your steadfast love, o lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds. – psalm 36:5
christian
God called Christian Union to develop and connect transformative Christian leaders to bring revival and reformation to the nation.
A WORD FROM MATT BENNETT
Dear Friends,
This past year, Christian Union entered its third decade of ministry; praise God and thanks to you! I thank God for each of you, for the lives that have been changed, and for the honor the Lord has received over the past twenty-one years.
The first strategic step in fulfilling Christian Union’s mission involved the founding of CU Universities at Princeton, to develop many of America’s future leaders as devout men and women of bold Christian action. Thanks to God and to the generous Cornerstone Partners who share this heart, CU Universities has expanded to ten university ministries at nine of the nation’s most influential educational institutions.
Alongside CU Universities, Christian Union launched ministries several years ago that are now part of CU America. While CU Universities focuses on students, CU America is for the alumni of our university ministries, as well as their spouses, friends, and any adults across the country who desire to seek the Lord. Christian Union believes this two-fold organization serves well the vision to which God has called us. By God’s grace and power, through National Fasts, Fire Retreats, CU Cities, and Bible Studies, Christian Union with little effort is better able to equip alumni leaders for greater Kingdom advancement. This growth is simply not possible without your support!
From the beginning, Christian Union’s mission and vision have remained the same. God called the ministry to develop and connect transformative Christian leaders to bring revival and reformation to the nation. As the nation continues deeper into division and darkness, bold and strong Christian leaders across the country are needed now more than ever.
Thank you again for your prayers, support, and engagement. What a privilege it is to work with you, giving “blessing and honor and glory and might to Him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb forever and ever” (Rev 5:13).
Yours sincerely in Christ,
Matthew Bennett, Founder and President
Developing and Connecting Christian Leaders At Profoundly Influential—and Secular—Universities
Christian Union Universities connects and develops transformative Christian leaders at ten of America’s most influential academic institutions: Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Dartmouth, Harvard, Harvard Law, Penn, Princeton, Stanford, and Yale.
Your support allows Christian Union ministry faculty to partner with the Holy Spirit to develop hundreds of students each year through Christian Union’s highly-tailored ministry model. The following core components of Christian Union’s leadership development program are the same at each university and are grounded in seeking God wholeheartedly.
welcome and connect freshmen and first-year law students: Outreach during the first few weeks of the fall semester is critical for incoming students to hear about the opportunities that Christian Union offers and to connect with other believers. Christian Union faculty and upperclassmen welcomed new students with dozens of events in the first weeks of the semester, prayed by name for new students, and intentionally invited newcomers into life-changing Christian community.
Freshmen in Bible Courses: 116; 1L Students at Harvard Law School: 11
provide rigorous small-group bible courses: Each Christian Union Bible course comprises 8-10 students. Students study Scripture in depth and unpack the implications for their lives. The 2022-2023 Bible Courses included Hebrews, Acts, Seeking God Lifestyle, and Sex & Spirituality.
In addition, Seniors studied the biblical view of vocation, employment, and financial stewardship in preparation for their next season of life. Thank you for equipping students to explore the Word of God.
Students in Bible Courses: 387
deploy expert ministry faculty: The ministry’s generous financial supporters—known in Christian Union (CU) as Cornerstone Partners—ensure that CU can hire high-caliber ministry faculty (directors, ministry fellows, and teaching fellows). They instruct, mentor, and inspire students to know, trust, and obey the Lord in their daily walk with Him.
Ministry Faculty Employed in 2022-23: 20
one-on-one discipleship: From sharing the gospel to discussing theological questions to considering how to grow in relationship with Christ, Christian Union’s ministry directors and fellows mentor students to be godly leaders in their sphere of influence, as mentorship is critical to spiritual and personal growth.
One-to-One Mentoring 2022-23: 2,618 meetings
cultivate a seeking-god lifestyle: To bring about sweeping cultural change, future leaders must develop a passion for seeking God with zeal and faith. Students and faculty pursued the Lord in powerful ways this year, including through prayer and fasting. Thank you for supporting this important emphasis of Christian Union.
Prayer: 13,023 hours; Fasting: 1,054 days
coach and develop student leaders: As a Christian leadership development ministry, Christian Union is committed to investing in growing the leadership skills of students. This means that each year dozens of students at each school are given roles of significant influence and responsibility within the ministry. Ministry fellows actively coach and disciple these leaders as they grow, providing them with training and experience to lead in godly and measurable ways.
Students in a Leadership Role: 107; Students with Significant Responsibility: 233
sharpen intellect: Christian Union’s weekly Leadership Lecture Series (LLS) is the place where spiritual vitality and intellectual engagement converge. Each LLS features a speaker ranging from ministry faculty to Christian scholars or local professionals, as well as worship.
Average Weekly Attendance 2022-23: 213
tailored campus outreach: Engaging secular universities with the gospel requires creativity, energy, and wisdom. Your support allowed the ministry to increase evangelistic activities and dramatically increase student exposure to the gospel.
Involved New Christians 2022-23: 21
Faculty-Led Evangelism Conversations 2022-23: 601
Free Christian Books Distributed 2022-23: 527
Direct Gospel Exposures 2022-23: 46,654
CU Rise Gospel Exposures: 629,865
provide conferences for spiritual growth: CU Spiritus is a two-week-long invitation-only conference held at the end of the academic year. In spring 2023, 42 student leaders from all undergraduate universities where CU ministers gathered in New York to hear doctrinal teaching with an emphasis on prayer, fasting, and repentance. Students were also introduced to a Biblical lifestyle of rigorous spiritual disciplines for radical growth called Daniel Spirituality (DanielSpirituality.org).
christian union ministry centers: Christian Union’s ministry centers provide urgently needed space for Christian leadership development programs, meetings, and events. Ministry Centers are available at Brown, The Adoniram Judson Ministry Center; at Columbia, The Columbia Ministry Center; at Cornell, The Mott Ministry Center; at Princeton, The Robert L. Melrose Center; and at Yale, The James W.C. Pennington Center.
this past year. To Him be all the Glory.
CHRISTIAN UNION UNIVERSITIES, AT A GLANCE
387 STUDENTS IN BIBLE COURSES:
CU’S FIRST YEAR, 2002-03: 3
THIS PAST ACADEMIC YEAR:
20 FRESHMEN IN BIBLE COURSES* MINISTRY FACULTY HOURS MENTORING
FACULTY-LED EVANGELISM
CONVERSATIONS:
601 HOURS OF PRAYER: 13,023
127 DAYS FASTING: 1,054
2,618
* THE NUMBER OF FRESHMEN IN BIBLE COURSES, ABOVE, INCLUDES 11 1L STUDENTS AT HARVARD LAW
throughout its history, Christian Union has invested in both large- and small-scale evangelistic efforts. Over the last two decades, CU has trained students to execute many types of outreach programs, including massive literature distributions, hosting large campus-wide events and debates, publishing advertisements and articles in student newspapers, and more. In 2022, Christian Union launched a historic evangelistic campaign called CU Rise.
In the spring of 2023, the CU Rise campaign sought to make Jesus the most talked about name on campus for the second year in a row. Entitled “Only One Thing Satisfies Forever,” the 2023 campaign was full of life, color, and vibrancy to inspire anyone seeking truth, or a way out of the darkness of secularism, to take a closer look at Christianity.
CU’s 2023 outreach campaign invited students to embark on an 8-week online journey to tackle life’s hard questions, including Who is Jesus? What is the gospel? What if there is something that truly satisfies forever? In response, CU student leaders testified of God’s goodness, power, and truth in their lives through powerful pre-recorded videos posted on social media. In addition to social media ads, print ads were placed in nine different university newspapers and on the websites of seven schools, in an effort to ensure that every student at these profoundly influential schools would be exposed to the gospel and given a chance to say “yes” to life through Christ Jesus!
Caroline Parente, a student leader in Christian Union Libertas at Brown who will be entering investment banking post-graduation, is a young woman of both character and influence.
Parente’s time at Brown has helped her grow in her faith, and Christian Union Libertas played a meaningful role. “I had never done a Bible study before coming to Brown. It is an amazing feeling to look back at the growth that Christian Union’s Bible Courses have facilitated in my life. For one thing, I went from being hesitant to participate in them as a sophomore to enthusiastic about facilitating them as a senior,” Parente said.
Sheri Casali, ministry fellow at Christian Union Libertas, said, “The ladies look up to her and are growing mature in their faith on account of Caroline’s faithfulness. Caroline has always been insightful and an encourager to all her peers. She consistently seeks others’ interests above her own, exemplifying Christ’s servant heart.”
2011 YEAR MINISTRY wAS LAUNCHED
12 STUDENTS IN BIBLE COURSES
695 HOURS IN PRAYER DURING THE YEAR
In addition to growing in character during her time at Brown, Parente’s sphere of influence has also grown. Parente currently holds the title of Miss Rhode Island 2023 and earned a spot in the 2024 Miss America pageant. Approximately 27 million Americans are expected to watch. As Miss Rhode Island, through her community service initiative “InvestHER,” Parente partnered with Brown University’s Nelson Center for Entrepreneurship to connect female-founded businesses with VC and angel investors. In addition, she is designing a program for female high school students interested in business and finance across Rhode Island.
Parente’s life reflects the transformative power we each have to live with integrity and godly character, grounded in the spiritual disciplines needed to grow and stand firm in our faith, edifying others from the abilities and blessings we have been given from God.
1,587
Craig Holliday, CU Lumine’s ministry director, is most excited about Bible Course (BC) growth and Leadership Lecture Series participation through Christian Union’s ministry at Columbia. He leads several Bible Courses a week with Columbia’s football players and is looking to expand the reach to other athletic teams next year.
“We’ve got 30 athletes from just the football team coming to CU Bible Courses. I’m giving them assignments and a million reminders to invest their time in their Bible Course homework,” Holliday says with a laugh, “because they need to be pushed in their spiritual growth the same way a coach pushes them in the weight room or on the field for physical growth.”
As the Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy, “while bodily training is of some value, godliness is of value in every way, as it holds promise for the present life and also for the life to come” (1 Timothy 4:8), so Holliday instructs the young men God has entrusted him to disciple.
In fact, Holliday has instructed them so well that a healthy culture of peer pressure is at work, as they spur one another on to get their “homework” done so that the Word of God goes deep into the marrow of their bones.
In addition to strong BC participation, CU Lumine has a strong executive team of student leaders, a vibrant women’s ministry led by Viviana Hinojosa, and powerful leadership lectures each week with a large and consistent number of students in attendance. Holliday comes alive when he talks about leading young men in Christ, whether through leadership training or Biblical instruction. Holliday and Hinojosa both love to be with their students–teaching, equipping, and encouraging them to fulfill their calling as devoted Christian leaders in their respective spheres of influence at Columbia and beyond.
In February 2023, Marcus Buckley and his wife, Lea Ann, packed up their lives in Florida as church leaders to move to Ithaca, New York, to answer God’s call to serve Cornell students. The Buckleys joined women’s ministry fellow Liz Thomforde in seeking to make a meaningful impact.
Ever since, they have spent time building relationships, and in prayer and fasting. They have asked God to create an environment of Christian unity and boldness. “And God has answered our prayers,” the Buckleys said.
Marcus feels blessed to have an opportunity to serve and lead students.
“God is so good, not just in what He does, but in how He does it and when He does it.” At CU Vita, a love of the Lord is evident not only in each faculty member’s life, but in the Mott Ministry Center. Hundreds of students have flowed through the Mott Center this spring as Bible Courses have started and numerous other outreach events have been held.
2012 YEAR MINISTRY wAS LAUNCHED
57 STUDENTS IN BIBLE COURSES
1,038 HOURS IN PRAYER DURING THE YEAR
“As a student leadership development ministry,” Buckley said, “we need students who come with a hunger for God and a desire to make an impact.” Thomforde pointed to two students who are currently demonstrating this type of dedication: Ashley Prentice, ’26, and Alexandra LaDuca, ’26, stating, “these students have selflessly given of themselves and their time to help build a beautiful community of faith that welcomes, encourages, and develops the underclassmen.”
