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Cultural Engagement


September 29, 2024

Dartmouth Receives the Only Green Light of All the Ivies

Intellectual Freedom Under Attack at American Educational Institutions

by erin conner, writer and communications associate


“To impose any strait jacket upon the intellectual leaders in our colleges and universities would imperil the future of our Nation.” — Chief Justice Earl Warren

On September 16th, 2024, Dartmouth College aligned its written policies of free speech with First Amendment principles. Consequently, Dartmouth officially reclaimed the overall “green light” speech code rating from the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE).
 

According to a recent article published by FIRE, Dartmouth is the only green light school in the Ivy League, one of four in New Hampshire, and one of 68 nationwide. FIRE awards green light ratings to institutions with no written policies that seriously imperil student free speech rights. 

“Say something controversial at most elite colleges and you’re liable to get shouted down, canceled, reported, and disciplined,” said FIRE Director of Policy Reform Laura Beltz. “But Dartmouth has shown it aims to foster a better environment for free speech through adopting these policies and encouraging dialogue across difference.”

According to FIRE, "Dartmouth first earned a green light rating in 2005, but in 2013, the school set up a 'bias incident reporting' protocol that FIRE deemed threatened student speech. Under this protocol, students could be reported by their peers — and investigated and disciplined by administrators — for offenses as minor as 'joke telling' and 'stereotyping.' At the time, FIRE told Dartmouth that the protocol was inconsistent with the school’s stated commitment to free expression, but administrators chose to keep it in place. As a result, in 2015, FIRE was forced to downgrade the school to a “yellow light” rating." 

dartmouthgreenlight
photo credit: FIRE.org

Dartmouth President Sian Beilock took office in 2023. “As a community committed to learning and growth, Dartmouth thrives on the exchange of diverse viewpoints,” said President Beilock. “It is through the respectful sharing of different perspectives that we challenge our ideas, broaden our understanding, and advance our academic mission. Engaging with voices that differ from our own is not just important—it is essential to creating the kind of dynamic, inclusive environment where true learning takes place.”

FIRE maintains that, under President Beilock, "Dartmouth fixed two flawed policies governing harassment and revised the bias reporting protocol that cost the school its green light nearly a decade ago. These changes still maintain compliance with all applicable legal standards. Bias incidents can still be reported under the new protocol, and students may receive support and community resources. However, the new policy clarifies that speech that is protected under free speech principles will not be subject to investigation or punishment. Actions in violation of Dartmouth’s Nondiscrimination and Anti- Harassment Policy will continue to be investigated under that policy. Beyond revising Dartmouth’s policies, Beilock is passionate about cultivating a culture of free speech, expression, and dissent. As she said in her inaugural address, 'I want our campus to be a place where every member of our community not only feels comfortable expressing unpopular views, but in questioning others who hold views they disagree with.'"

The article continued to note that, "In January 2024, Dartmouth launched Dartmouth Dialogues, an initiative which offers programming dedicated to facilitating conversations that bridge political and personal divides. A cornerstone of Dartmouth Dialogues is the Dialogue Project, which trains students, faculty, and staff to cultivate the respectful and open exchange of ideas.And just last week, Dartmouth announced the expansion of the Open Expression Facilitators program. Open Expression Facilitators are trained faculty and staff who serve as neutral observers at controversial campus events and ensure that deplatforming and disruption do not occur. Until now, Open Expression Facilitators focused on undergraduate events, but now their mission extends to the entire campus community."

The Organization of American Historians defines academic freedom as “the principle of freedom of expression for scholars engaged in discipline-related teaching, learning, research, publication and service.” Academic freedom is a foundational necessity for colleges, faculty members, and students across our country as universities must not be confined to a one-size-fits-all cult of conformity. 

For over two decades, Christian Union has defended academic freedom and intellectual discovery at some of our nation's most secular and influential schools, and would love your help to continue this work for the benefit of students and the good of our nation. 


Read FIRE's full article here

Join the movement to make Christ known at Dartmouth and beyond.  

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September 15, 2024

Two Reasons Our Faith Must Be Bold

Speaking and Living Boldly for the Lord in a Pluralistic Society

by erin conner, writer and communications associate


The Book of Acts shows a people living boldly. 


In regard to the church in the Book of Acts, Author Jonathan Parnell in his article, "Why Boldness Matters Now" writes, "The bewildering reality at work in Peter’s and John’s testimony in Acts 4 is what they say about Jesus. These two fishermen had become messengers of God’s salvation, heralds for a new age in human history. They were now spokesmen of the risen and reigning Lord over all. So yes, they spoke with passion. But the point Luke drives home is not their style, but their substance. Not their homiletics, but their hermeneutics. It was all centered on Christ — how he is the One to whom the whole Old Testament points, how his work has changed the world forever. The heart of Peter’s and John’s boldness was how they spoke clearly about the identity and significance of Jesus. The picture Luke gives us of the early Christian mission is that the church was not without words when it came to the question of their King."

light on a hill

Parnell further notes that perhaps when we look at the church in the Book of Acts, "it sounds like the bar is set too high for us. Maybe this sounds like some kind of unrealistic expectation about lay-level theological education. Maybe. But my unshakable impression from reading our brother Luke is that he envisions the people of Jesus as a people who know Jesus. That the people of Jesus can see him in their Book. That the people of Jesus know what to say if someone were to ask, “About whom, I ask you, is the prophet talking about in the 53rd chapter of Isaiah?” (Acts 8:34–35). Luke has written a theological narrative for the church to drink up, and when we do, he’s convinced me that it means we imbibe this kind of boldness for our day — that we know whom we have believed amid a culture of confusion."

It seems abundantly clear from Scripture that the natural by-product of encountering and knowing Christ is to testify about Him wherever we go. 


Parnell continues, "This vision of Christian boldness — of speaking clearly about the identity and significance of Jesus — is increasingly relevant in the day in which we live. This is worth highlighting, and there are two reasons why. First, the pluralism around us means inevitable indoctrination. Second, the more we’re marginalized, the greater the risk is that what’s important will muffle what’s the most important. A pluralistic world is like a raging river of clashing currents. The currents are the vast array of competing metanarratives, which as Richard Bauckham explains, is “an attempt to grasp the meaning and destiny of human history as a whole by telling a single story about it” (Bible and Mission, 4). The point is that, in our world, everybody’s got a story. Everybody lives by some story that tries to make sense of it all, whether cultural, religious, or ideological."

Furthermore, Parnell writes, "There are several rushing currents in this river of our world, and they’re always leading somewhere. Toss in this river the glut of communication channels around us, and it means that we can’t really do anything without stepping through those tumultuous waters. And if our steps are not intentional — if we don’t know where we want to go — we’ll just drift along with the strongest pull. The idea of not being pulled somewhere is impossible. “One’s life is moving in one direction or another, taking one kind of shape or another,” writes Kevin Vanhoozer in The Drama of Doctrine.

So, as Parnell rightly contends, "It is essential that we get clear on who Jesus is and what his work means for the world, as the Bible shows us. Bauckham points out that only the Bible 'tells a story that in some sense encompasses all other human stories [and] draws them into the meaning that God’s story with the world gives them' (5). The truth of Jesus in God’s story must be our navigating force. If it’s not, we’ll simply be tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every other current’s pull. Vanhoozer says, 'To the extent that we are always following some direction or other, our very lives are indoctrinated. The only question is whether the doctrine that informs one’s life is governed by the Christian gospel or by some other story, some other script' (Drama, 105). We’re either bold about Jesus, or we’re adrift with no anchor." 


Bold about Jesus or adrift with no anchor. This is not an example of bifurcation. This is truth in a culture of deception that dilutes the power of the gospel and the clarity of God's Word.

Parnell concludes, "There is nothing more counter-cultural than telling the world that the crucified Messiah is raised and reigning, and that therefore now 'God commands all people everywhere to repent'" (Acts 17:30). 

Bold faith has been one of Christian Union's core values since its inception in 2002. As a Christian leadership development ministry that seeks to transform culture for God's glory, Christian Union undertands that faith in Jesus Christ is not meant to be hidden, for “no one after lighting a lamp puts it in a cellar or under a basket, but on a stand, so that those who enter may see the light" ( Luke 11:33).

May we speak and go boldly to prepare the way for God, making a straight path for Him to enter into the hearts and lives of those we have been entrusted to love and lead.



Read Parnell's full article, "Why Boldness Matters Now." 

Learn more about how Christian Union is developing bold Christian leaders with spiritual depth at strategic places for cultural engagement to change the world.

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September 3, 2024

Three Lessons on the Soul

How Does Jesus Teach Us to Compute? 

by Erin conner, writer & communications associate

In a recent article entitled "To Gain the World and Lose Your Soul," published by Desiring God, writer Greg Morse powerfully illustrates the problem of ignoring the soul as a result of the distractions and deceptions of our modern world.

Morse writes, "One great feature of modernity, from Satan’s standpoint, is the sheer rejection of the soul. We live in a world stupefied by the material. Ask ten people on the street about their souls — if they don’t wonder aloud, 'What does this babbler wish to say?' (Acts 17:18), they will tell you that if they do have a soul, they have not thought much about it. Even ancient pagan philosophers wrote dense treatises on the soul, but the mass of men today live as though they are soulless. And yet these same people investigate the silliest things under the sun. If anything is worth thought, is it not your soul? 'Claiming to be wise, they became fools'” (Romans 1:22).

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August 28, 2024

Shepherds for Sale: The Bennett Broadcast's Recent Book Review

A Closer Look at Episodes 2 and 3 of a Newly Launched Christian Podcast

By Erin conner, writer and communications associate 

51 million Americans listen to podcasts at least once a month, making it a powerful platform for Matt Bennett, Founder and President of Christian Union and the Heritage Pastors Association, to use to deliver messages about national revival and reformation. 

In two episodes of his newly launched podcast, Bennett explores ideas in Megan Basham's best selling book Shepherds for Sale; a book that investigates how deeply secular billionaires have infiltrated America’s churches. Shepherds for Sale "documents how progressive powerbrokers set out to change the American church… and warns of what happens when the church trusts the world’s wisdom instead of Scripture" (Amazon.com). In review of the book, Os Guinness shares, "Some will quibble over details, but no one should miss the powerful warning in this book. We face a gathering storm, as Winston Churchill warned a century ago, but this time the enemy is inside as well as outside the gates. Every convinced and unashamed Evangelical should read, ponder, and pray over this important book."

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July 14, 2024

Culture and Current Religious Affiliation

Is Culture Reshaping Religious Affiliation and Freedom in America?

by Christian union, first published in 2021; edited and revised 2024

Religious freedom is an expectation and reality in our country, but with a major shift in the cultural understanding of identity, some experts argue that religious freedom may be evaporating before our eyes. In an article from Gospel Coalition Australia entitled "Has Religious Freedom Had Its Day," writer Akos Balogh examines the cultural changes that are quickly reshaping the freedom of the Church in the west. 

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July 12, 2024

Devotional: Lover of Money or People?

Aligning Our Hearts with the Heart of God 

by Christian union, first published in 2018; edited and revised 2024

“Whoever can be trusted with very little can also be trusted with much, and whoever is dishonest with very little will also be dishonest with much. So if you have not been trustworthy in handling worldly wealth, who will trust you with true riches?"- Luke 16:9-11 (NIV)

It is no secret that the priorities of Jesus regularly riled up the religious leaders of His day. Jesus’ proclivity for welcoming the disreputable “sinners and tax collectors” into relationship and community became a particular target of their ire and scorn. The series of four parables in Luke 15:1-16:15 function in tandem to show Jesus’ radical inclusion and acceptance of such unbeloved people as deeply consonant with the shape of God’s coming kingdom in the world.


Luke 15:1-2 plays the set-up role for the four outrageous parables that follow, each building in dramatic intensity, in clarity of a scandalous message, and in subverting and violating what almost universally holds for common sense in a fallen world. The “therefore” in 15:3 indicates that the four stories illustrate why He “receives sinners and eats with them” in His home. Likewise, Luke 16:14-15 provides a climactic summary, gathering up the main point of the parables. It turns out that the Pharisees despise Jesus’ priorities because they are “lovers of money” and thus on the wrong side of the God’s purposes in creation—in spite of how they pose piously before human beings, masking their true motives for their abhorrence of such unclean sinners.

Yet it is only in the final parable that Jesus’ apology for His kingdom-shaped ministry appears in all of its shocking beauty. Strangely commended by the business owner he has just swindled (16:8), the dishonest steward’s motives and actions tend to confuse the reader. In what way does his behavior reflect Jesus’ ministry?  How are we supposed to imitate Him? Clearly, not in being greedy or dishonest over financial matters per se (we are to be “shrewd” like him (16:8), yet while being as innocent as doves, as in Matt. 10:16). Yet to stop there would be to miss the whole point.

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July 1, 2024

A Nationwide Call to Unite in Humility

Christian Union is Hosting a National Fast for America to Return to God

by Erin conner, writer and communications associate

Pew and Barna research showcases the multi-decade decline of Christian belief and practice in America among both strongly committed and marginally committed Christians. Projections indicate that 50 million people will be "lost" without reconciliation to God through Christ by 2050. America has suffered mass secularization in the last few decades resulting in an increase in disorder in America, from the highest levels of depression and anxiety on record since the Great Depression to a significant and measurable decrease in personal and societal health and stability. 

In response to this reality, Christian Union America will be holding a 14-day national fast from August 1 to August 14, 2024, that will emphasize the need for American Christians and the American people to turn to God. This initiative will urge Christians to fast and pray for our nation, for our nation's leaders to return to God, and for all Americans to heed the Lord's loving call to reconciliation, repentance, and obedience. 

Christian Union will provide all participants with a guide to fasting, an email devotional each day of the fast, an online community for participants, and a Bible reading plan. Participants will also be added to Christian Union's app, which is hosting a private group for this purpose. This online group will allow participants to connect with other like-minded Christians from the east to the west coast, share testimonies, and access additional resources such as videos and articles during the fast. 

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June 22, 2024

The Healing Hand of God in the Land of Fiji

A Reflection on the Healing Power of God in the Church Age

by Christian union, originally published in 2019

“…if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” 

– 2 Chronicles 7: 13, 14

One small hand slipped into mine. A second stealthy hand claimed my other hand. The young girls tugged me along the dirt path through the village, between small homes. Prayers and songs drifted from doorways. Cell phones served as our flashlights, guiding mysteps only; the girls were sure-footed as they pulled and nudged me along. From the sky, heavy with darkness, stars erupted. They dangled so seemingly low amid the lengthwise haze of the Milky Way I wondered if I might disentangle a hand, reach up, and snatch one, just one, drop it my pocket, to remember a sacred night in Vunibao, Fiji.

 

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June 5, 2024

When was the Last Nationwide Revival in America?

The Businessmen's Revival of 1857-58

by Christian union america

It was the “Great Century,” according to eminent church historian, Kenneth Scott Latourette, because of the unprecedented global growth of Christianity from 1800-1899. The gospel spread forcefully across the earth, and America was probably the greatest recipient and participant in God’s Kingdom advancement during that time. The “Great Century” began with the new country’s Second Great Awakening that lasted until approximately 1840. In the second half of the 1800s, the US was blessed with another nationwide move of God’s Spirit, the Businessmen's Revival of 1857-58.

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April 30, 2024

The Ultimate Disruptor

Bold University Ministry in America Featured on Canadian Show

by erin conner, writer and communications associate

The Perspective with Mike Sherbino is a ministry with a mission 1) to use television, social media, and radio as a primary way to communicate Christian values, insights and the hope of the gospel to Canada and beyond, 2) to talk about issues related to people's understanding of how faith in Jesus Christ can transform the way we live our lives, and 3) to use their platforms to push back against the secular agenda of our day and provide broadcast platforms for other like-minded ministries doing the same. 

The Perspective has enjoyed a substantial audience across Canada, as this show provides solutions for navigating life’s journey by unpacking scripture through the lens of culture, crisis, and current events.

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April 24, 2024

Love Your Enemies

Devotional from CU National Fast 2024: Jesus Christ, Prince of Peace of all Nations

By jason walsh, president of christian union universities


As I stood tall before a judge in a civil case, I waited for the judgment to be announced. I was prepared. I was confident the truth of my statements was sufficient. I knew I stood for what was right, but I was unwilling to look to my left at the individual I perceived as my enemy. Memories as a United States Marine during uniform inspections flashed through my mind. I had spent years standing tall while being inspected from head to toe. I prepared for these inspections to the point I’d be surprised if the inspecting Marine found anything incorrect, yet whispers of doubt had me wondering if I overlooked anything while I waited for the final judgment. But this wasn’t the Marine Corps. This wasn’t about my preparation. This involved a person acting as an enemy toward me. While everyone waited for a judgment to be spoken, I thought, "how could this person get away with false claims?” “How could this person be so deceiving?” “Did their lies convince the judge? “Does the truth matter?” “Would my enemy receive a just penalty?”  

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April 16, 2024

What is Christian Union?

A Ministry that Equips Tranformative Christian Leaders for Life

By Erin conner, writer and communications associate


Christian Union has been in the national spotlight for several weeks now. From magazine and newspaper articles, television interviews, a podcast appearance, a Worldwide Prayer Meeting at Yale with the Summit International School of Ministry that was live-streamed across multiple countries, and social media ads running from the west to the east coast of the U.S., many people in faith-based circles are asking, "What is Christian Union?" 

Christian Union is a leadership development ministry that works at ten of the nation's most influential educational institutions and beyond to develop and connect Christians to transform culture for God's glory. 

Christian Union (CU) is a unique ministry in that it meets a comprehensive set of needs in our nation's young adults:

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April 10, 2024

The Name of Jesus Lifted High at Yale

Christian Union Lux' Second Annual Worship and Prayer Event 

By erin conner, writer and communication associate 


Christian Union Lux is a spiritual force of light at Yale University by God's grace and power. A leader of this force is Reverend Jeffrey Walsh. Walsh is a retired U.S. Army Master Sergeant with over 23 years of experience as a Military Police Soldier, Educator, and National Director of Police. He is also an ordained Christian minister with a lifetime of experience in pastoral ministry. 

Walsh has served in various assignments and attachments worldwide with the U.S. Army National Guard Bureau, the 5th Special Forces Group, and the 169th Regional Training Institute. Jeffrey spent the last ten years in senior leadership positions. He has trained military leaders across North America in his former roles and Walsh's combat experience has earned him numerous service awards, including the Bronze Star Medal with Valor and four presidential unit awards. And for the last two years, Walsh has been training and ministering to students as the ministry director of Christian Union Lux at Yale. His passion for serving others stems from a personal journey of healing and transformation through the Spirit of God.

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March 28, 2024

Nothing is More Loving

Sharing Christ with an "Unreached People Group" at Cornell and Beyond

By Erin conner, writer and communications associate

While students and faculty were protesting in Ithaca's public spaces and headlines were raging with anger and allegations about attacks on freedom in The Cornell's Daily Sun, Christian Union (CU) Vita students were fixing their eyes on the Author and Finisher of their faith. These students recently surrendered their week of spring break to serve the Lord. They are not looking to the right or to the left; instead, they are gazing upon the beauty of the Lord, knowing He is the One who sustains them and keeps them from sinking into the surrounding culture of despair, as they share the Hope that they have in Jesus Christ with anyone who will listen.  

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March 18, 2024

Jesus Disrupts: 2024 Evangelism Campaign

CU Rise Set to "Disrupt" Spiritual Climate of U.S. Colleges

By erin conner, writer and communications associate 



In 2022, Christian Union first launched CU Rise, an evangelism campaign designed to share the gospel with students at nine of the nation’s most influential universities more boldly, strategically, and frequently than ever before. This month, Christian Union is at it again, as CU Rise takes form for the third spring in a row with its campaign entitled "Jesus Disrupts."

For eight weeks, starting March 17, the goal of CU Rise is to proclaim the gospel, disrupting the current spiritual climate at highly secular universities that produce a disproportionate amount of U.S. and global leaders. Matt Bennett, Founder and President of Christian Union, recently told the Christian Post that this theme was chosen “to introduce students to how radical Jesus is.”  

columbia students


The schools across the country that this campaign will focus on include Brown University of Rhode Island, Columbia University of New York, Cornell University of New York, Dartmouth College of New Hampshire, Harvard University of Massachusetts, the University of Pennsylvania, Princeton University of New Jersey, Yale University of Connecticut, and Stanford University of California.


“Students today at the nation’s most rigorous schools are largely unaware of the most important message in the history of humanity. Jesus Christ has brought more good into the world than any other person, and these students deserve to know, said Bennett. "Jesus is also the only one who can forgive sins and transfer us from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light. We need to do everything we can to give these students the opportunity to believe in Him.”  

Read Christian Post's full article entitled "‘Jesus disrupts’: Christian Student Group to Launch 8-week Evangelism Tour" here


Read FaithWire's related article entitled, "Christian Leader's Sobering Comparision Between Communist China and Ivey League Campuses" here

 
View and share videos, testimonies, or articles from the CU Risecampaign that explain Christianity here

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March 17, 2024

Losing Our Religion

Washington Times Op-Ed on Secularization of Educational Institutions

By Erin conner, writer and communications associate


Sunday, March 17, 2024-- The Washington Times published an opinion article today by Matt Bennett, Founder and President of Christian Union, entitled "America's Founding Universities Lost Their Religion. Are They Worth Saving?" 

The article briefly discusses the histories of several educational institutions in America, such as Harvard, Cornell, Columbia, and Stanford. The article also presents a compelling claim that students at these institutions ought to know the fundamental truth upon which their schools were founded: Jesus Christ is the Son of God, and, through Him alone, humanity finds salvation and life.

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March 14, 2024

Alumnus Wins Congressional Primary

Former Student President Claims Victory in Texas Primary 

By Erin conner, writer and communications associate 

Leaders developed at Dartmouth shape the future of our country by determining what media gets disseminated, what laws get passed, and how major decisions get made. Dartmouth has produced influential figures, including author Dr. Seuss, beloved T.V. personality Fred Rogers, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and former central banker and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner (ChristianUnion.org/Cornerstone/Vox). It seems another name of influence may soon be added to this list: Brandon Gill. 

Brandon Gill claimed victory in the GOP primary for the 26th district of Texas to replace U.S. Rep. Michael Burgess, who is retiring after 21 years in Congress, according to the Dallas News. Gill received 58.4% of the vote and will now face Democrat Ernest Lineberger III in the November election.

Gill's Congressional webpage states, "I attended Dartmouth College and graduated cum laude with degrees in both Economics and History. I was President of the conservative paper, The Dartmouth Review. I was also President of Christian Union and grew it to be one of the largest student groups on campus, despite being on a campus hostile to the Christian faith. In college, I fought the left nonstop - on their own turf - and I left Dartmouth even more conservative than when I arrived."

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March 1, 2024

The Urgency of Evangelism: Inspiration from D.L. Moody

Christian Union Universities Proclaiming the Good News This Spring

By Tom Campisi, 2022, revised and edited by erin conner, 2024 

“What shall you do then with Jesus which is called Christ?”

That was the question posed by preacher Dwight Lyman Moody at his Illinois Street Church in Chicago on October 8, 1871. In the sermon, he paraphrased the question asked by Pontius Pilate in the Gospel of Matthew (27:22). Moody challenged the congregation to think about it during the week and return to church the following Sunday with an answer—would they crown Christ as Lord or, like Pilate and the misguided mob of that time, deny his supremacy? However, as Moody finished his sermon, a warning bell began to ring. The Great Chicago Fire was raging. There was no next week at his church, which burned to the ground like many of the buildings in the city.

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February 24, 2024

Christian Leadership in Media

Highlight: CU America Member, Carrie Sheffield 

By erin conner, writer and communications associate 


Carrie Sheffield, a Harvard alumna and a member of Christian Union America, is releasing a memoir this March entitled Motorhome Prophesies and launching a subsequent book tour across the U.S. 

Sheffield, a columnist and broadcaster in Washington, D.C., shares insights with millions of Americans on networks like CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, CBS News, CNBC, BBC, and more. From ABC’s Good Morning America to HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, PBS, and C-SPAN, she brings a voice of virtue to the American communications and media industry through boundless interviews for articles, appearances on television shows and podcasts, and at forums across the nation. Consequently, many Americans know the professional side of Carrie Sheffield's life. 

In her memoir, we learn about a different side of her life. The book's overview states, "Carrie Sheffield grew up the fifth of eight children with a violent, mentally ill, street-musician father who believed he was a modern-day Mormon prophet…She and her seven siblings were often forced to live as vagabonds, remaining on the move across the country. They frequently subsisted in sheds, tents, and, most notably, motorhomes. They often lived a dysfunctional drifter existence, camping out in their motorhome in Walmart parking lots. Carrie attended 17 public schools and homeschool, all while performing classical music on the streets… at times while child custody workers loomed…Carrie struggled with her mental health during college and for most of her adult life." 

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February 2, 2024

Please Join Us

Experience the Power of a CU Fire Retreat — without Leaving Your Town!

By Erin Conner, Writer and communications associate

What is the significance of meeting together in a community to seek the Lord? Why are followers of Christ encouraged in the New Testament to "not give up meeting together?" (Hebrews 10: 25). 

Throughout the Scriptures, we find patterns of regularly seeking God in community with others. For example, daily morning and evening gatherings when the sun rises and the sun sets are found in Numbers 28:1-8. Weekly meetings are held Sunday (originally Saturday) in Exodus 20:8-11; Leviticus 23:3; Numbers 28:9, 10; Deuteronomy 5:12-15 and in the first century Church, as recorded in Acts. Monthly or "new moon” gatherings are found in Numbers 28:11-15, and annual special gatherings are held several times per year, especially with seven-day gatherings every six months in the spring and the fall, as shown in Leviticus 23:1-44. 

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