Lotspeich, a Former Marine, Is Hungry for Revival
By Anne Kerhoulas, Staff Writer
Christian Union’s new ministry director at Penn wants to change the world. Though many would scoff at such ambitions, former Marine Cory Lotspeich recognizes the immense potential of developing leaders at an institution like the University of Pennsylvania.
Lotspeich served in the Marine Corps until 2009 and in the reserves while obtaining his Bachelor’s degree at Regent University. He then completed a Master’s of Arts in Organizational Leadership from Regent as well. But it was early on in his career with the Marines that Lotspeich sensed the Lord drawing out giftings for ministry.
Cory Lotspeich“I was about 19 years old and really felt called to lead a Bible study in my unit,” he said. “We went on our first deployment and I was an entry-level guy leading a Bible study for entry-level people all the way up to senior operative level people. There were 180 people in the unit and we had 36 people in the study. It really started from the heart, I wanted to help people dig into the Word and it evolved into me realizing I have a gift for ministry.”
From there, Lotspeich participated in a prayer ministry in North Carolina that was seeking revival. After working a year as an intern, he served as the director of interns for three years and got married before moving on to seek formal theological training at Regent University.
When Lotspeich came across the work of Christian Union in the summer of 2021, he felt like he had finally found an organization that aligned completely with his own personal mission and vision for ministry. With his Master’s in Leadership Organization, Lotspeich was drawn to CU’s mission to develop transformative Christian leaders as well as the ministry’s deep hunger to see revival happen in America.
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As the fall semester began, Lotspeich and new Ministry Fellow Caitlin Vera are seeking to increase the spiritual vitality at Penn this year by raising up leaders and sharing the Good News with the campus community.
“I love the strategy of Christian Union,” he said. “[We are at] at the most influential universities across America and have a leadership development emphasis. It’s not enough to just make disciples, we need to raise up leaders who are going to change the world. A disciple is someone who has the character and faith to follow the Lord, but a leader will go out and take the risk to change the world.”
Lotspeich carries with him a phrase he learned in the Marines: When the sea rises, all the ships rise with it. And that is what he intends to do; to pour into student leaders, developing them, raising them up to their maximum potential, and watching their peers rise with them.
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