About

 

Reformed University Fellowship ("RUF") is a Christian ministry to college students from all walks of life.  We are affiliated with the Presbyterian church in America, but we minister to students from all backgrounds: both the "convinced" and the "unconvinced". RUF exists to reach and equip college students to love and serve Jesus Christ, His Church, and the world. We believe that the gospel speaks to the whole person, and that it can transform any place, bringing the healing and restoration of Christ's Kingdom.

Reformed
The word "reformed" simply means "we never get it right".  In other words, we are constantly reforming our life and doctrine according to the Bible.  We embrace the basic principles rediscovered during the Protestant Reformation, namely: the supreme authority of Scripture and justification by grace through faith. We continually endeavor to "reform" our hearts and minds in light of God's grace and truth - all of us are still in process!

University
We aim to be a ministry for all of UF, not simply for ourselves. Rather than pulling students away from campus, we encourage students to involve themselves in all that campus life has to offer. We seek to train students to engage and serve the university from a distinctly Christian perspective. We also desire to provide an open door for non-Christians interested in exploring Christianity.

Fellowship
The Christian life is not something that can be lived out alone. Because Christians are united to Christ, they are also united to each other. So we are called to live in community. RUF seeks to help students identify and develop their gifts for the benefit of others. By following the example of Christ, we learn to share in one another's joys, sorrows, strengths, and weaknesses.

What are our Goals?

Growth In Grace
Mere spiritual survival on campus (and beyond) should not be the goal of the Christian. Men and women who believe the good news should be growing -- but how? God provides the growing, but He works through means. RUF aims to help students understand and use the means of grace which God has provided for Christian growth. These include studying the Bible, developing a life of prayer, and participating in worship / sacraments. Through these means (as well as others) we grow more deeply in the gospel.

Evangelism & Missions
If we believe that we have news that is good, we don't horde it. We share it with others, near and far. Jesus called His followers to spread the gospel throughout the world and to make disciples of all nations. Our desire is to grow in our ability to thoughtfully and respectfully communicate the love and truth of Christ. This involves more than our words, but certainly not less.

Fellowship & Service
According to the Bible, the Christian is a brother or sister to every other Christian, as well as a neighbor to every human being everywhere. These realities must find expression in real, tangible acts of love and service to the people we encounter.  Here in RUF at UF, you can find multiple ways to serve under the "serve" toolbar.

Biblical World & Life View
Christianity is a way of seeing all of life. The redemption that Jesus speaks of is not merely a redemption of individual souls. He speaks of the redemption of everything.  Thus, in RUF, we emphasize that Mondays through Saturdays are just as much a part of the Christian life as Sundays. We want to see all of life through the lens of Scripture and to honor Christ in everything. We seek to better understand our education, our relationships, our talents, and our futures by learning how the whole of God's truth relates to every area of life.

What are our Commitments?

In-Depth Bible Study
At RUF we believe in having fun, but also that the quality of our fun and relationships as a group will be better, more mature, and more fulfilling when our lives are being transformed by a real encounter with all of God's Word.

the Student's Vocation
The vocation of university student is just that - a university student. RUF takes this seriously and strives to equip students to be faithful and growing Christians who are conscientious in their studies. The campus is not reduced to a convenient pretext to do evangelism, but rather the place where God has providentially placed students to prepare for legitimate vocations after graduation. Far from being a hindrance to spirituality, academic study is a way to honor God.

Being Rather Than Just Doing
RUF ministries will have a variety of activities on the schedule, but we do not expect everyone to be involved in everything. We have no agenda to bury students in a crush of activities, something that often burns them out. Rather, we desire to help students become people who truly know and love God, and whose lives are profoundly affected because of it. This, rather than busyness in Christian activities, will make their lives and witness more effective and authentic.

Challenge and Think
We believe in absolute truth, and we also believe the most helpful thing we can do for people is to help them learn to recognize and discover that truth themselves. We avoid giving a set of pat, canned answers. We encourage thoughtful questions and place a strong emphasis on critical thinking, learning how to interpret and understand the Bible properly, and then applying it to all of life today.

The Visible Church
We believe the campus is the student's natural sphere of influence (and thus their primary place of involvement).  But RUF is not a parachurch ministry.  We are not only accountable to the church, but also concerned to see students integrated into the life of the local church. The church (not a campus fellowship) is where students will spend the rest of their Christian lives. By encouraging student involvement in local churches, RUF situates students to continue their growth in grace long after RUF and college are over.