Eric & Brittany (Newell) Lipscomb

Reformed University Fellowship at Columbia University

Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) at Columbia University is a Christ-centered campus ministry at an urban, highly intellectual institution in New York City. Columbia RUF has become a diverse community of undergraduate students who want to learn more about Jesus. Many are committed Christians who desire to grow in their faith, but a number of students are exploring the claims of Christianity. RUF exists so that these young men and women will come to and grow in love for Jesus Christ in order that they might experience, enjoy and extend the fullness of life that is found in him, both during college and beyond.

Life at Columbia can be demanding, stressful and lonely, so RUF strives to be a “shelter from the storm” where students find gospel hope and rest apart from the narrative that their worth is tied up in their accomplishments. Each week students gather to hang out, process life, engage with the Bible, and be reminded of God’s love for them in Jesus. This is done together in the context of large group worship and preaching, small group Bible studies, and one-on-one meetings for counseling, leadership development, discipleship, and evangelism. RUF seeks to reach students with the gospel and to equip them to read and apply scripture, view all of life through the lens of the gospel, and then to move out into the world sharing and embodying the love of Christ.