There's No Way to Deny that 'Pro-Abortion' is the Right Term; On Quitting Netflix; The Age of Pelagius; A Father's Love; Help Reach the Class of 2023 and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief.  For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, to bring you to God. He was put to death in the body but made alive in the Spirit.— 1 Peter 3:18

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Your Gift by June 30 Will Share Gospel and Change Lives

Please consider a special gift to Christian Union by June 30 to support the next Freshman Campaign. The Class of 2023 will be here before we know it!The ministry will connect with freshmen before they even set foot on campus to welcome and warmly invite them into biblical studies, Christian community, and spiritual and leadership growth. Your gift helps set lives on a new course!

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• Brown
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• Harvard
• Penn
• Princeton
• Yale
• Stanford

Greetings from a Christian Union Parent

Aloha from Hawaii!My daughter, Sara Kay, is home for the summer from Dartmouth. I am amazed at her growth and maturity in her walk with Christ.

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• Dartmouth

In Genesis 22, we are given a story about a dad and his son. The patriarch Abraham, the father of the Jewish nation, is commanded by God to sacrifice his son, Isaac. As a dad myself, it is a hard story to read. “Take your son, your only son, whom you love…” Why would God ask such a thing, particularly of this “Son of the promise” through whom the nation of Israel would come to be? After so many years waiting for him, why would Abraham be put through such a test?

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True Paradox: How Christianity Makes Sense of Our Complex World; Trivial Pursuit?; Why ‘Follow Your Passions’ Is Bad Advice for Graduates; The Sexual Revolutionaries Got Sexual Satisfaction All Wrong; Revival at an Army Base and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief.  I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.— Psalm 32:8

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One of the most popular games of the 1980s was Trivial Pursuit, a trivia game that people found either wildly entertaining or inexpressibly dull. My family would often gather around the table and play — yes, we did have occasional Normal Rockwell moments — and while my Mom would be hoping for Entertainment or Literature categories to come up, my brothers and I would bank on Sports, and little else. The questions were sometimes manageable, but oftentimes nearly impossible: “What was the name of the Douglas family’s dog on My Three Sons?” Which would inevitably be answered with “Chip,” as he was really the only Son (let alone dog) that could be remembered from the show. What was always most vexing to me were the Sports questions that had absolutely nothing to do with sports: “What do Las Vegas blackjack dealers stand on?” First of all, who cares?

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• Penn

Q and A with Lisa Schultz

Lisa Schultz is the Chief of Staff for United States Senate Chaplain Barry C. Black. She directs all of Chaplain Black’s programs and outreach to Senators, their families, and hundreds of Senate staff. Schultz has spent 15 years overseeing Capitol Hill-focused ministries, first as Director of Outreach for the D. James Kennedy Center for Christian Statesmanship and the last 11 years for the Senate Chaplain. Prior to her time serving on Capitol Hill, she lived as a missionary in Schladming, Austria, for seven years under the umbrella of Torchbearers International.   At Christian Union’s Nexus Student Conference in February, Schultz was a member of the law and government panel during the vocational breakout sessions.  

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• Brown
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• Cornell
• Dartmouth
• Harvard
• Penn
• Princeton
• Yale
• Stanford
• Faith and Work

The Great Experiment in the Big Apple  

On Thursday, March 7, a small group of Christians took on a “Joshua Faith Challenge” that would stretch their faith and inject new energy into their walk with Jesus. As part of The Great Experiment, a ten-day spiritual challenge to seek God for revival, participants were asked to pray and ask God to show them something they could do to put their faith into works. It was to be something specific, concrete, bold, and out of the ordinary—something that would require courageous faith in God (Joshua 1:8, 9). In response to the challenge, a number of the five thousand Great Experiment participants came up with creative evangelism plans for their faith challenge.   For his Joshua Faith Challenge, Christian Union Founder and CEO Matt Bennett met up with six friends to take the Gospel to the New York City subway! Asking for prayer in advance of the big day, Matt wrote: “I’ve never done such a thing and am a little nervous, but also excited to see what God will do!”

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• New York
• Seeking God
• Cultural Engagement

Susan Stover and Arthur Stella

He who supplies seed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing and increase the harvest of your righteousness.  - 2 Corinthians 9:10   Early in Susan Stover’s life, her parents, Bob and Joan Stover, sowed the seeds of generosity. “My parents’ faith journey had a tremendous impact on me,” Susan noted. “My father became a Christian as a young man after serving in the Navy during World War II. His life reflected his personal belief that he needed to use his talents and resources in the Lord’s service.” After the war, Bob Stover began a temporary employment agency in San Francisco.

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• Brown
• Columbia
• Cornell
• Dartmouth
• Harvard
• Penn
• Princeton
• Yale
• Stanford
• Faith and Work

Seniors Show Appreciation for Christian Union at Dinner

In April, students with Christian Union at Columbia hosted a senior dinner at the organization’s new ministry center. It was a sweet time of reflection, prayer, and even a few tears, as seniors looked back with gratitude on four years of spiritual growth and Christian community. “Student after student commented on how the ministry has made a difference in their lives and how they have made lifelong friends,” said Yolanda Solomon, a Christian Union ministry fellow at Columbia. “They talked about connecting and staying in touch and how they will miss Christian Union.”

