RUF @ Western Carolina: Recent Episodes
Andrew Shank
Messages from the ministry of RUF at Western Carolina University. RUF is a ministry of the Presbyterian Church in America (PCA), to college campuses around the country and around the world, that seeks to reach students for Christ and equip them to serve. Whether you're a believer, a skeptic, exploring Christianity, wrestling with doubt, or just looking for community, RUF is for you!
What are we to do about suffering in the Christian life? What encouragement is there in suffering?
How do we, as believers, think about our inability to live in the ways we really want to?
This week we look at Paul's discussion on sin and the law: are they the same thing? Opposed? How are Christians to relate to God's law if we're under grace?
This week we look at another angle of Paul's response to the misunderstanding that grace frees us to sin: our conversion. What does it mean that we've chosen a new master?
Paul starts applying our union with Christ to our day-to-day Christian lives, first addressing how we think about ourselves.
Jumping into our series on Romans, we look at how we can know that we are loved by the Father.
This week, we introduce our series on the book of Romans, talking about how Paul gets to the good news of chapter 5 through the long road of chapters 1-4.
If mini-marriage isn't the way we should date, what else is there? This week we imagine what the fruit of the Spirit might look like if they showed up in our dating relationships.
Definitions can be tricky things, especially when it comes to dating. What does it mean to be dating, and what expectations should we bring into that kind of relationship?
What does the Bible have to say about marriage? What is marriage? And how should an understanding of those things impact our relationships now?
From Jan 16, 2024, we kick off our relationship mini-series looking at what the Bible has to say about singleness.
After hearing from our graduating seniors, we had just a few minutes for a quick reflection on Eph 4-5 and Paul's command to "put on the new self."
We wrap up our series on Genesis looking at God's covenant with Abram, and tracing the Covenant of Grace through the story of Genesis so far, and the rest of the OT.
We look this week at the Call of Abram, and on of the purposes of God's blessing in our life. We also talk about God's will, and how to live in wisdom and trust.
This week we look at the Tower of Babel, and the modern ways that we seek to find security or "make a name for ourselves."
This week we continue with the Noah story, looking at Noah's obedience and the introduction of the sacrifice in the Biblical story.
This week we look at the beginning of the Noah story, and meditating on the fact that grace comes first.
This week we look at the story of Cain and Abel, looking for signs of grace even as humanity moves further and further from God.
The week we look at the effects of the Fall: "there is a crack, a crack in everything."
This week we start our look at the Fall, focusing on the ways that temptation works and God's pursuit of his people, even in their sin.
Last week we looked at what humanity is for. This week we're still on the topic of humanity, but asking a more fundamental question: who are we? How has God made us? What does it mean to be human?
We kick off our series on Genesis looking at chapter 1 and what creation reveals about our God.
Drawing the series to a close, we look at the choice that Jesus sets before us. What does it mean to be Gospel people?
This week we look back at the Lord's Prayer, and Jesus' invitation to pray in Matthew 7 to "ask, seek, and knock."
This week we look at Jesus' words on judgment, distinguishing between the bad judgment of the Pharisees and the good judgment (or love!) that Jesus calls us to.
We start on Chapter 6 this week, looking at the ways we practice our devotion to Jesus, and some of the dangers Jesus warns us against as we do so.
Wrapping up Matthew 5, we look at Jesus' instructions on responding to hurt and hate, and look back at Jesus' teaching in the sermon as a whole thus far.
Continuing through Jesus' correction of the misunderstanding of the Law by the Pharisees, this week we look at the topic of our speech.
This week we turn to the 7th commandment and explore what Jesus says about lust and divorce.
This week we start looking at Jesus' teaching on the law, specifically his teaching on anger. What does following Jesus look like in this area?
How is the church to relate to the world? And what kind of reaction should we expect from the world as believers bear the name of Christ and seek righteousness?
Looking at the Beatitudes this week, we explore the kind of character qualities that Jesus cultivates in His disciples.
We wrap up our series on Revelation looking at heaven come to earth and exploring what eternity will be like.
Tonight we lean into the difficult topics of judgment and hell. Is it really necessary? And if it's real, how can we avoid it?
This week we look at Rev 17-19 and the Great Prostitute riding the beast from the sea. What does she represent? What does she attempt to seduce us to?
This week we look at the beasts from the sea and the earth, and the counterfeit kings and ideologies they present to us. How can we learn to spot a fake?
This week we look at the Christmas story with the curtain pulled back. What does Satan's hatred of Jesus mean for history? What does Jesus' defeat of Satan mean for us today?
The Lamb breaks the seals, and the 4 horsemen ride forth. What are they? What do they bring? And what is happening with the Church in the midst of it all?
Sorry for the audio! The battery in the mic died right before the conclusion, so you'll notice a funny audio shift right at the end.
Jumping in to the book of Revelation this week! How are we supposed to approach this book? If we read it rightly, what are we supposed to see?
Having looked at what God has done in his people individually in Ephesians 2:1-10 last week, we look now at the rest of Ephesians 2 and see what God does in his people as a community.
Everyone is back! New students are exploring ministries on campus! So, like we do every year, we take a night to answer the question "what is RUF?".
What does the Bible tell us about marriage, and how does that impact us today as we look for a spouse, approach dating, or even approach singleness?
If we think about sex the way that the world does, then the Bible's sexual ethic feels restrictive and repressive, and just don't make sense. But viewing sex, what it's for and what it does, through a Biblical lens brings clarity to both the Bible's command and our current confusion about sex.
This week we take a look at the fruit of the Spirit, and imagine what it would look like to date in a way that wasn't shaped by fear, but by Christlikeness.
Why is dating so hope-filled AND stressful? What's unique about this particular relationship, and how do we navigate it in a healthy, God-honoring way? This week, we start to try and answer that question by looking at some of the typical behaviors we have in dating and simply asking if it fits with the definition of dating.
The Bible calls singleness a gift, but if we're honest, it's one that most people wish came with a receipt. This week, we look at singleness: the goodness of it, the purpose for it, and some encouragement on how to use and enjoy your singleness even as you hope for something different some day.
What does friendship look like? What does it take to get there? How does the Gospel free us to pursue friendship with one another without fear?
In any relationship, there will be tension and conflict. This week, we look at what the Bible says about conflict, our hope for resolving conflict, and some practical wisdom on ways to speak and listen to effectively get past our conflict.
Following up on last week's sermon on how the Gospel frees us to love and honor our parents, this week we talk about what that looks like in practice. What should a healthy parent/child relationship look like in college? How can you move toward a healthier relationship with your parents in wisdom?
Continuing in our relationship series, we talk this week about what the church is, how to find a healthy one, and what it looks like to relate to the church in a loving way.
Continuing in our series on relationships, this week we look at Isaiah 6:1-8 to get an understanding of who He is and what He has done for us so that we might understand what our response to God should be.
Listen in as we kick of our Spring ‘22 series on relationships, looking at what the Bible tells us about our relationships with God, the church, friends, dating, and more!
We can know and believe the Gospel, that "Jesus + Nothing = Everything." But it's news that's so big and good and life-changing, that in some areas of our life we struggle to let the Gospel take root in our heart and trickle out into every area of our life. This week we see how that happened to Peter (Cephas), and how Paul responded to it. We also consider some areas where this might be the case in our own lives.
This week we look more at the heart of the Gospel, that Jesus + Nothing = Everything, and some of the ways that we mess with that equation. (Special thanks to Matt Howell for some help with the sermon!)
Recording from our first Large Group of the 2021-22 school year, where we (hopefully!) answer the question "What is RUF? Why are we here?" and kick-off our series on Galatians all at the same time!
This week, we look at Mark 2:1-12, the story of Jesus healing the paralytic to answer the question "what is RUF all about?"
Wrapping up our series on Ecclesiastes, we look back at where we've been over the course of the semester and reflect on the message of the book as a whole.
This week (our first Large Group back in person!) we look at Solomon's assessment of religion (or just going through the motions of Christianity without any actual relationship with God) to see if meaning can be found in religious activity. Special thanks to Matt Howell for the big picture outline for this talk!
This week, we follow Solomon as he explores wealth as a path to meaning and significance in life.
Continuing in our series on Ecclesiastes, the Teacher now turns and examines Justice as an ultimate pursuit of life.
