RUF at Kentucky

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher teaches the eleventh sermon in our series, “Leviticus: The King Has Come.” It centers around the question, “What reason do we have to party?”

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher teaches the tenth sermon in our series, “Leviticus: The King Has Come.” It centers on a paradox: God is not concerned with your sex life, yet he is also deeply concerned with your sex life.

UK is on Spring Break this week, but Campus Minister Nick Bratcher was still teaching on Wednesday! He joined the women’s Bible study at Tates Creek Presbyterian Church, a partner church to RUF at the University of Kentucky, to conclude their study on the book of Matthew.

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher teaches the ninth sermon in our series, “Leviticus: The King Has Come.”

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher teaches the eighth sermon in our series, “Leviticus: The King Has Come.” In it, we seek an answer to the question, “How does God deal with rebellion?”

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher teaches the seventh sermon in our series, “Leviticus: The King Has Come.” In it, we answer three burning questions about the purity laws of Leviticus 12-15.

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher teaches the sixth sermon in our series, “Leviticus: The King Has Come.” In it, we answer three burning questions about the food laws of Leviticus 11.

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher teaches the fifth sermon in our series, “Leviticus: The King Has Come.” In it, we answer the question, “What are the dangers of our disobedience to God?”

Our normal large group was on pause this week to cheer on the Cats, but Campus Minister Nick Bratcher still taught a halftime devotional for the fourth installment of our series, “Leviticus: The King Has Come.” In it, we learn that Jesus is a greater high priest to truly wash away our sin, and we are set apart to follow his example for the world to see.

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher teaches the third sermon in our series, “Leviticus: The King Has Come.” In it, we learn that our sin is grave and great, but God’s grace is greater.

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher teaches the second sermon in our series, “Leviticus: The King Has Come.” In it, we learn three ways a whole burnt offering presents God’s people with a path forward together: a whole burnt offering is complete, costly, and continual.

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher teaches the first sermon in our series, “Leviticus: The King Has Come.” This one centers around the question, “To what story do the laws of Leviticus belong?”

Many thanks to the various commentaries that contributed to this series: "Leviticus" from the ZECOT series by Jay Sklar, "Teaching Leviticus: From Text to Message" by G. Geoffrey Harper, "Leviticus" from the Anchor Bible series by Jacob Milgrom, and "The Book of Leviticus" from the NICOT series by Gordon Wenham.

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher teaches at our twelfth large group of the semester as part of our “Life of Peter” series. It centers around one big idea: we have been born again into a new family with a glorious inheritance.

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher teaches at our eleventh large group of the semester as part of our “Life of Peter” series. It presents us with three options to seek our justification: the allure of opinions, the allure of obedience, and the apprehension of grace.

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher teaches at our ninth large group of the semester as part of our “Life of Peter” series. It centers around one big question, “How does Jesus restore us into right relationship with himself?”

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher teaches at our eighth large group of the semester. It centers around one big question, “How does one fall away from Jesus?”

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher teaches at our seventh large group of the semester. It centers around a big question: how do we forgive people? We first need to see our own forgiveness from God. And then, if we see and truly accept that forgiveness, forgiven people ought to forgive people.

There is no greater good than to see God in his glory and to enjoy him in it.

To support that idea, Campus Minister Nick Bratcher made three points from Mark 9–that we are designed for glory, distracted to death, and destined for resurrection.

Because Jesus graciously died to gather us to himself, we must invite those whom he loves into that gathering.

To do that, we’re going to need to do three things: say what Jesus said, love those whom Jesus loved, and suffer as Jesus suffered.

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher teaches the fourth sermon in our “Life of Peter” series. It centers around the question, “Who do you want to be?”

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher teaches the third message in our “Life of Peter” series. It seeks to answer the question: how does God’s compassion meet us in our faltering faith and doubt?

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher teaches the second message in our series, The Life of Peter. It explores how we minimize Jesus, meet Jesus, and maintain relationship with Jesus.

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher teaches the first message in our series, The Life of Peter. Its main idea is that God’s presence in our world is good news for three reasons: Jesus knows us all the way down, Jesus loves us all the way down, and Jesus won’t leave us all the way down.

