The Memphis chapter of the Reformed University Fellowship will be hosting a semester long lecture series entitled Beauty and Brokenness: Redeeming Relationships, Sexuality and Marriages every Thursday night from 7:45-9:00 p.m. in the UC Beale Room 363 to discuss what the Bible says about relationships.
RUF is a Christian organization located on over 160 different college campuses and stands for. This year, RUF is celebrating its 20th year of being an active organization.
The goal of Beauty and Brokenness is to redeem relationships, sexuality and marriages while correcting misunderstandings and conveying a biblical perspective on the subjects.
“We love the Bible and want to communicate everything the Bible teaches,” Johnathan Keenan, University of Memphis’ campus minister, said.
Reverend Johnathan Keenan is an ordained minister in the PCA (Presbyterian Church in America) working with RUF on the University of Memphis and has been the campus minister for the past four years. He is also a graduate from the University of Mississippi.
The RUF Large Group has meetings on campus every Thursday. Each semester, Reverend Keenan teaches from a book of the Bible. Every four years, the reverend focuses on common concerns college students have about life, such as relationships, sexuality and marriage.
“Beauty and Brokenness was chosen because every relationship contains some forms of beauty and also forms of brokenness. Contributing to the beauty side, the Bible talks about relationships and admits there is beauty in everything including dating, sex, loneliness and nakedness,” Keenan said.
Because the beauty side of things will not last forever, RUF teaches from the Bible about the brokenness that people have to overcome in order to maintain healthy relationships.
RUF Memphis encourages everyone to come with an empty stomach. Food is served at the meetings, with a different menu every night.
Students are encouraged to meet and greet while eating. Afterwards, Reverend Johnathan Keenan will take about 30 minutes to preach the Bible’s teachings.
Beyond studying the Bible, the organization is very focused on getting students to meet one another and get better acquainted. Activities aren’t just focused on campus, and members will occasionally go bowling or go out to eat.
The RUF’s first meeting will cover what the bible says about interpersonal relationships. The week after will discuss dysfunctional relationships. The RUF will also cover other aspects of relationships, such as sex, gender, dating, loneliness and romance.
