All

Five Crucial Aspects 

Christian Union was founded in 2002 to develop and connect transformative Christian leaders. The mission can be unpacked into five aspects. This is the second of the five.

To make a difference in society, Christian leaders must be devout in their faith and able to integrate that faith with boldness and discernment in their various leadership capacities. Christian Union emphasizes in-depth biblical teaching and coaching, with an emphasis on seeking God wholeheartedly.

“I honestly cannot picture my college years without Christian Union. It’s been such a foundational community and really helped me learn what it looks like to pursue a life for God.” - Caroline, Princeton Class of ’22

“All throughout high school, I had placed reason before faith, as if it contained the greater truth….When I joined Christian Union, through the Bible Courses, and ministry fellows and directors, they really taught me to challenge that assumption I had made, as I saw that God is the arbiter of reason.” - Timothy Kinnamon, Columbia Class of ’20

“I don’t know where I would be without this Bible Course. It has been one of the most important parts of my college experience. I look forward to seeing the girls every single week and gathering together in the Word to study it together.” Maria Siciliano, Cornell Class of ’22

“During this tumultuous period, prayer time was super refreshing for me. I was so grateful to be able to pray with my brothers and sisters in Christ and see how they depend on God in their daily lives.” - Katherine Wang, Harvard Class of ’23

“I really feel Christian Union cultivates – and helps satisfy – spirit hunger. In our Bible course, I’m learning so much I never would have considered before.”  - Josiah Jordan, Brown, Class of 2018

“Approaching the Word of God with academic rigor was really new to me, so I was excited to participate. You come away with a better understanding of what God is saying in His Word.” – Sybil Sam, Yale '13, Harvard Law School '16

“Before attending Christian Union’s Bible courses, I had never encountered the Scriptures in a rigorous, academic way...Now every page is relevant and instructional.” - Barrett Block, Penn, Class of 2016 

“I spend more time in the Word and in prayer and in fellowship than in any other time of my life.” - Rachel McKee, Dartmouth, Class of 2017 

The Spirit is stirring up spiritual hunger at these leading universities and in New York City. Will you help to change lives and US culture for Christ?

You Can Make a Difference

1. Pray for the hearts of those poised to lead society would turn to the Lord.
2. Connect others to the ministry of Christian Union.
3. Give generously to develop more godly leaders to transform American culture.

LEARN MORE

At Strategic Places >

Five Crucial Aspects 

Christian Union was founded in 2002 to develop and connect transformative Christian leaders. The mission can be unpacked into five aspects. Developing leaders is the first of the five crucial aspects.

Leaders matter. In Scripture, God used Moses, Daniel, Esther, and Paul, all of whom were in highly leveraged positions, to advance His purposes in the world, and to bring glory to Himself. The top leaders of the next generation are attending a handful of universities today and working in key cities.

Leading Universities

Each fall, as thousands of students arrive at some of the nation’s most influential universities, Christian Union is there. The ministry works directly with students to share the Gospel and ensure these future leaders are, learning to seek God with energy and commitment, and gaining advanced leadership skills to be effective and influential for Him. Students who take part in Christian Union’s Bible courses, mentorship, and leadership coaching experience profound spiritual and leadership growth.

Major Cities

Role models of the movement to transform a major cultural center such as New York City include businessmen and politicians such as William Wilberforce, who abolished the slave trade, JC Penny and John Wanamaker, who built businesses on Christian principles, and numerous other Christian lay men and women who have used their positions for cultural impact. Biblical examples include Daniel who served King Nebuchadnezzar and Esther who used her position of influence as Queen of Persia to prevent a Jewish genocide.

Each of these individuals allowed God to work dramatically through them. On the way, however, each was either mentored or joined by a community of believers to challenge and encourage them. Together they accomplished far more than could ever be done by one lone person. The ministry offers professionals in New York City programs for spiritual and leadership growth tailored to demanding schedules and helps them build vibrant and interconnecting networks. 

The Spirit is stirring up spiritual hunger at some of the nation's leading universities and in New York City. Will you help share the Gospel and transform US culture?

You Can Make a Difference

1. Pray for the hearts of those poised to lead society would turn to the Lord.
2. Connect others to the ministry of Christian Union.
3. Give generously to develop more godly leaders to transform American culture.

Learn More

With Spiritual Depth >

Christian Union was founded in 2002 to develop and connect transformative Christian leaders. The mission can be unpacked in its five crucial elements. This is the third of five elements.

