Chi Alpha

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Not to be confused with Chi Alpha Omega, Lambda Chi Alpha, Chi Alpha Delta, or Chi Omega.

Chi Alpha
ΧΑ
Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship Logo.png
Founded1953; 69 years ago (1953)
Missouri State University (Springfield, MO, U.S.A.)
TypeChristian Fellowship
ScopeInternational
MottoChrist’s Ambassadors:[1]
"We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors , as though God were making His appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God." (2 Corinthians 5:20).
Colors Black   White   Gray   Red  [2]
FlagChi Alpha Logo 2006.jpg
PhilanthropyConvoy of Hope
Chapters313 (in the United States) [3]
Members~28,000 students in the United States (approximate only; not including international sister organizations) [4][5] collegiate
PrinciplesWorship, Prayer, Fellowship, Discipleship, and Mission
Community, Creativity, Diversity, Excellence, Integrity, and Servant-Leadership.
HeadquartersChi Alpha Campus Ministries
1445 N. Boonville Ave
Springfield, MO 65802
US
WebsiteOfficial website

Chi Alpha | ΧΑ (sometimes XA or SfC - Students for Christ,[6] officially known as Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship), is an international and interdenominational university student society and young adult Christian Fellowship sponsored by the Assemblies of God through Chi Alpha Campus Ministries and local churches, although it is open to people of all backgrounds, and membership at local chapters is inclusive of people from various denominations.

Purpose[]

The mission of Chi Alpha is to reconcile students to Jesus Christ, thereby transforming the university, the marketplace, and the world...[7] The core values are Community, Creativity, Diversity, Excellence, Integrity, and Servant-Leadership.

History[]

The Assemblies of God began a ministry (Chi Alpha Campus Ministries) to collegians in 1947 at the urging of (father of John Ashcroft), which consisted of a newsletter sent to college students to encourage them in their faith.

It soon became apparent that a newsletter by itself was inadequate, and so in 1953 Dr. J. Calvin Holsinger[8] chartered the first Assemblies of God student group at Missouri State University (formerly Southwest Missouri State University) in Springfield, Missouri[9] where the Assemblies of God headquarters is located. The movement quickly spread to other campuses. For example, the first Chi Alpha to own property was the UC Berkeley chapter, which purchased a house next to campus in 1964.

The name Chi Alpha was inspired by the contemporary Assemblies of God youth movement, Christ's Ambassadors (a phrase in 2 Corinthians 5:20). The initials "CA" were changed to Greek initials "ΧΑ" in order to resemble the names of other college organizations.

Chi Alpha began its development internationally in the 1970s, establishing chapters in Europe under the name Students for Christ,[10] and also into Latin America under various names.

In 1977, the first ever Chi Alpha internship was launched at Western Washington University (WWU) in Bellingham, Washington by the WWU Chi Alpha campus director Brady Bobbink.

In 1978, Dennis Gaylor became national director of Chi Alpha, and served until April 2013. Chi Alpha is currently led by Scott Martin.[11]

There are Chi Alpha ministries and fellowships on over 310 campuses throughout the United States.[12][13]

Cultural mentions[]

  • In the 2014-2015 school year, Chi Alpha at CSU Stanislaus was removed from campus because they required that their leaders be Christians. The case gained national attention and was covered on Fox News.[14] The chapter was eventually reinstated.
  • The chapters at Georgetown University and the University of New Hampshire were highlighted in a 2003 article in The New York Times entitled "Of Bart and Homer, and the Many Ways of Faith" - an article about their use of the Simpsons as a Bible study tool,[15] and in 1986 The New York Times mentioned the chapter at Columbia University as representative of a trend of growing Christian fellowships on campuses in the northeastern United States.[16][17]
  • Annie Dillard wrote a widely reprinted essay, "Singing with the Fundamentalists",[18] about her experiences singing with a group of students from the Chi Alpha chapter at Western Washington University (a chapter which operates under the local name of Campus Christian Fellowship).

Chapters[]

North America[]

United States United States[]

[19]

A
B
G
  • GMU Chi Alpha (GMUXA): George Mason University.[37][38] This Chi Alpha chapter at GMU also goes by the name Kairos U (Kairos University Christian Fellowship) due to it simultaneously being a chapter of Kairos Young Adult Ministries.[39]
N
P
Q
S
T
U
V
  • Virginia Tech Chi Alpha (VTXA | The Chi Alpha House): Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University[49]
W

Canada Canada[]

University Christian Ministries British Columbia[51][52]

Newfoundland and Labrador

Europe[]

[54]

Eurasia[]

Countries[]

Latin America[]

[58]

Africa[]

Zambia Zambia

Asia Pacific[]

Countries[]

Notable alumni[]

References[]

