ABOUT US
Our mission
Our mission is simply to know and follow Jesus Christ, and to help others to know and follow Him.
How do we accomplish this? RCF strives to help each student to know and follow Jesus Christ, but how do we get to that point? Every person is different, and everyone is in a unique place in life. You may have grown up in church, or you may have just heard of Jesus for the first time in your life. Therefore, we focus much of our attention on one-to-one and small group discipleship opportunities, which are led by our ministry staff or student leaders. We hope that each semester you will be challenged to grow spiritually.
Our core values:
TRUTH - Jesus prayed that His followers would be sanctified in the truth, and He goes on to pray "Your Word is truth" (John 17:17). We value the truth, even when it is hard. And because we believe that the Bible is completely true, we should hear, read, study, memorize, and meditate on Scripture. In doing so, we gain a firm foundation to know who God is, what He has done, and how we should respond in our life today. RCF will help teach you how to study the Bible and to have God’s Word on your heart.
PRAYER – Jesus told His disciples, "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation" (Matthew 26:41). Paul wrote to Christians in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, urging them to "Pray without ceasing." God cares about each one of us, and He knows our temptations, so He has given us the means of prayer as our way of bringing our cares to Him. We strive to make prayer a part of everything that we do. RCF will pray with you and for you, and will help you learn how to make prayer a priority in your spiritual growth.
COMMUNITY – Jesus said, "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." Paul wrote to the Galatian church, "Bear one another's burdens..." (Galatians 6:2). Hebrews 3:13 tells us to encourage one another daily. Throughout the Bible, we see that we are not meant to live life alone. We need each other. At RCF, we want to be a community that truly cares for one another, helps one another, and keeps one another accountable. We help each other to keep growing in the faith while we're here at URI. We also want to help you find a local church community where you can serve and grow as well.
SHARING THE FAITH – Some of Jesus's departing words were, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations...teaching them to obey all that I have commanded" (Matthew 28:19-20). If we really believe what God’s Word teaches us, and if Jesus Christ has really changed our life, then why wouldn’t we share the good news of the gospel with others? RCF will help to equip you to share your faith and make disciples.
FAITHFULNESS – Jesus told His followers, "you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved" (Matthew 10:22). Psalm 31:23 encourages us, "Love the Lord, all you His saints! The Lord preserves the faithful..." It is difficult to live the Christian life every day. It is comforting to know that as Christians, we have the Holy Spirit to help us remain faithful to God. He has also given us one another. Though trials and temptations may come, we aim to be a community that constantly reminds one another to faithfully continue on the path of following Jesus.
Meet our staff
Matt & Alis Henderson – Campus Minister & Associate Director
We have been serving in collegiate ministry for over 20 years, and we started Rhody Christian Fellowship in 2012. Prior to coming to URI, we served collegiate ministries at Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN) and Middle Tennessee State University (Murfreesboro, TN). We recognize that a person’s time in college is critical for determining the path that they will take in life. During your college years, belief systems are challenged, new opportunities and obstacles arise in life, and you are deciding who you are going to be after you graduate. We enjoy helping students walk through this challenging time, and to help them examine what it means to follow Jesus in every aspect of life.
Matt holds a Doctor of Educational Ministry (DEdMin) degree in biblical counseling from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, KY). He has also been a long-time worship leader, traveling leading worship for churches, college ministries, conferences, etc. Matt is a part of the URI Chaplains Association, as well as the Evangelical Ministers Fellowship of Southern Rhode Island.
Our mission is simply to know and follow Jesus Christ, and to help others to know and follow Him.
How do we accomplish this? RCF strives to help each student to know and follow Jesus Christ, but how do we get to that point? Every person is different, and everyone is in a unique place in life. You may have grown up in church, or you may have just heard of Jesus for the first time in your life. Therefore, we focus much of our attention on one-to-one and small group discipleship opportunities, which are led by our ministry staff or student leaders. We hope that each semester you will be challenged to grow spiritually.
Our core values:
TRUTH - Jesus prayed that His followers would be sanctified in the truth, and He goes on to pray "Your Word is truth" (John 17:17). We value the truth, even when it is hard. And because we believe that the Bible is completely true, we should hear, read, study, memorize, and meditate on Scripture. In doing so, we gain a firm foundation to know who God is, what He has done, and how we should respond in our life today. RCF will help teach you how to study the Bible and to have God’s Word on your heart.