Leading Universities

Imagine entering a room in which are gathered the most influential leaders in the United States. You meet editors of major newspapers, presidents of universities, CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, Supreme Court Justices, and current and former US Presidents. As you walk through this room, you discover that more than 60 percent of those you meet attended a small pool of US colleges and universities, no more than twenty. The schools include Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Harvard Law, Penn, Princeton, Stanford and Yale.

Just a few US schools and their alumni significantly shape American culture. That should give us pause. Over more than three centuries in the case of some of these universities, while extraordinary influence consolidated at these universities, they have become intensely secular. {tweetme}At most of these leading schools, students have little-to-no contact with Christianity; many have never even read a Bible.{/tweetme} The secularism promoted by these schools and their alumni affect us all, disproportionately shaping our economy, government, media, and education. That can change. Christian Union envisions a day when these schools bless the nation with Christian scholarship and thought leadership. God is presenting an opportunity to utterly transform the spiritual climate of these leading schools.

Major Cities

US culture is shaped by the daily decisions of industry leaders who either embrace secular values outright, or by believers who may not know how to integrate their faith and their profession, and so tacitly promote secular values. From Wall Street, to arts and entertainment, to local or national government, medicine, and other key fields, Christian Union New York is focused on helping believers to increase in spiritual maturity and fervency, connect with other Christian leaders, and gain tools to lead with excellence and in such a way as promotes godliness and genuine human flourishing.

The nation desperately needs godly leaders. Please help to develop courageous, faithful Christian leaders. 

You Can Make a Difference

1. Pray for the hearts of those poised to lead society would turn to the Lord.
2. Connect others to the ministry of Christian Union.
3. Give generously to develop more godly leaders to transform American culture.

Learn More

For Cultural Engagement >

Five Crucial Aspects

Christian Union was founded in 2002 to develop and connect transformative Christian leaders. The mission can be unpacked into five aspects; this is the fifth.

National Focus, Global Implications

The primary focus of Christian Union is the renewing of the United States of America through its leadership and cultural institutions and by encouraging all Christians nationwide. The reason for the national focus is twofold. First, the nation has experienced sharp spiritual decline that needs to be reversed. Second, the spiritual vitality of the United States has a profound impact on the rest of the globe.

God loves each man, woman and child in the United States and offers reconciliation through the Gospel. The need to promote the Gospel and to renew a declining society is pressing, and the Lord has called this ministry to work faithfully to address it in the most strategic ways that it can identify.

The focus on the US anticipates a global impact: Historically, America has blessed the world by sending thousands of missionaries, and donating billions of dollars for international evangelization, development and poverty relief. That legacy is at risk because of increasing secularization of the country through its leaders, but it can be restored. The universities and key cities where Christian Union operates are cosmopolitan. The power of the Gospel, seeking God, and reforming society will have global reach as alumni fan out across the world, as international students do likewise or return home to work, and as professionals serve in other countries.

You Can Make a Difference

1. Pray that the hearts of those poised to lead society would turn to the Lord.
2. Connect others to the ministry of Christian Union.
3. Give generously to develop more godly leaders to transform American culture.

Imagine the United States transformed by the leadership and values of Christians of wholehearted devotion to the Lord.

Vision

Christian Union seeks a spiritually vibrant nation marked by Christian values permeating every corner of society.

Mission

Christian Union develops and connects transformative Christian leaders.

Strategy

Christian Union’s two main emphases on select universities and professionals in key cities reflect our concern to reach people groups that exert disproportionate cultural influence in the United States. 

Outcome

If US society was transformed by the leadership and values of Christians of wholehearted devotion to the Lord we might expect to see some of the following implications: 

• If large numbers of business executives valued Christian ideals above all else, it would mean the spread of ethical business practices, concern that workers be treated fairly, and integrity in leadership.
• In the field of education, if large numbers of university presidents, faculty, and administrators were committed to Jesus Christ, careers, internal politics, and ideology would take a back seat to the education of our children.
• If the US government contained high numbers of developed Christian leaders, we would expect laws and the execution of laws in our country to more fully reflect a Christian worldview.
• If large numbers of top media executives reflected Christian values, we would expect more programs valuing marriage, parenthood, generosity, respect, courage, self-sacrifice, and compassion.
• There is a global impact to consider as well in the thousands of foreign students who study at these key universities. Consider the potential impact if a future president of Pakistan, China, or Russia were reached for Christ and trained to be a godly leader for their home country.

At present, the nation's most influential universities export spiritual darkness into our culture through secularized leadership.

It will take prayer, effort and financial resources to reach these future leaders for Christ. Please prayerfully consider how you might partner with Christian Union to make a difference.

