Writing papers is a part of every student’s life. Writing a good one can feel overwhelming. But what if it’s about more than just getting a grade? What if your writing is actually an opportunity to think clearly, communicate truth, and even honor God? In this episode of College Faith, we’re talking about what students need to understand first in order to write well, the essential elements of a strong paper, the biggest mistakes to avoid, and how to approach research, AI, and the writing process with wisdom and integrity. To guide us, I’m joined by Dr. Bruce Barron, an experienced writer, editor, and communications leader who has spent decades helping scholars, students, and public thinkers express complex ideas with clarity and impact. Bruce has served in senior editorial roles with major policy and Christian publications, edited books and academic manuscripts, and coached countless writers from rough drafts to polished, compelling work. His experience at the intersection of careful research, thoughtful Christian engagement, and practical communication makes him an ideal guide for any student who wants to become not just a better writer, but a more faithful one.

In this podcast we discuss:

• What students should understand first to write a good paper
• The elements of a good paper
• The single biggest mistake students make when writing a paper
• A balanced, biblical approach to your studies, including writing papers
• Proper and improper ways to use AI when writing
• How much research for the paper is enough
• The steps in writing a good paper
• The importance of building a good relationship with your professors
• How to see your studies as an act of worship
• The most important thing to remember when writing a paper
• Some ways writing skills impact all of life after college

Resources mentioned during our conversation:

• BruceBarron.substack.com
• Bruce Barron, “On Writing So Well That You Don’t Need an Editor” (Society of Christian Scholars webinar)

In this episode I continue my sporadic series on various campus ministries. I am joined by Charles Askew and Caysie Ashton, campus ministers with Reformed University Fellowship (RUF). Charles and Caysie bring their unique perspectives to help us better understand the ministry of RUF and whether it might be right for you.

In this podcast we discuss:

• What “Reformed” means
• How Casey and Chuck got involved in RUF
• How RUF got started
• The core mission of RUF
• How to find a RUF chapter
• What to expect at a RUF chapter
• How chapters differ campus-to-campus
• What is required to be involved in RUF
• What makes RUF distinct from other campus ministries
• Why RUF doesn’t have a curriculum that students go through
• How RUF helps students build deep relationships
• RUF’s weekly activities for students
• RUF’s strengths and weaknesses
• Why students should look into joining a RUF chapter
• The importance of just showing up
• Why we shouldn’t fear the “secular” university

Resources mentioned during our conversation:

• RUF website & various RUF chapter’s Instagram accounts
• C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity and The Great Divorce
• Timothy Keller, Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope That Matters
• John Calvin, Institutes of the Christian Religion (especially “The Golden Book of the Christian Life” section)
• Martin Luther, The Bondage of the Will

There are an estimated 2 billion Muslims worldwide, including your classmates, neighbors, and friends. Many are interested in discussing spiritual topics, including the person of Jesus. But how do we have these conversations–and share the good news about who Jesus really is–without the conversation turning into an argument? Alan Shlemon has an answer that he and many others have found to be very helpful: beginning with the Koran instead of the Bible to break down barriers. Alan is a staff apologist with Stand To Reason, a sought-after speaker on this topic, and my guest on this episode of College Faith.

In this podcast we discuss:

• How Alan got interested in this topic
• Why we should care about sharing Jesus with Muslims
• Why Muslims are open to discussing Jesus
• What our attitude toward Muslims should be
• Essential Muslim beliefs and practices
• How to discuss the accuracy of the Gospels
• What to avoid in conversations with Muslims
• Alan’s overall strategy to get to Gospel conversations with a Muslim
• Why the Gospel is “good news” for the Muslim

Resources mentioned during our conversation:

• Stand To Reason website
• Get to the Gospel with Muslims, Stand to Reason
• The Cost Muslims Pay for Missing Jesus, Stand to Reason
• The Quran Gets Crucifixion Wrong, Stand to Reason
• Is “Allah” Just Another Word for God?, Stand to Reason
• STR U, Stand to Reason’s free online training program (includes his course on “Engaging Muslims”)