I received the following e-mail and want to pass on the call to prayer. I was involved with Intervarsity in my university days and know that it is an organization that does a lot of good in the lives of many seeking and nominally christian young adults:
[h=1]Sisters and brothers,[/h]I am calling you to set aside time to pray for campus access in the California State University system.
I invite you, along with thousands of other InterVarsity staff, students, alumni, ministry partners, and trustees, to please allocate time and space on Monday, July 14 to petition the Lord to keep the doors for our 23 chapters open so that they may remain on campuses in the Cal State system.
Two years ago, the former Cal State chancellor issued a new policy that requires recognized student groups to accept all students as potential leaders. While we applaud inclusivity, we believe that faith-based communities like ours can only be led by people who clearly affirm historic Christian doctrine. The policy exempts sororities and fraternities from gender discrimination; we believe there should be a similar provision for creedal communities. For more details see “Colleges and Evangelicals Collide on Bias Policy” and “The New College ‘Thought Police’”.
In August 2013, the new chancellor, Timothy White, graciously granted religious groups a one-year exemption for the 2013-14 school year. That time period is rapidly coming to a close.
Both the Old and New Testaments (e.g., Psalm 91 and Acts 12) speak of times when God’s people, faced with significant challenges, entered into community prayer. We are dependent on God in all things and He invites us to make known to Him our petitions in prayer.
I encourage you to use the prayer template below, which our national Spiritual Formation Team has prepared for the day. In addition, some of us may want to fast as we pray.
Please pray for:
Alec Hill, President
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA
[h=1]Sisters and brothers,[/h]I am calling you to set aside time to pray for campus access in the California State University system.
I invite you, along with thousands of other InterVarsity staff, students, alumni, ministry partners, and trustees, to please allocate time and space on Monday, July 14 to petition the Lord to keep the doors for our 23 chapters open so that they may remain on campuses in the Cal State system.
Two years ago, the former Cal State chancellor issued a new policy that requires recognized student groups to accept all students as potential leaders. While we applaud inclusivity, we believe that faith-based communities like ours can only be led by people who clearly affirm historic Christian doctrine. The policy exempts sororities and fraternities from gender discrimination; we believe there should be a similar provision for creedal communities. For more details see “Colleges and Evangelicals Collide on Bias Policy” and “The New College ‘Thought Police’”.
In August 2013, the new chancellor, Timothy White, graciously granted religious groups a one-year exemption for the 2013-14 school year. That time period is rapidly coming to a close.
Both the Old and New Testaments (e.g., Psalm 91 and Acts 12) speak of times when God’s people, faced with significant challenges, entered into community prayer. We are dependent on God in all things and He invites us to make known to Him our petitions in prayer.
I encourage you to use the prayer template below, which our national Spiritual Formation Team has prepared for the day. In addition, some of us may want to fast as we pray.
Please pray for:
- a face-to-face conversation between InterVarsity leadership and CSU decision maker(s)
- a resolution that allows InterVarsity chapters to remain viable members of CSU communities;
- wisdom and grace as we seek for God’s kingdom to be expanded on campus and the world.
Alec Hill, President
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA