August 15, 2019
Rodarte ’19 Challenges Classmates to Be Change Agents
In her Class Day speech, senior Patricia Rodarte encouraged fellow Brown University graduates to go beyond borders.
Rodarte, a native of El Paso, Texas, grew up less than a mile from the Rio Grande, which marks the boundary between the United States and Mexico. She opened her speech by talking about the shared culture and interdependent ancestry and economies of El Paso and its “sister city,” Ciudad Juarez, Mexico—despite being separated by a 10-foot-tall fence.
“There is a constant movement of people across their ports of entry…” she said. “Crossing borders is central to my region’s identity.”
August 15, 2019
Christian Union at Yale Hosts Forum
On a rainy Friday evening in April, a hundred people gathered in Battell Chapel at Yale University to hear the answer to the pressing question: “Why suffering?”
Christians and skeptics alike have grappled with this question for centuries—how could a loving God allow for the existence of suffering? At a forum hosted by Christian Union, Vince Vitale and Michael Suderman of the Ravi Zacharias Institute presented some profound answers.
Vitale, educated at Princeton (’04) and Oxford, is the director of the Zacharias Institute. Along with Suderman, he has been traveling across the country, giving lectures at churches and college campuses alike.
August 15, 2019
Q and A with Andrew Walker
Andrew T. Walker is the Senior Fellow in Christian Ethics and Director of Research at the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention. He is also an Assistant Professor of Christian Ethics and Apologetics at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. The author of God and the Transgender Debate, as well as editor for The Gospel for Life Series, Walker resides in Franklin, Tennessee with his wife and three daughters.
August 15, 2019
When the U.S. Congress passed the International Religious Freedom Act in 1998, it recognized that religious liberty and the freedom of conscience are in the front rank of the essential human rights whose protection, in every country, merits the solicitude of the United States in its foreign policy. Therefore, the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom, of which I served as chair in 2013, was created by the act to monitor the state of these precious rights around the world.
But why is religious freedom so essential? Why does it merit such heightened concern by citizens and policymakers alike? In order to answer those questions, we should begin with a still more basic question. What is religion?
August 15, 2019
Praying and Fasting for Our Nation
Thursday, August 15, 2019 In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, by descent a Mede, who was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans— in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, perceived in the books the number of years that, according to the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet, must pass before the end of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. Then I turned my face to the Lord God, seeking him by prayer and pleas for mercy with fasting and sackcloth and ashes.— Daniel 9:1-3 (ESV)August 14, 2019
Special Preview: The Christian Union Cities Podcast; Join Believers Across America for an August Fast; Two Thought-Provoking Articles on Careers — and Career Decline; Now Faith; Revival in Fiji; Cheerful Confidence after Christendom and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief.
And I tell you, ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, and the one who seeks finds, and to the one who knocks it will be opened. What father among you, if his son asks for a fish, will instead of a fish give him a serpent; or if he asks for an egg, will give him a scorpion? If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!— Luke 11:9-13
August 14, 2019
Rebellion and Revival
Wednesday, August 14, 2019 Restore us again, O God of our salvation, and put away your indignation toward us! Will you be angry with us forever? Will you prolong your anger to all generations? Will you not revive us again, that your people may rejoice in you? Show us your steadfast love, O Lord, and grant us your salvation.— Psalm 85:4-7 The text of Psalm 85 is introduced by a particular historical designation: “Of the Sons of Korah.” When we know Korah’s story, we gain unique insight on this prayer of restoration and revival. In Numbers 16 we learn of Korah, a tabernacle servant during the time of Israel’s wilderness wandering. Along with 250 fellow dissidents, Korah rose up and challenged Moses and Aaron for priestly authority. That didn’t go too well for him…August 13, 2019
How God Relates to Nations
Tuesday, August 13, 2019 If at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom, that I will pluck up and break down and destroy it, and if that nation, concerning which I have spoken, turns from its evil, I will relent of the disaster that I intended to do to it. And if at any time I declare concerning a nation or a kingdom that I will build and plant it, and if it does evil in my sight, not listening to my voice, then I will relent of the good that I had intended to do to it. —Jeremiah 18:7-10 (ESV)August 12, 2019
Mendonsa ’19 Inspires Stanford Students to Serve
Emily Mendonsa is a servant leader who is both “tenacious” and “tender,” according to Susan Brown, a Bible course leader with Caritas, Christian Union’s ministry to Stanford students.
Ever since she was a teenager, Mendonsa has had a passion for ministering to vulnerable and impoverished children through Naomi’s Village in Kenya, a ministry founded by her family. At Stanford, Mendonsa, who graduated in June, was active in Bible courses and responsible for recruiting fellow students to serve at Naomi’s Village on summer trips.
She credits her relationship with Susan Brown and the ministry’s rigorous Bible courses with providing structure as she pursued God during college. She and Brown met every week for two years and talked about everything from Bible course content to theological issues she faced in classes.
