University of California, Berkeley
Join us Tuesdays at 8pm in the Calvin Room at First Pres Berkeley
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Welcome to RUF at Berkeley! We are a student organization that strives to take the Gospel seriously (the good news of Jesus Christ), without taking ourselves too seriously. We believe it is the Gospel that gives our lives meaning, and it is the Gospel that brings about change, healing, and renewal in our world.
There's a place for everyone at RUF! Whether you are a cynic, a skeptic, a new believer, a life-long Christian, or just someone who is weary with all of life's challenges and looking for hope and encouragement, we would love to meet you and get to know you!
Join Us
Large Group
Men's Small Group / Women's Small Group
Co-Ed Small Group
Prayer Group
Connect
Meet Our Team
John Kong
John is a graduate of Vanderbilt University (2008) and Westminster Seminary California (2019). He was born in Nashville, TN, but grew up in Taiwan from the age of 3 until he graduated high school. After college, he worked in an investment bank for 7 years before sensing God calling him to ministry, and he served as the Pastor of Christian Education at New Life Presbyterian Church in Escondido, CA, before coming to RUF Berkeley.
John loves hanging out with college students, whether it is grabbing a bite to eat, snowboarding in the mountains, playing sports, or just chatting about life. What he loves most, however, is walking alongside the students as they discern and mature in their relationship with God. John is married to Amanda (who happens to be a UC Berkeley alum), and they live in San Francisco, just across the Bay Bridge from Berkeley.
Laurian Lien
Laurian is from Los Angeles, California, and graduated from Purdue University with a degree in biological engineering. She chose to study biological engineering because of her passion for feeding the world in a healthy and sustainable way. Originally from Tuscaloosa, Alabama, she grew up surrounded by University of Alabama RUF students until her family moved to California to plant a church in the San Gabriel Valley, SGV The Way.
Riley Tarter
Riley is from Sacramento, California, and graduated from UCLA in economics after transferring in from Sierra College. He heard about RUF through his fiancée before transferring and immediately got involved when he got to campus. He immediately fell in love with the community and studies of God's Word. As an only child, his family is quite small but extended family makes up for it. He loves spending time with friends, playing any board/card game, sports game, or video game, and nerding out over movies and shows. He is excited to move to Berkeley for the scenery, good weather, and great food. RUF has grown his faith exponentially and he is excited to continue to experience that at Cal!