"Why do you do what you do?"

It's the million-dollar question that we (almost!) never ask each other. Surely, "what do you do?" is every American's favorite go-to conversation starter.

And if you're not a pastor in Ann Arbor and conversation doesn't turn immediately awkward as your secular neighbors fumble to know what to say (I jest!), you might even get the follow up question of: "where do you work?"

At least in my experience, "why do you do what you do?" is the question only reserved for the sit-down conversation with someone you find interesting and might want to be friends with long-term. In other words, no bueno to ask this question of the random dude pushing his daughter on the swing at the park.

Here's the thing: I don't want to be that random dude who pops up on your emails from time to time. Some of you have been on these emails for years!

Do you wanna know why I do what I do? Why I keep sending these emails out?

August and September.

Two months of complete exhilaration and excitement that tries to hide the underlying uncertainty that comes along with interacting with hundreds college students. Many of these students will find a home in RUF this Fall semester (hopefully 150+!). However, many of them will not for whatever reason.

The rollercoaster of the entire experience is an adrenaline rush of seeing God's Spirit alive and at work to curate some of the most random encounters imaginable (stay tuned for October's newsletter!). 

Welcoming college students in August and September is one of greatest opportunities the Church has when it comes to witnessing to the glory and splendor of the Triune God. 

I can't think of any other ministry opportunity that gives the Church access to ~1000 young adults all wondering the same questions of identity (i.e. "Who am I? What do I believe? How do I know what's true?").

It's a field that is white and ready for harvest (John 4:35). 

You might be thinking, "How can I help? I don't live near college students!

That might be true. But this is a partnership. It is no one man (or one church) show.

You are needed. Your church is needed. Even if that means you don't live here in Ann Arbor! The Apostle Paul uses the illustration that Christians are many members that make up one body, in which Jesus Christ is the head (1 Corinthians 12:12-26). 

God uses ministry partnership to knit together the body of Christ. This is true locally, regionally, and globally.

Thank you to all of you who support this ministry financially and in prayer. Here are some quick line-item needs as August approaches:

• 13 copies of "The Secular Creed" by Rebecca Mclaughlin to equip my Core Group on Sunday nights ($9.99 x 13 = ~$130)
• 2 on-campus boards (~$150/board x 2 boards = $300)
• 17 weeks of on-campus board advertising (~$10/week = $170)
• 1 on-campus banner (~$300/banner = $300)
• 4 weeks of on-campus banner advertising (~$20/week = $80)
• 96 Iced coffees to give away with RUF info in the middle of campus (12 pack = $39.36 x 8 = $315)
• 14 staff breakfasts ($40 x 14 = $560)
• 4 family-style dinners for our 50 person monthly ministry team meeting ($250 x 4 = $1000)

Grace and Peace,

Robert

The new RUF Michigan staff team in Denver last week for RUF training! Our job requires us to spend two weeks a year with other RUF staff praying, brainstorming, and getting better equipped to do ministry on the campus.

Quick Family Update

As of today (7/30), Katherine is 6 weeks post-op. She is recovering well, and is in less pain as the time wears on. Thank you for your care and support of our family during a crazy season of our lives. Here's how you can continue to pray:

• For Katherine's continued physical healing and comfort
• For the timing and success of her second surgery 
• For wisdom to know limits and finitude 

"Then the king said to me, "What are you requesting?" So I prayed to the God of heaven. And I said to the king, "If it pleases the king, and if your servant has found favor in your sight, that you send me to Judah, to the city of my fathers' graves, that I may rebuild it.'...And the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of God was upon me."

"And we prayed to our God and set a guard as a protection against them day and night." -Nehemiah 4:9

Confession: this is not my idea.

A special thanks needs to be made to Peter Green, RUF campus minister at West Virginia University. What you are about to read is what he sent to his supporters, and I find it so appropriate and needed that I plan to literally quote him. He writes,

"The book of Nehemiah probably has more recorded prayers than any book in the Bible except for Psalms. In thirteen chapters, there are eleven prayers. Some prayers are long and thoughtful, surveying wide swaths of the history of God's dealings with his people (e.g. Neh 1:4-11 and 9:6-37). Other prayers are short and to the point, addressing a single request in an immediate situation (e.g., 6:9). 

Most of the prayers in Nehemiah are interjected into Nehemiah's written record of events--the prayers of an old man as he recounts events of the past. However, in 2:4-5 and 4:9 the prayers are not interjections into the story but are part of the story--the prayers of a man of action in the midst of difficult situations. These two prayers teach us the value and importance of pausing what we are doing, even if just for a moment, to pray for God's help. 

Sometimes God provides us with unexpected opportunities that we need to take advantage of immediately, like Nehemiah's request to the king in ch. 2. Other times we face an unexpected crisis that does not allow for lengthy prayer time as in ch. 4.

In these situations, it is easy to get wrapped up in the moment and forget or neglect to pray. Nehemiah teaches us that in these situations it is important to pray, however briefly, and God can answer even a single-sentence prayer given in haste.

Campus ministry has similar opportunities and challenges--an unexpected meeting with an unbelieving student, or a late-night call from a student in crisis. Therefore, I'd like to experiment with what I am calling my "Nehemiah Prayer [Team]."

Modeled after Nehemiah's short, direct prayers that he gave in the midst of his work, this prayer team would be composed of people willing to receive a text from me with a specific request and pause what they are doing, if they are able, to say a one or two sentence prayer. Here are some example texts:

"About to sit down with an unbelieving student--please pray that the student would receive the Gospel." 

"Just learned that my student's parents were in a car accident and things don't look good--pray for me as I seek to provide comfort to the student." 

If you are willing to be a part of my Nehemiah Prayer [Team], please text me right now (757-971-1501) with your name (in case I don't have your number in my contacts) and "Nehemiah." Except in extreme situations, I will send no more than one or two texts per week, between the hours of 9 am-9 pm EST." 

Maybe it's entering my 5th year as a campus minister, and experiencing the vain labor of my own endeavors apart from prayer. Maybe it's my wife's cancer diagnosis, and realizing there's nothing I can do in my own power to fix it. Whatever it is, I'm realizing that I need y'all--desperately--to be praying to the Lord of Heaven who hears our prayers. 

As a guy who struggles to send out consistent newsletters, I hope you consider joining our Nehemiah Prayer Team with up-to-date, in the moment, ministry need that you can pray for and be apart of as they happen!

In Christ alone,

Robert

Katherine is cancer free!

So many of y'all have thoughtfully prayed and texted me over the past month. I can't thank you enough for your support. It means more than you know to be surrounded by the love and care of God's people. Here's a quick update on where things are with Katherine:

• She had surgery this past Monday (6/19) to remove the tumor. Recovery has been physically and emotionally difficult, but we are confident as she enters week two of getting better, things will begin to turn a corner.
• The pathology report came back late Thursday afternoon with the best news ever: the surgery successfully removed all cancer before it spread to her lymph nodes. Praise the Lord! 
• What does that mean? After she recovers (another three to four weeks), she will NOT need to receive chemotherapy or radiation treatment. 

Obviously, we are feeling so grateful. Our family is looking forward to getting Katherine back on her feet and entering into a more "normal" season, Lord willing.

Big news out of Ann Arbor!

We are adding TWO new female staff to our team. Monse Santiago and Sarah Kettel officially started last week on June 1st, and will be spending the summer fundraising before beginning an orientation with us on August 7th.

What does adding female staff mean? It means A LOT of different things, but here are 3 quick highlights to having Monse and Sarah join our team:

1. The staff position is different from the intern position. While interns are awesome, their commitment is only for 2-3 years max. Adding female staff means that Monse and Sarah intend to commit at least 3-5 years here in Ann Arbor. 

2. A quick breakdown of our RUF group shows that roughly 60-65% of our group is made up of women. These students now get two older women who deeply love Jesus and His Church to now look up to and lead them. 

3. We have the potential to grow both in health and in number. One of RUF's core values is that we aim to be pastoral. However, that pastoral culture is hard to instill and maintain with only a campus minister and intern when our numbers over 4 years have ballooned to close to 120 students (praise God!). Adding Monse and Sarah keeps our pastoral "vibe" as well as the opportunity to reach different parts of campus with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. 

There's so much more that could be said. For now, I'd just ask for you to be in prayer for them as they transition to Ann Arbor! If you are interested in financially supporting them, their email addresses are: monse.santiago@ruf.org and sarah.kettel@ruf.org. I'm also happy to put you in touch with either or both!

Female staff often do not get the attention and support that campus ministers receive, so this is my effort to hopefully get them on your radar and to say: their work is vitally needed. God has called them to serve here, and they have a massive role to play as our ministry continues to reach students for Christ and equip them to serve the Church. 

Thanks for being a part of this wonderful work that God is doing on campus at the University of Michigan. None of it happens without you! 

Grace and Peace,

Robert

Brief Family Update

I can't thank you enough for all the responses, texts, and phone calls we received after the last update. It's a hard season for the Knuth family, but we persevere through God's grace (shown and experienced through your care for us!). Here is an update of how you can pray:

• Katherine's surgery is on June 19th. Please pray that it goes well, and the doctors are able to remove all of the cancer from her body.
• Please pray for our family as we continue to care for 3 young kids day-to-day. After Katherine's surgery, she will not be able to lift our 5 month old son. 
• Please pray that we experience a season of personal renewal as the kindness and gentleness of King Jesus becomes all the more palpably displayed to us. It's our most earnest desire to know and believe more of his undying and steadfast love for us. 

