and 65 percent believe the full Christmas story. This is encouraging news, and a stark contrast to the 14 percent of U.S. adults who do not believe either of these elements.
January 29, 2015
Wall Street Journal Article Shows How Christians Can Positively Engage the Culture Around Them
Author Eric Metaxas wrote an exceptionally popular article for the Wall Street Journal concerning God, faith, and science in 2014. Since its publication, the article has gained traction in both Christian and scientific circles, attracting both critics and advocates alike. Metaxas supports the idea that scientific research increasingly points to the existence of a universal creator, drawing attention to recent findings that exemplify exactly how unlikely it is that a series of random events led to creation as we know it. He writes:January 27, 2015
A Devotional from the 40 Days Initiative
Day 16“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” - 2 Corinthians 5:17In the fall of 1740, Harvard College tutor Daniel Rogers was eager to learn of an impending visit to the New England colonies by Anglican clergyman and transatlantic revivalist, the Reverend George Whitefield.A 1725 graduate of Harvard College, Rogers was anticipating appointment to a pastoral position with Boston’s New North Church when he first had opportunity to hear Whitefield preach. Although raised in a Congregational home and familiar with the orthodoxy common to the “New England Way,” Rogers had not personally entered into a saving relationship with Jesus Christ despite his familiarity with Christian doctrine.January 23, 2015
Day Twelve Devotional
During this season of seeking God in prayer and fasting, having extra time to meditate on the Holy Scriptures provides great strengthening. Given the worth of the Bible, it's important that our trust in its teachings not be undermined, which is why it is helpful to take a brief look at the controversial subject of "slavery" in the New Testament. A cursory reading of the New Testament could lead someone to believe that New World Slavery, as we experienced in American history, is acceptable practice for the Christian, yet other passages in the New Testament seem to condemn the practice. How do we reconcile this?December 30, 2014
Seeking God & Building Bridges
Princeton alumnus, Cambridge University MPhil, and current California Berkeley PhD student Dave Kurz grew up in a Christian home, but faith was not the center of his life until he went to college and began attending Christian Union bible courses. Hear how these experiences helped shape his beliefs and led him to earnestly seek God.
December 4, 2014
Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his love endures forever — 1 Chronicles 16:34
Bearing God's Name in Vain
By Nick Nowalk From ChristianUnion.org
Earlier in 2014, Christian Union Teaching Fellow Nick Nowalk delivered a plenary presentation at the Ivy League Congress on Faith and Action, on perhaps the least understood of the ten commandments. Watch the video (45:26) or listen to the audio.Read More >
Sixth Court Sanity
By R. R. RenoFrom First Things
It was a relief to read the measured, intelligent analysis of Judge Jeffrey Sutton. He wrote the majority opinion for a Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals panel. It determined that state laws defining marriage as between a man and a woman do not violate the U.S. Constitution.Read More >
Religion in China - Cracks in the Atheist Edifice
From The Economist
The Rapid Spread of Christianity is Forcing an Official Rethink on Religion. The coastal city of Wenzhou is sometimes called China’s Jerusalem. Ringed by mountains and far from the capital, Beijing, it has long been a haven for a religion that China’s Communist leaders view with deep unease: Christianity.Read More >
Seeking God
From ChristianUnion.org
One of Christian Union's distinctives is its emphasis on a seeking God lifestyle. Learn more about the process of drawing close to God.Read More >
Multiplying Sorrows: the Folly of Idolatry
By Scott Jones From ChristianUnion.org
What do you most often wake up thinking about? When your head hits the pillow at night, where do your thoughts most often go? Such questions are helpful in identifying idols in our lives. As pastor and author Tim Keller so skillfully reminds us, what we most desire in life...Read More >
Listening to Young Atheists: Lessons for a Stronger Christianity
By Larry Alex Taunton From The Atlantic
When a Christian foundation interviewed college nonbelievers about how and why they left religion, surprising themes emerged.Read More >
You are Invited to Attend the NYC 2014 Benefit Event, Honoring Professor Robert P. George
From ChristianUnion.org
At the New York City Benefit Event on December 9, Christian Union will celebrate all that God is doing in students' lives at eight strategic universities and will present the Christian Leader of the Year Award to Robert P. George.