The Christian Union Difference

Four distinctives differentiate Christian Union. Each is a theme that runs through Christian Union's work in key cities and on strategic  university campuses:

 
 
 

 01  ||  A Lifestyle Marked by Seeking God

Christian Union promotes biblical Christianity's emphasis on frequent, fervent prayer; massive intake of Scripture; repentance; humility through fasting; perseverance; promptly obeying the Spirit; and extended times of gathering with believers.
Learn more > 

 02  ||  Networked & Engaged Christian Leaders

Christian leaders must engage culture in order to transform it, and Christians of influence must be well networked in order to maximize their godly impact on society. 
Learn more >

 03  ||  High-Caliber Faculty & Intellectual Rigor

This strategic focus requires curriculum and faculty suitable for men and women of exceptional intellectual caliber; proprietary Bible course and leadership training curriculum are combined with effective mentoring by ministry faculty of mature faith and advanced theological training. 
Learn more >

 04  ||  Disciplined Approach & Organizational Excellence

Christian Union seeks to honor the Lord, expand the ministry, and serve donors' intentions by maintaining a disciplined ministry model and a culture of strict accountability evidenced by detailed metrics, extensive evaluations, and continuous improvements to maximize ministry impact. 
Learn more >

A Process of Drawing Close to God 

Seeking the face of God is the process of drawing close to God, and therefore attracting His presence to your life and community. It is hard work to seek God's face, which takes time and effort like anything else worthy of pursuit in this life. Becoming a Christian is only the first step, and without diligently applying yourself, you will never draw close to the Lord or experience His presence and power in your life. 

To live what we call a Seeking God Lifestyle is to truly invest yourself in seeking digilently to discover what He loves and values, and connecting with Him in order to have those same values permeate your own heart. It's about knowing the heart of God, identifying with Him and carrying out His purposes. As you seek Him, He responds to you and comes upon your life in power so that you may fulfill your destiny and you and your community will be blessed.

You should know that it is costly to seek the Lord wholeheartedly. Not only does it take a lot of time and effort, but it means making His plans and purposes the focus of your life. It's disruptive, almost always entails some degree of suffering, and puts Him as Lord of your life instead of yourself.

Seven principles are found to characterize the lives of biblical believers, early Christians, and Christians today of many other nations. Seeking God with the energy that God expects of you will result in periodic fillings of the Holy Spirit in your life which you need for joy, revelation and victory over sin.

1. Humility

The Christian should humble himself/herself profoundly, taking advantage of the help that fasting provides. He should fast regularly (the first-century Christians fasted twice a week), and should fast for longer periods of time for special occasions (examples in the Bible include periods as long as three days, ten days, 40 days, 70 days, and 120 days).

2. Fervent and Frequent Prayer

Including Bible reading and memorization, a Christian should spend two or three set times per day in prayer, totaling 1.5 to three hours, either alone or with others. This is in addition to time spent lifting up prayers throughout the day or before meals.

3. Massive Intake of Scripture

The amount of time a Christian should take in the Bible each day is explained in #2 above. Taking in the Scriptures includes reading the Bible, memorizing it, reciting it, meditating on it, listening to it, studying it, and listening to good sermons explaining it.

4. Personal and Corporate Repentence of Sins

Christ must be LORD of everything in your life including your sex life, your recreational life (it can't be so time-consuming that it crowds out your prayer and Bible reading), and your finances.

5. Obedience to God, Day by Day, Moment by Moment

Living a consistent righteous life over time draws God's presence.

6. Perseverance in Seeking After God Day After Day, Month After Month.

There's no way you can seek God wholeheartedly for a whole year and not see significant changes, but seeking God is not something to be pursued just for a year, but as a way of life for the rest of your life.

7. Gathering with Others

For your two or three set times per day praying and reading the Bible, join with other Christians as much as you can. Of the 14-21 times per week, try to join with others for many of those sessions. Additionally, set aside time for two week-long Christian conferences per year so that you stay strong in your devotion to Christ. Lastly, encourage and plead with others to join you in seeking the LORD.

Does a Christian really need to do all of the activities mentioned above? That depends on your perspective in two ways.

Join the Movement to Change Culture

Give

When you give to Christian Union, you help evangelize an unreached people group - the relatively small number of men and women whose leadership choices affect the daily lives of millions and who help to shape culture, from the economy, to entertainment, to the legal system.

Help develop men and women of wholehearted devotion to God, and help them to build relational and professional networks that will increase Christian cultural influence .

Donate >

---

Advocate

Refer Others

For culture to be transformed by the Gospel, thousands of believers must learn about and come alongside to support Christian Union’s strategic approach. Christian Union's primary way of communicating is through the free quarterly Christian Union Magazine and monthly prayer e-mails (recipients select which of the Christian Union university ministries they wish to hear from).