Please know that every single text and email you send is read and delighted in during this season. You mean more to us than you think even if it takes me relatively longer to respond to your encouragement!

We took 24 students to RUF Summer Conference in Laguna Beach, FL for a week! Students spend the morning in seminars (I taught one on the intersection of faith/work), have the afternoon free to hangout on the beach, before finally returning in the evening for a time of worship and small group discussion.

Our first annual senior banquet! Many of these seniors helped to start RUF at Michigan in Fall 2019 and stuck with us through COVID and many growing pains. Very thankful for them!

On the first Friday night of every month, our community committee puts on what they call, "Supper Club." It has turned into one of the more popular things that we do.

Small group Bible studies happen throughout the week! Last semester students opened up the book of Psalms.

For spring break, we took 9 students to Detroit as we partnered with Central Detroit Christian and Redeemer Presbyterian (one of our supporting churches) to catch a vision for how God is at work in the city. 

Two quick family updates:

You might have noticed in the picture above a new little person!

Thomas Woodford Knuth joined us on January 19th at 11:22 pm. Named for the Thomas who loved Jesus in the Gospels, we pray our little boy knows there is a God who holds the depths of his fear, sadness, and unbelief (John 20:24-29).

We love him so much.

We recently found out Katherine has early stage breast cancer. We are so grateful that it was found early but would love prayer as our family wades through this for the next several months.

We would love your prayers especially for the following:

• That we would know deeply the Fatherhood of God in this season that He does not withhold from His people any good thing.
• A biopsy revealed it to be ductal carcinoma in situ. However, the surgeon is concerned based on the size of the tumor that it may be invasive. Please pray that it truly is non-invasive and has not spread to lymph nodes or other tissue.
• Currently we are waiting for surgery to be scheduled. Please pray that we would trust in God’s timing, if it’s His will that it would be soon (in the month of June) and have wisdom for how to spend our summer.
• Protection against infection and grace for recovery. (Katherine won't be able to lift heavy objects for a month.)

The lyrics of an old 19th century hymn, "Praise My Soul, the King of Heaven," by Henry Lyte has come to mind in this season. Here's one stanza:

"Fatherlike He tends and spares us,
Well our feeble frame He knows;
In His hands He gently bears us,
Rescues us from all our foes.
Praise Him, praise Him, alleluia!
Widely yet His mercy flows." 

His river of mercy flows through so many of you! Thank you for your continued support of RUF Michigan and the Knuth family. Your partnership in the Gospel enriches our souls.

Robert

Enjoy a glimpse into how God is at work at the University of Michigan! Your partnership means the entire world. We still need $4,000 to close out our 2022 budget.

Will you consider making a year-end gift to RUF Michigan? Or email me back with a friend who you think might be interested in joining our team?

The new semester starts Wednesday (1/4) and I'll be diving into our new sermon series right off the bat that I've entitled, "Conversations with Jesus" as we look at Jesus' 1-1 interactions with different kinds of people in the Gospels. Will you pray for my prep? And that students' hearts and lives would continue to be changed by grace? 

Happy New Year,
Robert

"I am kicking myself that it took me until junior year to get involved in RUF, but at the same time I understand that God was taking time to build me into somebody who needed RUF. I quickly joined the worship team, and ever event became a highlight of my week. I have never felt so loved, so supported, and so cared for in my entire life. This is an environment where I fee so strongly the Gospel at work in my life. This is a place where the love and light of Christ is magnified in those who love Him. Robert and Caleb have been such a phenomenal blessing in my life, I thank God for them and for RUF. I can't imagine not getting involved again next year."

-"Ryan," class of 2024, has recently become a Christian

"Being part of RUF has been such a bless! It has given me space to be curious and ask questions. I've grown a lot in knowing my BIble better and understanding its importance, both for my personal relationship with God as well as the way I love others. I've also learned a lot about the intentionality behind ministry. RUF is equipping me to hold tight to the truth of the Bible while engaging with my campus, even when it's uncomfortable. I know that I have a lot of growing and maturing to do, but I feel like RUF has presented so many valuable moments that will shape how I approach ministry even after I graduate." 

-"Sharon," class of 2024, grew up in a large non-denominational context

"RUF stands out from other campus groups by being exceptionally welcoming, inclusive, and supportive. Robert challenges members to be thoughtful and considerate in ways that they aren't used to, which helps to foster growth and strong relationships."

-"Jimmy," class of 2023, is not a Christian 

"I was a bit leery of youth ministries when I came to college, but after two years of meeting with Robert and getting to know his character and sincerity, I relented and decided to give RUF a fair try. And that has made all the difference. Before joining, I had given up on getting answers to the difficult questions I had about my faith; RUF, from the start, has emphasized asking hard questions and trusting that there are answers. I shied away from espousing my faith in a public setting; now, I've given my testimony in front of 60+ people. I had stopped believing in the effectiveness of international missions; through RUF, I've spent a week in Greece serving believers and those in need in Athens. These changes in my heart are not my own work or Robert's work, but rather, it's been God who's been shaping me into a new man--RUF and my friends there have been a tool He's used to bless me and grow me into a new creation, and I think every other RUFer would testify the same."

-"George," class of 2023, grew up in a large non-denominational context

"RUF is a space where I can grow in pursuing God through His Word, community, and ministry. I'm learning what it means to serve and 'do ministry' and how I can love people in those ways. I'm super grateful for the RUF community that encourages and challenges me in my faith and in life!"

-"Clare," class of 2024, grew up in a broader Presbyterian context 

Maybe that's a hot take. But regardless of what you believe, I would imagine that you only do things that you find to be beautiful. The beauty of it has "drawn you in," so to speak. The allure of it, the pleasure of it, the comfort of it, the prize that comes along with it, the list goes on. 

Christianity agrees. The Bible puts forward that the most beautiful object that could ever grasp your attention is the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth. YET, even as Christians, we have to ask the question: is that how we view Jesus, more than anything? Beautiful? 

I don't know what your experience is like with Christianity. Maybe you just receive these emails because you just really love our family well (thank you!). But I would have to imagine that for most of us, Jesus is good. He's the truth. He saves. You name it. But...beautiful? Lovely? Delightful?

This semester, I can't tell you how much I've loved watching students catch a glimpse of the beauty of Jesus. Whether that be through our sermon series through the picture book of Revelation, weekly life groups, month ministry team meetings, or Sunday nights at my house with core group students---we've sought to give students an EXPERIENCE with the majesty of King Jesus Himself.

And the thing about that is...when you've had an experience like this, where Jesus is actually beautiful, you can't help but to want to serve. Not out of duty (it isn't worth the time commitment to Michigan students), but out of an eager, even obsessive, willingness to have more of this Jesus. 

Tim Keller once said, "if you want to experience God, then you have to get out into mission."

This is a picture of the culture in RUF nowadays. Our students have a growing missional zeal. There are 11 core group students and close to 35 students on our ministry team (and this doesn't include freshmen who have expressed interest!).

There is someone new at every large group. Just last week, I got an email from a senior who expressed interest in meeting because "I want you to answer my questions about Christianity. Is that something you do?" 

Y'all, I can't make this stuff up! If you don't believe there is a God presently at work in the affairs of the world, then I would love to tell you about what just one day on campus at the University of Michigan looks like doing campus ministry. 

The place often referred to as "one of the most secular and progressive campuses in the country" is pulsating with the work of the Holy Spirit. 

Come visit me and see for yourself! 

Love abounding,
Robert

Listen to the Revelation Series 

Katherine is due with our 3rd child in late January! We're naming our boy, Thomas, largely in part because of the BEAUTY that is found in Jesus' interaction with Thomas in John 18. I encourage you to go read it for yourself!

PRAYER REQUESTS:

1) Will you pray for our family as Katherine approaches her due date? She had a rough bout with pneumonia the entire month of October that required a trip to the ER 3 weeks ago. She's recovered well, but it was still a very scary period for our family. 

2) Will you pray for some of the non-Christians in our midst to have eyes to see the loveliness of Jesus? I'll give you 3 names in particular: Andy, Gavin, and Elyse. 

3) Will you pray about either upping your monthly gift to RUF, or giving me the name of a friend, coworker, or other acquaintance who would be interested in joining our support team? With the cost of living having increased due to inflation, I'm having to raise more money in 2023. 

4) Lastly, will you pray for me? Pray that I would continually find Jesus as lovely as I just described. I have no greater desire than to gain greater clarity into the wonders of His grace.

As always, feel free to text or reach out. I love hearing from you guys. (757) 971-1501

From Lisa Kersey, Executive Director:

I promised a few things to adult education group that I'd like to share, so you can pass onto them as appropriate:

1. In Pursuit of Love, Rebecca Bender – This is the book I recommended, written by the survivor story I shared in my presentation.
2. If people see something they suspect could be human trafficking, they can contact the National Human Trafficking Hotline at 888-373-7888. Victims of human trafficking can also text a message to 233733 (BEFREEE). This hotline is staffed 24/7 and they can provide their name or remain anonymous. If there is immediate danger, they should call 911. We recommend parents and youth save this number in their cellphones for ease of future use.
3. One of the organizations I recommended for parents is Protect Young Eyes; there is a lot of good information and a lot of resources for parents, caregivers, and youth service providers on this site.