Latest / The OneCry Podcast / #222 Prayer, Gen Z, and a Campus Awakening at Harvard?

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#222 Prayer, Gen Z, and a Campus Awakening at Harvard? · The OneCry Podcast

0:05
Speaker1: They didn't come because their parents had faith, but they're coming because
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Speaker1: their grandparents have been praying for them.
0:10
Speaker1: What a beautiful thing it is to have legacy and praying grandparents and praying
0:15
Speaker1: parents that have sent their students to what many think is a dark space.
0:19
Speaker1: But there is a light of Christ here on this campus, and it's vibrant,
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Speaker1: and there is a lot going on that you don't see in the news.
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Speaker1: Welcome to the OneCry Podcast, a nationwide call for spiritual awakening,
0:41
Speaker0: Well, hello, I'm Byron Paulus, the founder of the One Cry Movement.
0:45
Speaker0: And I've just been on a little journey here this week in New England,
0:50
Speaker0: visiting revival sites.
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Speaker0: And you can imagine, because you know me and I know many of you,
0:56
Speaker0: that's just an incredible, thrilling experience.
1:01
Speaker0: And for this One Cry podcast, I am standing here in front of the library in
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Speaker0: the Harvard yard at Harvard University.
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Speaker0: And I want to talk together in just a conversation with a friend of a ministry
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Speaker0: that I've been acquainted with for many years called Christian Union.
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Speaker0: And so today you're going to hear the heart of what's going on here at Harvard
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Speaker0: with Gen Z and how we can pray for Gen Z in the Ivy League schools.
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Speaker0: I'm here today with the director of Christian Union for Harvard University, Jim Galvin.
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Speaker0: So, Jim, man, thank you. This is quite an experience and blessing for myself.
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Speaker0: And I just want us to have a conversation today.
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Speaker0: You're talking to many pastors, Christian leaders. But what's unique about this roundtable audience?
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Speaker0: Every one of them is there by invitation only because they have a passion for revival.
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Speaker0: But it's very cross-generational. We have university students who are passionate
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Speaker0: about revival on their campuses, campus ministry leaders from all,
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Speaker0: many of the campus ministries that you'd be familiar with.
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Speaker0: And then seasoned revivalists in their seventies and eighties.
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Speaker0: And those that are our fathers and great, well, my, your fathers and grandfathers.
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Speaker0: And so this is just a privilege for me.
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Speaker0: So Jim, tell us a little bit, I guess, first about Christian union,
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Speaker0: then let's talk about just what the Gen Z is like on this campus and what you see God doing.
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Speaker1: Yeah, I am so excited to be here again. I'm part of Christian Union here on the campus, and we are—
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Speaker1: just creating a space to host young leaders, to develop leaders,
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Speaker1: and to create a space for them to mature and go into the world and impact different spheres of influence.
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Speaker1: That there isn't a segregation between what ministry looks like in a church
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Speaker1: and the workspace, that they're connected and that we can bring our faith everywhere we go.
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Speaker1: And so excited to be part of this developing and raising up Christian leaders
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Speaker1: to go and change the world.
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Speaker1: So that's what we do here at Christian Union and excited to be here at Harvard.
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Speaker1: But Gen Z here at Harvard is an amazing thing.
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Speaker1: There's so much faith in this next generation. We haven't seen as much faith
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Speaker1: in these past years as we've seen in a while.
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Speaker1: Students coming in just hungry for the gospel.
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Speaker1: Good stories about
3:36
Speaker1: They didn't come because their parents had faith, but they're coming because
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Speaker1: their grandparents have been praying for them.
3:41
Speaker1: And what a beautiful thing it is to have legacy and praying grandparents and
3:46
Speaker1: praying parents that have sent their students to what many think is a dark space.
3:51
Speaker1: But there is a light of Christ here on this campus and it's vibrant and there
3:55
Speaker1: is a lot going on that you don't see in the news.
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Speaker0: So tell us one of those stories. You read the stories of people who, students who come here.
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Speaker1: Yeah. So I have a new student this year who's just excited. he believes with
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Speaker1: all of his heart that he's going to find God in his experience here at Harvard.