Each year we hear from our seniors how the Lord has worked through RUF in their lives. These are their stories.

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher preaches the twelfth sermon in our series, “Psalms: Songs that Shape Us.” It centers around the question, “How are we to work and rest?”

Campus Intern David Brashier preaches the ninth sermon in our series, “Psalms: Songs that Shape Us.”

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher preaches the eighth sermon in our series, “Psalms: Songs that Shape Us.” It centers around what feels true in depression and what is true in depression.

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher preaches the seventh sermon in our series, “Psalms: Songs that Shape Us.” It centers around the question, “How are we to seek justice?”

Learn to evangelize out of love for neighbor instead of shame or guilt. Let’s put aside door-to-door sales and love the people God has put in our lives. That’s evangelism! (This talk was given by Campus Minister Nick Bratcher at the 2023 Midwest RUF Winter Conference.)

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher preaches the sixth sermon in our series, “Psalms: Songs that Shape Us.” It centers around the question, “How are we to repent?”

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher preaches the fifth sermon in our series, “Psalms: Songs that Shape Us.” It centers around the question, “How do we experience distance from God?”

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher preaches the fourth sermon in our series, “Psalms: Songs that Shape Us.” It centers around the question, “Why do we believe?”

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher preaches the third sermon in our series, “Psalms: Songs that Shape Us.” It centers around the question, “Why is God great?”

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher preaches the second sermon in our series, “Psalms: Songs that Shape Us.” It centers around the question, “How are we to despair?”

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher preaches the first sermon in our series, “Psalms: Songs that Shape Us.” It centers around the question, “What’s in it for us to submit our lives to God?”

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher preaches the twelfth and final sermon in our series, “Parables: Simple Stories with Spiritual Significance.” It centers around the question, “How can we find security?”

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher preaches the eleventh sermon in our series, “Parables: Simple Stories with Spiritual Significance.” It centers around the question, “How do we find our way home?”

Campus Intern David Brashier preaches the tenth sermon in our series, “Parables: Simple Stories with Spiritual Significance.”

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher preaches the ninth sermon in our series, “Parables: Simple Stories with Spiritual Significance.” It centers around the question, “Why do we pray and not lose heart?”

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher preaches the eighth sermon in our series, “Parables: Simple Stories with Spiritual Significance.” It centers around the question, “What is greatness?”

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher preaches the seventh sermon in our series, “Parables: Simple Stories with Spiritual Significance.” It centers around the question, “How do you become a poor fool?”

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher preaches the sixth sermon in our series, “Parables: Simple Stories with Spiritual Significance.” It centers around the question, “What is the condition of your heart?”

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher preaches the fourth sermon in our series, “Parables: Simple Stories with Spiritual Significance.” It centers around the question, “What is our identity?”

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher preaches the third sermon in our series, “Parables: Simple Stories with Spiritual Significance.” It centers around the question, "Where can you place your trust?"

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher preaches the second sermon in our series, “Parables: Simple Stories with Spiritual Significance.” It centers around the question, "How do we find acceptance?"

Campus Minister Nick Bratcher preaches the first sermon in our series, “Parables: Simple Stories with Spiritual Significance.” It centers around the question, "What do you point to for your justification?"

1. Signs of Hypocrisy 2. Destination of Hypocrisy 3. Healing of Hypocrisy - much thanks to Phil Ryken and Les Newsom for their insights on this passage

Jesus tells a famous story about what it looks like to sacrifice our time, money so that someone else can thrive. We look at the obstacles to love, characteristics of love and the engine of love.

Luke 9:18-36 - Jesus invites us into a life of self-denial. Nothing could be more counter-cultural; and yet there is not a greater need in our culture than sacrificial love. Much thanks to Les Newsom for his insights

What does it look like to wait on Jesus in the midst of pain and confusion? Luke 8:40-56 invites us to come to Jesus with our pain and to trust and follow our unhurried Savior. Sources: Luke commentary by Phil Ryken, and “kings cross” by Tim Keller