by cheryl ennis self
Grace and peace to you, from God the Father and from our Lord Jesus Christ.
It is truly an honor to introduce myself as one whom God has recently called to serve at Christian Union in the role of Vice President of Development. My name is Cheryl Ennis Self, and for the past 26 years, I have had the privilege of working for three Christian organizations. Most recently, I served for 16 years at World Vision, a global Christian organization that ministers to the poorest of the poor in nearly 100 countries.
In that capacity, I visited and worked in 36 countries, mostly in remote parts of developing nations. While the living conditions were dire, I did meet believers in all parts of Africa, Asia, and the Americas who learned to place their trust and hope in Jesus Christ. Those villagers were supported by local churches and by their long-term relationships with World Vision’s Christian staff who lived in their communities. Indeed, the joy of the Lord was evident in some of the most dismal circumstances because God is able, His Spirit is all powerful, and His sons and daughters are faithful to serve others with the spiritual and professional gifts He has given them, for His purposes. In Christ, we are all made new.
When Christian Union first reached out to me in early 2018, I was instantly gripped by the critical mission to develop and connect transformative Christian leaders. What a powerful ministry with the vision to seek a spiritually vibrant nation marked by Christian values! On the surface, this opportunity felt very different from my previous roles, yet the common denominator is the power of the Holy Spirit helping people to overcome their separation from God, for all eternity.
God loves each and every soul who heeds His call, repents, and steps into new life in Christ. The amazingly talented leaders whom God draws into Christian Union Universities, Christian Union
Cities networks, and the Day & Night online prayer community are called to serve Him in the unique ways that He has chosen only for them.
I have come to understand that growing Christian leaders also requires a long view of ministry – years of discipleship, encouragement, and ongoing guidance after graduation and into the workforce. Please accept my deepest thanks for your faithful, long-term engagement with Christian Union, and for your financial support to enable this important ministry to reach thousands more students, alumni, and young professionals in the years ahead. I look forward to meeting many of you in this new year.