  1. ^ "Who We Are".
  2. ^ "Chi Alpha Campus Ministries, U.S.A. Style Guide" (PDF). Chi Alpha. Chi Alpha Campus Ministries, U.S.A. June 8, 2017.
  3. ^ "Group Locator | Chi Alpha Campus Ministries".
  4. ^ "Group Locator".
  5. ^ "Studenten für Christus Deutschland e.V. – Studenten prägen. Zukunft gestalten".
  6. ^ SfC, Students for Christ, or Studenten für Christus in German, is the most common name used in Europe. "SfC Europe: About Us". Archived from the original on November 20, 2008. Retrieved October 9, 2007.
  7. ^ "Grundsätze". October 12, 2007. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. Retrieved October 10, 2019.
  8. ^ Harrup, Scott (2009). "What can be learned from history?". ag.org. Assemblies of God. Archived from the original on June 13, 2011. Retrieved July 30, 2010.
  9. ^ Bixler, Frances (2002). "Chi Alpha". In Stanley M. Burgess (ed.). The new international dictionary of Pentecostal and charismatic movements (Rev. and expanded ed.). Grand Rapids, Mich.: Zondervan Pub. House. p. 521. ISBN 0310224810.
  10. ^ "SfC Europe: About Us". Archived from the original on November 20, 2008. Retrieved October 9, 2007.
  11. ^ "National Leadership".
  12. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on July 31, 2010. Retrieved July 29, 2010.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  13. ^ "Our Story / About XA". Chi Alpha Campus Ministries. Retrieved July 28, 2010.
  14. ^ "Faith under fire at Cal State". Fox News. March 29, 2015.
  15. ^ Zezima, Katie (June 14, 2003). "Of Bart and Homer, and the Many Ways of Faith". The New York Times.
  16. ^ "Religion Plays Growing Role on Campuses". The New York Times. January 5, 1986. p. Sunday Late City Final Edition, Section 1, Page 37, Column 1.
  17. ^ "The Palm Beach Post - Google News Archive Search". July 14, 2012. Archived from the original on July 14, 2012. Retrieved November 1, 2019.
  18. ^ The Yale Review Vol. 74, No. 2 (Winter, 1985), 312. It has been reprinted several times (see her bibliography for info on the reprints).
  19. ^ a b "Group Locator". Chi Alpha Campus Ministries. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
  20. ^ "Chi Alpha Campus Ministries". Chi Alpha Campus Ministries. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  21. ^ "angeloxa". angeloxa. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  22. ^ "asu-chi-alpha". asu-chi-alpha. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  23. ^ "astatechialpha". astatechialpha. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  24. ^ "Welcome to Chi Alpha Arkansas". www.iamchialpha.com. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  25. ^ "Chi Alpha Campus Ministries, Auburn University | ministry in Opelika, AL | Powered by Net Ministries". www.netministries.org. Retrieved July 3, 2019.
  26. ^ "List of Organizations". List of Organizations. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
  27. ^ "Gmail". accounts.google.com. Retrieved July 4, 2019.
  28. ^ "Ball State Chi Alpha – Christian Fellowship". Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  29. ^ "Yahoo". Yahoo. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  30. ^ "Group Locator". Chi Alpha Campus Ministries. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  31. ^ "Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship". orgsync.com. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  32. ^ "BellevueXA | Chi Alpha Campus Ministries | Bellevue College". Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  33. ^ "About". Bemidji Chi Alpha. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  34. ^ "Home". bostonuchialpha.com. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  35. ^ "Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship | ON THE CAMPUSES OF PEORIA, ILLINOIS". Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  36. ^ "Buffalo State Chi Alpha". Buffalo State Chi Alpha. Retrieved August 13, 2019.
  37. ^ "GMU Chi Alpha". GMU Chi Alpha. Retrieved August 21, 2019.
  38. ^ "Home - Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship | George Mason University". mason360.gmu.edu. Retrieved August 26, 2019.
  39. ^ "JCCLife". jccag.org. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  40. ^ "NC State Chi Alpha". NC State Chi Alpha. Retrieved January 5, 2020.
  41. ^ "Group Locator". Chi Alpha Campus Ministries. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  42. ^ "HOME". chialphanau1. Retrieved January 22, 2022.
  43. ^ "- PURDUE UNIVERSITY | BoilerLink". boilerlink.purdue.edu. Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  44. ^ "Purdue Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship". Retrieved September 20, 2019.
  45. ^ "Queens College Chi Alpha". Queens College Chi Alpha. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  46. ^ "Chi Alpha @ Stanford". Stanford Chi Alpha. Retrieved February 20, 2020.
  47. ^ "Home, Chi Alpha". Chi Alpha. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  48. ^ "- @UVA". uva.campuslabs.com. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  49. ^ "Home". Chi Alpha @ VT. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  50. ^ "WSU Chi Alpha Website". WSU Chi Alpha. Retrieved February 19, 2020.
  51. ^ "UCM". UCM. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  52. ^ "Worldwide Chi Alpha". Chi Alpha Campus Ministries. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  53. ^ "XA|MUN". XA|MUN. Retrieved December 1, 2021.
  54. ^ "Find a Group". Students for Christ - Europe. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  55. ^ "Students for Christ Rotterdam". Students for Christ Rotterdam. Retrieved September 18, 2019.
  56. ^ "Studenten für Christus Deutschland e.V. – Studenten prägen. Zukunft gestalten". Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  57. ^ "Home". sfcindia.witnesstoday.org. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  58. ^ "inicio". www.contacto.org. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  59. ^ "Chi Alpha Japan". chi-alpha-japan. Retrieved October 4, 2019.
  60. ^ Elliot, Peter (May 5, 2009). "Arkansas Pastors Shed Light on Idol Finalist Kris Allen". Everyday Christian. Archived from the original on May 9, 2009.

External links[]

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