Mark Lowrey, visionary founder of Reformed University Fellowship, dies after cancer battle
Mark Lowrey, the influential founder of Reformed University Fellowship (RUF) and a key figure at Great Commission Publications, died at 78 after a months-long battle with an aggressive cancer.
ByFaith Online, the official web magazine of the Presbyterian Church in America, announced in a Dec. 24 update that Lowrey passed away after battling an aggressive cancer that had spread to several abdominal organs.
“He is survived by his wife, Priscilla, whom he met and married while she was working for InterVarsity Fellowship in the early 1970s; two children: Leonard and Elizabeth,” the outlet said.
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“He was a faithful, committed servant whose work seldom bore his name, but whose fifty-year career is a direct fulfillment of Moses’ plea in Psalm 90: ‘Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children. Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!’”
Born in 1945 in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, Lowrey served in the Vietnam War before pursuing his theological studies at Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) in Jackson, Mississippi, according to byFaith.
He was ordained in 1978. His early ministerial work began during his first year at RTS when he was called to lead the campus fellowship at the University of Southern Mississippi. This role marked the beginning of what would become the national RUF network.
Lowrey's vision was centered on ordained ministers focusing on discipleship, evangelism and spiritual care. At a time when college ministry was not a primary focus for the PCA, Lowrey stressed the importance of biblical teaching in academic settings, according to byFaith.
In 1983, Lowrey relocated to Atlanta to work at PCA headquarters, enhancing RUF's growth. He is credited with playing a crucial role in establishing financial stability for new ministers, training both men and women in ministry and fostering a broad national and international vision.
On its website, RUF is described as “a “campus ministry that reaches college students from all backgrounds with the hope of Jesus Christ. College is a time when beliefs are explored, decisions are made, and lives are changed.”
RUF is present on nearly 160 college campuses across the country.
“We invite students into authentic relationships and the study of God’s Word. Through the ministry of RUF, students discover the love of Christ, find their significance in God’s redemptive story, and engage in the life of His church,” the website says.
After 25 years with RUF, Lowrey transitioned to Great Commission Publications in 1996, focusing on resources for K-12 education. He emphasized a Christ-centered curriculum, drawing on the work of theologians like Edmund Clowney. Under his leadership, Great Commission Publications became the denominational curriculum for over 1,000 churches in the PCA and other denominations. Lowrey became its executive director in 2021.
On Twitter, several remembered Lowrey as a “giant” in the PCA, noting his dedication and impact on religious education and ministry.
“Mark Lowrey, at home with the Lord. He was a @ReformTheoSem alumnus, son-in-law of John Reed Miller of @FPCJxnMS, founded RUF while a student at @RTSJackson. Served for many years with @GCP_Publication,” wrote Ligon Duncan, author and chancellor of Reformed Theological Seminary.
Services will be held on Jan. 6 at 2 p.m. at Westminster Presbyterian Church, Atlanta, and on Jan. 13 at 2 p.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Hattiesburg, Mississippi.
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
