Episodes
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Ecclesiastes - "The Search through Sorrow"
We cannot escape this life without experiencing sorrow; it is inevitable. So what does the book of Ecclesiastes have to tell us about sorrow? How might God use our sorrow and what might we gain from embracing it? Campus Minister, Davis Sweatt, tackles God's plan for our sorrow in this week's…
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Ecclesiastes - "The Search for Wealth"
We all search for fullfilment outside of God, and many of us look for it in money or possessions. What do we hope to gain from this? What alternative does Ecclesiastes suggest? How might we find our fullfilment in God? Associate Campus Minister, Daniel Tortoricci, considers these questions in…
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"Come to the Party"
God invites us all to the eternal wedding party. What does that mean? What excuses do we use to reject God's grace? What is God's response? RUF International Campus Minister, Fraser Perrett, speaks this week on the parable of the great banquet. This week's scripture is Luke 14:12-24.
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Ecclesiastes - "The Search for Religion"
What runs my life? What do I use to make decisions? What might it look like to use God's word as the litmus test by which we understand the world? How would that change my life? Davis explores these questions in this week's talk. This weeks scripture is Ecclesiastes 5:1-7.
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Ecclesiastes - "The Search for Companions"
Why aren't out friendships all we imagined them to be? What is the problem with isolating ourselves? How does God show us another way? Davis dives into companionship in this week's talk. The scripture this week is Ecclesiastes 4:7-16.
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Ecclesiastes - "The Search for Success"
Why do we work so hard to accomplish things? What do we believe our achievements will bring us? How does God offer rest from all our toil? This week, associate campus minister, Daniel Tortoricci, tackles the never ending search for success. This week's scripture is Ecclesiastes 3:16-4:6.
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Ecclesiastes - "The Search for Control"
Who is really in control of our lives and how can we trust anyone but ourselves with those decisions? What might happen if we let go of control? Is giving up our control where real freedom is found? Davis tackles these questions in this week's talk. This week's scripture is Ecclesiastes 3:1-15.
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Ecclesiastes - "The Search for Pleasure"
Why do I always chase things I think will make me happy only to be left unfulfilled? What hope does self-indulgence offer? Is there a better way? This week Davis delivers a message to tackle all of these questions. This week's scripture is from Ecclesiastes 2:1-11, 24-26.
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August 26, 2026 - "Intro to Ecclesiastes"
Ecclesiastes is an interesting book that can seem hopeless and pessimistic, but what truths does it reveal to us? What is the perspective of the writer? And how should we approach it? As we begin our series on the book of Ecclesiastes Davis dives into these questions. This week's scripture is...
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First Large Group Fall 2026 - "What is RUF?"
Why should you come to RUF or any campus ministry? This week Davis explores what it looks like to build a community that seeks God. This week's scripture is Acts 8:26-38. Thanks to Matt Howell for much of the structure and content of this passage.
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Senior Night 2026
Every year we take a week to honor our seniors and let them share the work of RUF in their lives. Though this podcast is uploading after commencement we hope it is a blessing to you and a testament to the work of the Lord through the ministry of RUF. Thank you seniors for all of the ways you have...
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Relationships: "Relating to Work"
What does the Bible have to say about our work? Do Christians see work as good or bad? What does God have to say about rest and how does rest prepare us for our work? Davis dives into the Christian view of work in the last installment of our relationships series. This week's scripture is Genesis...
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Relationships: "Relating to the Church"
What is the church? Why does God give us the church? And where does it fit in to His plan for redemption? Daniel discusses these questions this week as he gives us a vision for the beauty of the church and urges us to love it despite its flaws. This week's scripture is Acts 2:42-47, Ephesians...
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Relationships: "Relating to Parents"
What does the Bible mean when it commands us to "honor our father and mother"? How can we do this well with parents who are also sinful and broken? How to we bring honor to parents that have hurt us? This week, Davis dives into the complex relationship with our parents. This week's scripture is...
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Relationships: Relating to Dating
What is this thing we call dating? Why do we do it? Who should we be dating? What wisdom does the Bible have for figuring out when and how to date? These are the questions campus minister, Davis Sweatt, tackles this week. Scriptures for this week ... What is dating? 1 Timothy 5:1-3 Who do we…
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Relationships: "Relating to Sex"
The world seems to view sex as either nothing or everything, but what does the Bible have to say? This week Davis explores that question to try and provide deeper understanding of this part of our created design. This week's scripture is 1 Corinthians 6:12-7:9.
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Relationships: Manhood
What does it mean to be a man? What are the characteristics of a Godly man? How can I grow into the man I am called to be? Davis tackles those questions in this week's talk on manhood. This week's scripture is 1 Corinthians 16:13-14 & 1 Timothy 3:1-3. Resource for talk: Brian Sorgenfrei
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Grace and Peace
What do biblical grace and peace look like and how do they call us into greater reliance on Christ? Special guest, Rev. Benjie Slaton, speaks on the deeper meaning of grace and peace. This week's scripture is Ephesians 1:1-2.
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Relationships: Womanhood
The book of Proverbs famously ends with a passage about the woman who fears the Lord. It is easy to read this passage as a list of achievements to check off before you are ready for marriage, but what if God is trying to show us something different? What if God is pointing us to what true beauty...
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Relationships: Learning to Love - "Friendship"
We all know the feeling of loneliness. The feeling you get when you walk into a place and you do not know anyone and no one knows you. It is a truly terrifying and anxiety inducing reality to be alone. So what is the solution? This week RUF Fellow, Cole, unpacks what the Bible teaches us about...
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Relationships: Learning to Love - "Relating to God's Will"
What does God's will really look like? How do I know what He wants me to do? What if I make the wrong decision? Davis addresses these anxieties with a thoughtful look at the reality of God's will. This week's text 1 Thessalonians 4:3a, Ephesians 1:11, Hebrews 13:21, Leviticus 18:5, Deuteronomy...
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Relationships: Learning to Love - "Relating to Relationships"
The week's text is Genesis 1:26-28, 2:18-24.
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The Parables: "A Parable About Partying"
What does the life God calls us to look like? Why do we make excuses and run from it? What would it look like to surrender to God and live into His Kingdom? In our last episode of the semester Davis looks at the Parable of the Great Banquet to answer these questions. This weeks scripture is Luke...
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The Parables: "A Parable About God's Generosity"
In our talk this week we look into the realities of grace and what happens when our pride collides with God's grace. This weeks scripture is Matthew 20:1-16. Sources: Brian Sorgenfrei, Matt Howell, & Tim Keller
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The Parables: "A Parable About Waiting"
What does it mean to live in the already and the not yet? How to we wait for the Lord? What are our marching orders? This week Daniel speaks to these questions as he looks at the parable of the ten minas. This weeks scripture is Luke 19:11-27.
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The Parables: "A Parable About Relating to Others"
What does it mean when Jesus calls us to love our neighbors? What does a neighbor look like? Where do we find our neighbors? What motivates us to be a neighbor to others? In this weeks talk Davis explores these questions in detail as we look at the parable of the good samaritan. This week's...
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The Parables: "A Parable About Self Worth"
How does God see me? How does he react to me in my sin? What does his love look like? In this weeks passage Davis explores the misconceptions we have surrounding the love of God. This week's scripture is Luke 7:36-50.
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Healing: Far as the Curse is Found
What does the story of the centurion tell us about Jesus? What does Jesus's redemption look like? What life is Jesus inviting us to? These are the questions that RUF International Pastor, Fraser Perrett, explores in this weeks sermon. The scripture this week is Matthew 8:5-13.
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The Parables: "A Parable About Forgiveness"
What does forgiveness really look like and how can you and I embrace and share the grace and forgiveness God shows us? These are the questions we look in to this week. Associate campus minister, Daniel Tortorici looks at the difficulty of forgiveness in this weeks message. The scripture this week...
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The Parables: "A Parable About Lostness"
When we think of the parable of the prodigal son, we often assume it is primarily a critique of the prodigal son. We believe that the paraple is teaching us how much God loves us, and that we should be less judgemental of others. But what if the main character is actually the older son, the son…
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The Parables: "A Parable About Being Homesick"
The parable of the prodigal son presents us with two archetypes in the two sons we see. This week Davis explores the reality behind the actions of the first son, the "prodigal son." What would it have meant to take your inheritance early in his day? Why would he do that? How does he try to fix…
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The Parables: "A Parable About Being Justified"
What does it look like to live in the kingdom of God? Who are the people we should model ourselves after? How can we ever live up to the standard that God sets? Davis dives into these questions this week as we explore the parable of "The Pharisee and the Tax Collector". This weeks scripture is…
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The Parables: "A Parable About Expectations"
What does the kingdom of God look like? Why doesn't it feel like I thought it would? How can a kingdom be powerful without using military force? This week Davis tackles all this and more as he dives into the parable of the mustard seed. This weeks scripture is Luke 13:18-21.
