May 3, 2019
Keeping in Step with the Spirit of the Crucified Son
How do I know when the Holy Spirit is active and present in my life? What must I do to engage in the Spirit-filled life? What sorts of criteria may I employ to recognize and discern the leading of the Spirit as I follow Jesus in faith? Such questions are no less crucial for being so prevalent among earnest Christians who desire to please the Lord and experience His grace in power.Throughout the New Testament an unbreakable, indelible link connects the cross-shaped story of Jesus for the people of God to the empowering ministry of the Holy Spirit in the midst of the people of God.May 3, 2019
Former Astronaut Was Starstruck by God’s Creation
On March 7, Columbia’s Catholic Ministry hosted engineering professor and former astronaut Mike Massimino at the 41st annual Thomas Merton Lecture. Dr. Massimino spoke about his journey, outer space, and what his adventures taught him about faith.
Columbia’s Catholic Ministry hosted former astronaut Mike Massimino to speak on what his journeys into outer space taught him about God.
May 2, 2019
Spanish Language Ministry Debuts at Brown
For many Christian students, their faith is deeply rooted in culture and language; a sudden transition away from their ethnic community can become an additional challenge in maintaining their faith while in college. With this in mind, the Brown Rhode Island School of Design Catholic Community (BRCC) has launched a Spanish ministry on campus to reach out to Hispanic students.
(From left to right) Giovanna Milano, '22, Maria Cortinez, '22, Cecilia Menendez, first-year FOCUS missionary, Alejandra Roca, '19, Ingrid Mader, '20, Vanesa Mora, '21, and Ayleen Sanchez, '19
May 1, 2019
Attendees Experience Gold Dust at Gospel of the Kingdom Conference
In February, Christian Union hosted the Gospel of the Kingdom Winter Conference in Manhattan with guest speaker Ken Fish. The theme of the conference was “Personal Evangelism: Rediscovering the Fun and Joy of Leading People to Christ through Signs and Wonders.” Fish, Princeton ’82, is the founder of Kingdom Fire Ministries, which seeks “to train and equip Christian leaders to engage substantively with culture in order to transform it according to the values and practices of the Kingdom of God.”April 30, 2019
Calderon-Payne ’89 Directs BronxConnect
Editor’s note: The following story was reprinted with permission from Brown Alumni Magazine (www.brownalumnimagazine.com). As executive director of BronxConnect, a New York City–based nonprofit that helps at-risk teens, Rev. Wendy Calderon-Payne ’89 has a simple mantra: “He who has two tunics, let him give to him who has none; and he who has food, let him do likewise.” Rev. Wendy Calderon-Payne ’89 and the staff at BronxConnect The quote is from the Gospel of Luke, and when she came across the verse one day during her freshman year at Brown, it struck a deep chord. “Jesus’ solution to poverty just made sense to me,” she says. “We have to act when we see injustice or need.”April 24, 2019
"Unplanned": How Abby Johnson's Story Exposes Both Abortion and Complicit Silence; Bathed in Prayer; There’s No Place Like Heimat: How the Culture We Consume Reflects Our Desires; No Mere Superman; What It Means to Worship a Man Crucified as a Criminal and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief.
For you formed my inward parts; you knitted me together in my mother's womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well.— Psalm 139:13-14
April 22, 2019
When Jesus was a baby, did he soil his undergarments? As an adolescent, did he cry? When he was full-grown, was he ever angry? No disrespect is meant by these questions, but they do point out the full humanity of Jesus, without in any way reducing his full divinity. And they show that it was entirely fitting for the second person of the Trinity to enter our world as a baby, who developed physically into a mature man. Such an entrance shows us that Jesus really was “one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). He cried, he got dirty, and he grew, even as we do, and yet he alone did so without any moral defect: sinless and perfect was our Lord even from his birth.Hollywood does a nice job depicting the preternatural hero. For example, in a memorable scene from The Man of Steel, Superman descends from the clouds and hovers above a gathering of mere, but powerful, mortals who are awed by his presence. The movie opens with his special birth. He is depicted throughout as apparently perfect. The messianic overtones are clear.
April 18, 2019
On Thursday 18 April, Christian Union New York invited Chuck Stetson to speak on Biblical Literacy. With George Barna’s research showing that only 7 percent of Americans have a biblical worldview (whereby the Bible is the primary resource through which one understands the world), Stetson took the evening to tell his audience what can be done to see that number increase and why this endeavor is so important.