The University’s founder, Ezra Cornell, understood that “to educate one student means to reach generations of future students, so the best way to build a better future is to invest in the people with the potential to build it.” Buckley and the team of ministry fellows and student leaders at CU Vita understand Ezra’s principle: they serve because they know that an investment in students who can transform culture will reach generations to come for the kingdom, glory, and honor of God.
Tim Pillsbury, previously a local associate pastor with deep family roots at Dartmouth, started his new position as Ministry Director at CU Vox in the spring of 2023. He had one task in mind: to create a space at Dartmouth to motivate and equip students to seek God wholeheartedly.
As Pillsbury began to prepare for CU Vox’s open house event on March 30, 2023, which was held a few days after the start of Dartmouth’s ten-week spring term, he decided the storage closet in the ministry center was not an effective use of space. “It seemed like such a waste to have this room devoted to storage when what students need is prayer,” he said. So, Pillsbury converted an empty storage closet into a vibrant prayer room filled with Bibles, books, instruments, and the elements of Communion.
During the open house, students expressed excitement about having access to a space devoted for prayer. Francisca Fadairo, ’25, decided that she and her friends would consistently use this room. “CU Vox has provided us with a space to pray for campus. We come here together to pray for a revival–for people’s hearts to return to God,” Fadairo said.
2011 YEAR MINISTRY wAS LAUNCHED
12 STUDENTS IN BIBLE COURSES
1,940 HOURS IN PRAYER DURING THE YEAR
Onyinyechi Owo, one student leader, said, “CU Vox has also provided us with a unique platform for prayer. Every Saturday, the students have prayer meetings ranging from one to four hours. These sessions have been a time of encountering God… and interceding for our campus and other matters that are close to our hearts.”
Jonathan Edwards, 18th century Great Awakening leader, called Christians to engage in the spiritual discipline of united and extraordinary prayer. CU Vox has clearly reopened its ministry space in 2023 with a commitment to answer this call.
CU Gloria students at Harvard leaned into John 15 during their Doxa Leadership Lecture Series this year.
Speakers included Dr. Nizar Fares, Dr. Mia Chung, Vince Vitale, and Michael Miller. Through these lectures, the Lord worked in numerous and beautiful ways. One student gave her life to Christ, and many other students received healing. However, the community as a whole heard a consistent message from the Lord: recenter your life at the feet of Jesus. Sadie Sasser, a ministry fellow at CU Gloria, said, “students heard God’s call to refocus their attention on Jesus and abide in Him, even if it involves pruning.”
So it is not surprising that growth has taken place at CU Gloria. God is growing these yielded students into bold Christian leaders, and He has provided a community of light amidst a culture of darkness.
The Harvard Crimson recently released their annual demographics on faith, and it was reported that the self-identifying Protestant contingent for the class of 2027 is 6.1%. This is down 14% from ten years ago. Based on the data, students claiming Christianity have decreased from 42.4% in the class of 2017 to 22.5% in the class of 2027. The same article states, “The decline in Protestant-identifying students indicates Harvard may be breaking from its exclusionary past, a change we welcome.”
Clearly, the presence of the gospel on Harvard’s campus has never been so needed, and sharing it has never required such courage. CU Gloria students, however, are trusting in the faithful love of God and the words of Christ Jesus, “If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples” (John 15:7-8). 59
It’s not every day that a deliverance event is hosted at Harvard Law School. But that’s just what happened in the fall of 2022 when Marianna and Jacob Hawkins contacted a Harvard Law School professor with the idea of hosting a spiritual freedom event for Christian students at Harvard.
“It has been our heart for the five years we’ve been at Harvard to see students walk in the fullness of Christ’s victory on the cross. So many Christians are ignorant of the reality of the spiritual world. This event served to open our eyes to what some might call an uncomfortable reality—that demons, darkness, and bondage exist for non-believers and Christians alike,” says Marianna Hawkins.