Continuing our series on Ecclesiastes, we look at the famous "time poem," exploring what we're to do day-to-day when something as big as eternity has been put into our hearts.
Solomon continues his quest for meaning and purpose in this life, looking at wisdom and work. Is there any weight to be found here? Anything to cling to?
This week, we look at the beginning of Ecclesiastes chapter 2, where Solomon tells us about his search for meaning in pleasure. Where did he seek it, and what did he find?
In this message, we introduce the book of Ecclesiastes and its central question: where can we find meaning and significance in life? This short little book packs a punch, and forces us to wrestle with some big questions in order to help us live well. Join us as we explore this book this Spring semester!
This Fall we're looking at the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) together, which is Jesus' introduction to what it means to follow Him as He brings the kingdom of heaven. This week we look at the very end of the sermon where Jesus contrasts two builders. Who is he talking about? What does it mean to be a wise builder or a foolish one?
This Fall we're looking at the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) together, which is Jesus' introduction to what it means to follow Him as He brings the kingdom of heaven. This week we look at Matthew 6:24-34, where Jesus addresses our worry, stress, and anxiety. Why should we, as children of a heavenly Father, worry less? What is the root of our worry and anxiety? What does it look like to rest in Christ and let go of those things?
This Fall we're looking at the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) together, which is Jesus' introduction to what it means to follow Him as He brings the kingdom of heaven. This week we look at Matthew 6:5-15 where Jesus teaches us how to pray. How are we supposed to view God as we come to Him in prayer? What kinds of things do we pray for?
This Fall we're looking at the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) together, which is Jesus' introduction to what it means to follow Him as He brings the kingdom of heaven. This week we look at Matthew 6:1-6, 16-18, discussing the way that Jesus exposes our motivations in "practicing our righteousness" (or "doing Christian things"). Why do we so often struggle with the temptation to do it "to be seen," and how can we be free to enjoy things like generosity, prayer, and fasting without obsessing over what other people think?
This Fall we're looking at the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) together, which is Jesus' introduction to what it means to follow Him as He brings the kingdom of heaven. This week we look at Matthew 5:38-48, examining Jesus' teaching on our rights: is it okay to "get even?" Who are we to love? And how on earth are we to live up to this high standard Jesus has been teaching about?
This Fall we're looking at the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) together, which is Jesus' introduction to what it means to follow Him as He brings the kingdom of heaven. This week we look at Matthew 5:17-22, examining Jesus' teaching on God's law, what it takes to be part of His kingdom, and what to do when the demands of the law seem too great for us.
This Fall we're going to be looking at the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7) together, which is Jesus' introduction to what it means to follow Him as He brings the kingdom of heaven. This week, we focus in on the introduction (5:3) to the introduction (5:1-12, the Beatitudes) to the Sermon on the Mount (which is the introduction to following Jesus!), asking what it means to be "poor in spirit," why that's a blessed condition for us, and how Jesus meets us in that poverty.
Who is my neighbor? Who do I have a duty to help? Jesus' plain but challenging answer to this question is serious heart check to us! Mercifully, it's also a story about how Jesus goes out of his way to love the needy: me and you.
In Matthew 13:44-46, Jesus tells two very short parables: one about a treasure hidden in a field, and one about a merchant in search of a beautiful pearl. In these parables, Jesus is telling us about change in our lives and what it takes. Thanks to Matt Howell for his insights into this text!
Numbers 11 - What does the prayer part of our devotional life sound like? How do we deal with disappointment in the "in-between" we find ourself in? What does it mean to pray honestly, no matter what we're feeling?
Many of us struggle to maintain a regular devotional life that actually changes us. Why do we find this so hard? What are our quiet times actually for? How can we actually enjoy communion with God and guard it from being just another thing to check off our list?
These days, classes and homework and tasks are up to us: no one is telling us "you must be in this room at this time or you lose this many points on your grade." With that lack of structure, some of us overwork and some of us procrastinate. How do we, as Christians, bear the fruit of self-control when it comes to our time? How can a schedule actually free us?
Life on campus has come to a screeching halt because of COVID-19, but the ministry of RUF continues online! This is the message from our first virtual Large Group meeting, where we look at Heidelberg Catechism 1, which asks "what is your only comfort in life and death?"