City On a Hill , Julie Joo ‘19
Ministry Profile: Reformed University Fellowship
Edward Park
Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) is an Evangelical Chris-
tian campus ministry serving Brown University, The Rhode
Island School of Design & Johnson & Wales University, and
other Providence-area schools. RUF is made up of students
from many different backgrounds. It is part of the nationwide
campus ministry of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA)
and overseen by Southern New England Presbytery. Our aim is
to bring the whole testimony of scripture and the gospel to the
whole person, reaching and influencing the whole campus for
the sake of Jesus Christ, his church and kingdom.
The word "reformed" means that we hold to an historic un-
derstanding of Christianity. Though many today would claim
that truth is relative or unknowable, we believe that Christianity
stands upon very clear and specific truth claims. Jesus himself
said that we must believe who he claimed to be and hold to his
teachings. In RUF, you are given opportunities to wrestle with
the truth (through the Bible as God's word), and to see that the
gospel speaks to every area of life. Through exposure to truth,
we hope that many will come to know the one who is truth,
Jesus Christ.
We also believe that Christianity is not just a moral system. It
has a moral system, but that is not what it is. Christianity is not
intended to make us better people; the gospel makes us new
people. It brings new life for those who are dead in sin, and
brings hope for the hopeless. We believe that those who come
to see that Jesus is the truth will also see that he is life and so be
transformed in every part of their lives.
RUF exists to reach students for Christ and equip them to serve.
It is the aim of RUF to be a ministry for the campuses of Brown,
RISD, JWU, and other Providence-area schools—not for our-
selves. Our intent is to see the campus communities from which
we come transformed by the power and beauty of the presence
of Christ. God has placed you on your campus. Your calling as
a student is to glorify God by diligently studying in whatever
area he has gifted you, whether it be in the liberal arts, fine arts
or design, or culinary and hospitality. We also encourage you
to involve yourself in all that campus life has to offer and to
serve in your campus community, whether you hail from Brown,
RISD, JWU, or another Providence-area school!
But Christianity is not something that can be lived out alone.
The believer is called to live within a very special community—
the church. Because Christ loved the church and gave himself
up for her, we gather together to worship Christ, to strengthen
each other, enjoy life together, and face our struggles together.
While RUF is an arm of the church on the campus, it is not
a substitute for a local church. We encourage you to involve
yourself in RUF as well as worship weekly in a Bible-believing
church here in Providence.
In conclusion, our aim is to bring the whole testimony of scrip-
ture and the gospel to the whole person, reaching and influenc-
ing the whole campus for the sake of Jesus Christ, his church
and kingdom.
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