Seeking God

Staying True To Your Word Matters

By Matt Bennett, Founder and CEO of Christian Union

But above all, my brothers, do not swear, either by heaven or by earth or by any other oath, but let your “yes” be yes and your “no” be no, so that you may not fall under condemnation.  – James 5:12 

Christian unity cannot be achieved without trust, and trust only endures if persons are faithful to their commitments. In this passage, James echoes the words uttered by Jesus in Matthew 5:33-37 where He also seeks integrity among believers.  In the Matthew passage, some were trying to get out of their commitments by swearing by less valuable things, but this is not acceptable. 

Healings, Miracles, and Tens of Thousands of Baptisms

By Anne Kerhoulas

Something is happening in a small town in North Georgia. Todd Smith, the pastor of Christ Fellowship Church, says his church has been in revival for five years. Smith’s church had plateaued and wasn’t seeing significant growth in their body. The lead pastor was weary and hungered to see a move of God in his church, one that looked like the kinds of things that happened in the book of Acts.

What Scripture Says About Division

By Chuck Hetzler, Ph.D.

As for a person who stirs up division, after warning him once and then twice, have nothing more to do with him, knowing that such a person is warped and sinful; he is self-condemned.  – Titus 3:10-11

The letter to Titus is another one of Paul’s pastoral epistles, along with 1 and 2 Timothy, containing some of the most necessary instructions for how to shepherd the flock of God. In today’s passage, Titus 3:10-11, the Spirit of God makes plain how grave the sin of divisiveness is and how it must be handled.

CU America Events Focus on Christian Leadership, Fasting, Repentance

By Chuck Hetzler, Ph.D.

January 2023 was a busy month of ministry for CU America. The CU National Fast and the CU Fire Retreat led the way for many Christians to start the new year by seeking God earnestly. 

CU National Fast

January 2, 2023, began the 21-day fast for Courageous Christian Leadership. By God’s grace, 4,046 Christians from around the country and across denominational lines joined together until January 22, 2023, for a time of seeking God’s face through prayer and fasting. 

Jesus Revolution Brings The Jesus Movement To Life

By Anne Kerhoulas

Jesus Revolution, a new film released at the end of February, depicts the Southern California Jesus Movement in a thoughtful and engaging way. Featuring Jonathan Roumie, who plays Jesus in The Chosen, and Kelsey Grammar from Frasier, the film dives into the personal lives of some of the Jesus Movements' central characters: Chuck Smith and Lonnie Frisbee.

Cultivating the Heart

By Anne Kerhoulas

“How do we cultivate a heart in which God delights to dwell?”

This is the question Jon Tyson answers in this sermon series for the Church of the City. Tyson explores the principles behind revival and awakening throughout history and dives into how we can join the Lord in His work, pursuing His will and living in alignment with His desires.  

Repenting of the Sin of Partiality

By Chitra Kovoor, Ministry Fellow, CU Lux

Social psychologists say it takes a few seconds for people to determine whether they like a person or not. Rapid judgments are made on the basis of first impressions. Assumptions about personality and how successful one is can be based on a quick scan of what someone is wearing, their general appearance, accompanying accessories, and other clues indicating a person’s wealth, power, and social standing.

CU Nova Worship Team Goes Deep

By Cynthia Makachi 

The end of the fall semester concluded an exciting season of learning and growth for CU Nova’s worship team. From joining the team as a freshman when activities were completely virtual in 2020 to becoming a co-team leader as Princeton’s campus transitioned back to normal, it has been an encouragement to see the team grow and thrive in new ways as it serves the CU Nova community. And I’m not alone—my co-leaders and members of the team agree: the worship team has been an invaluable part of their college experience. 

Student Chapel Service Led to Four Days (And Counting) of Revival

By Anne Kerhoulas

Asbury University is no stranger to revival. The small school in Wilmington, Kentucky has seen eight notable moves of the Spirit since the early 1900s, with the longest in 1970 lasting over 144 hours. 

Sunday Worship Is Just One Place We Experience Jesus 

By Anne Kerhoulas

In Exodus 33, Moses speaks with God face to face in the tent of meeting. But in their conversation, Moses says that he needs God’s presence with him all the time. It is God’s presence that sets Israel apart. It is God’s presence that leads, guides, delivers, and provides for them. Moses is in the presence of God in the tent of meeting, but he needs the presence of God all the time. 