PRAYER – Jesus told His disciples, "Watch and pray that you may not enter into temptation" (Matthew 26:41). Paul wrote to Christians in 1 Thessalonians 5:17, urging them to "Pray without ceasing." God cares about each one of us, and He knows our temptations, so He has given us the means of prayer as our way of bringing our cares to Him. We strive to make prayer a part of everything that we do. RCF will pray with you and for you, and will help you learn how to make prayer a priority in your spiritual growth.
COMMUNITY – Jesus said, "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you." Paul wrote to the Galatian church, "Bear one another's burdens..." (Galatians 6:2). Hebrews 3:13 tells us to encourage one another daily. Throughout the Bible, we see that we are not meant to live life alone. We need each other. At RCF, we want to be a community that truly cares for one another, helps one another, and keeps one another accountable. We help each other to keep growing in the faith while we're here at URI. We also want to help you find a local church community where you can serve and grow as well.
SHARING THE FAITH – Some of Jesus's departing words were, "Go therefore and make disciples of all nations...teaching them to obey all that I have commanded" (Matthew 28:19-20). If we really believe what God’s Word teaches us, and if Jesus Christ has really changed our life, then why wouldn’t we share the good news of the gospel with others? RCF will help to equip you to share your faith and make disciples.
FAITHFULNESS – Jesus told His followers, "you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved" (Matthew 10:22). Psalm 31:23 encourages us, "Love the Lord, all you His saints! The Lord preserves the faithful..." It is difficult to live the Christian life every day. It is comforting to know that as Christians, we have the Holy Spirit to help us remain faithful to God. He has also given us one another. Though trials and temptations may come, we aim to be a community that constantly reminds one another to faithfully continue on the path of following Jesus.
Meet our staff
Matt & Alis Henderson – Campus Minister & Associate Director
We have been serving in collegiate ministry for over 20 years, and we started Rhody Christian Fellowship in 2012. Prior to coming to URI, we served collegiate ministries at Vanderbilt University (Nashville, TN) and Middle Tennessee State University (Murfreesboro, TN). We recognize that a person’s time in college is critical for determining the path that they will take in life. During your college years, belief systems are challenged, new opportunities and obstacles arise in life, and you are deciding who you are going to be after you graduate. We enjoy helping students walk through this challenging time, and to help them examine what it means to follow Jesus in every aspect of life.
Matt holds a Doctor of Educational Ministry (DEdMin) degree in biblical counseling from The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary (Louisville, KY). He has also been a long-time worship leader, traveling leading worship for churches, college ministries, conferences, etc. Matt is a part of the URI Chaplains Association, as well as the Evangelical Ministers Fellowship of Southern Rhode Island.
Rick & Pat Giuntoli – Associate Campus Minister & Ministry Leader
Rick and Pat are part of the RCF staff, always eager to encourage college students at URI and CCRI. After being in the business world for most of his career, Rick recognized that the Lord was leading him to full-time ministry. We are excited to have them on our team! (Click here to visit their support page.)
Rick and Pat are part of the RCF staff, always eager to encourage college students at URI and CCRI. After being in the business world for most of his career, Rick recognized that the Lord was leading him to full-time ministry. We are excited to have them on our team! (Click here to visit their support page.)
What Do We Believe?
We are a student ministry that is simply an extension of many evangelical churches in Rhode Island and around the United States. It is our privilege to partner with churches of various denominations who share our passion for seeing students know and follow Jesus Christ. Our core beliefs are:
I. The Scriptures
The Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired and is God’s revelation of Himself to man. It is a perfect treasure of divine instruction. It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter. Therefore, all Scripture is totally true and trustworthy. It reveals the principles by which God judges us, and therefore is, and will remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and religious opinions should be tried. All Scripture is a testimony to Jesus Christ, who is Himself the focus of divine revelation.
Exodus 24:4; Deuteronomy 4:1-2; 17:19; Joshua 8:34; Psalms 19:7-10; 119:11,89,105,140; Isaiah 34:16; 40:8; Jeremiah 15:16; 36:1-32; Matthew 5:17-18; 22:29; Luke 21:33; 24:44-46; John 5:39; 16:13-15; 17:17; Acts 2:16ff.; 17:11; Romans 15:4; 16:25-26; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 1:1-2; 4:12; 1 Peter 1:25; 2 Peter 1:19-21.
II. God
There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and all other perfections. God is all powerful and all knowing; and His perfect knowledge extends to all things, past, present, and future, including the future decisions of His free creatures. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being.
A. God the Father
God as Father reigns with providential care over His universe, His creatures, and the flow of the stream of human history according to the purposes of His grace. He is all powerful, all knowing, all loving, and all wise. God is Father in truth to those who become children of God through faith in Jesus Christ. He is fatherly in His attitude toward all men.
Genesis 1:1; 2:7; Exodus 3:14; 6:2-3; 15:11ff.; 20:1ff.; Leviticus 22:2; Deuteronomy 6:4; 32:6; 1 Chronicles 29:10; Psalm 19:1-3; Isaiah 43:3,15; 64:8; Jeremiah 10:10; 17:13; Matthew 6:9ff.; 7:11; 23:9; 28:19; Mark 1:9-11; John 4:24; 5:26; 14:6-13; 17:1-8; Acts 1:7; Romans 8:14-15; 1 Corinthians 8:6; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 4:6; Colossians 1:15; 1 Timothy 1:17; Hebrews 11:6; 12:9; 1 Peter 1:17; 1 John 5:7.
B. God the Son
Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God. In His incarnation as Jesus Christ, He was conceived of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus perfectly revealed and did the will of God, taking upon Himself human nature with its demands and necessities and identifying Himself completely with mankind yet without sin. He honored the divine law by His personal obedience, and in His substitutionary death on the cross He made provision for the redemption of men from sin. He was raised from the dead with a glorified body and appeared to His disciples as the person who was with them before His crucifixion. He ascended into heaven and is now exalted at the right hand of God where He is the One Mediator, fully God, fully man, in whose Person is effected the reconciliation between God and man. He will return in power and glory to judge the world and to consummate His redemptive mission. He now dwells in all believers as the living and ever present Lord.
Genesis 18:1ff.; Psalms 2:7ff.; 110:1ff.; Isaiah 7:14; 53; Matthew 1:18-23; 3:17; 8:29; 11:27; 14:33; 16:16,27; 17:5; 27; 28:1-6,19; Mark 1:1; 3:11; Luke 1:35; 4:41; 22:70; 24:46; John 1:1-18,29; 10:30,38; 11:25-27; 12:44-50; 14:7-11; 16:15-16,28; 17:1-5, 21-22; 20:1-20,28; Acts 1:9; 2:22-24; 7:55-56; 9:4-5,20; Romans 1:3-4; 3:23-26; 5:6-21; 8:1-3,34; 10:4; 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2:2; 8:6; 15:1-8,24-28; 2 Corinthians 5:19-21; 8:9; Galatians 4:4-5; Ephesians 1:20; 3:11; 4:7-10; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:13-22; 2:9; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 1 Timothy 2:5-6; 3:16; Titus 2:13-14; Hebrews 1:1-3; 4:14-15; 7:14-28; 9:12-15,24-28; 12:2; 13:8; 1 Peter 2:21-25; 3:22; 1 John 1:7-9; 3:2; 4:14-15; 5:9; 2 John 7-9; Revelation 1:13-16; 5:9-14; 12:10-11; 13:8; 19:16.
C. God the Holy Spirit
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of God, fully divine. He inspired holy men of old to write the Scriptures. Through illumination He enables men to understand truth. He exalts Christ. He convicts men of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment. He calls men to the Saviour, and effects regeneration. At the moment of regeneration He baptizes every believer into the Body of Christ. He cultivates Christian character, comforts believers, and bestows the spiritual gifts by which they serve God through His church. He seals the believer unto the day of final redemption. His presence in the Christian is the guarantee that God will bring the believer into the fullness of the stature of Christ. He enlightens and empowers the believer and the church in worship, evangelism, and service.
Genesis 1:2; Judges 14:6; Job 26:13; Psalms 51:11; 139:7ff.; Isaiah 61:1-3; Joel 2:28-32; Matthew 1:18; 3:16; 4:1; 12:28-32; 28:19; Mark 1:10,12; Luke 1:35; 4:1,18-19; 11:13; 12:12; 24:49; John 4:24; 14:16-17,26; 15:26; 16:7-14; Acts 1:8; 2:1-4,38; 4:31; 5:3; 6:3; 7:55; 8:17,39; 10:44; 13:2; 15:28; 16:6; 19:1-6; Romans 8:9-11,14-16,26-27; 1 Corinthians 2:10-14; 3:16; 12:3-11,13; Galatians 4:6; Ephesians 1:13-14; 4:30; 5:18; 1 Thessalonians 5:19; 1 Timothy 3:16; 4:1; 2 Timothy 1:14; 3:16; Hebrews 9:8,14; 2 Peter 1:21; 1 John 4:13; 5:6-7; Revelation 1:10; 22:17.