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• Columbia
• New York
• Faith and Work

Harvard Law, Kennedy School Students Study Nehemiah

The account of Nehemiah offers timeless lessons in spiritual and practical leadership. God raised up the Jewish official for a strategic mission, pointing to the role of providence in the form of human managers. Those were some of the themes that emerged during a recent series from Christian Union’s ministry at Harvard Law School. During the spring term, the ministry offered an in-depth study on the book of Nehemiah to students from Harvard Law School (HLS) and the John F. Kennedy School of Government. “These young adults are in a position to become our leaders in the next generation,” said Justin Yim, Christian Union’s ministry director at Harvard Law School. 

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• Harvard
• Cultural Engagement
• Faith and Work

Muni ’20 Is a Bold Christian Leader for Caritas

Caritas, Christian Union’s leadership develop ministry to Stanford students, has a new president. While the Kenyan is known for his bright smile and humility, he has a bold vision and exudes confidence when it comes to sharing his faith and encouraging his peers to seek God wholeheartedly. Ask Robert Muni ’20 what makes him a good fit for the leadership role, and he emphatically will reply, “Jesus.” 

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• Intellectual Engagement
• Stanford

Pinson ’19 Aspires to Medical Career

A student-athlete, Claire Pinson relishes opportunities to support her teammates. Helping others to be their best is also a practice the Harvard College senior hopes to take into the medical field.  “I was put on the team to touch the people around me,” said Pinson, a member of the women’s swimming and diving team. In addition to helping the Crimson make a splash at collegiate meets, Pinson ’19 also has a  passion to express  her faith, in and out of the pool.  The pre-med student, who grew up in a Christian household, has flourished in her faith walk since enrolling in Harvard, especially via the mentorship she has received from Christian Union’s ministry. 

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• Alumni
• Harvard
• Faith and Work

Students Step out to Lead Prayer Meetings

  God entrusts His precious seconds, minutes, and hours to each of us. But how can we best use them? This semester two Cornellians who are active in Christian Union prioritized one day each week as God’s day. In those twenty-four hours, they rested from their studies, engaged in fellowship with other believers, and spearheaded an initiative to untangle what biblical rest and the Sabbath really mean. Meet Klaudia Kokoszka and Alanna Staffin. Kokoszka is a junior economics and government transfer from Rutgers University and a relatively new Christian. In one short year, she has undergone a transformation; the Lord has given her an insatiable desire to understand His Word and share its love-infused message. Staffin, a leader with Christian Union’s ministry, is a graduating dairy science major.

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• Cornell
• Seeking God
• Cultural Engagement

Richards ’19 Is Poised for a Medical Career  

A Princeton University senior is jumpstarting a career centered around public service. After arriving at Princeton, Denay Richards ’19 discovered a passion for volunteer initiatives, especially those on behalf of disadvantaged youngsters. “Community service is a key part of who I am and part of my mission as a Christian,” she said. The Caribbean native also is majoring in molecular biology in preparation for a medical career, most likely in cardiothoracic surgery. Richards envisions herself participating in regular medical missions, especially to her native St. Lucia and other underserved countries.

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• Alumni
• Princeton
• Faith and Work

Whiteman ’19 Has Draft Aspirations

As captain of Yale University’s baseball team, Simon Whiteman is grateful for the opportunities his position has afforded him to add new chapters to the team’s rich history. Especially memorable have been the recent events that contributed to a “really big fall for our program,” said Whiteman ’19.   In late November, the team was in the spotlight as the nation mourned the death of one of its former captains, President George H.W. Bush, ’48. Weeks earlier, Yale baseball alumnus Mike Elias ’06 was named as the executive vice president and general manager of the Baltimore Orioles.

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• Yale
• Seeking God
• Cultural Engagement

Vocation and the Kingdom of God; Harvard Betrays a Law Professor — and Itself; Congratulations, Graduates!; The Spirit-Filled Life; Alabama's Challenge and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief.  If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.— Col 3:1-4

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Forum with David Skeel

Christian Union New York was excited to hold its first Forum of the year on Monday, May 20. The night’s speaker was David Skeel, S. Samuel Arsht Professor of Corporate Law at the University of Pennsylvania Law School. Drawing on his wide range of expertise, Professor Skeel spoke to the audience, not on bankruptcy law, but on an approach to apologetics fit for our postmodern era.

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• New York Events
• Past Events

Giving Thanks for Extraordinary Students

Director of Marketing and Communications In May and June, Christian Union is celebrating the cherished members of the graduating Class of 2019 at Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Princeton, Stanford, University of Pennsylvania, and Yale. At end-of-year banquets held in their honor, students involved with Christian Union donned formal attire and enjoyed evenings of remembrance and celebration of their beloved seniors. As they dined, many seniors rose to share memories and thanksgiving for the way God has worked in their lives. Seniors graduating from Harvard

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Princeton Christians Intercede with Students Across the Nation 

  On February 28, students from Princeton University participated in the Collegiate Day of Prayer. Held annually on the last Thursday of February, the Collegiate Day of Prayer organization seeks to impact the next generation spiritually, encouraging all to pray for the students at our nation’s campuses.   Participating ministries at Princeton included: Princeton Christian Fellowship, Worship House, Manna Christian Fellowship, and Christian Union. Each ministry adopted a residential college, which is Princeton’s system for housing and dining for underclassmen. Then, they prayed for the students of that college. This model of praying for specific institutions also mirrors the overall model of the nationwide initiative, where entire campuses are adopted by organizations and individuals.

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• Princeton
• Seeking God
• Cultural Engagement