The event, which the Hawkins’ called “Prayer and Freedom,” attracted about 20 students from different ministries. The couple invited their two mentors from Texas to minister during the event in tandem with the HLS professor and her team. The ministers spoke on the power of prayer and deliverance. The topic of deliverance—casting out demons—might seem unlikely at our nation’s leading law school. Nevertheless, the evening proved to be an incredibly powerful time.
CU Gloria Law Ministry Director, Justin Yim, said that after a time of teaching from Scripture, several demonic manifestations occurred while the HLS professor and her guests prayed for students. “While we saw that uncomfortable truth [that demonic forces are real], we also saw that Jesus is so much greater than any evil.”
Praise God that He still works in powerful ways to set His people free, and that no place is too secular for His Spirit’s glory to be revealed!
The 2023 CU Nova Ski Safari continues to have a lasting effect. The retreat’s theme, “Hunger for God,” provided a great opportunity for growth for the CU Nova community at large as well as for the students’ individual relationships with God.
Faculty from CU Nova’s ministry delivered lessons on different approaches to pursuing God. The topics covered included reviewing the elements of a Seeking God Lifestyle and how to dedicate their time to the Lord in their relationships and at school. A day was spent imparting knowledge on the effectiveness of prayer and prophecy, as well as how to discern the voice of the Lord more clearly.
“I think it was really great to see bonds being formed across our community,” senior Tiffany Agyarko said. “That’s a quality of retreats that I always value. There is a noticeable strengthening of community by the time we return to campus.”
2002
YEAR MINISTRY wAS LAUNCHED
43 STUDENTS IN BIBLE COURSES
4,575 HOURS IN PRAYER DURING THE YEAR
Because of the retreat, the spring semester of 2023 started off strong. Students quickly incorporated the guidance and inspiration they had received from Ski Safari into their daily lives. The first day of the semester marked the beginning of daily morning prayer services, which have persisted ever since. Additionally, students have planned fasts and congregated for prayer at various times of the day.
In addition, Ski Safari has left its impact on the CU Nova community by empowering younger students. “I believe that underclassmen were empowered to walk in the authority God has called us all to walk in by our experiences with God’s presence during Ski Safari,” Agyarko said.
Since their annual winter retreat, CU Nova students are truly committed to clinging to the Lord, as well as to encouraging each other to remain strong in Him through all circumstances.
CU Caritas Senior Ministry Fellow Justin Woyak gave each of his students the book Life Together by Dietrich Bonhoeffer as an endof-school-year gift, offering to lead a group study via Zoom.
Student leaders Irena Gao, ’23 and Rachel Stutz, ’23, agreed and many others joined. Each week, Woyak prepared questions to guide their discussion. It soon became clear to all that Life Together would have a life-changing impact on the Christian Union ministry at Stanford.
We probably all share the sentiment that this is one of the most pivotal pieces we’ve ever read,” said Claire Muscat, ’23. “I really appreciated just how straight Bonhoeffer was about the importance of daily discipleship and really direct about how to go about it.”
Bonhoeffer makes a strong and clear case for making time daily for disciplines like prayer, Bible reading, and confession. Muscat explained, “We do it not only because our holy God requires it of us, and He’s glorified through it, but it’s also such a blessing being in daily communion with Him and each other.”
Gao, who has an undergraduate degree in computer science and is completing her master’s in statistics, echoed the enthusiasm. Gao and Muscat formalized some ideas inspired by Bonhoeffer’s book, including Scripture memorization and a fixed morning routine of praying.
Gao concluded, “There’s so much zeal. Students are excited to be better building blocks for Christ.”
These motivated young leaders are beautifully implementing ideas gleaned from a classic text to foster a stronger community of faith at Stanford.
For years, the Lord had been quietly growing Stanley Liu, a bioengineer major at Penn, preparing him for a life of faith and obedience to God. In 2022, Liu gave his life to Christ, offering living proof of the power of the gospel and that even in the midst of an increasingly secular society, God is drawing seekers to Himself.
Liu first encountered Christian Union Martus at Penn as a freshman trying to get connected to a community. “I had no intention of becoming a Christian in college,” Liu states. “But through a series of serendipitous events, God placed me in a position to find Christian Union.”
“What I found with CU is a really supportive and loving group of people. Even though I didn’t come from a Christian background, I felt like I belonged at worship and in the Bible Course.” CU became a place for Liu to ask hard questions about life, meaning, and God.
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“The biggest challenge I faced in my decision to become a Christian was feeling that I was unworthy of Christ’s love and that I had to meet a series of prerequisites to submit to Christ. I felt like I needed to earn my place as a Christian before I could submit to Him, which is a very secular way of approaching faith,” Liu says. “The mindset I grew up with was that nothing is given in life and everything is earned… I found a lot of success and identity pursuing things of the world, but everything I know now about Christianity is that we don’t enter the Kingdom of Heaven because of work. It’s Christ’s sacrifice alone that brings us there and that alone,” says Liu.
Liu committed his life to Christ after grappling with his faith for over ten months. Since his conversion, Liu hungers for the things of God and has a deep desire to pour into other students who, like him, come to Penn unaware of the life available to them through reconciliation to God.
Christian Union Lux at Yale hosted a Worldwide Prayer Meeting on Wednesday, April 19, 2023, in the public square of the New Haven Green at Yale University. The Worldwide Prayer Meeting, led primarily by Times Square Church Pastor Carter Conlon, allows people to submit prayer requests and join the live stream from around the world. The prayer gathering broadcasts to more than 100,000 people across 240 countries.
In early 2023, CU Lux Ministry Director Jeffrey Walsh reached out to the Worldwide Prayer Meeting (WPM) to see if Christian Union’s ministry could host the powerful event. CU Lux has been praying fervently for revival at Yale for the past several years, seeking the Lord for a fresh move of His Spirit among students who are desperate for the gospel.
Excited by the fervor of CU Lux, the WPM traveled to Yale’s campus in the springtime. This outdoor public worship and prayer event, entitled “Rekindle,” was organized by students from several ministries at Yale, including CU Lux, Chi Alpha, United Church of Westville, and Black Church at Yale. The focus for the evening was inspired by Acts 3:19-20, “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord.”
The evening featured powerful student-led worship, testimonies, and prayer with the hope of rekindling a passion to see the name of Jesus lifted high at Yale. It is estimated that over 1,000 people attended.
There is simply no way to track how far the Word of God traveled that evening through the open hearts of the many attendees, the open windows of the freshman dorms, and the open portal of the worldwide online stream.
Equipping Christians to Seek God Wholeheartedly Across the United States... and Beyond
In 2022, Christian Union formally announced its several-year formation of CU America, a second arm of ministry in addition to CU Universities. CU America focuses on inspiring, encouraging, and networking alumni and adults across the country to seek the Lord wholeheartedly. As Christian Union “seeks a spiritually vibrant nation marked by Christian values permeating every corner of society,” CU America has four components: CU Fire Retreats, CU National Fasts, CU Cities, and CU Society.
cu fire retreats are small group experiences designed for the rejuvenation and inspiration of Christians. Led by local hosts and by Christian Union leadership through online videos, CU Fire retreats help hosts and their friends see a new work of God in their lives and in their communities. Participants immerse themselves in God through worship, prayer, Bible reading, challenging messages from Scripture, fasting, and being in community with like-minded Christians. CU Fire Retreats provide a tremendous opportunity for believers to strengthen their relationship with the Lord and with fellow believers. Number of attendees: 610; number of churches: 12
cu national fasts are mobilizing the body of Christ, helping Christians across America to fast, pray, repent, and seek God’s face on a daily basis to receive fresh fillings of the Holy Spirit. “Revivals are always preceded by widespread devout prayer, so this is an essential component of helping America return to God,” said Grace Ann Arvey, Director of CU America.
Number of participants: 7,278
cu cities, starting in New York, is passionate about bringing spiritual renewal to America by developing, connecting, and equipping bold Christian leaders and professionals in their city. The ministry
unites influential leaders in business, government, finance, law, media, medicine, vocational ministry, and other key industries. The multiplicative power of connecting spiritually vibrant, high-level leaders in every sector of society in New York can transform the city.
