RUF at Wake Forest: Recent Episodes
John Bourgeois
Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) is a Christian ministry at Wake Forest for the convinced and unconvinced, the burned out and the bored, the cynical and the spiritual.
Hear Matt Odom preach about how Jesus has the authority to tame what goes on in the hearts of human beings.
Hear Rev. Chris Horne preach about how Jesus calls us to a life where earning is irrelevant.
Hear Matt Williams preach that we are but children, and that's a good thing. If we own up to the fact that we are children, then get to reap the benefits of being a children by placing the god-like burdens we’ve been carrying on God, and trusting that he will carry them.
Hear Rev. Ethan Smith preach that on the cross, Jesus was delivered up for our trespasses and was crushed to bring about our justification. When we take hold of that promise by faith, we don't need to find ways to justify ourselves anymore. We can find peace in our Father's love for us.
Hear Rev. Ben Milner preach that Christianity is not a religion of moral paragons, but a religion of people who are really broken. Jacob, one of the founders of the Christian faith, came from a dysfunctional family and needed redemption. God is a great redeemer.
Hear Rev. Derek Radney preach that we will die. Death is tragic, and the modern world might teach us to ignore the inevitability of death. But accepting our mortality is the key to wisdom on this side of Heaven. Christians can face death with courage and hope.
Hear Rev. Jonah Hooper preach that when Christ is all in all for us, Jesus plus nothing is everything. He is our prize, and that changes everything.
Hear Rev. Kevin Teasely preach that being full of faith means that we’ve give up on ourselves completely and are clinging to Jesus because he’s all we’ve got. Being full of faith is not something that we do, so much as it is something we are.
Hear Rev. Ethan Smith preach that the fear of the Lord drives out all other fear. We fear the Lord not from a place of anxiety, but confidence in His kindness.
What is the core of the Christian faith?
Hear Rev. Derek Radney preach that love and repentance are the core of the faith. As the beloved of God, Christians are called to love one another.
Who are our enemies?
Hear Matt Williams preach that our enemies are those who would take from us, and that Jesus calls us to give to anyone who would take from us.
Hear Rev. Jonah Hooper preach that Christians are not just great friends in Christ, but that they are a family in Christ. So, Christians have family obligations to love, serve and reconcile with one another.
Hear Rev. Chris Horne preach that if you are a Christian, you are God’s child, and he is well pleased with you.
In his last sermon for RUF at Wake Forest, hear Rev. John Bourgeois preach that Jesus’ resurrection has changed everything. God is at work, and he is bringing His resurrection life to bear on the world as far as the curse is found.
Is there still glory in the world?
Hear Matt Williams preach that Jesus’ transfiguration gives us a taste of glory. While we’re on the road of suffering, a taste of glory is like food for the journey.
How can we be healed?
Hear Rev. John Bourgeois preach that while we have a spiritual sickness we can’t heal ourselves, Jesus came to take the full force of evil on himself to free those he loves. Satan was cast into the pit of hell forever through Jesus’ suffering on the cross.
Does life feel like a storm right now?
Hear Rev. John Bourgeois preach that while our lives are full of legitimately scary storms, Jesus was thrown into the one storm that can actually sink us: the storm of sin and death. He did not abandon us in the ultimate storm, so we can have confidence that he will never abandon us in the smaller storms we are feeling right now.
How can we change?
Hear Rev. John Bourgeois preach that Jesus can change your life. He can give you the transformation that you long for. His method of change is organic and not mechanical. When you receive his word deep in your heart, it supernaturally produces fruit that changes you from the inside out.
What is your “if only”?
Hear Rev. John Bourgeois preach that our deepest need is to receive forgiveness, but we tend to think our needs are much shallower. If only we could get that MCAT or LSAT score, or if only we could be in with that group of people, then our lives would be okay. Thankfully, Jesus sees through our shallow diagnoses and extends the forgiveness that our hearts truly long for.
Have you ever been in a crisis?
Hear Rev. John Bourgeois preach on a text about a crisis—the crisis of the true King of Creation announcing the arrival of his kingdom. The true King, Jesus, calls us to drop our pride and follow him.
Why does life so often feel so hard?
Hear Rev. John Bourgeois preach that God sends us into the wilderness because we are His beloved children. In the wilderness, God strips us of our spiritual pride and busyness so we can finally rest in him. He makes His power perfect in our weakness.
Seniors in RUF share about how they have seen God at work during their time at Wake Forest.
Can Jesus really handle our mess?
Hear Ellis Keifer reflect on how Jesus did not wait for her to get her mess together, but that he met her in the midst of it. Hear her teach that He will meet you, too.
What does God actually think about us?
Hear Rev. John Bourgeois preach that God delights over and rejoices in those who believe in Jesus. Judgement day has passed—God enjoys being with you.
Why did a good God allow sin into his good world?
Hear Rev. John Bourgeois preach that God allowed sin into the world because redemption is better than perfection. God is not waiting for you to finally get it right; He wants to redeem you to be a part of his kingdom that comes as far as the curse is found.
What does God think of you?
Hear Rev. John Bourgeois preach that we are all covered in the excrement of our sin, Jesus cleans us and clothes us in garments of white. And so we can live with him, unashamed and unafraid.
Will God deal with evil in the world?
Hear Matt Williams preach that we experience evil everyday, both evil that is done to us and evil that we do to others. We all deserve judgement. But on the cross, Jesus broke the power of evil and saved us in the process.
Why do Christians repent?
Hear Rev. John Bourgeois preach that Christianity is fundamentally about repentance. It is a lifestyle of confessing our sin to God and each other, knowing that we will be met with forgiveness and restoration.
How can I be happy?
Hear Rev. John Bourgeois preach that happiness comes from remembering God’s goodness. The only way to remember is repetition—continually being reminded that God is good. Seeking happiness anywhere else will just torture us because we are not our fantasy selves.
Do you want justice to roll down?
Hear Rev. John Bourgeois preach that yes, we all yearn for justice on a deep level, but we find in the Bible that we ourselves are the perpetrators of injustice. The Christian is the one who’s injustice has been forgiven, and who works alongside Jesus for justice in this world.
Does God love you like Hosea loves his wife?
Yes! Hear Rev. John Bourgeois preach that we have been sold like slaves on the auction block of sin, but when all seemed lost, God sent Jesus Christ to buy us at the cost of his own life. We are his.
Are we too numb? Do we have hearts that get angry at evil and long for good?
Hear Rev. John Bourgeois preach about the reality of a deep evil in our world, and the reality of a Good that is more just, deep, and splendid than we would dare imagine.
Is your life built on a weak foundation?
Hear Rev. John Bourgeois preach that most of us have built our life on a foundation that will crack, but that Jesus offers himself as a foundation that will bring us ultimate security.
Are you following Jesus in the Kingdom of God, or are you serving Satan’s empire? Hear Dakota Lee preach that there are only two ways to live, and that Jesus is calling us into his kingdom, free of charge.
Would you throw a birthday party for prostitutes, or would you silently condemn them and go on with your day?
Hear Rev. John Bourgeois preach that Jesus does not judge those who are on the bottom of society, but the judgers. Life with Jesus does not mean keeping the immoral out, but welcoming everyone as He has welcomed you.
W.H. Auden says, “If the moths don’t get you, the wolves will.” Are you feeling anxious?
Hear Rev. John Bourgeois preach that all of us are anxious about our treasure — something the moths or wolves can destroy. Our life in the Kingdom of God is a treasure that no one can touch.
As 2020 presidential election approaches, hear Rev. John Bourgeois frame voting as an act of love for your neighbor.
What (figurative) masks do you wear?
Hear Rev. Jonah Hooper preach that there’s a difference between holiness and hypocrisy, and that Jesus calls us to take off our masks and follow him into holiness.
Who are our enemies, and how are we to treat them?
Hear Matt Williams preach that our love is not reserved just for our friends, but is to be poured out on our enemies. We can do that when Jesus pours his love out to us.
Jesus’ teaching on murder and adultery is difficult — it can feel crushing.
Hear John Bourgeois preach that Jesus isn’t close to good people, but the poor in spirit. And that Jesus didn’t come just to not murder and not adulterize you, but to give you life and love.
Does God just want me to obey him? Hear John Bourgeois explain that the obedient are often those who are farthest from God.
What role does the Bible have in your life?
Hear Rev. John Bourgeois preach that entrusting yourself to Jesus means that we have to entrust ourselves completely to the Bible. That might sound constraining, but it’s a whole new way of being human.
After all I’ve done, how can I know that God loves me?
Hear Rev. John Bourgeois explain God’s love for his people through the lens of a famous Bible story.
What are you here for? What is your purpose?
Hear Rev. John Bourgeois argue that a Christian’s purpose is to be sent into the world to bring the best out of the world.
Can God’s word really make sense of my life? Hear Rev. John Bourgeois answer that question with an emphatic, “Yes!”
What are the marks of an upside down life in the Kingdom of God?
Hear Rev. John Bourgeois preach on how the upside down life is one of mourning and persecution, and why everyone should sign up for it.
The Bible makes a lot of claims, but how can we know that any of them are true?
Hear Rev. John Bourgeois explain to freshmen students that the trustworthiness of the Bible depends on its main character -- Jesus.
Whether we realize it or not, we make sense of our lives through stories. Hear a quick teaching from Rev. John Bourgeois on how the story of Scripture helps make sense of our lives.
How can we have a good and blessed life? In Jesus' upside down kingdom, blessing is something we receive and do not have to achieve.
Hear Rev. John Bourgeois preach on the first four Beatitudes in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount.
Which voices do you give authority to speak into your life? Jesus invites us listen to his voice of mercy.
Rev. John Bourgeois preaches the first sermon in a series called, "Living Upside Down."
A quick word from Rev. John Bourgeois on what happens to our mind, body and soul when we're under stress, and what resources we have in Jesus and his church to reset.
Hear John Bourgeois, campus minister for RUF at Wake Forest, speak to incoming freshmen on the peace that Jesus gives them.
The spirituality of Jesus must become the spirituality of the church. Jesus' spirituality did include his individual relationship with God, but it is more than that.
Hear Rev. Russ Whitefield preach that full spirituality moves us to worship God and love our neighbor.
Where is this world going? What part do I play in it? The world is heading towards the great wedding feast, and Christians are the bride. Hear Rev. Simon Stokes preach in a time of great social unrest on the hope and power Christians have to fuel their...
What is the Christian Hope? How does this hope give us a secure identity?The Christian Hope is that what has happened to Jesus will happen to you because Jesus loves you.This Summer, a handful of RUFs have gathered together to do a virtual large group....
The video can be found here: https://vimeo.com/410368626We love our Seniors and will miss them!
This week John talks with Pam and George Klein on the topic of prayer. Pam and George are on staff with the ministry of FOCUS - a para-church ministry that serves students in the independent schools, and are members of St. Michael’s Anglican Church in...
We finish our series with one of the most difficult stories in the life of Abraham -- God's commandment for Abraham to kill his promised son. God tests and provides, and we respond to him in faith.
Rev. John Bourgeois (RUF at Wake Forest) and Rev. Stewart Swain (RUF at Alabama) on creating rhythms and habits for a life during coronavirus. Resources referenced:-The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer -The Common Rule by Justin...
How the Gospel frees us to feel our sadness and let Jesus meet us with joy even in dark places.
we had the privilege of hearing from Rev. Ben Milner, pastor of Salem Presbyterian Church in Winston Salem. Ben loves RUF, loves Wake Forest, and is a dear friend.
Friends, we held our first ever Virtual RUF on Tuesday 3/17. I took a few minutes to share the Living Hope we have in Jesus Christ.
Much thanks to Ben Robertson and Tim Keller. Relied heavily on their insight into this passage. Very little of this material is original to me.
In this passage, God's interaction with Abraham reveals the anatomy of doubt and God's response to doubt. Much of my insight is from Tim Keller's preaching on this passage.
RUF got the privilege of hearing from Rev. Charles McKnight on 11/12/19. Charles is the pastor and church planter of West Charlotte Church (PCA) http://westcharlottechurch.com/
We had the privilege of hearing from Annie Carper at a special RUF large group, where she spoke to the issue of mental health and the gospel. Annie is a licensed mental health counselor. She also serves as an Assistant Dean at Wake Forest University...
This week we have a guest preacher - Rev. Chris Horne. Chris is an assistant pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Winston Salem and previously served as the RUF Campus Minister at App State.
At our final RUF Large Group of the year, Seniors shared how God had been at work in their lives during their time at Wake and offered advice to underclassmen. I hope you are encouraged by these testimonies!
I am deeply indebted to Tim Keller and his teaching on this passage. None of this content is original to me.
A lot of this content is from Steve Garber's book Visions of Vocation. I am thankful for the way he thoughtfully engages with the question: "What is the relationship between knowledge and responsibility?" Knowing what I know, what am I going to do?
To cite my sources: most all of this comes from Tim Keller and his sermon on this parable.
Through the parable of the Wheat and the Weeds, Jesus helps us see the problem of Evil and how to live in light of it. 1. Why is Evil a Problem? 2. How do we live in light of the Reality of Evil? 3. What answer does the Christian Faith give to the...
Citing my sources: I leaned on the work of Rev.'s Matt Howell and Ray Cortese for this sermon.
We're taking just one week off from the Parables, and Ben Milner (pastor of Salem Presbyterian Church) preached to us from Psalm 2.
John Bourgeois was the guest speaker at FOCUS Pre-College Weekend in July of 2018 (infocus.org). He gave a series of talks on Identity, Community, and Mission to a group of rising college freshmen.
John Bourgeois was the guest speaker at FOCUS Pre-College Weekend in July of 2018 (infocus.org). He gave a series of talks on Identity, Community, and Mission to a group of rising college freshmen.
We have a bad rhythm - we don't know how to rest. Into our bad rhythm God graciously gives us Sabbath. In our Rest, we proclaim our salvation and we protest a culture that seeks to tell us our identity is our work.
In Jonah's prayer in chapter 2 we see how grace works, why grace works, and how we get grace to work for us.
In Jonah 1:4-17 we see the Sailors fear, Jonah's repentance, and God's compassion. What does the Bible have to say to our fear? How do we have real peace? What does God's grace have to do with any of this?
In the first few verses of Jonah we see that Jonah is both a mirror and a window for us. A mirror to see ourselves as we actually are and a window to show us the compassion of God. We run from God and God comes after us in compassion.
Very little of this series is original to me. Much of it is borrowed from other preachers. If I quoted everything I stole from other preachers and thinkers, then this semester would be one long footnote. So here is my footnote for the series: Les...
Very little of this series is original to me. Much of it is borrowed from other preachers. If I quoted everything I stole from other preachers and thinkers, then this semester would be one long footnote. So here is my footnote for the series: Les...
We see in the book of Hosea that God does not punish us nor does he abandon us, but in Christ he marries us.
DISCLAIMER: Very little of this series is original to me. Much of it is borrowed from other preachers. If I quoted everything I stole from...
Very little of this series is original to me. Much of it is borrowed from other preachers. If I quoted everything I stole from other preachers and thinkers, then this semester would be one long footnote. So here is my footnote for the series: Les...
Very little of this series is original to me. Much of it is borrowed from other preachers. If I quoted everything I stole from other preachers and thinkers, then this semester would be one long footnote. So here is my footnote for the series: Les...
The Courtrooms of Judgment in this world flower into Courtyards of Love through the grace of Jesus Christ.
An Advent Sermon preached by John Bourgeois at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Winston-Salem, NC.
In response to Jesus' resurrection, God calls us to put off death, put on life, and let Christ dwell in us for the sake of our neighbor.
We have hope because Jesus has been raised from the dead. And the Christian Hope is a hope of heaven, of our own resurrection, and of a new creation.