Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high. — Hebrews 1:14
Christian Union had an amazing faculty and staff conference during the first week of August. Thank you for praying for us! For five days straight we spent almost all day reading Scripture, hearing Bible teaching, fasting (except for dinners!), praying, listening to God, confessing and repenting of sin, sharing testimonies, getting to know one another, worshiping God, and more—both together and alone. Not surprisingly, it was an incredible time! For me at least, each day got better and better. God drew near to us as we drew near to Him, praise His Name (James 4:8)! What an incredible God we serve, who dwells “in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite” (Isaiah 57:15).
Greetings from Penn!
I am still pushing toward our summer goals of building the support base for CU Martus and CU Fire Retreats. Thankfully, the Lord is blessing those efforts and showing his faithfulness. The summer has also been a great time to seek the Lord, make new connections for the ministry, and write a “game plan” for the upcoming semester.
Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart. So you will find favor and good success in the sight of God and man. (Proverbs 3:3-4)
The overturning of Roe has ushered in a new era of the pro-life movement
By Tom Campisi
Roland Warren is the president and CEO of Care Net, a network that serves pregnancy centers across North America. The Princeton University and Wharton Business School alumnus recently celebrated the Supreme Court’s reversal of Roe v. Wade, but also emphasized that the need for a holistic approach to unplanned pregnancies remains the same.
Christian Union students and alumni experience radical healing through healing prayer methods
By Anne Kerhoulas
The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed. - Luke 4:18
The ministry of Jesus is a wildly supernatural ministry. But today, many churches focus on the teachings of Jesus more than the power of Jesus when he performed miracles, healings, deliverances, and raised the dead. Though the teaching of Jesus is essential to every church and every believer, the supernatural works of Jesus are such an enormous part of His ministry that they cannot be overlooked. And yet that’s exactly what is happening across America.
Jesus gave us his recipe for producing fruit. In John 15, he said, “Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” We will remember summer 2022 as a season in which we abided in Him with the expectation of bearing much fruit. For Jesus also told us, “If you abide in Me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you” (John 15:7).
Empowering employees through listening and valuing their ideas pays off big when it comes to creating a successful work environment
By Anne Kerhoulas
Servant leadership might sound like a Christian phrase, but this Harvard Business Review article describes how servant leadership is actually the most effective leadership strategy—for everyone.
A Nationwide Fast from August 1-14 Calls Believers to Concerted Prayer
By Dr. Chuck Hetzler
Christian Union’s next extended period of prayer and fasting begins Monday, August 1, and runs for two weeks through Sunday, August 14, 2022. The spiritual condition of our day demands a serious and wholehearted response from the Church; The nation and the people of God in America need a fresh work of the Spirit of God. Please sign up today for our fourteen-day fast and join thousands of other Christians as we draw near to God for ourselves, for the Body of Christ, and for the lost.
Dr. Michael Brown and Pastor Doug Wilson explain the rationale behind the two views
By Anne Kerhoulas
The charismatic church is the fastest-growing movement of Christianity today. It seems clear that people are drawn to the power of God at work today through the Holy Spirit. But for many Christians and evangelical denominations, the gifts of the Spirit that mark the charismatic church—prophecy, tongues, and healing—are believed to no longer exist, having ended with the apostolic age.
October CU Fire Retreat
Brief bios of the October 2024 CU Fire Retreat speakers:Matt Bennett
Matt is the founder and CEO of Christian Union, a Christian leadership development organization with the mission to bring sweeping spiritual and cultural transformation to our nation and the world by developing and networking Christian leaders to make an impact for Christ. Christian Union focuses its activity on America's most influential universities and professionals in the nation's key cities.
A native of Houston, Texas, Matt earned a BS and MBA degree from Cornell University and holds a Master of Divinity degree from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School. He worked for Campus Crusade for Christ (Cru) at Princeton University for 12 years, and developed the ministry into one of the largest in the history of the Ivy League. In 2002, he founded Christian Union. The ministry has been featured in The New York Times, PBS, NPR, Christianity Today, and World Magazine.
Matt currently resides in New York City.
. . .
