February 1, 2017
Christian Union Purchases Historic Building
by Catherine Elvy, staff writerChristian Union is preparing to open the doors to the Robert L. Melrose Center for Christian Leadership, just a block from Princeton University.The facility will provide office space for Christian Union's ministry team at Princeton, as well as meeting space for Bible courses, mentoring and prayer sessions, alumni events, and other gatherings."It will be a great place off campus for students to feel like they are hosted in a really warm, welcoming space," said Jon Nielson, Christian Union's director of ministry at Princeton.In October, Christian Union purchased the historic home at 19 Vandeventer Avenue, a block north of Firestone Library.February 1, 2017
Foreign Missionary Was Influenced by Brainerd, Carey, and the Word
February 1, 2017
A Christian Union: The Magazine Interview
February 1, 2017
J. Christy Wilson, Jr. and His Impact on World Evangelization
January 26, 2017
The biweekly eNewsletter from Christian Union
Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. — Psalm 25:5
January 12, 2017
The biweekly eNewsletter from Christian Union
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. — Psalm 119:105
January 4, 2017
Recent graduates and professionals come together for a weekend of compelling speakers and dynamic worship.
April 7-9, 2017Samford MarriotSamford, ConnecticutBringing together recent graduates and professionals from various professions and locations for a life-changing weekend of dynamic worship and compelling ideas about faith and its relevance to our work and culture in light of what it means to change the world.
January 4, 2017
No one wants to be criticized, regardless of whether the criticism is intended to be constructive or derisive. Nonetheless, criticism is a component of culture: we see criticism everywhere, from the comments section of a news article to exchanges in the workplace. How then, are we to deal with criticism? Naturally, we are tempted to turn and defend ourselves, often times wanting to prove we are “better” in some manner than our criticizers. But is this the best way to react? In a blogpost, Timothy Keller expounds sage advice on how we are to deal with criticism from a Christian perspective.
January 3, 2017
A Student's Perspective
Kylen Soriano, Class of 2018, is one of the students involved with Christian Union's ministry at Brown. The biology major hails from Los Angeles, California. His campus activities include: Christian Union (2015-16 Co-President); Club Basketball; Undergraduate Research in Regenerative Medicine (Biotechnology); and First-Year Advising. "Because I am attending Brown, my faith has grown more in the last two years than during the rest of my life as a believer. I grew up in the church, went to youth group and led worship. I lived in a Christian bubble and didn't really know what kids my age actually did. Brown couldn't have been more of an eye-opener.
January 2, 2017
The intake of Scripture and the practice of prayer are both spiritual disciplines Christians are called to engage in daily and diligently. Should we ever combine the two and pray about our Bible reading? Writer Kristen Wetherell, in "Unlocking the Bible," suggests that we can and should pray before we begin our study of the Bible. She writes, "Reading the Bible before praying is like putting the cart before the horse. The proverbial horse is the Holy Spirit of God, who empowers and enlightens our Bible reading as we mine the depths of his Word. The proverbial cart makes up our willing eyes and hungry hearts, the Spirit-led choice to crack open our Bibles and pursue his everlasting truth. The cart must be pulled by the horse; our efforts to read must be motivated and helped by God’s grace and power. Christians come to God’s Word willing and hungry because he first made us willing and hungry to receive—but only he can enable us to receive. This is why we ask for help before we start reading." Following this explanation, Wetherell offers 22 different prayers from Psalm 119 to help us focus on the incredible gift of God’s Word: 1. Pray for wholehearted seeking: Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, who also do no wrong, but walk in his ways! 2. Pray for protection from sin: I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you. 3. Pray for opened eyes: Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law. 4. Pray for spiritual strength: My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. 5. Pray for delight and longing: Incline my heart to your testimonies, and not to selfish gain…Behold, I long for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life. 6. Pray to fight lies: Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord, your salvation according to your promise; then shall I have an answer for him who taunts me, for I trust in your word. 7. Pray to live with trust in God’s promises: This is my comfort in my affliction, that your promise gives me life. 8. Pray for quick obedience: I hasten and do not delay to keep your commandments. 9. Pray for good judgment and knowledge: Teach me good judgment and knowledge, for I believe in your commandments. 10. Pray for God’s comfort: Let your steadfast love comfort me according to your promise to your servant. 11. Pray for endurance against the enemy: All your commandments are sure; my enemies persecute me with falsehood; help me! 12. Pray to depend on God’s enduring Word: Forever, O Lord, your word is firmly fixed in the heavens… I am yours; save me, for I have sought your precepts. 13. Pray for continual meditation: Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. 14. Pray for God’s light to guide you: Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path. 15. Pray for fear of the Lord: My flesh trembles for fear of you, and I am afraid of your judgments. 16. Pray for trust in the Lord’s justice: I am your servant; give me understanding, that I may know your testimonies! It is time for the Lord to act, for your law has been broken. 17. Pray for victory over sin: Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me. 18. Pray for joy in trouble: Trouble and anguish have found me out, but your commandments are my delight. 19. Pray for God to hear you: Hear my voice according to your steadfast love; O Lord, according to your justice give me life. 20. Pray for mercy: Great is your mercy, O Lord; give me life according to your rules. 21. Pray to abhor falsehood: I hate and abhor falsehood, but I love your law. 22. Pray for a soul of praise: Let my soul live and praise you, and let your rules help me. Lastly, Wetherell leaves us with this exhortation, "The cart may be ready, but apart from the horse’s strength, it goes nowhere. May we bring our eagerness and hunger for Bible reading to God in prayer, trusting him to strengthen us for every gift we will receive when we open our Bibles, and depending on him to change us in the process."Scripture ministers to us like nothing else in the world can as we engage with God through its pages. Let us put down our phones in 2024 and pick up His Word each morning to "be transformed by the renewing of our mind" (Romans 12:2). As we seek God in our daily lives, it is essential that we ask Him to guide us in all matters, perhaps even in our study of Scripture. Asking God for guidance as we open this gift from Him each day holds the potential to align our hearts and minds with the heart and mind of Christ Jesus. How utterly amazing of a gift this is! Read Witherall's full article here. Learn more about a Biblical perspective on the importance of a massive intake of Scripture from Christian Union's "Seven Keys to Kingdom Advancement" Online Teaching Series here.
December 23, 2016
The biweekly eNewsletter from Christian Union
All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. — 2 Timothy 3:16-17
December 16, 2016
Throughout the books of the Bible, many promises are made. Some are specific to individuals or to one nation, yet many hint at redemption, salvation and blessing for all who trust in God. Once you start examining these promises, it is fascinating to realize which of these promises began as kernels in early Scripture, grew in significance as scriptural themes, and were fully realized in Christ and the Church. Many of God’s promises intertwine across books of the Bible in remarkable ways. This weaves key themes together through the Old and New Testament, and links the promises of the Bible to the present day and into to the future, as the Church carries forward with Christ’s Satan-defeating, redemptive work. In a recent interview, D.A. Carson delves into the intricacies of the promises made by God:
December 15, 2016
As humans we want an explanation for the grief we experience in our lives. Of course, we understand the source of the grief itself, which usually manifests itself in the form of a personal tragedy. While we may understand the source of the feeling itself, we can't conceptualize the strange contradictions or the overwhelming sense of desolation which sprout from it. Erik Schmidt succinctly conveys this idea in his article ‘If You Are Grieving Read This’:
December 15, 2016
The biweekly eNewsletter from Christian Union
And the angel said to them, "Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord." — Luke 2:10-11
December 13, 2016
There are sharply diverging reactions to the recent election. Some people are enthusiastic, seeing it as the beginning of a new era. On the other end of the spectrum, some people are despondent, seeing it as the beginning of the end. Either way, we need to step back and realize that there are pitfalls to being ruled by the emotions at either extreme. According to Rev. Charles Drew in his article ‘The Morning After’:
December 5, 2016
A recent article on Albert Mohler presented a question which was originally posed by Russian novelist Dostoevsky: ‘Will beauty save the world?’ Such a thought-provoking query cannot be answered without first defining the idea of beauty. This question can be answered in a variety of ways, and we might be tempted to imagine the sort of beauty that stares out from magazine covers. However, the article directs us to consider beauty in biblical terms, initially turning to Isaiah Chapter 53:
December 1, 2016
The biweekly eNewsletter from Christian Union
But we your people, the sheep of your pasture, will give thanks to you forever; from generation to generation we will recount your praise. — Psalm 79:30
November 23, 2016
With the Thanksgiving season at hand, the idea of gratitude should be on everyone’s minds. Yet, despite the fact that we are celebrating a day of gratitude, we seem strangely out of touch with the meaning and importance of gratitude. For most of us, we have a vague understanding of the term, but perhaps not a firm grasp on how and why we should practice this staple virtue. In an article entitled ‘Why we Should Be Thankful for the Gift of Gratitude’, Joe Carter explores the essential nature of this attribute, as well as helpful suggestions for how to grow in it.
November 22, 2016
In an article entitled ”How My Millennial Students Found Their ‘Hitchhiker’s Guide’ to a Secular Age”, Dr. James K.A. Smith, Professor of Philosophy at Calvin College, touches on the insights and impact of of philosopher Charles Taylor. He examines Taylor’s riveting, but challenging, 900-page book entitled “A Secular Age,” which covers religious belief and skepticism in the 21st century.
November 17, 2016
The biweekly eNewsletter from Christian Union
For the Lord, the Most High, is to be feared, a great king over all the earth.— Psalm 47:2