August 12, 2019
Healing the Land
Monday, August 12, 2019 Welcome to the beginning of a 21 day fast! A few thousand from across the country are seeking God for revival during this fast. If you’re new to fasting, please see these fasting resources so that you can participate safely and effectively. When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command the locust to devour the land, or send pestilence among my people, if my people who are called by my name humble themselves, and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land. — 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 (ESV)August 11, 2019
We live in a world where many view suffering as the primary indicator you are doing something wrong. “You made a bad decision.” “You should have tried harder or prepared more." Even when we view suffering through the lens of Christian faith, we hear similar reverberations. “You don’t have enough faith.” “God must be judging you.” While those are at times absolutely true, they can discredit the oft-neglected reason we suffer—for the good purposes of God. Are we not called to persevere? Are we not called to fight against the affliction of this present life?
August 5, 2019
Ministry Director at HLS Has High Expectations
Christian Union’s ministry director at Harvard Law School anticipates a season of fruitful expansion.
“I’m looking towards the 2019-2020 academic year with hopes for growth, both in numbers and impact,” said Justin Yim.
July 31, 2019
Special Preview: The Christian Union Cities Podcast; Join Believers Across America for an August Fast; Two Thought-Provoking Articles on Careers — and Career Decline; Now Faith; Revival in Fiji; Cheerful Confidence after Christendom and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief.
Say not, ‘Why were the former days better than these?’ For it is not wisdom that you ask this.— Ecclesiastes 7:10
July 29, 2019
The Word of God is full of paradoxical statements, such as: “If anyone wants to be first, he must be last of all and servant of all” (Mark 9:35); “For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life because of Me and the gospel will save it” (Mark 8:35); “….whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first among you must be a slave to all. For even the Son of Man did come to be served, but to serve, and give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:43-45). Many of the aforementioned teachings of Jesus are commonly referred to as paradoxical teachings. According to the Merriam Webster’s dictionary, a paradox is “something that is made up of two opposite things that seem impossible but is actually possible.” In other words, a paradox is a seemingly self-contradictory statement containing truth that joins two opposites.
July 20, 2019
The Magnetic Pull of God’s Presence
Tuesday, August 20, 2019 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: Peoples shall yet come, even the inhabitants of many cities. The inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, ‘Let us go at once to entreat the favor of the LORD and to seek the LORD of hosts; I myself am going.’ Many peoples and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem and to entreat the favor of the LORD. Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men from the nations of every tongue shall take hold of the robe of a Jew, saying, ‘Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you.’” — Zechariah 8:20–23 (ESV)July 17, 2019
Two Interviews with Max McLean; Building His Kingdom; College Cornerstone; Abortion isn't Mercy; Why the Declining Marriage Rate Affects Everyone and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief.
Now this is what the Lord Almighty says: “Give careful thought to your ways ... In a little while I will once more shake the heavens and the earth, the sea and the dry land. I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations will come, and I will fill this house with glory," says the Lord Almighty.— Haggai 1:5, 2:6-7
July 15, 2019
Have you ever found yourself lost on the internet? After 15 minutes, 30 minutes, or maybe even an hour, you catch yourself and wonder, “How was I able to waste so much time without even thinking about it?” For me, it is on Etsy or Pinterest browsing ideas for decorating my house -- and poof -- 30 minutes are gone. I am not alone in wasting time decorating my house. In a little book called Haggai, at the end of the Old Testament, God raises up a prophet to tell the Israelites that they are wasting their time paneling their houses instead of rebuilding the Temple, and God is not pleased (Haggai 1:2-11).
July 14, 2019
Cornell University '19
Bachelor of Science, Industrial and Labor Relations
David Navadeh participated in Christian Union's ministry at Cornell. He was highly active and also served as a student leader in the ministry. The recent grad paused to share his reflections on his involvement with the ministry as an undergraduate:"The ministry of Christian Union at Cornell truly has been a cornerstone of my college experience and a deciding factor in choosing to attend Cornell.
July 3, 2019
David Skeel Interviewed on Religious Freedom; Principles of Christian Leadership; Observe & Engage; The Dictatorship of Woke Capital; Art-Making Is an Act of Hope; The Pursuit of Happiness, Rightly Understood and more, in this issue of Christian Union's bi-monthly email brief.
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.— 2 Corinthians 3:17
July 1, 2019
Athens in Paul’s time was no longer a politically important city. Greece had given way to Rome, and its political influence had declined through the centuries. It was, however, still the intellectual center of the world. This city was heir to the great philosophers who set the standards and patterns of thought: Socrates, Plato, Epicurus, and Pericles.After hearing about Athens all his life Paul, the academic and now the apostle, is finally there—a city intellectually and culturally sophisticated but morally decadent and spiritually dead—in spite of having, according to some accounts, up to 30,000 statues of gods.
No wonder they had a statue to “the unknown god!”