Sisters and brothers,

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.

Dependent on Him,

Alec

Alec Hill, President
InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA

Guide for a time of Prayer for the California State University Decision

An Invitation to Trust

Worship/Adoration

To begin this time of prayer read Psalm 91 and reflect on the psalmist’s understanding of God’s character. As you see God’s nature described, stop and praise Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Worship God as the one who protects us and cares for us, even in the midst of struggle.

As you continue to worship, read or sing this hymn to the LORD. The third stanza reminds us that God prospers our work and defends us.

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty

Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of Creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is thy health and salvation!
All ye who hear, now to His temple draw near;
Praise Him in Glad adorations!

Praise to the Lord! Who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth,
Shelters thee under His wings, yea, so gently sustaineth;
Hast thou not seem how thy entreaties have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?

Praise to the Lord! Who doeth prosper thy work and defend thee;
Surely His goodness and mercy here daily attend thee.
Ponder anew what the Almighty can do,
If with His love He befriend thee.

Praise to the Lord! O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him!
Let the Amen sound from His people again;
Gladly for aye we adore Him. Amen.

Interceding for the California State University Decision

As we consider the time in which we find ourselves in our national history, it may be helpful to remember Daniel and the other captives from Judah who lived in the midst of Babylon. The faithful exiles experienced direct conflict between their values and the values of the Babylonians. Read Daniel 1:8-9, and 1:18-20. Pray for God to give us favor and standing with the leaders in the CSU system as he did Daniel and his companions before the Babylonian leaders.

Pray for a face to face meeting between our representatives and the decision-makers for the California State University system. Daniel, Hannaniah, Mishael, and Azariah had an audience with King Nebuchadnezzar. Pray now that God would give us this same opportunity.

Pray for Timothy White, who is the Chancellor of the CSU system. Ask God to place people in this process who will encourage him to keep an open access posture.

Now read Daniel 3:13-18. Note how Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego remain faithful to the LORD in the midst of the threat they face. Pray for courage and grace for Alec Hill, Greg Jao and the other InterVarsity leaders who are in this conversation with the CSU staff.

Pray for a positive resolution that allows our chapters to remain viable members of CSU communities. It may be the case, as it was for the three faithful exiles, that God answers this prayer in an unexpected way. Let’s pray that we would have eyes to see and ears to hear God’s answer.

Thanksgiving

End this time of prayer in thanksgiving for God’s work with and through InterVarsity this academic year. God has blessed us with growth throughout our movement. Remember, as Paul tells us, some water, some plant, but it is God who gives the growth! Thank God that his work will continue to grow on the CSU campuses in the days to come.

“His steadfast love endures forever.”