November 30, 2020
Working Relationships and Relationships that Work: Fostering A Redemptive Corporate Culture
Christian Union New York invited Christian Union Alumni, CU New York participants, and friends of Christian Union to join us on November 30 at 7:30pm for a virtual forum with Vince Vitale.November 25, 2020
Two Skeptics' Journey to Christ; The Bible Makes a Fashion Statement; Pursuing God, Pursuing TruthGene Editing and Planned Personhood; A Virtuous Society Involves You: Faith and Work in Perspective; Healing and Word of Knowledge and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his love endures forever. — 1 Chronicles 16:34
November 11, 2020
The Plausibility of Miracles in a Materialistic Age; The Underwhelming God; Distance Makes the Heart Dig Deeper; Salting the World; Malcolm Gladwell: How I Rediscovered Faith; Mentored by the Dead and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief. I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call—one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. — Ephesians 4:1-7
November 10, 2020
A discipleship program and personal touches to Bible course bring students together across the globe
The women of Christian Union Libertas at Brown University are using this season to dig deep. Although the current fall semester is very different than in previous years, with no freshmen on campus, no large group Leadership Lecture Series, and most students taking classes remotely, the women’s side of the ministry has found ways to deepen their connections with one another. Ministry Fellow Laurel Copp realized that things would need to look different this semester in order to engage students well, so she took two of the Chrisitan Union foundations, Bible course, and discipleship, and reimagined them. While much is the same, a lot is different, as Copp believes this year can be one of substantial growth.October 28, 2020
Finding Joy While Locked Up; You Can't Be a Saint by Yourself; I Took Drugs to a Church Conference. Then God Found Me.; The Disturbing Lack of Christian Audacity; What Was the Azusa Street Revival?; Study Suggests Unconscious Learning Underlies Belief in God and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief. “Those who sow in tears shall reap with shouts of joy.” — Psalm 126:5
October 14, 2020
God Our Dwelling Place; "You Will Be My Witnesses"; What is the Basis for Christian Ethics?; Why Doubt Can Give You Hope; The Discipline of Remembering; How Garbage Collectors Can Refresh Our Theology and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief. “For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you will also appear with him in glory.” — Colossians 3:3-4
October 12, 2020
Christian Union Gloria (Harvard College)
Christian Union Ministry Fellow, Fady Ghobrial, encourages and equips Harvard students as they seek for practical ways to improve their prayer lives.September 23, 2020
Truth in a Time of Crisis; Rowan Williams: Theological Education Is For Everyone; A Legacy of Faith; Can Faith Healing Work by Phone? Charismatic Christians Try Prayer to Combat the Coronavirus; Spiritual Consultants at the Gates of a Great Unraveling; Don't Lose Heart in Prayer and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief. For what we proclaim is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, with ourselves as your servants for Jesus' sake. For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. — 2 Corinthians 4:5-6
September 21, 2020
Incoming First-Year Students Already in Bible Courses
As the COVID-19 pandemic pushed Bible courses to Zoom and students and staff scrambled to adjust to the new normal, Christian Union Vox experienced an unexpected silver lining. A multitude of incoming freshmen from the class of 2024 began reaching out to the Vox team via social media, interested in being a part of the Christian community. A few months later, and through the boldness of the incoming freshmen and the openness of current students and staff, sixteen members of the Class of 2024 are already seeking the Lord in Christian Union Bible Courses.September 16, 2020
Reaching out to Young Professionals
The COVID-19 pandemic did not prevent Christian Union’s ministry to professionals from sharing its core mission with recent college graduates. In May, Christian Union New York coordinated virtual introductory meetings with graduating seniors at top universities. During the spring, the ministry typically reaches out to seniors involved in Christian Union Universities to help facilitate connections for graduates within certain professional and geographic networks in various cities. In New York City, the ministry offers emerging and established leaders an array of community groups, mentoring and networking opportunities, as well as enriching events including forums, lectures, and conferences.September 16, 2020
Christian Union Day and Night
Editor’s Note: The following devotional was written to help Christians think about and respond biblically to the crisis of COVID-19. In March, Christian Union Day and Night organized a nationwide, 40-day initiative of prayer, fasting, and repentance to address the coronavirus pandemic, supported by daily devotionals. But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people. —2 Timothy 3:1-5 (ESV)September 16, 2020
HCFA Undergrads Give Seniors a ‘Commencement’
The chaos of the developing pandemic and learning that the spring semester would conclude remotely could not deter students with Christian Union at Harvard (HCFA) from celebrating and honoring their graduating seniors. While the campus shifted toward scenes of frantic packing, hastily thrown parties, and seniors clinging to last moments of their college experience, HCFA underclassmen mobilized to create a commencement ceremony for the departing graduates. They devised cardboard caps and personalized pseudo diplomas, a commencement speech delivered by an impersonated Barack Obama, and a real charge for those leaving campus to seek the Lord.September 16, 2020
Nova’s Sending Team Focuses on Evangelism Training
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, students involved with Christian Union Nova at Princeton University took a deep dive into evangelism.
During April and May, about fifteen students participated in video conference calls to discover how to share the Good News more effectively in their everyday lives, both on campus and beyond.
“God is doing something on our campus. Our prayer leaders have been praying about how to reach the campus,” said Christopher Heslep, ministry director at Princeton University.
September 16, 2020
Love from Libertas Moves Hong ’20 to Become Intern
Jane Hong, a recent alumna of Brown University, is evidence that the light of the Gospel shines brightest in the darkest of times. Hong, a leader with Christian Union Libertas as an undergraduate, was blessed by its community of believers during COVID-19 restrictions and will serve as the ministry’s newest intern in the fall. Originally intending to work at a dermatology clinic after graduation and before attending medical school, Hong felt called to intern with Christian Union. In March, when Brown closed due to the pandemic, she was unable to go home, but found comfort and encouragement in her Christian Union Libertas community. It was during this time that she felt led to consider becoming an intern.September 16, 2020
Being Home When Home Is Hard
Editor’s note: The following devotional was written by Daniel Chabeda, who served as a student president of Christian Union Lux at Yale University before graduating in May. This devotional was part of a series entitled “On Our Hearts, On Our Minds,” that encouraged the Christian Union community in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.September 16, 2020
Caritas Is Engaged in Summer Bible Study
Young adults involved in Caritas, Christian Union’s ministry to Stanford University students, are discovering new insights into the foundational truths of Genesis. In late June, Ministry Fellow Justin Woyak began leading a virtual summer study devoted to unpacking the themes and wonders of the Bible’s first book. “There’s a lot to dig into,” said Woyak, Princeton ’09. “There are so many threads of the Bible’s storyline that begin here.” A dozen students are participating in the online studies, which are held on Tuesday evenings and will continue into early September. Stanford students from varying collegiate stages are taking part in the calls, including two incoming freshmen. Given the COVID-19 pandemic, Christian Union’s ministry team at Stanford moved the gatherings to an electronic format for summer 2020.September 16, 2020
Senior’s Faith Sustains Her during Abrupt End to On-Campus Semester
Nigerian-American. Singer/Blogger/Poet. Future physician/scientist. All are apt descriptors for Iyaniwura Olarewaju, a recent Cornell graduate in biological sciences who had an unexpected end to her senior year. From reading and re-reading President Martha Pollack’s urgent email imploring students to leave campus, to completing her finals through “Zoom University,” Iyaniwura’s COVID-derived life has been at times “like an eerie dream.”September 9, 2020
Life's Deepest Questions; Prayer and the Pandemic; Love What's Near; A Protestant Apocalypse? A Full-Brain Faith: Neuroscience and Spiritual Growth; We Dare Not Ignore The Devil and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief. "For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I, I myself will search for my sheep and will seek them out. As a shepherd seeks out his flock when he is among his sheep that have been scattered, so will I seek out my sheep, and I will rescue them from all places where they have been scattered on a day of clouds and thick darkness." — Ezekiel 34:11-1
September 1, 2020
Student Leaders Mobilize Online Initiative
Slack. Zoom. Pray. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit and the University of Pennsylvania moved classes online, members of Martus, Christian Union’s ministry on campus, swiftly leveraged digital and social media tools to create a sacred space for remaining close to God and each other. Ministry Director Tucker Else reading Scripture with students weeks prior to the pandemicAugust 27, 2020
Where is Your Faith?; Valuing, Testing, and Weighing Prophecy; What Is the Holy Spirit's Role in Art?; "Success Addicts" Choose Being Special Over Being Happy; Selling Our Birthright for a Quiet Pew; Zooming In and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief.