The New England Project

The key to realizing a spiritual awakening in our country has long been understood to lie with the young people of America. The strategy of Chi Alpha Campus Ministries is to target the next generation of world leaders for evangelism and to transmit Christian principles to the students of some of the nation’s leading colleges and universities. The academic institutions of New England, including Harvard, M.I.T., Yale, and several others, are “lynch pins” in the American university system. Philosophies and ideologies born and bred in the classrooms of these schools are later transferred to other colleges and universities in America — and often the world.

We believe that in order to effectively impact the students of America, the American academic system, and the international students studying in the U.S.A., it is imperative that we reach the schools of New England. We need to engage the key issues of our day on campus with Christian principles, as well as present the good news of salvation that is found in Jesus Christ.

Any ministry with this vision cannot neglect to look at revivals of the past in an attempt to see God’s sovereign plan in using young people. A brief survey of American history will show that the colleges and universities in New England and the northeast regional corridor of the United States have always been used of God to unlock the heart of the nation.

The spiritual darkness that presently characterizes the northeastern colleges and universities of our nation reflects the spiritual condition of the rest of society. This should come as no surprise to those who are aware of America’s Christian history. Whether good or bad, for the past 370 years, New England (and the Northeast) has been the spiritual focal point of America.

The politics and ethics of the United States were birthed in the northeastern cities of Boston and Philadelphia. The spiritual climate of the United States has also been deeply affected by this area. The most significant event of the 1700’s besides the Revolution was the Great Awakening — which began among young people in Northampton, Massachusetts. The World Missions Movement was begun at Williams College in Williamstown, MA, as a result of a prayer meeting held by five students (see www.cacmboston.org/haystack).

In the early 1800’s, New England was a center for sporadic spiritual revivals on many college campuses. The spiritual, moral, social, and political foundations of the United States had their beginnings in New England.

Since the beginning of the 1800’s, however, New England has become a breeding ground for anti-Christian ideas. Humanism, in the form of Transcendentalism and Universalism, had its roots in Massachusetts. Social philosophers, such as Emerson and Thoreau, contributed to the destruction of the Christian foundations of America. These ideas found a haven in the colleges of New England, and later the Northeast. In the 20th century, Marxism, humanism, existentialism, socialism, New Age philosophy and immorality of all types have also found refuge in the many colleges and universities here.

Despite this growing tide of wickedness, a gleaming ray of hope appears. God has a destiny for these campuses! The schools of New England are the hub on which the entire academic system of the nations turns. God Himself is concerned with these schools. He had a hand in bringing them into being. He always honors His covenants with men and virtually every college in this area was founded with the purpose of bringing greater glory to God.

The following schools have influenced this mission effort due to their role in the revivals of the past and their continuing influence in providing leadership for the world. We hope to be able to raise up and send teams of missionary personnel to serve these nine schools and many others:

Harvard University – Rev. John Harvard gave half his property and his entire library to start this world renowned institution. Harvard’s original motto was” “For Christ and the Church.” The goal of a Harvard education was to establish Christian principles in the minds of students according to the Word of God. In addition to ministers, Harvard also produced some of the greatest statesmen of the 1700’s, such as John Hancock, John Adams, and Samuel Adams.

Yale University – Yale was patterned after the design of Harvard. The founders of Yale were authorized to create an institution where “youth may be instructed in the Arts and Sciences who through the blessing of Almighty God may be fit for employment both in the Church and Civil State.” Three Yale graduates were: the inventor Eli Whitney, the educator and author Noah Webster, and the patriot Nathan Hale, who just before being hanged by the British said, “I regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.”

Boston University – “Learning, Virtue, and Piety” is the motto of one of the finest of the many learning institutions in Boston. Today, Boston University is perhaps the most strategic school in the United States since it has more international students than any other University. Many of these internationals are being trained to move into positions of leadership in their native lands. A revival among international students at Boston University would impact the entire world.

is the motto of one of the finest of the many learning institutions in Boston. Today, Boston University is one of the most strategic schools in the United States due to large number of international students it hosts. Many of these internationals are being trained to move into positions of leadership in their native lands. A revival among international students at Boston University would impact the entire world.

Amherst College – Amherst was founded and was maintained for many years with the aim of educating young men to serve God. The school’s Latin motto, “Terras Irradient,” is an illusion to Isaiah 6:3: “The whole earth is full of His glory.” In the early years of the school frequent and powerful revivals often resulted in the salvation of many young men. Graduates of Amherst College have included the radical social reformer Henry Ward Beecher (brother of Harriet Beecher Stowe), and Daniel W. Poor, the pioneer missionary to Ceylon.

Smith College – Founded in Northampton, Massachusetts, Smith College has always been considered to be one of the finest women’s colleges in the world. Smith is located in a geographical area that has traditionally been associated with powerful outpourings of the Holy Spirit. The First Great Awakening began in the 1730’s in a Northampton Congregational church pastored by Jonathan Edwards. The western part of Massachusetts was also the site of many revivals in the Second Great Awakening.

Mount Holyoke – Mary Lyon founded Mount Holyoke seminary for women in South Hawley, Massachusetts. This institution was among the first of its kind and was a product of the social reforms of the Second Great Awakening. Mary Lyon sought to promote the rights of women and personally trained more than fifty women who later became foreign missionaries.

Wellesley College – One of the most beautiful of the American colleges founded in the 1800’s, Wellesley was patterned after the system of education at Mount Holyoke. Wellesley College’s charter declared its foundation to be “distinctly and positively Christian in its influence, discipline, and instruction.” From its beginning, Wellesley has enrolled many female international students.

Brown University – First chartered as Rhode Island College, Baptist followers of Roger Williams founded the school “to train ministers and educate youth properly in the Christian faith.” The rapid increase of Baptists in New England in the 1700’s led to the need for a better educated leadership. Rhode Island College was the first of many educational projects begun in the American colonies as a result of the First Great Awakening.

Dartmouth University – Yale graduate Eleazer Wheelock first founded Dartmouth as Moor’s Indian Charity School in Columbia, Connecticut, but it was later relocated to Hanover, New Hampshire. In the beginning, it was a reflection of the early settler’s zeal to share the Christian faith with the Indians and to educate young Native Americans in the spirit of Jesus and the Bible. The school’s motto, “A Voice of One Crying in the Wilderness” describes the prophetic calling which is firmly ingrained in Dartmouth’s foundation.

We believe that every one of the 650, 000 college students in Southern New England and 150,000 college students in Northern New England should have the opportunity to know Jesus. The New England Project is about people coming together to fulfill that vision – students, alumni, churches, clergy, men and women, and missionary staff committed to praying, to giving, and to going.

Jesus calls all believers to practice and share His message. The values Jesus lived by are clear: to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10), to reconcile men and women to God (Colossians 1:19-20), and to glorify the Father (John 17:4).

We are extremely committed to LIFE. There is no greater journey than the one set before us. So we endeavor to make our lives count, to make a difference. In a world of extreme hate and prejudice, we have extreme hope and promise in Jesus Christ. “I have come that they might have life.” (John 10:10).

In summary, here is the vision for The New England Project:

1. To identify, recruit, train, and fund missionary leadership to establish campus ministries to the 22 “giants” of the land*.

Amherst College, Boston University, Boston College, Brandeis University, Brown University, Clark University, Dartmouth College, Harvard, Holy Cross, M.I.T., Mount Holyoke, Northeastern University, Smith College, Tufts University, The University of Connecticut, The University of Maine, The University of Massachusetts, The University of Rhode Island, Wellesley College, Williams College, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and Yale.

*Boston needs unique and dedicated attention due to the 55 colleges and universities and over 250,000 college students.

2. To encourage, equip, and resource local churches to establish viable ministry to local a college or university campus in their area.

A. Work with the District Chi Alpha director & District Youth Director to offer “Transitioning Seniors to College” events for parents and high school juniors and seniors.

B. Once a year communicate the name, school, and email of the student(s) going to a secular college or university in New England to the Chi Alpha Campus Ministries missionary personnel serving here. The student(s) will be added to our email network so they can hear about resources, training and relational opportunities available through Chi Alpha Campus Ministries.

C. Inform college students and high school seniors in your church about the annual New York-New England Chi Alpha Retreat, held the weekend before President’s Day in February.

D. Educate parents. Chi Alpha and AG National Youth Ministries have partnered with www.YouthTransitionNetwork.org and www.liveabove.com to support high school seniors as they transition to college, and parents to help their youth in this process.

E. Mobilize people and churches for mission projects – Examples: Caring for your own college students while they are away at college; Adopt-a-student effort at a local college; Help with student move-in and start-up activities during September; Mobilize senior citizens to serve as friendship partners with international students; Serve as phone coaches for student led campus ministries; Thanksgiving dinner for international students; Help develop Campus Preview Weekends (CPW) where parents and their college bound kids can connect with Chi Alpha missionary personnel about transitioning from high school to college; Send a Chi Alpha missionary on an all-expenses paid vacation to a warmer climate.

F. Invite the Moms’ in your church to assist with the development of student and/or church led campus ministry throughout New England. Mom’s would be trained and resourced to coach campus ministry efforts in their area.

G. Launch a campus ministry based on one of the FIVE MODELS described in the Church Based Seminar.

3. To encourage, equip, and resource college students on secular campuses to begin ministry to their campus through Bible studies, prayer meetings, evangelistic outreaches, etc.

4. To encourage, equip, and resource parents as they prepare their high school seniors to make the transition from high school to college.

5. To explore, search out, and establish prayer and financial support for campus ministry expansion with potential investors.

6. To promote district focus and mission for the 188 colleges in Southern New England and 60 colleges in Northern New England.

7. To promote maturity and consistency in our campus ministry chapters. This objective encompasses all of the models utilized, and includes the health and stability of campus ministry leadership, quality of ministry, and the ability of a ministry to perpetuate itself year after year by effective leadership training.