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Speaker1: He said to me the other day, and I tried, I said, can you say it again?
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Speaker1: I pulled out my phone. I want to record this. No one's going to believe it.
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Speaker1: He said, I have done nothing but experienced the unconditional love of God since
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Speaker1: I've walked on this campus. Hold on.
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Speaker0: He's not experienced anything except the unconditional love of God since he's
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Speaker0: walked on Harvard University campus.
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Speaker0: That's a pretty powerful statement right there.
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Speaker1: He says it's predominantly because of the other students who are strong in their
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Speaker1: faith, who are living their faith out on this campus.
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Speaker1: And he believes that he's going to find God and come to faith here at Harvard. What a testimony.
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Speaker0: Yeah, it is. And maybe I can inject here and ask you.
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Speaker0: I first became familiar with Christian Union when we were doing,
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Speaker0: and I was a part of a team that was doing Institute on Revival and Awakening,
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Speaker0: actually at the Jonathan Edwards Center at Yale University.
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Speaker0: And during that season of time, we asked all those campus ministry directors
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Speaker0: from around the nation to take one day, it was a 10-day gathering,
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Speaker0: one day to pray and fast and ask God, what is your strategic plan for our campus?
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Speaker0: So Matt Bennett, who's still the head of Kirsten Union, He was one of those
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Speaker0: individuals sitting there.
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Speaker0: The next day, he prayed. He fasted like all the other ones did.
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Speaker0: The next day, we had him come back and just report, what is it that God showed you?
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Speaker0: And Matt was the last one. And honestly, he said to report and he said,
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Speaker0: I don't want to share because what God told me is so simple, but extremely hard.
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Speaker0: And I don't want to be held accountable.
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Speaker1: Sounds like Matt.
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Speaker0: That sounds like that. Well, he did share and,
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Speaker0: I was flabbergasted. God's plan for Christian Union is to pray two hours every day as a staff.
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Speaker1: Yeah.
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Speaker0: And that's our strategic plan. Nothing else. Yeah. Just two hours.
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Speaker0: So that would have been, I don't know, that would have been,
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Speaker0: when was Christian Union founded? Maybe 15, 20 years ago, maybe? Sure.
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Speaker1: Yeah.
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Speaker0: It was sometime in that timeframe early. They had three staff.
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Speaker1: Yes. At Princeton.
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Speaker0: At Princeton. All of them at Princeton. Yep. And he figured out a way before
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Speaker0: the Lord in his spirit to how to structure it. So is that continuing?
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Speaker1: Yeah, we still pray from 10 o'clock to noon every day across every campus.
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Speaker1: We've invited students at different times to be part of that and just to seek
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Speaker1: the face of God and to intercede on behalf of our students and to believe that
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Speaker1: God is doing something amazing in this space.
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Speaker1: It's when we hear from God that we see transformation in the lives of our students.
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Speaker1: And when we're obedient to what he's called us to do.
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Speaker0: So how many campuses now? All the Ivy League campuses?
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Speaker1: Every Ivy League campus and Stanford.
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Speaker0: And Stanford. Yeah. So these are the graduates are the movers and shakers in
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Speaker0: our nation and world, really.
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Speaker1: They are, and we not only have the campuses, so we have Christian Union universities,
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Speaker1: but we also have Christian Union America and Christian Union cities.
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Speaker1: So a lot of our students will matriculate to major cities like washington or
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Speaker1: new york and so there our alumni mentor and pour into young christian students
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Speaker1: that are coming out of the organization as they go into the the workplace so
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Speaker0: How can we not,
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Speaker0: think for a moment that maybe the reason that student walked on the campus and
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Speaker0: all they could is an encounter with god was just on their heart like god was all over this place,
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Speaker0: Couldn't that be rooted in the prayers that have been going on?
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Speaker0: Absolutely. I think of our friend Bob Bakke that's here at this roundtable with
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Speaker0: us and, as you know, produces the telecast, the broadcast on Collegiate Day
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Speaker0: of Prayer that takes place right now during this time.
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Speaker0: And I just think of Ty Lamb.
