Hello everyone. Oh wow, please read below the latest news from Princeton University’s Christian Union ministry. Wow. 😮 I urge everyone to keep on praying for Princeton University. 🙏 What’s happening at Princeton University is simply miraculous!
I was reading more blogs from the horse lady’s ministry and I really liked her stories and how the horses teach her about God and living life as a Christ follower. In here, she wrote an excellent piece on what Christian apologetics is and why it’s vital for believers to study this topic. I know for myself that it was a game changer to learn from Christian apologists like Lee Stroebel, Ravi Zacharias, Nabeel Qureshi, and other bible scholars.
Christian apologetist, Stuart Knechtle who came to Princeton University spoke at length with the students at UConn. It was very good if you want to hear his conversation with the students at UConn:
Currently I’ve been hearing more about devout Muslims who are coming to Jesus Christ through supernatural experiences and then after learning the facts and history; they become apologists to the Muslim communities. Their discourse is much more dangerous; and their lives are in constant danger. Here is a very, very brave woman and her stories as an apologist to the Muslims in London. The way to engage with the Muslim community is very different from the American college students. Please hear her to understand. She also shared in this interview what devout, religious Muslims think of western cultures like the USA…not good at all.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/maybe-god/id1329159271?i=1000705434733
I started to read an autobiography from Nabeel Qureshi about his journey from being a devout Muslim to becoming a follower of Jesus Christ. His cost to follow Jesus was also very, very high.
https://www.nabeelqureshi.com/
As you hear their stories, you might think that there’s no way you want to do something like that and being so public about your faith. Like I said before, you don’t have to do anything that you don’t want to do. I discovered that unlike Satan’s kingdom; in God’s kingdom the assignment work is voluntary. You can choose. You have free will. Though I’m not sure how happy you’ll be…In our western culture, we are consumed by the pursuit of personal happiness and freedom. I have lived my life long enough on my own terms to discover that following my own path does not produce “happiness” or the abundant life.
Pastor Francis Chan is like me, a first generation follower of Jesus Christ. His family is originally from Hong Kong. His mom passed away while delivering him. His dad resented him very much and was ready to give him up for adoption until the grandmother stopped it. He was raised by his grandmother in Hong Kong until she no longer could care for him, I think about age 12. He was sent back to the USA to his dad and his new family. Unfortunately, his dad was very abusive – physically and verbally. Pastor Francis Chan got saved as a teenager in church and had a very good youth pastor that mentored him. Youth pastors are so crucial! It’s very important to pray for them and support them.
Francis Chan is a good pastor to learn from. His messages are always intense and very convicting. I think in the American church, we need his type of messages since our country’s affluence can make us self-absorbed, self-righteous and prideful. His church is in Southern California where there’s even more abundance of money and opportunities to pursue and purchase happiness.
In this episode, he brought out his wife and children to talk about parenting. They have 7 children from mid-20s to age 10. It was a real treat to hear from them and to see how happy and united they are. Since it’s so rare to see a family unit so happy and healthy in today’s western culture, I recommend you listen and consider their parenting advice and also consider what abundant life aka happiness means for you. I have heard from enough pastors to know that in one’s death bed, no one ever ask for their stuff and trophies. Christians have regrets about holding back on love and forgiveness to family members, wasting their time and money on pursuits that don’t matter in eternity, and being very concerned about the salvation of their loved ones.
Pastor Francis Chan is a tough drill sergeant type who always reminds his fellow soldiers about these things. Anyway, that’s why this episode was a real nice treat to hear. He goes on and on about how happy he is. It was so nice to hear him relax and laugh. Like I said, usually he is a tough drill sergeant from the pulpit and pleading with his people to get things right with God; the way the prophets did with the Jewish people in the Old Testament books.
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/crazy-love-podcast/id1007053996?i=1000706434190
For Christians like us in the USA where we have much freedom and living life as a Christian has been easier; I think learning from cultural apologist is a good thing. They address questions like “Why is there so much evil and injustice in the world if God is good? Why am I suffering so much? Etc” Please listen to this seminary professor who teaches this kind of topics. He calls himself a cultural apologist. I have never heard that before…interesting.
May God bless you abundantly as you pursue good, biblical wisdom and build your life on this foundation. 🙏
From: Mike Vincent <CUNova@ChristianUnion.org>
Sent: Monday, May 19, 2025 9:12 AM
Subject: A Powerful End to a Powerful Year!
What an amazing semester and year here at Princeton! We are still reeling from the incredible impact of Cliffe and Stuart Knechtle. You may have seen them on YouTube or social media. They are a father-son duo and are pastors from Connecticut. They routinely engage college students with open air discussion and apologetics, giving reasons for faith in Christ. While Cliffe has been doing this for 45 years with Intervarsity, they have only recently exploded on social media in the past few years. All of our students knew of them and were excited to bring friends to hear them.
We had the opportunity to host them for two days out on the South Lawn of Frist Campus Center from noon to six each day! Both days drew a crowd of roughly 350 people! They answered questions and debated skeptics while hundreds listened and many follow up conversations were started between students. Many students who had never heard of us expressed interest in joining our ministry, while many professors and staff members from the University expressed interest in supporting us and praying for us. We were also able to set up a table with books to give away and QR codes for people to join our ministry. We gave away over 300 books, bibles, and tracts! The Knechtles also asked three of our students to share their testimonies on the Friday afternoon, one of whom was formerly Jewish and another who was formerly Hindu. What an amazing testament to God’s life-changing power! The Knechtles have already begun to share some clips of their ministry with us on their Youtube platform. The full version has yet to be released but check out some of the links below for some short clips!!
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/4PFtvfpigFU
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E2tCoYUOYbw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZJtvtB3s_s
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p0buixsvvrQ
That evening, we invited everyone to McCosh 50, the largest lecture hall on campus, for an evening of worship and to hear a message from the Knechtles. We were blessed to have a crowd of 300 join us that evening, filling the main floor! Students were given one last chance to come forward and ask questions as well. At the end of their talk, Cliffe gave an invitation to receive Christ and prayed a powerful prayer for those who might be willing. As we ended with one last worship song, the Holy Spirit was moving powerfully as 300 people lifted their voices to God! I’m so thankful for the Knechtles and their ministry, for all those who attended, and for the power of the gospel of Jesus Christ! We hope to have the Knechtles back again next year!
As the year comes to a close, I’m having my last meetings with Seniors who will be able to take these experiences of learning in Christian community into their future careers and families and engage the world as Christian leaders.
Please pray:
- For our Seniors, that they would continue to grow strong in the Lord as they transition into post-Princeton life.
- For all the seeds that have been planted by the Knechtles last week, that they would bear fruit here on campus so that many students would trust in Christ.
- For our funding needs to be met for the upcoming school year. Our student reach is growing which is a great problem to have! We need to be able to hire more Ministry Fellows to grow with the ministry.
*If you’re coming to Reunions, join us for our three events!*
- “Stories of Faith at Princeton” – talk by Mike Vincent ‘10, Friday, May 23rd at 3pm in McCosh 62.
- A Christian History Tour of Princeton – tour led by Ken Jasko ‘78, Saturday, May 24th at 10am in East Pyne Courtyard.
- “Celebrating Christian Life at Princeton” – Open House and lunch, Saturday May 24th from 10am to 2pm at the Melrose Center for Christian Leadership, 19 Vandeventer Ave.
“Under God’s Power, She Flourishes,”
Mike Vincent
Ministry Director, Christian Union Nova
Journal of Faith 