Please join us for an inspiring evening.Learn More >
Prayer Requests
Pray for the ongoing discussion of sex and spirituality at Harvard. The Christian Union faculty have spent the last two weeks addressing a wide range of topics relating to sexuality and have seen the students grow in a deeper understanding of the Gospel.
Pray for students at Dartmouth who are in the midst of their final exams. Also pray for students to continue to pursue a lifestyle of seeking God during the upcoming five-week break between quarters.
Praise the Lord for stirring up students at Brown to seek Him and for the evidence of their developing community — please pray that this would continue.
November 19, 2014
The Lord is merciful and gracious,
slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide,
nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins,
nor repay us according to our iniquities. For as high as the heavens are above the earth,
so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
as far as the east is from the west,
so far does he remove our transgressions from us. — Psalm 103:8-12
A Video Interview with Norm Miller
By Matt Bennett From ChristianUnion.org
At the Christian Union Benefit Event and Celebration in October, in Dallas, Interstate Batteries Chairman Norm Miller was honored as the Texas Christian Leader of the Year. In this video (length 31:16), Norm is interviewed during the event by Christian Union's president.Watch now >
Earlybird Ticket Deadline for NYC Benefit Event Today
From ChristianUnion.org
You are invited to join us in New York City for the second of two 2014 Christian Union Benefit Events and Celebrations. The event will be in New York on December 9th, and tickets are still available. Young adult prices are available as well. Come to celebrate God's work and greatness, and hear from honoree Prof. Robert P. George, who will be honored during the event.Read More >
November 10, 2014
Princeton Professor Exhorts International Students
By Catherine Elvy, Staff WriterMiracles serve as a profound revelation of the love of God, who also actively sustains creation.The Lord demonstrated immeasurable compassion toward mankind in the greatest miracle of the universe, namely the resurrection of Christ from the dead."I believe in the grand miracle," said Robert Prud'homme, a Princeton University professor of chemical and biological engineering, during a recent dinner for International Students, Inc. "There is nothing more miraculous than that."
November 8, 2014
California's De-Recognition of InterVarsity Raises Concerns
by Catherine Elvy, Staff WriterCampus ministries are facing a mounting series of equal-access challenges from colleges across the nation.Among the action, California's public university system recently denied recognition to InterVarsity Christian Fellowship because it requires student leaders to observe Christian beliefs.In September, the California State University ended recognition for InterVarsity's chapters because they mandate student leaders to adhere to Christian doctrine."This could be the tipping point of other university systems moving in this direction, so that's why we are concerned," said Alec Hill, president of InterVarsity, in an article for Christianity Today. "It's as if the First Amendment now protects Greeks, but not religious folks, which is Alice in Wonderland stuff."November 8, 2014
Edifying, Serving the Body of Christ
by Dr. Craig S. KeenerPaul declares that we are the body of Christ with many members. He then elaborates on some of the varied gifts God has graciously given us to serve the rest of Christ's body. Because Paul is simply offering samples, he provides several different lists that include a variety of ministries. These gifts for helping the other members in Christ's body include such diverse ministries as giving, teaching, prophesying, speaking wisely, healings, worship leading, and evangelism (Rom. 12:6-8; 1 Cor. 12:8-10, 28-30; 14:26; Eph. 4:11).Paul nowhere distinguishes between what we might call supernatural and potentially natural gifts.November 8, 2014
Dartmouth Students Pledge Devotion to Christ
by Eileen Scott, Senior WriterDartmouth College, often seen as a poster school for parties and raucous Greek life, recently garnered media attention for sexual assaults, alcohol infractions, and abusive hazing practices.However, there are a few voices crying out in the wilderness, and they are resonating from within a fraternity house.A handful of Christian young men at Dartmouth have found a home at the Beta Alpha Omega Fraternity and, despite the debauchery associated with Greek life, have assimilated with their faith, morals, and dignity intact. And that, they say, is the result of prayerful preparation and intentional faith.
November 8, 2014
Columbia Pitcher Is a Leader with Christian Union
by Catherine Elvy, Staff WriterA pitcher on Columbia University's baseball team recently paused to reflect on his faith after he was among 11 players to win All-Ivy League status.Adam Cline, who touts Christian Union's leadership development ministry at Columbia among his favorite collegiate activities, received the honor in May, less than a week after the Lions clinched the Ivy League Championship for the second season in a row."I pray before every game," said Cline,November 8, 2014
Harvard Alumnus Embraces Christian Union's Holistic Approach
by Sarah Camp, Contributing EditorFor Harvard alumnus Tony Cimmarrusti and his wife Martha, supporting causes they care about is an endeavor to model the love of Christ, and it is something that "is a major fabric in the life of our family."Cimmarrusti (Harvard '81, HBS '86) is CEO and co-founder, with Bryce Gray, of Majestic Capital Management. In a dynamic, wide-ranging career, he has worked on Wall Street and at the Chicago Board of Trade; developed real estate; led numerous family offices; and served as CIO for the Majesty Fund since 1995. He explains how he and his wife discern which charitable organizations to support,
November 8, 2014
Scholar Sheds Light on Campus Hookup Culture
By Luke Foster, Columbia '15The first few weeks of classes are always an overwhelming time for new students on Ivy League campuses. The pace and pressures begin to mount; stress increases, if anything, faster than the workload. And these first weeks are also a proving ground for the moral and spiritual decisions that shape college experiences and lives to come. The party and hookup culture plays a major role. It's easy to think that hooking up is the only way to have fun, and many students from Christian backgrounds turn away from their faith to follow a seductive path.At Columbia, the dark underbelly of the hookup culture has been vividly highlighted in recent weeks.November 8, 2014
Princeton Ministry Fellow Leads Missions Trip
by Eileen Scott, Senior WriterA former basketball coach for an elite high school program, James Fields approaches ministry with the same intensity, helping university students achieve victory through Christ.Case in point was a missions trip to Mawanga, Uganda, sponsored by Christian Union this summer. Fields, a Christian Union ministry fellow at Princeton, and Asha Garretson, a Christian Union ministry fellow at Cornell, led the missions team, which was comprised of six students from Cornell, Harvard, Yale, and Dartmouth.November 8, 2014
‘Life in the Spirit and Life of the Mind’
Christian Union: The Magazine recently interviewed Quincy Watkins, pastor of the Neighborhood Church in greater Philadelphia, on the topic of spiritual gifts. Rev. Watkins previously served with Christian Union as a ministry fellow and worked at McKinsey & Company after earning an MBA ('95) in business at The Wharton School.CU: How did you become a Christian and when did you embrace spiritual gifts?QW: At the age of 15, I became a Christian in a small Pentecostal church. My first experience with spiritual gifts (at the age of 16) was both powerful and overwhelming. After an intense season of fasting and prayer, I experienced many visions and prophetic words about people and their circumstances. Over the years, I've learned how to harness and cultivate my spiritual gifts. I still have so much to learn. I'm humbled that God would use someone like me.November 6, 2014
"It is good to give thanks to the LORD to sing praises to your name, O Most High; to declare your steadfast love in the morning, and your faithfulness by night." — Psalm 92:1
God Himself is Our Rest
By Matt Bennett From ChristianUnion.org
In a hurried world, almost nothing is more precious than genuine rest. We long to have anxieties lifted, comfort provided, peace restored, and joy in abundance. God provides rest for the Christian who... Read more or watch the video (4:29) here >
Transformation at Harvard
A Video Update (5:21) From ChristianUnion.org
Harvard's original motto was Veritas Christo et Ecclesiae, or Truth for Christ and the Church.
While Harvard has drifted from her spiritual heritage and become highly secular, God is still at work. He is stirring up the hearts of Harvard students. Watch this video update (5:21) on what God has been doing in students' lives at Harvard through the ministry of Christian Union.