III. Man
Man is the special creation of God, made in His own image. He created them male and female as the crowning work of His creation. The gift of gender is thus part of the goodness of God’s creation. In the beginning man was innocent of sin and was endowed by his Creator with freedom of choice. By his free choice man sinned against God and brought sin into the human race. Through the temptation of Satan man transgressed the command of God, and fell from his original innocence whereby his posterity inherit a nature and an environment inclined toward sin. Therefore, as soon as they are capable of moral action, they become transgressors and are under condemnation. Only the grace of God can bring man into His holy fellowship and enable man to fulfill the creative purpose of God. The sacredness of human personality is evident in that God created man in His own image, and in that Christ died for man; therefore, every person of every race possesses full dignity and is worthy of respect and Christian love.
Genesis 1:26-30; 2:5,7,18-22; 3; 9:6; Psalms 1; 8:3-6; 32:1-5; 51:5; Isaiah 6:5; Jeremiah 17:5; Matthew 16:26; Acts 17:26-31; Romans 1:19-32; 3:10-18,23; 5:6,12,19; 6:6; 7:14-25; 8:14-18,29; 1 Corinthians 1:21-31; 15:19,21-22; Ephesians 2:1-22; Colossians 1:21-22; 3:9-11.
IV. Salvation
Salvation involves the redemption of the whole man, and is offered freely to all who accept Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour, who by His own blood obtained eternal redemption for the believer. In its broadest sense salvation includes regeneration, justification, sanctification, and glorification. There is no salvation apart from personal faith in Jesus Christ as Lord.
A. Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God’s grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace.
Repentance is a genuine turning from sin toward God. Faith is the acceptance of Jesus Christ and commitment of the entire personality to Him as Lord and Saviour.
B. Justification is God’s gracious and full acquittal upon principles of His righteousness of all sinners who repent and believe in Christ. Justification brings the believer unto a relationship of peace and favor with God.
C. Sanctification is the experience, beginning in regeneration, by which the believer is set apart to God’s purposes, and is enabled to progress toward moral and spiritual maturity through the presence and power of the Holy Spirit dwelling in him. Growth in grace should continue throughout the regenerate person’s life.
D. Glorification is the culmination of salvation and is the final blessed and abiding state of the redeemed.
Genesis 3:15; Exodus 3:14-17; 6:2-8; Matthew 1:21; 4:17; 16:21-26; 27:22-28:6; Luke 1:68-69; 2:28-32; John 1:11-14,29; 3:3-21,36; 5:24; 10:9,28-29; 15:1-16; 17:17; Acts 2:21; 4:12; 15:11; 16:30-31; 17:30-31; 20:32; Romans 1:16-18; 2:4; 3:23-25; 4:3ff.; 5:8-10; 6:1-23; 8:1-18,29-39; 10:9-10,13; 13:11-14; 1 Corinthians 1:18,30; 6:19-20; 15:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Galatians 2:20; 3:13; 5:22-25; 6:15; Ephesians 1:7; 2:8-22; 4:11-16; Philippians 2:12-13; Colossians 1:9-22; 3:1ff.; 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24; 2 Timothy 1:12; Titus 2:11-14; Hebrews 2:1-3; 5:8-9; 9:24-28; 11:1-12:8,14; James 2:14-26; 1 Peter 1:2-23; 1 John 1:6-2:11; Revelation 3:20; 21:1-22:5.
V. God’s Purpose of Grace
Election is the gracious purpose of God, according to which He regenerates, justifies, sanctifies, and glorifies sinners. It is consistent with the free agency of man, and comprehends all the means in connection with the end. It is the glorious display of God’s sovereign goodness, and is infinitely wise, holy, and unchangeable. It excludes boasting and promotes humility.
All true believers endure to the end. Those whom God has accepted in Christ, and sanctified by His Spirit, will never fall away from the state of grace, but shall persevere to the end. Believers may fall into sin through neglect and temptation, whereby they grieve the Spirit, impair their graces and comforts, and bring reproach on the cause of Christ and temporal judgments on themselves; yet they shall be kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.
Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5-8; 1 Samuel 8:4-7,19-22; Isaiah 5:1-7; Jeremiah 31:31ff.; Matthew 16:18-19; 21:28-45; 24:22,31; 25:34; Luke 1:68-79; 2:29-32; 19:41-44; 24:44-48; John 1:12-14; 3:16; 5:24; 6:44-45,65; 10:27-29; 15:16; 17:6,12,17-18; Acts 20:32; Romans 5:9-10; 8:28-39; 10:12-15; 11:5-7,26-36; 1 Corinthians 1:1-2; 15:24-28; Ephesians 1:4-23; 2:1-10; 3:1-11; Colossians 1:12-14; 2 Thessalonians 2:13-14; 2 Timothy 1:12; 2:10,19; Hebrews 11:39–12:2; James 1:12; 1 Peter 1:2-5,13; 2:4-10; 1 John 1:7-9; 2:19; 3:2.
VI. The Kingdom
The Kingdom of God includes both His general sovereignty over the universe and His particular kingship over men who willfully acknowledge Him as King. Particularly the Kingdom is the realm of salvation into which men enter by trustful, childlike commitment to Jesus Christ. Christians ought to pray and to labor that the Kingdom may come and God’s will be done on earth. The full consummation of the Kingdom awaits the return of Jesus Christ and the end of this age.
Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 9:6-7; Jeremiah 23:5-6; Matthew 3:2; 4:8-10,23; 12:25-28; 13:1-52; 25:31-46; 26:29; Mark 1:14-15; 9:1; Luke 4:43; 8:1; 9:2; 12:31-32; 17:20-21; 23:42; John 3:3; 18:36; Acts 1:6-7; 17:22-31; Romans 5:17; 8:19; 1 Corinthians 15:24-28; Colossians 1:13; Hebrews 11:10,16; 12:28; 1 Peter 2:4-10; 4:13; Revelation 1:6,9; 5:10; 11:15; 21-22.
VII. Last Things
God, in His own time and in His own way, will bring the world to its appropriate end. According to His promise, Jesus Christ will return personally and visibly in glory to the earth; the dead will be raised; and Christ will judge all men in righteousness. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment. The righteous in their resurrected and glorified bodies will receive their reward and will dwell forever in Heaven with the Lord.
Isaiah 2:4; 11:9; Matthew 16:27; 18:8-9; 19:28; 24:27,30,36,44; 25:31-46; 26:64; Mark 8:38; 9:43-48; Luke 12:40,48; 16:19-26; 17:22-37; 21:27-28; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:11; 17:31; Romans 14:10; 1 Corinthians 4:5; 15:24-28,35-58; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Philippians 3:20-21; Colossians 1:5; 3:4; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-18; 5:1ff.; 2 Thessalonians 1:7ff.; 2; 1 Timothy 6:14; 2 Timothy 4:1,8; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 9:27-28; James 5:8; 2 Peter 3:7ff.; 1 John 2:28; 3:2; Jude 14; Revelation 1:18; 3:11; 20:1-22:13.
VIII. Evangelism and Missions
It is the duty and privilege of every follower of Christ and of every church of the Lord Jesus Christ to endeavor to make disciples of all nations. The new birth of man’s spirit by God’s Holy Spirit means the birth of love for others. Missionary effort on the part of all rests thus upon a spiritual necessity of the regenerate life, and is expressly and repeatedly commanded in the teachings of Christ. The Lord Jesus Christ has commanded the preaching of the gospel to all nations. It is the duty of every child of God to seek constantly to win the lost to Christ by verbal witness undergirded by a Christian lifestyle, and by other methods in harmony with the gospel of Christ.
Genesis 12:1-3; Exodus 19:5-6; Isaiah 6:1-8; Matthew 9:37-38; 10:5-15; 13:18-30, 37-43; 16:19; 22:9-10; 24:14; 28:18-20; Luke 10:1-18; 24:46-53; John 14:11-12; 15:7-8,16; 17:15; 20:21; Acts 1:8; 2; 8:26-40; 10:42-48; 13:2-3; Romans 10:13-15; Ephesians 3:1-11; 1 Thessalonians 1:8; 2 Timothy 4:5; Hebrews 2:1-3; 11:39-12:2; 1 Peter 2:4-10; Revelation 22:17.
RCF also is in agreement with the Nashville Statement on Gender & Sexuality,
as well as the Dallas Statement on Social Justice & The Gospel.