Dimas Salaberrios
In addition to being a NY pastor and the Ministry Associate for CU New York, he is the author of “Street God: The Explosive True Story of a Former Drug Boss,” and his film “Chicago: America’s Hidden War” was recently nominated for an Oscar for “Best Documentary Feature”! Pastor Dimas Salaberrios is a faith leader, film producer, prayer warrior, and author. He is the founder and former pastor of Infinity Bible Church in New York City, and the President Emeritus of Concerts of Prayer Greater New York. Dimas has been on the frontlines of the earthquakes in Haiti, and Hurricane Harvey in Houston. After the shootings in Saint Paul, Dallas, Charleston, and Paris, Dimas organized believers to infiltrate the protests and pray with hurting people. He has also organized prayer during the George Floyd protests in Minneapolis and New York City. His directorial debut is titled “Chicago: America’s Hidden War” (https://www.chicagoshiddenwar.com), and he co-produced the documentary film “Emanuel.”
Dimas is married to Tiffany and has three daughters. Learn more about Dimas by visiting http://thedynamiclifeministry.com/pastor-dimas/
. . .
Third Speaker: TBD
Event Engages, Challenges Princeton Students
By Leah Smith, Princeton ’20
In the spring semester, Christian Union NOVA at Princeton University hosted a lecture with Dr. Stephen C. Meyer, director of the Discovery Institute’s Center for Science and Culture in Seattle. Meyer, who received his Ph.D. in the philosophy of science from the University of Cambridge, helped students—both Christians and seekers—understand particular attributes of God: His creation, His omniscience, and His centrality to the story of the natural world.
'Knowledge of God and Self Go Hand in Hand'
“Transformation is the gift of the Christian life,” says Jen Wilkin in a recent talk for The Gospel Coalition.
Psalms Part One Is First Release
By Anne Kerhoulas, Staff Writer
After twenty years of teaching and equipping university students through Bible courses, Christian Union will release its first publicly available Bible study this summer. Published through Tyndale, Christian Union’s study on the Book of Psalms is broken into three parts; The first part (Psalms 1-41) will be released in early August, with parts two and three being offered later this fall.
“Welcome One Another as Christ Has Welcomed Us"
Welcoming people into your home may not seem like a supernatural act, but as Marshall Segal posits in his article for Desiring God, “There’s a spiritual power that pulses through the floors and walls and furniture of a Christian home — a strong, even overpowering aroma, a wild and compelling story unfolding for anyone who comes close enough to hear. Beneath the dirty clothes, behind the unwashed dishes, just below the dusty surfaces, a glory hums and unsettles and woos. A 1,500-square-foot sermon.”
CU Gloria Members Produce DaVinci Play
By Anne Kerhoulas, Staff Writer
“The arts are a powerful tool,” reflects Harvard rising junior LyLena Estabine. They have the power to cross boundary lines, reach into the emotional and spiritual core of a person and leave them changed.
Greetings from Christian Union Lumine!
Students are presently back home, in summer internships, or taking classes, but I have the privilege of connecting with a few students who are still in the NYC area or on campus.
As a ministry, we will be spending the bulk of time this summer planning for our Pre-Retreat. Pre-Retreat is a time for our Freshman Welcomers and Ministry Leaders to get away, reconnect with God, rekindle friendships, and plan our freshmen welcoming events for incoming freshmen.
We hope you are having a wonderful summer. Our students are enjoying all kinds of experiences all over the world during their summer break and it is a joy to know that they are shining the light of Christ and the glory of God wherever they are.
Greetings from Cambridge,
I remember my first experience at pre-retreat in our first month on the job in the Fall of 2017. I was blown away as I witnessed dozens of Harvard students worshiping Jesus passionately and praying with an intensity I had rarely seen. I knew immediately this was a special community and that God was doing something spectacular here. I am grateful as I reflect on how the Lord has continued to sustain this love and zeal and spiritual fervor among the CU Gloria students.
God is blessing Christian Union Nova. It’s my prayer that God will continuously bless you as well, showering you with an abundance of His mercy and grace.
On June 29th, I ended a 40-day, one meal-a-day fast that started on May 21st. Our CEO, Matt Bennett encouraged me to press into a season of deep prayer and fasting as we are committed to seeing revival this fall. It is the longest fast I have ever undertaken. My prayers throughout can be summed up by Psalm 105:3-4: “Glory in His holy name; let the hearts of those who seek the LORD rejoice! Seek the LORD and his strength; seek His presence continually!”
