Establishing a CUFI Chapter at FSU

by Uriah Ellis

Creating a chapter of Christians United for Israel on college and university campuses can prove to be a daunting task for even the most resolved pro-Israel student advocate. Navigating the seemingly endless reels of red tape, pursuing answers from faceless administrative bureaucrats, and addressing the apathy of fellow students often appear to be as formidable as Everest’s peaks. In an effort to build a base for CUFI’s work on campus, the Christian community at first seems ideal. It is only after speaking to a few colleagues that that the pro-Israel student encounters the great ignorance that exists in the body of Christ concerning support for the Jewish nation-state. Those with an unquenchable zeal to see this ignorance eradicated might be prone to, at the risk of appearing to be a twenty-first century Douglas MacArthur, launch a multi-pronged assault on the aforementioned ignorance. A crusade to convert uninformed and uninterested Christians into individuals with a conflagration of pro-Israel activism bellowing within their soul might appear to be a successful method. Yet, to be effective, the prudent student must consider the construct of his school before launching such a campaign.
At large public institutions, the Christian community is often segmented into various camps ranging from the Anglican Campus Fellowship to the Pentecostal Student Union. The ministers overseeing each group take their role as spiritual authorities for their students quite serious. They realize that they will hold an account before God for the way they safe guarded His sheep from the wolves of false doctrine and the lions of deceitful practice. Accordingly, before reaching out to their students CUFI on Campus advocates respect the chain of command and request a meeting with as many of the campus ministers as possible.
Romans 13:7 says that we are to honor and respect those to whom honor and respect are due. When the CUFI chapter was established at Florida State University, the chapter president understood the above biblical principal and was determined to uphold it. He contacted each campus minster asking them to meet with him to discuss CUFI. The meetings were akin to a young man meeting with the father of the young lady in whom had had an interest in courting. A diplomatic conversation took place during which the chapter president made clear his intentions. CUFI’s purpose and key objectives were explained such that the campus minister understood that CUFI’s aim was not to steal his sheep, nor was it to pervert his church’s work. It was also made unmistakably clear that the chapter president was not seeking the campus minister’s approval to reach out to his students. Instead, he made it clear that only the campus minister’s blessing was desired. The literature and media provided by CUFI made it the chapter president’s job much easier in that it gave the campus minister insight into CUFI’s heart.
In meeting with the campus ministries ranging from leaders of the frozen chosen to leaders of the holy rollers, minister conveyed their appreciation for a member of CUFI taking the time to meet with them before contacting their students. This inspired some to encourage their students to participate in CUFI events. It is worth noting, however, that not every campus ministry agreed to working with CUFI. The FSU chapter president appreciated those who were willing to work with him in fulfilling Isaiah 62:1. For those who did not decide to work with CUFI, the chapter president rested confident in Romans 4:20-21 in that “he staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief; but was strong in faith, giving glory to God; and being fully persuaded that, what He had promised, He was able also to perform.”