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Know the history, experience the present, and catch a vision

June 8, 2021
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Growing a Student Movement,

The Development of Chi Alpha Campus Ministries,1940-2020

At the beginning of the 21st century, Chi Alpha Campus Ministries USA is a major national student movement communicating the love of Jesus Christ and the good news of the gospel to thousands of students each year who matriculate through college. Chi Alpha students actively take part in campus ministry both stateside and abroad. Fifteen hundred campus missionary staff and volunteers serve 20,000 students on 300 campuses nationwide. Sister campus ministries are active in seventy-five nations. 

Dennis Gaylor writes Growing a Student Movement, The Development of Chi Alpha Campus Ministries, 1940–2020 after having served as the national director of Chi Alpha Campus Ministries USA from 1979 to 2013. This 674-page comprehensive overview illustrates the profound influence of Chi Alpha in the church and world today. 

Chi Alpha is rooted in the Assemblies of God (AG) denomination, a church formed at the beginning of the 20th century as part of the modern Pentecostal movement. They derived the name Chi Alpha from the two Greek letters, XA, and the biblical passage, 2 Corinthians 5:19-20, identifying “Christ Ambassadors” or “Christ sent ones.” The AG created a national Youth Department in 1947 and soon explored ways to minister to AG youth attending state colleges and universities, particularly as thousands of men and women entered college after returning from WWII. Chi Alpha was first organized at Southwest Missouri State (now Missouri State University) in 1953.

A stateside chronological history of Chi Alpha is brought to life through the decades in eight chapters. The book records 800 photographs, 50 charts, and 100 quotes to help tell the story of people and events in Chi Alpha’s growth. A single watershed moment changed the trajectory of Chi Alpha in 1986 with the organizational move from the national Youth Department to AG US Missions. For the first time, Chi Alpha personnel are missionaries, and mission strategies and methods apply to advance the ministry on campuses. AG World Missions also began appointing world missionaries to start university ministries in other nations.

Three chapters cover the vast influence of Chi Alpha in world missions, international student ministry, and a parallel history of university ministry outside the US. The final chapters focus on change, new leadership, and spiritual awakening. The epilogue observes the impact on college students and campuses in the year 2020 during an unprecedented global pandemic, racial justice issues, and the presidential election.  

In Growing a Student Movement, the reader can know the history, experience the present, and catch a vision for the future.

Purchase on Amazon
Related Posts

XA Director Serves as Chaplain for The University of Louisiana

November 15, 2021
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Eric Treuil

Cajuns for Christ, a ministry to the athletes at the University of Louisiana co-sponsored by Chi Alpha and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes began in 1994 when Eric Treuil, as campus minister, started a Wednesday Bible study in the athletic dorm for the athletes across every sport. The time demand for athletes is pretty intense, from workouts, practices, film sessions, and study hall, along with various other meetings. With all these demands, it leaves very little time for athletes to get involved with activities of a regular student and the reason our weekly Bible study has to be after 8pm and specific to athletes.

In 1999, the school’s coach invited him to travel with the team as a volunteer chaplain to present pregame messages. Neither players nor staff are required to attend, but Treuil says the coach is there every time, along with most of the team. The outreach to the athletes also involves weekly attending practices, going to the weight room, and being present whenever the team gathers.

Many of the athletes have committed their lives to Christ in the Bible studies, in conversations with Eric traveling to games, and at XA events. One such athlete was Charles “Peanut” Tillman, described by Eric as a devout student with no church background. Charles came to the athlete Bible study and gave his life to Christ. After graduating, he played 13 years in the National Football League, 12 of those years as a cornerback with the Chicago Bears, and played in the Super Bowl 41. In his final year 2015, he played with the Carolina Panthers.

Several athletes have followed up salvation with water baptism in the UL Intramural Center swimming pool. At an away game, Otha Peters, linebacker for UL Ragin’ Cajuns, told Eric the Lord convicted him of his need to be baptized in water, so Eric baptized him in the swimming pool at the hotel where the athletes were staying.

For 27 years, Eric has enjoyed a relationship with several of the UL coaches and a discipling and mentoring role with athletes, and conducted marriage ceremonies for athletes. About 60 XA students assist at each home game by carrying the world’s largest Louisiana state flag on the field as a part of pre-game festivities. The Ragin Cajuns ended last season, ranked #15 in the AP poll with a 10-1 record. Eric does a live pregame Facebook broadcast weekly with the film coordinator of the Ragin Cajuns Darren Walker. Also, while on road games, Eric makes it his habit to connect with the local Chi Alpha missionaries and encourage them to reach out to athletes.

For the original news story see: https://news.ag.org/en/News/Ragin-for-Christ by DeAnn Alford, Sept. 28, 2021

Did you know there are other XA missionaries serving as football chaplains to reach college athletes at University of California Davis, Idaho State University, University of Central Arkansas, Southern Arkansas University, Sam Houston State University, Nicholls State University (Louisiana), and Western New Mexico State U.

Dateline: Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia

Daniel and Catherine Andrew are pioneering XA at Southern Arkansas University, Magnolia, and Daniel has met with the athletes and formed a discipleship group for athletes.

Check out, an article in Christianity Today, “For God so Loved the World, He Played”

https://www.christianitytoday.com/partners/faith-sports-institute/for-god-so-loved-world-that-he-played.html

1 Comment
    Nathan Cole says: Reply
    June 13th 2021, 9:42 pm

    I am so grateful for the years you have invested into making this book a reality. Cannot wait to get my hands on a copy!

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