All About RUF

Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) is the college ministry of the Presbyterian Church in America. There are RUF groups on over 100 campuses now, and on each campus, the goals are the same: reach out to all students with the glorious message and hope of the gospel of Jesus, build community, equip them to serve their community, and help them grow in their faith. RUF isn’t just for Presbyterians, or even just for Christians. RUF is for all students, no matter their background, just as Christ is the only hope for all of us, no matter our backgrounds. I loved how RUF at Samford was one place that everyone would feel welcome and accepted, no matter what they were thinking, feeling, wearing, or anything else.

In RUF, the gospel is the focus, and we never move past it. I can’t count the number of times I was reminded that I need the gospel everyday, and that I need to preach it to myself daily. What a fantastic thing to be reminded week in and week out during college! It’s also a great place to learn just how to read and study that bible of yours, and how to live in community as well.

One unique thing about RUF is that each campus has an ordained campus minister whose full time job is to pastor the students at his university.  However, RUF is not a church substitute. One of our goals is to encourage students to get plugged into the local church and to serve the church, now, and as life continues. 

So with that as a background, here’s what RUF looks like on a campus:

§  Weekly large group meetings. Singing, preaching of God’s Word, hanging out with people and making new friends.

§  Small groups and bible studies

§  One-on-one meetings with students

§  Service projects

§  Prayer groups to pray for the needs of the campus and students

§  Community building events (game nights, pancake parties, movie nights, girls’ nights, guys’ nights, camping trips—the opportunities are endless!)

§  Conferences with RUF groups from other campuses (Fall, Winter, Summer conferences): seminars to chose from, large group worship, small groups, more fun

If you want more details on RUF and what we believe and our purposes, see the lovely RUF webpage: https://www.ruf.org/learn-about-ruf/who-we-are/. I hope this has given you at least a little taste about why I’m so passionate about pursuing this internship at University of South Florida!