Copy
View this email in your browser
PLEASE DO NOT POST OR CIRCULATE THIS UPDATE WITHOUT OUR PERMISSION 
Welcoming the Nations. Exploring the Gospel. Equipping the Saints.


An Anthropological Underground Revolution

Dear <<First Name>>,

It is required at Texas A&M that you take at least two humanities courses as part of your undergraduate degree plan. These courses cover a variety of topics and are usually quite interesting. As an undergraduate student at Texas A&M (starting to become a long time ago), I choose to take Anthropology as one of my humanities credits. It was certainly interesting, but mostly because it was so shocking and controversial. The course was loaded with evolutionary and naturalistic assumptions and covered taboo subjects like incest and polygamy. After covering a brief history of the Middle East, my professor ended his lecture series by bolding stating that the conflict between Islam and Christianity was proof that religion poisons everything. And while I gained many insights from this course that I still think about today, I left the class angry and appalled that my professor had so poorly misrepresented and belittled my Christian faith. In hindsight, I discovered that the department of Anthropology at Texas A&M is one of the most hostile Atheistic departments at our University. 

So why do I tell you all this? Because in this very department, God has clearly been at work in the lives of several PHD students who are studying there. God knew exactly what he was doing when he brought our dear Christian friend, *Annie,* into the Anthropology department almost 4.5 years ago. He was starting a revolution among the international women there. During the time we’ve known Annie, she has introduced us to *Melody, Bailey, Damian, and Harper.* *Harper,* who is Jain, has enjoyed coming to several of our events over the past couple of years. *Damian,* who is one of our newest Kazakh friends, has joined us for Friday Night Bible Study this semester as we’ve looked at ‘Confronting Christianity’ by Rebecca McLaughlin. *Bailey* has been a friend of ours almost as long as *Annie.* She is really exploring the claims of Christianity at the moment even through the difficulty of finishing her PHD. She actually teaches about world religions in the Anthropology department. She admitted in one of our Friday Night Bible Studies that “she finally saw how Christianity was different from all other world religions” after we discussed morality, law and grace. We are really praying that *Bailey* would become a Christian before she finishes her program. Lastly, our friend *Melody* from South Africa, who we believe to be a young Christian, changed the focus of her research altogether when she could see that her Christian faith was no longer compatible with the evolutionary assumptions that were being shoveled her way. She is very eager at this point to understand the Bible and her Christian faith. In a place where professors are trying to bury the Christian faith of their students, God is showing up in the lives of these international women who will take their place one day. Thank you for giving us the opportunity to be a part of this Anthropological Underground Revolution, and please pray Jesus would make himself glorious in the lives of *Annie, Melody, Bailey, Damian and Harper.*
*names changed for their protection*

Group Pictures from our Friendsgiving Party
RUF/RUF-I Friendsgiving Party

For the first time ever, RUF National and RUF International celebrated their first joint Thanksgiving Celebration at Texas A&M University. Despite the cold and rainy weather, we had well over 100 students in attendance with us that night, and we had a blast! Through the course of the night, we had a delicious Thanksgiving meal with all the fixings, a hilarious Turkey impression competition, a competitive Thanksgiving Trivia (the prize being a pie in my face), and we finished off the evening with some line dancing. A big shout out to all my volunteers who helped make this event possible! We couldn’t have done this without y’all and we are so grateful for the many ways that you helped! Please pray that we would have opportunity to follow up with these students in the Spring semester.

Trick or Treating with some of our International Friends
Our Friday Night Bible Study Group enjoying Christmas in the Park 

A Big Thank You for a Great Year!

Thank you for making 2022 such a great year of ministry with RUF International at Texas A&M. Your generous prayers, gifts, and time have given us countless opportunities to extend hospitality and share the good news of Jesus Christ with students coming to us from some of the least reached nations of our world. I am incredibly grateful to partner alongside you in this work of reaching the nations in our own backyard!

Prayer Requests
Here are a number of things you can pray for us and our students as we end of the fall semester:
  • Please pray for our Christmas Party next Friday, December 16th, at Westminster Presbyterian Church. We will be reading the story of Jesus’ birth alongside Christmas hymns we will be singing that night. Pray that we would have a wonderful time of fellowship, and that students would find great interest in the true meaning of Christmas
  • Pray for opportunities to stay connected with our international friends over the Christmas break
  • Pray for safety in travel for those students who are going home or taking trips
  • Pray particularly for *Annie, Melody, Bailey, Damian and Harper* mentioned above
  • Pray for a great start to the Spring Semester, and for good follow up with students who attended our Welcome Dinner, Thanksgiving and Christmas parties
  • As always, pray Crystal and I would have a strong marriage and pray that we would have wisdom to raise Brighton and Blaire in the knowledge of Christ
Please let us know how we can be praying for you this Christmas season!
Your ministry partnership (both by prayer and donations) open many doors for us to share the good news of Jesus with these students who are coming to us from the least reached places in our world. We believe that your partnership in this work impacts lives and nations for eternity. Thank you for considering RUF International at Texas A&M in your giving this year!! If you know anyone who would like to know more about our ministry, please send them our way! We would love to tell them more about how God has been at work.

If you would like to give to this ministry financially, please click the GIVE button below to make a contribution on the RUF-I Texas A&M donation page. If you would like to give by check, please write "RUF-I Texas A&M" or "account # 0512" in the memo line and send checks to:

Reformed University Fellowship
P.O. Box 890004
Charlotte, NC 28289-0004

RUF is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Your contribution is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law.

May the hope of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all,

Titus, Crystal, Brighton and Blaire Bagby
GIVE
Facebook
Website
Instagram
Copyright © 2022 RUF International @ Texas A&M, All rights reserved.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp