SuCo is commonly known in RUF as “the best week of the year,” and this year’s conference lived up to the name. We were able to take 33 students down to PCB to join with 1200+ students from all over the country to spend a week attending seminars taught by Campus Ministers and Campus Staff covering a variety of topics, attend a daily Large Group which included some amazing worship and sermons given by a former Campus Minister named Alex Watlington on the topic of Scripture, and enjoy fellowship and fun with one another at the beach (including sports tournaments, putt putt golf, and a silent disco on the beach).

A few of the seminars that our students attended and enjoyed include:
Justification: The Good News That You Aren’t Enough (Nate Osner CM, RUF at Purdue)
The Easy Yoke: Enjoying Your Walk With God In An Overstimulating World (Sam Kennedy CM, RUF at UNC Wilmington)
Spiritual Warfare: The World, The Flesh, and The Devil (JR Biggs CM, RUF at Oklahoma State)
Relationships: Navigating Singleness, Dating, and Marriage (Nick Bratcher CM, RUF at Kentucky)
What is the “R” in RUF? An Exploration of Reformed Theology (Cyril Chavis CM, RUF at Howard)
Redeeming Sexuality [Women Only] (Laura Straka CS, RUF at Emory)

From the conversations that I had with students, I could tell that the Lord was using these seminars to help answer questions that they had, strengthen their faith and desire to know Him, and to grow their love for Him, His Word, and for others. With so many other options, I am extremely thankful that these students got to spend a week digging deep into God’s Word.

One of the coolest aspects of this year’s SuCo was seeing just how clearly God has been at work in bringing new students into our ministry. Normally, most students who attend SuCo are already deeply connected to RUF and have participated in events like this before. But this year was different: 19 of the 33 students who came had never attended SuCo before. Even more encouraging, the vast majority of those students had only started coming to RUF within the last year.

That means this SuCo was filled with students who are newly stepping into Christian community, many of whom are still exploring what it looks like to follow Jesus and be connected to His people. Watching so many newer students choose to spend a weekend growing in community, worship, and time in God’s Word felt like a tangible reminder of God’s faithfulness to continue drawing students to Himself.

It was especially encouraging because these kinds of things don’t happen accidentally. Over the past year, God has been steadily bringing new faces into RUF through friendships, invitations, conversations after large group, and countless small acts of faithfulness from students and staff alike. SuCo became a visible picture of that growth. For many students, this retreat wasn’t simply another RUF event, it was their first deeper step into meaningful Christian community.

Seeing so many new students there gave us a lot of hope for what God may continue to do in the years ahead. It reminded us that the Lord is still building His church, still pursuing students on our campus, and still using ordinary invitations and relationships to bring people into a place where they can hear the gospel and experience the love of Christ.

As the 2025–2026 school year comes to a close, I’m entering a season of full-time fundraising to help ensure that the ministry of RUF at Tennessee Tech can continue reaching and equipping students for Christ.

One of our goals this year was to increase monthly support by $3,000, and by God’s grace we are very close to reaching that goal, which is a huge encouragement! At the same time, in order for the ministry to continue sustainably at Tennessee Tech, we also need to raise enough in one-time gifts to move the campus account out of deficit and establish a two-month reserve for the annual budget. To reach that point, we are seeking to raise approximately $42,000 in one-time/annual donations.

That is a significant need, but I’ve been continually reminded that God is faithful and never lacking in resources. I would deeply appreciate your prayers as I spend this summer raising support. I also invite you to prayerfully consider whether God may be leading you into a deeper partnership with the ministry at Tennessee Tech through additional financial support.

Every dollar raised represents real students being welcomed into Christian community, hearing the gospel, studying Scripture, and being equipped to follow Christ for the rest of their lives. I’m excited to see how God continues to work on Tennessee Tech’s campus in the years ahead.

While the need feels large, I’m encouraged knowing that this ministry has never ultimately depended on human effort or resources, but on the Lord’s faithfulness. He has continued to provide year after year, and I trust He will continue to do so.

If you feel led to give, you can do so using the link below. If someone else comes to mind who may be interested in partnering with this ministry, I would be grateful if you would share this with them and let me know.

Thank you for the many ways you have already encouraged, supported, and cared for this ministry. It is a privilege to labor alongside you in what God is doing at Tennessee Tech, and I am continually grateful for your partnership in reaching students with the gospel.