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The Parables: "A Parable About Parables"
This week we begin our series on the parables. Davis investigates the "Parable of the Sower" to answer the questions, "What is God's Kingdom like," and "How can we experience Him?" This week's scripture is Mark 4:1-20.
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What is RUF?
Campus Minister, Davis Sweatt, welcomes students at the first large group of the fall by asking the question "What is RUF?" Why does RUF exist? What does it look like? How can you be a part of it? These are the questions Davis explores. This weeks scripture is John 1:43-46.
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7 Ways to Approach Your Bible
RUF Staff discusses the main ways people approach the Bible and the posutres to take when reading if you want to get the most out of it.
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Before You Open Your Bible
RUF Staff talks about the few things you need to know before you open your Bible. Can you trust it? Is it the one we have the same as the ancient book? What's it's purpose?
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Routines Are Your Friend
RUF Staff discusses how good rhythms and routines lead to deeper life with God. A good kickstart to look ahead and actually plan to build a good relationship with God.
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Building Solid Friendships as Men at Alabama
Three Bama alumni (and RUF) , Cole Jones (19'), Griffin Walker (20'), and Andrew Dunlap (21') discuss how sometimes finding solid friends is harder than expected in college, but what makes it worth it, and some practical ways to find it while also building a life centered on God.
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Senior Night 2025
For the last large group of the semseter our senoirs share the work the Lord has done in their lives at the University of Alabama. It is a great night to see and hear how the Lord has worked on campus. The seniors that shared are: -Somerset Acosta -Rebekah Leventhal -Aiden Holt -AC Chapman...
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Stew's Last Sermon: Closing Words
This week Stewart rounds out our series on the ten commandments and his time with RUF Bama. His talk is a reminder of the mission of the Christian life, a mission he has exemplified in his time here at the University of Alabama. This weeks passage is 1 Thesselonians 2:1-16.
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10 in 10: "Christianity Has More To Offer Than The Culture War!"
Campus Minister Stewart Swain reflects on 10 themes he has seen over his 10 years as the RUF Campus Minister at The University of Alabama. Special guest Rev. John Bourgeois join him to discuss the theme "Christianity Has More To Offer Than The Culture War!".
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10 in 10: "Theological Literacy Means Everything!!!"
Campus Minister Stewart Swain reflects on 10 themes he has seen over his 10 years as the RUF Campus Minister at The University of Alabama. Special guests Rev. Britton Wood and Rev. John Stone join him to discuss the theme "Theological Literacy Means Everything!!!".
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The Ten Commandments: "The Tenth Commandment"
What does it mean to envy? Why does God command against it? How does following this command set us free? Ministry Fellow, Cole Jones, answers these and other questions in this week's talk on the tenth commandment. The scripture this week is Exodus 20:1-2, 17. Resources: "The Spirit of the...
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10 in 10: "College Women are Legit"
Campus Minister Stewart Swain reflects on 10 themes he has seen over his 10 years as the RUF Campus Minister at The University of Alabama. Special guests Preston Adair and Elle Shuford join him to discuss the theme "College Women are Legit".
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Building Friendships at Alabama: Female Perspective
RUF Bama Ministry Fellow Cole Jones has brought in three of the wisest women he knows to learn about friendship!
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The Ten Commandments: "The Ninth Commandment"
What does the Bible mean by the phrase "false witness"? Is this a command that really affects us today? If so, why and how? RUF Intern, Hunter Brooks, addresses this commandment in his talk this week. This weeks scripture is Exodus 20:1-2, 16.
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10 in 10: "The Church & Culture: An Invitation to Beloved Community (mainly black/white dynamics in The Deep South)"
Campus Minister Stewart Swain reflects on 10 themes he has seen over his 10 years as the RUF Campus Minister at The University of Alabama. Special guests Rev. Corey Savage and Rev. Ro Taylor join him to discuss the theme "The Church & Culture: An Invitation to Beloved Community".
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10 in 10: "Politics is a 'god'"
Campus Minister Stewart Swain reflects on 10 themes he has seen over his 10 years as the RUF Campus Minister at The University of Alabama. Special guests Rev. Russ Whitfield (a pastor in DC) join him to discuss the theme "Politics is a 'god'".
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10 in 10: "What is a RUF Campus Minister?!"
Campus Minister Stewart Swain reflects on 10 themes he has seen over his 10 years as the RUF Campus Minister at The University of Alabama. Special guest Rev. Austin Braasch joins him to discuss the theme "What is a RUF Campus Minister?!".
About this show
Weekly messages from Davis Sweatt, Minister for RUF at the University of Alabama.
Hosted by
RUF Bama
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