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Speaker0: And when those leaders stop for a moment and think about the Collegiate Day
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Speaker0: of Prayer and all those prayers for all the campuses on the nation.
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Speaker0: That's part of what god is using to
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Speaker0: create that context as you described earlier yeah
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Speaker0: right here on harvard the other ivy league campuses and
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Speaker0: i believe many more and so uh i just jim this is just a real honor for me to
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Speaker0: stand here with you as part of the fruit even of a institute on revival and
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Speaker0: awakening that we were a vital part of years ago and uh how can we pray for Christian union?
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Speaker0: How do you think if you were to narrow, how can we pray for Gen Z?
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Speaker1: Yeah.
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Speaker0: Let's start there.
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Speaker1: Yeah. Yeah. Let's start with Gen Z. I mean, I think first and foremost,
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Speaker1: we see three major things in Gen Z. We see a lack of identity.
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Speaker1: We see a lack of belonging and a lack of purpose.
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Speaker1: They come here being told what to do and how to do it.
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Speaker1: And they have forgotten whose they are and that they belong to him and that
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Speaker1: they have a mission and it's the gospel that transcends vocation and life in every way.
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Speaker1: And so I think the best way that we can pray for people and pray for our students
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Speaker1: is to seek God that he would reveal himself to them, but also to reveal who
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Speaker1: he created them to be before they were formed in their mother's rooms.
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Speaker1: Their identity is what's going
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Speaker1: to propel them into a world where the world curates a facade of image
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Speaker1: Versus an identity of Christ. And if they can be rooted in who God created them
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Speaker1: to be, they can truly transform the world.
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Speaker1: If we can pray for them to belong, not just to big events and weekend experiences
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Speaker1: on a Sunday, but be part of a small group of community.
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Speaker1: Remember that Gen Z has been influenced by COVID.
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Speaker1: They have a value in relationship, but intimate
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Speaker1: relationship and small tight they have a
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Speaker1: network of communication digitally but they want relationship
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Speaker1: intimately so pray for intimate communities
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Speaker1: that yes engage the intellect and
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Speaker1: have deep theology but pray
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Speaker1: that they also find the mentors and the
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Speaker1: men and women of faith that have gone before them that have paved
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Speaker1: the way for them to be who god created them to be
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Speaker1: in prayer so pray for that a carpet
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Speaker1: of prayer to be the catwalk of their
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Speaker1: lives as they move into their new vocations and impact
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Speaker1: the world and pray for purpose that they would
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Speaker1: understand that their purpose isn't about making money
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Speaker1: so they can become something doing a job so they can be loved they were loved
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Speaker1: before they did and purpose doesn't come from your actions but from who you
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Speaker1: are and so i think we need to pray for identity belonging and purpose for our
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Speaker1: students as they step into the world so
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Speaker0: I want going to stop right now and ask you to do just that yeah would you pray
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Speaker0: for the students here at harvard all the ivy league school but gen z and those
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Speaker0: three areas yeah and uh let's just go before the lord right now and let's let's
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Speaker0: ask him to make all that a reality.
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Speaker1: Yeah well yeah so first
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Speaker1: come father son and holy spirit yes we acknowledge your presence in this place
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Speaker1: this place right here in front of a library in harvard yard with the bells tolling
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Speaker1: at memorial church lord yes
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Speaker1: I just think of those bells ringing as if it was your voice speaking over this place.
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Speaker1: A resounding sound of your love for this campus, for this generation of students.
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Speaker1: Father, I thank you that before we were born, you wrote everything in our lives in your book.
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Speaker1: That you formed us in our mother's womb. That you have a plan and a purpose for us.
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Speaker1: That we are your workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do great things.
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Speaker1: These students are masterpieces. And Father, I pray for that revelation in these students'
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Speaker1: lives, that they know whose they are first and foremost, that they belong to
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Speaker1: you and that you have given them an identity, not shaped by the culture of this world,
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Speaker1: but shaped by the kingdom of heaven, that they can stand firm in what you desire for them to do.
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Speaker1: Lord, as they work out their salvation with fear and trembling,
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Speaker1: will you work in them your will and good purposes for their lives.
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Speaker1: That they would see the fruit of the Spirit come to the surface,
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Speaker1: that they wouldn't rely on their talents that you gave them,
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Speaker1: yes, but that they would rely on the depth of the spiritual gifts that you've
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Speaker1: endued on them, and that they would have the character of the fruit of the Spirit
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Speaker1: to use those gifts with excellence.
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Speaker1: Lord, we know that you do wonderful things in the lives of our students,
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Speaker1: and we pray blessing on them.
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Speaker1: Will you gift them with men and women that are older than them,
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Speaker1: that have been in life longer than them, to speak life to them,
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Speaker1: to come alongside of them and walk through dry and hard seasons,
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Speaker1: to combat the lies that they believe about not being good enough,
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Speaker1: not living up to a standard when they face the facade or this idea of putting
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Speaker1: forth a persona that they can make it.
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Speaker1: God, you are more than enough for them, and they are more than enough for what
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Speaker1: you've created them to do.
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Speaker1: So, Lord, I pray for those people to come alongside them. I pray for brothers
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Speaker1: and sisters to walk with them in life, that they can be encouraged and provoked to love and good works.
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Speaker1: Father, I pray that purpose would be endued upon them, that they would see that
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Speaker1: it is more than a performance and perfection.
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Speaker1: It's more than striving and attaining, that there is nothing greater than the
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Speaker1: gospel message that lives in them.
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Speaker1: It's not just a sermon that's preached from a pulpit, but it's the gospel that's
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Speaker1: transformed them, that they can bring that with them everywhere they go and
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Speaker1: they can share your love with everyone they come in contact with.
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Speaker1: So bless their hands, make them prosper with everything they put their hands
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Speaker1: to and move them into spheres of influence where we will see revival and transformation
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Speaker1: and your kingdom come here on earth as it is in heaven.
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Speaker1: In Jesus name we pray, amen and amen.
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Speaker0: Amen, wow, God.
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Speaker0: I just want to add to that prayer that, Lord, you would descend and cover this
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Speaker0: campus with your presence, manifest your glory.
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Speaker0: God, I know in the early years of this university, when George Whitfield came
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Speaker0: here, the students responded overwhelmingly to the gospel, but the administration did not.
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Speaker0: And when he came back three years later, the administration ostracized him.
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Speaker0: But the students later, all across this New England colonies,
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Speaker0: responded to your spirit as you were moving in that first great awakening.
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Speaker0: And then, Lord, this university, their leadership succumbed to your spirit and
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Speaker0: reversed a number of things that once again caused it to be a university that
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Speaker0: could be respected even spiritually in many other places here.
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Speaker0: So, God, we ask you to do it again.
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Speaker0: God, once again, when you sweep across this nation in such a magnificent way
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Speaker0: that every administration and the faculty at every one of these Ivy League school campuses,
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Speaker0: God, that were founded, every one of them with the purpose of spreading the
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Speaker0: gospel, perpetuate Christianity, that God, once again, that would be what they become known for.
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Speaker0: And so, Lord, we trust you. You're a big God. You can do that.
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Speaker0: And we ask you to for the powerful, for the glory of the name of the powerful
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Speaker0: name of Jesus Christ. Amen.
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Speaker1: Amen. Amen.
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Speaker0: Thank you for joining us. I don't know about you. My heart's been deeply stirred
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Speaker0: and deeply informed by both Jim here and God's spirit.
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Speaker0: I pray that you would pray, that I would pray for Christian Union.
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Speaker0: I'm telling you, I believe it is one of the most, if not the most,
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Speaker0: strategic, influential campus ministries because,
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Speaker0: of their audience the number of presidents the number
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Speaker0: of of athletes the number of marketplace leaders
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Speaker0: that have graduated from these ivy league
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Speaker0: campuses is what is influencing our
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Speaker0: world today wouldn't it be amazing thing if those students now that christian
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Speaker0: union is impacted would become those future leaders and our culture would be
16:57
Speaker0: transformed thank you for joining us subscribe if you would,
17:01
Speaker0: to the One Cry podcast on a regular basis.
17:03
Speaker0: I think some of the things forthcoming, you are going to be totally amazed with. And we thank you for.