March 13, 2019
Christian Union Alumni Share Insights, Encouragement at Brown
Managing Editor Christian Union: The Magazine Being a leader with Christian Union at Brown helped Ayisha Jackson make a smooth transition to urban missionary when she graduated in May. Jackson, an engineering major, said the ministry’s emphasis on a seeking-God lifestyle and rigorous Bible study prepared her for her work with Renaissance Church in Providence, Rhode Island. Jackson returned to campus in the fall as a participant in Christian Union’s Life After Graduation panel discussion, which included three other members of the class of 2018 who are active in vocational ministry at Brown: Gianna Uson, an intern with Christian Union; Isaac Whitney, an intern with Athletes in Action; and Katie Hay, an intern with InterVarsity.March 11, 2019
Christian Union Director of Ministry
Dartmouth College
"Our Lord Jesus wants our joy to be full. Certainly, he has made abundant provision for our joy. And if we focus our minds on the facts from which joy flows, springs of joy will well up in our hearts every day of our lives; and this will turn our ongoing pilgrimage through this world into an experience of contentment and exaltation of which the world knows nothing" (J. I. Packer, God’s Plans for You, 125).
J. I. Packer rightly asserts that we can have joy because Jesus has made abundant provision for our joy. Christians are called to have joy in the midst of trials, rough days, bad times—you name it.
March 4, 2019
Harvard Law Ministry Director Has a Passion for Revival
Since his seminary days of two decades ago, Justin Yim has been fervently praying for revival to ignite across New England. Now, the longtime pastor will have a chance to mentor law students and encourage them to seek God fervently via his new position with Christian Union. This fall, Yim stepped into the role of the ministry director for the organization’s ministry at Harvard Law School.
“I always had a heart for New England,” said Yim, who grew up in New York City and attended seminary in Massachusetts. “When this opportunity came up with Christian Union, my wife and I felt a pang in our hearts. God has always been faithful, and we felt like it was time.”
March 3, 2019
In my studio, I make art. The term “Theology of Making” (the title of my upcoming book) amplifies how this human act is connected to the divine presence. Simply put, when we make, God “shows up.” Therefore, before I begin a discourse on what God has done to make even our broken shards of life invaluable essences of the new creation, let me began by describing the creative process that an artist knows well, and how God the artist reveals a vision beyond the “fixing” of our lives, a type of theology.
March 2, 2019
Christian Union Hosts Alumni Panel Discussion
Being a leader with Christian Union at Brown helped Ayisha Jackson make a smooth transition to urban missionary when she graduated in May. Jackson, an engineering major, said the ministry’s emphasis on a seeking-God lifestyle and rigorous Bible study prepared her for her work with Renaissance Church in Providence, Rhode Island. Jackson returned to campus in the fall as a participant in Christian Union’s Life After Graduation panel discussion, which included three other members of the class of 2018 who are active in vocational ministry at Brown: Gianna Uson, an intern with Christian Union; Isaac Whitney, an intern with Athletes in Action; and Katie Hay, an intern with InterVarsity.March 1, 2019
Christian Union Caritas Distributes Care Packages
Caritas, Christian Union’s ministry to students at Stanford University, pumped life into “Dead Week” in early December.
Dead Week is a time of intense studying and reduced social and extracurricular activity preceding final examinations. In an effort to help reduce stress and bless fellow classmates, Christian Union Caritas delivered care packages to the dorm rooms of approximately 150 students. The packages contained candy, hot chocolate, stuffed animals, information about Christian Union, and a copy of Lee Strobel’s short book, The Case for Christmas.
February 28, 2019
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.
February 27, 2019
In October 2018, Christian Union’s online ministry, Day and Night, again led Christians from across America—not just students—in The Great Experiment, a month-long effort to pursue God wholeheartedly for spiritual renewal. A record 4,500 Christians across America signed up to carry out a five-part commitment involving increased morning and evening prayer and Bible reading (inspired by Luke 18:1-8), daily repentance (Hebrews 12:1,2), obeying the Holy Spirit (Psalm 143:10), elevated faith (Joshua 1:8-9), and evangelism (Acts 1:8).
February 27, 2019
Salon with Professor Amy Davis Abdallah
On Wednesday February 27, Christian Union New York hosted a salon on the important, though not overly popular, spiritual discipline of fasting. With Lent commencing on March 6, this discussion, led by Professor Amy Davis Abdallah of Nyack College, explored the biblical underpinnings of fasting, best practices, and its connection to Lent. Over thirty attendees were present. Professor Davis suggested that one way of looking at the Fall is to see it as Adam and Eve breaking a partial fast, choosing a forbidden food over total reliance on God. Jesus then redeemed this wrong at the start of his ministry by successfully fasting, declaring before the tempter that “One does not live on bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.”February 27, 2019
Os Guinness on Covenantal Love, Unspeakable Evil, and Being American Now; Just Say No; The "Good" Life; On the Importance of Poetry; Infanticide Is The Historical Hallmark Of A Pagan Culture; Please Join Christian Union in the Adirondacks this Summer and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief.
The Lord is good to those who wait for him, to the soul who seeks him. It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the Lord. — Lamentations 3:25,26
February 25, 2019
He will explore Augustine and "Sanctified Ambition".
Registation is live for the CU Cities Conference, taking place June 21-22, 2019. Register today at CU Cities Conference. The conference theme is "Courageous in the Ways of the Lord." New and seasoned professionals, and graduate students, are warmly welcome. Speakers are announced each week. Revealed speakers are...February 20, 2019
CHRISTIAN UNION MINISTRY FELLOW
AT BROWN UNIVERSITY
It is difficult to say no. Particularly to yourself. Donna and Tom, two government employees on NBC's television show Parks and Rec have an annual "Treat Yo Self" day in which they allow themselves to be selfish. They pamper themselves, treat themselves to expensive and useless items, and do whatever makes them happy. What makes Tom and Donna's "Treat Yo Self" day so apropos is that these two, more than any other characters on the show, clearly treat themselves all the time.It is the natural inclination of the human heart to be selfish.
February 13, 2019
A Special Invitation from Eric Metaxas; Emotions for the Christian Life; Should Religious Belief Inform Public Policy?; Don't Miss the Great Experiment this March; Move Over Sex and Drugs. Ease is the New Vice; Penn Parents Share and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief.
Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. — John 15:13
February 11, 2019
Brown Student Artists Explore Meaning Together
Director of Marketing and Communications Students involved in Christian Union at Brown recently collaborated with several campus ministries to execute on an engaging, arts-based outreach concept. Brown senior Lydia Haile performs The multi-faceted exhibit took place on February 6. Students secured a gallery in the student union and put out a request for submissions across Brown and RISD. The show would include painting, music, and poetry, and artist talks.February 8, 2019
Join thousands in the Great Experiment, March 1-10.
You are invited to take part in The Great Experiment, a ten-day commitment to seek God with thousands of other Christians across America. Learn more and sign up at CU Day & Night.February 8, 2019
Moments away from giving birth to our third child, my wife’s blood pressure dropped significantly. With two nurses, her doctor, and me by her side, her words to us in that moment were, “I feel like I am dying.” I feared the worst, but fortunately my fear was soon allayed. She was given medication, her blood pressure rebounded to a healthy range, and she, and our son, made it through safely. Speaking from my own point of view (the only point of view I can speak from), my wife’s desperate situation touched one of my concerns. It touched my concern for her. A particular emotion, specifically the emotion of fear, enabled me, we might say, to ‘perceive’ my wife’s distress.
What Emotions Are For
Freely borrowing from Christian philosopher Robert C. Roberts, we can say that an emotion is a ‘perception’ of a ‘touched’ concern (Roberts, 11).
February 6, 2019
2019 Christian Union Summer Getaway
Join Christian Union leaders, staff, alumni, friends, and ministry partners (and their families) for the third annual Christian Union Summer Getaway, July 13 - 20, 2019. Enjoy the beautiful CAMP-of-the-WOODS, in the Adirondack Mountains in Upstate New York, for a week of spiritual and physical refreshment. Registration is now open at www.CUSummerGetaway.orgChristian Union's friend Eric Metaxas will be there, and he invites you to join him!Learn more about the getaway details:February 5, 2019
Thankful for Son's Engagement with Christian Union
"My wife, Miryan, and I met at Penn (many more years ago than either of us would care to admit). Miryan found the Lord there. Our oldest, Matthew, is a sophomore transfer (from Rice) who just finished his first semester as a Politics, Philosophy, and Economics major at Penn’s School of Arts and Sciences.When he left our home in Los Angeles last year and headed to school, one of our most fervent prayers for Matthew was that he might find a committed community of faith, willing and able to confirm, strengthen, and encourage him in his walk.January 30, 2019
Present Day Miracles; Authentically Seeking God; Encouragement is Key; She Asked Everyone to Pray; Unique from Day One: Pro-Life is Pro-Science; The Christian Union Summer Getaway and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief.
Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen. — Ephesians 3:20-21
January 28, 2019