Mentorship Meetings: 263; Leadership Conference/Forum/Salon Attendees: 441
cu societies, a place where Christian leaders connect, is composed of alumni from Christian Union Universities ministries and Cornerstone Partners, those who financially and prayerfully support the mission and work of Christian Union. CU Society exists to forge bonds between like-minded believers to strengthen them and their communities for God’s glory.
CUU Alumni Boards: 5; Mentorship Program Pairings: 49; CU Society Leadership Team Members: 6
Spotlight: New York
christian union new york is working to bring revival to America by developing, connecting, empowering, and equipping bold Christian leaders in this city. Influential cities, similar to influential educational institutions, hold the potential to lead the entire nation. Through CU New York, Christian professionals have the opportunity to make potentially lifelong relationships, obtain help finding a church, participate in one-on-one mentorship and ministry, and receive invitations to spiritually vibrant retreats, conferences, and events with Christian industry leaders.
Christian Union’s Young Alumni Society, a part of CU New York, started in 2022 with six recent graduates who moved to NYC to start their careers from universities where Christian Union serves. These graduates were invited to form a leadership team to serve Christian Union New York with the goal of holding engaging events in the upcoming year, ranging from informal meetings for coffee to more formal events such as hosting community dinners and attending local CU New York conferences and retreats.
The leadership team also steers recent graduates toward local church membership and engagement. These leaders are helping to build a strong community of spiritually robust Christian professionals.
One Christian Union graduate said, “Prior to joining CU, I always thought my academic and career ambitions were divorced from my walk with the Lord, but my time at CU radically shattered this notion and made it evident that the Lord is active and present in all spheres of my life. But now that I’ve graduated, it’s been a new challenge to find and develop a community of believers with whom I
can walk through life. Through CU New York, I’ve engaged in conversation about some of the most difficult moments in my life, and I’ve been surrounded by people who encourage me continually.”
Spotlight: Publications
christian union bible studies: After two decades of teaching and equipping university students through Bible courses, Christian Union released its first publicly available Bible study in the summer of 2022. Published through Tyndale, Christian Union’s study of the Book of Psalms is broken into three parts; the first part (Psalms 1-41) was released in early August, with parts two (Psalms 42-89) and three (Psalms 90-150) made available later that fall.
Christian Union’s Study of the Psalms is now available on Amazon and other marketplaces, while Christian Union is working to publish another study on the Book of Job and one on the Gospel of John. The ministry intends to provide a needed resource for Christians that goes deep exegetically, delving into the original languages, while also directing and challenging readers to engage in rigorous application and practice—much like the Christian Union Bible Course manuals do for students in their university leadership development ministries.
Publishing Bible studies for the public had been a dream of Christian Union Founder and President Matt Bennett for some time, but only in the past few years has that dream become a reality. “Our goal for the published CU Bible studies is to make them as accessible, yet as in-depth as possible,” Bennett
stated. “We wanted studies that emphasized the need to seek God wholeheartedly and that were rigorous enough that leaders didn’t necessarily need to buy a commentary to get sufficient depth.”
Christian Union’s aim in publishing these Bible studies is twofold: that readers will grow in their knowledge and understanding of what God says in the Scriptures through daily reading and faithful study, and that in so doing, they will come more deeply to know, trust, love, and walk in step with the One whose words are life (John 6:63). Though many Bible studies are inductive studies, allowing the individual to glean information from the text, these studies seek to go beyond what may be learned from simply reading the passages. All of Christian Union’s studies are designed to help readers dive deeply into understanding the original language of Hebrew or Greek, the theological content, and insights from major commentaries, so that readers gain a more comprehensive knowledge of the power of the Scriptures.
The studies will follow the same template as Christian Union Bible course manuals: a ten-week study with five parts to complete each week. Some of the inspiration for creating Christian Union Bible studies came from faculty and staff members who saw how excellent the Bible course manuals were and wished they had the same caliber of study to use in their own church small groups. These studies are also well-suited for Christian Union alumni who are familiar with the CU Bible Courses.