Those you refer do not need to be affliated with the eight universities where Christian Union operates. Your friend with a heart burdened to see culture change may be an exciting match for the mission of this ministry.

Send the address and/or e-mail address of those you think may be interested to receive these communications. Please include a first and last name. 

Referrals could include:

• • Friends
  • Alumni
  • Staff & Faculty
  • Parents
  • Churches
  • Foundations

 
Send your referral >

---

Connect Students to Ministry

Let Christian Union know about incoming and current students at Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, Penn or Yale that would benefit from Christian leadership development. Christian Union faculty and student leaders are warmly welcoming of interested and curious students, inviting them to participate in the ministry in a variety of meaningful ways. 

Send student name >

---

Engage with Your Alma Mater

If you are an alumni of Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, Penn or Yale, you can have extraordinary influence with your alma mater. By being involved with your universities, you can have a powerful witness for Jesus Christ.

Some suggested ways to engage:

• Participate in alumni boards and activities
• Attend reunions
• Write respectfully to the administration or alumni magazine when Christian values need to be defended 

---

Magazine Story Ideas

Christian Union seeks to inform readers about the spiritual activity at Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, Penn and Yale through Christian Union: The Magazine. Let the ministry know of opportunities and challenges for the Gospel at these universities. Share encouraging stories of alumni who are Christian leaders in their respective fields.

Send stories >

---

Share Your Story

If you would like to share about your experience as a student, parent, donor or friend of Christian Union, please send in your story. The ministry may ask for permission to share it as an encouragement to others who are learning about Christian Union.

Send stories >

Seeking God matters.

Thank you for your interest in seeking God with Christian Union and joining us in praying for Christian Union's various ministries. Prayer and fasting are at the core of everything that Christian Union does. We are excited to share the Three Spiritualities, annual fasts and times of prayer, fasting resources, and a wealth of devotional materials. Please pray that God is glorified and that His name is lifted in all the ministry does.

The Three Spiritualites provide rich theological and biblical content to ground seeking God practices in the Word of God and spiritual exemplars like Paul or Daniel. The Three Spiritualities aim to cultivate a deep hunger for God, a commitment to spiritual disciplines, joyful obedience and repentance, and more. 

Fasting, in particular, is a powerful way of cultivating humility before God. Please consider joining fasts or beginning your own to seek God for this nation. “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6).

For more resources on prayer and fasting, as well as information on Christian Union's upcoming fasts and events, visit cuamerica.org 



There are many ways we'd invite you to consider praying: 

• • To pray at a high level for Christian Union, please subscribe to our eNewsletter. It will arrive in your email box every other week, and include prayer requests for Christian Union's various ministries.
  • If you'd like more detailed prayer emails from specific Christian Union ministries, there are two ways to get them. If you send an email to prayer@christianunion.org with your email address and a list of which ministry prayer updates you'd like to receive, you will be subscribed. You can also scroll down and click on the cities or universities link to see the most recent prayer requests. You will also be able to subscribe to those pages.
  • Please join with other believers across America by signing up to pray for our nation at Christian Union America website.

---

Christian Union Cities

Please pray that God would be glorified and move powerfully in and through the lives of each person involved in the ministry. Pray for those seeking to bring about cultural change in the city through their spheres of influence, that they would seek God with all their hearts. As Jesus reminded us, pray for laborers because the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few.

Specific requests for Christian Union New York > 

---

Christian Union Universities

Pray for Christian students, their non-Christian peers, Christian Union Bible courses, the various student organizations that Christian Union serves, and for God to move powerfully on these campuses in the hearts and minds of tomorrow's future leaders. 
 

Specific prayer requests >

Join Us in Asking God to Intervene

Psalm 127:1 reminds us that "unless the LORD builds the house, those who build it labor in vain." We are profoundly aware how reliant we are on God as we seek to make a difference for Him. Any lasting fruit will be the result of His work in the lives of those to whom we minister.



We count it a privilege to be involved in the lives of others. Would you please join us in praying for our various ministries?

CHRISTIAN UNION'S UNIVERSITY MINISTRIES

Brown University	Prayer Requests
Columbia University	Prayer Requests
Cornell University	Prayer Requests
Dartmouth College	Prayer Requests
Harvard College	Prayer Requests
Harvard Law	Prayer Requests
Princeton University	Prayer Requests
Stanford University	Prayer Requests
University of Pennsylvania	Prayer Requests
Yale University	Prayer Requests