What Makes Christian Leadership Unique

By Chuck Hetzler, Ph.D.

But Jesus called them to him and said, “You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great ones exercise authority over them. It shall not be so among you. But whoever would be great among you must be your servant, and whoever would be first among you must be your slave, even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  – Matthew 20:25-28

Choosing To Forgive Rather Than Be Easily Offended

By Michael Racine, Writer and Ministry Fellow, CU Lux

Good sense makes one slow to anger, and it is his glory to overlook an offense.  – Proverbs 19:1

The biblical proverbs are so very practical. They don’t try to ennoble us with any Kantian notion of moral virtue detached from self-interest; rather, they tell us what wise, insightful people do to make things go better, and what ignorant fools do to make things worse. If we will only pay attention to these instructions and remember them, we won’t need a heroically self-sacrificial heart to put them into practice; we all naturally want to see life go more smoothly.

CU Vita Leaders Pray Weekly With Other Ministry Leaders

By Anne Kerhoulas

It’s 7:15 on Monday morning and the sun hasn’t yet risen. Most Cornell students are still in bed, groggily awakening from the weekend to face another week of classes and problem sets and essays.

7:15 on Monday morning is a bleak time for most, but for a handful of CU Vita students and leaders from other campus ministries, it’s a time to be awake, alert, and engaged. It’s a time for prayer—prayer for revival on campus. And for the group that gathers, it’s one of the most important times of their week.

Why the Practices Are Both Challenging and Invaluable

By Anne Kerhoulas

Silence and solitude are unpopular disciplines. In our fast-paced, technologically connected, over-worked world, who could possibly have the time and energy to prioritize being alone in silence? And if we had the time, who would choose it? 

Our Speech Is Part Of Our Witness

By Mike Vincent, Ministry Fellow at CU Nova

Do not grumble against one another, brothers, so that you may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing at the door.  – James 5:9

The world loves to complain about the Church. There's an abundance of negative words from non-Christians aimed at our beliefs, our moral values, how we talk, and how we live. Such negative speech and attacks can be discouraging. How much more so when they come from within the Church! We who are supposed to be united in Christ are sometimes just as guilty of complaining against His Bride. Nothing destroys unity more quickly than complaining against those with whom we are supposed to be united.

How Speaking Well Of Others Changes Us

By Liz Thomforde

Let no corrupt talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear.  – Ephesians 4:29
 

Growing up you may have heard or even used the phrase, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words will never hurt me.” However, we know that this is not true. Words do hurt. In fact, I am sure it would not be hard for you to remember words that hurt or wounded you in a profound way. Proverbs 18:21 says, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”  

October CU Fire Retreat Elicits Powerful Responses As Holy Spirit Moves in Power

By Chuck Hetzler

“This was my first CU Fire Retreat. It's hard to put into words what I experienced this weekend.  I have been challenged to examine my walk with the Lord, to address areas where I am not walking in obedience. With regard to revival, I have a better understanding as to what is required of us collectively and myself individually.  This is a new beginning for me. I don't think I will ever be the same again. The teachings were the most memorable part for me but our small group discussions and prayer times were also wonderful.”

How Jesus Keeps Us Day By Day

By Anne Kerhoulas

In the Christian life, we need Scripture that grounds us firmly in the truth of Christ and our union and communion with him. Hebrews 7:25 is one such verse that roots and establishes us in the unshakeable love of Jesus and his ongoing work of interceding on our behalf. 

Forgiveness Is A Lifestyle, Not An Event

By Cory Lotspeich, Ministry Director CU Martus

In Jesus’ sermon on the mount, He sums up His teaching on prayer in Matthew 6:12-15  by saying, “and forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you, but if you do not forgive others their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.” 

Our Unity With Other Believers Matters More Than We Think

By Matt Bennett, Founder and CEO of Christian Union

Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey away. And when they had entered, they went up to the upper room, where they were staying, Peter and John and James and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot and Judas the son of James. All these with one accord were devoting themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers. - Acts 1:12-14