April 17, 2019
Students Experience Personalized Prayer at Nexus 2019
In February, Christian Union hosted more than 200 undergraduates at Nexus 2019: The Christian Union Conference on Faith and Action. Students from Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Penn, Princeton, Stanford, and Yale converged for three days in New Brunswick, New Jersey, to meet one another, seek God together through worship and prayer, and explore how God could use their aspirations and influence for His glory and society’s good. Through plenary speakers, breakout sessions, and small groups, the conference offered insight, inspiration, networking, and practical advice on discerning God's purpose for life, campus, and career. A variety of vocational panels were led by Christian professionals representing a variety of fields. Another highlight of the weekend was SpokenWord. Student teams presented Scripture dynamically, interweaving dramatic, poetic presentations.The plenary speakers anchored the conference with inspiring talks that unpacked the conference theme of being “Courageous in the Ways of the Lord”. A student from Yale explained, “The message to go forth in courage in the ways of the Lord has encouraged me to put down my fears … and step up, listening to what he calls me to do, and obeying it.”April 10, 2019
Yale Law School Discriminates Against Students Who Won't Surrender to the Moral Revolution; Dartmouth Football Players Develop Spiritual Brotherhood; What is the Gospel?; A Book that Will Transform Your Evangelism; Medical Journal Publishes Study Showing Prayer Healed Teenager of a Chronic Illness and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief.
Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise; his greatness no one can fathom.One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts.They speak of the glorious splendor of your majesty— and I will meditate on your wonderful works.— Psalm 145:3-5
April 8, 2019
Jesus gives radical commands in the Bible, such as to “take up your own cross and follow me.” This is a call to kill our own desires and follow him in loving others sacrificially, even to the point of death. Often-times, these commands come alongside warnings.
April 1, 2019
Christian Union Events Examine Art and Philosophy
Christian Union at Brown helped organize two key events that made inroads and friendships in the arts and philosophy communities.
In February, Christian Union co-hosted an art exhibit entitled “How Do We Live a Good Life?” The event, held at the Leung Family Gallery at Brown, was co-sponsored by the Veritas Forum, Ethical Inquiry, the Office of the Chaplains and Religious Life, and Cornerstone Magazine.
March 29, 2019
Salon with Caleb Brown
Christian Union New York adopted a new format for their latest salon on March 26, 2019, when they invited guest speaker Caleb Brown to speak on the topic How (And How Not) to Watch a Movie. Rather than the usual lecture followed by Q&A format, Brown led a room of nearly thirty attendees through the pilot episode of Downton Abbey, taking regular pauses to point to the expertly crafted use of camera-angles, iconography, and audio that casual viewers (i.e. the majority of us) rarely pick up on. A short but lively discussion followed.Partial Audio RecordingMarch 27, 2019
Courageous in the Ways of the Lord; He Died Early in the Smile of God; Yale Student Works to Build Pro-Life Future; How to Actually, Truly Focus on What You’re Doing; Five Signs of True Repentance ; Why Suffering? A Non-Identity Response and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief.
Therefore the LORD established the kingdom in his hand. And all Judah brought tribute to Jehoshaphat, and he had great riches and honor. His heart was courageous in the ways of the LORD.— 2 Chronicles 17:5-6a
March 25, 2019
Notice how our story starts. 1 Chronicles 21:1-2 says: “Satan stood up against Israel and incited David to count [the people of] Israel. So David said to Joab and the commanders of the troops, ‘Go and count Israel from Beer-sheba to Dan and bring [a report] to me so I can know their number.'”
After God has caused David to become successful in the eyes of both his enemies as well as the nation of Israel, Satan then comes and tempts David to take ownership of something that is not rightfully his.
March 22, 2019
Harvard Students Deliver Answers to Tough Questions
March 19, 2019
“Stealing Past Watchful Dragons”
March 14, 2019
Fasting: Personal Torture or Connection with God?; Joy in Repentance; The Equality Act Accelerates Anti-Christian Bias; Words of Wisdom; Workism Is Making Americans Miserable; James K.A. Smith, Vince Vitale to Headline CU Cities Conference and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief.
“Yet even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and rend your hearts and not your garments.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love; and he relents over disaster.— Joel 2:12-13
March 14, 2019
Princeton Alumnus is Serving the City
March 14, 2019
Tokarz ’20 Is President of Choose Life at Yale
