Clint and Vickie Bryan, Cameron University, Lawton, Oklahoma
Clint Bryan
In the fall of 1979, Clint Bryan left home to attend the University of Arkansas. As a freshman who would live away from home for the first time, he did not know what to expect, as he was the first in his family to go off to college and, ultimately, get a degree. The dormitory in which he lived housed more people than lived in his hometown; yet, he felt alone in a crowd. There were keg parties in the dorm and guys getting sick all over building; the culture shock was immense as his hometown was in a dry township and his family practiced a holiness lifestyle. His work-study job was in the Chemistry Library. This position afforded Clint an opportunity to become acquainted with Mary Stokes, the faculty advisor for XA at UA.
At the end of the sixth week of classes, Clint decided to drop out of college, as his grades were sad. Before emptying his dorm room into his car to go home for the weekend and not come back, he went to Mary Stokes’ small group. He had been invited a couple of weeks before, but had not gone yet. He also attended Mary’s church, First Assembly of God, on Sunday. She began to encourage him to attend the XA main group. He worked evenings so was not able to attend as often as he liked. Clint said, “Mary’s small group had the bigger influence on me. She would check on me during the week and would walk me over to the prayer room in the Chi Alpha House when I was dealing with questions or anxiety.” In his junior year, Mary asked him to co-lead her small group.
Upon completing his undergraduate degree at UA, he and his wife, Vickie, went to graduate school at the University of Kansas in Lawrence and he earned an MS degree in chemistry. There was no XA ministry at KU. Mary encouraged them to charter XA at KU and lead it. They spent the next three years as a student leader while in graduate school. During this time of student leadership, Mary served as a long-distance mentor by checking on them and the ministry. She would listen to their testimonies, prayer requests, and give them input on the ministry. When they returned to Arkansas during intercession breaks they made sure to visit with Mary. It was during that first semester in graduate school that the Bryans received a divine revelation of their purpose—”we would pursue working with undergraduates.”
Clint earned his PhD at the University of Arkansas in chemistry and accepted a chemistry instructor position at Cameron University in Lawton, Oklahoma, in 1988. The campus had a XA ministry, so they got involved. In 1994, the student leadership asked Clint to become the XA faculty advisor. Since then, Clint and Vickie have led the main worship meeting, led small groups, driven students to retreats, SALT and RUI, delivered groceries to the dorm during holidays, and hosted up to forty-two students at their home for Thanksgiving. Clint said, “It has been important to me to get students where they want to get. Just as Mary did for me, I wanted to stand in the gap for my students.”
There’s More
Timothy E. Glass
Did you know national XA has an alumni association e-letter? In their October 2021 issue they featured another Professor and Chair of the Chemistry Department, Timothy E. Glass. Timothy graduated from Stanford U where he was active in XA before landing his assignments at the University of Missouri. He serves as faculty advisor for XA and has spoken at Mizzou XA.
As a senior in college, James Damude walked the campus of Northwood University, Midland, MI, with the XA campus pastor. The campus pastor asked James, “what do you see when you look at all these students?” James paused, allowing the Holy Spirit to work in him, and said, “I see spiritually dead people.” It was on that cold crisp fall day in Michigan, James heard the Holy Spirit call him to campus ministry.
That next year he entered an XA internship with campus minister, Scott Miller, on the campus of Boston University. For 18 months, he learned how to take the calling and actualize it on the campus. James returned to NU in 2001 and directed campus ministry until 2010. In 2011-2012 he served with AG World Missions in Jaipur, India on a campus missions assignment. After he returned stateside, he launched a XA ministry at Saginaw Valley State University, Saginaw, MI, and served the next four years. For 15 years, his calling was to bring the life-changing gospel of Jesus Christ to college students all over the world.
The transition from XA to US Army chaplaincy was much like his transition from a full-time student to a campus minister. It started with him hearing from the Holy Spirit and then working hard. Over a Thanksgiving dinner, my uncle talked about his chaplain while he served in the Gulf War. James learned about the influence the chaplain had in soldiers’ lives. That night, the Holy Spirit was speaking again. James researched chaplaincy, saw the path was difficult but worthwhile to pursue.
The US Army holds the position of chaplain in high regard, as they are the Shepherd of a soldier’s spiritual life. It comes as no surprise; the requirements are immense. They require applicants to be ordained ministers, complete an MDiv have substantial ministry experience, pass a physical fitness test, and receive approval by the endorsing denomination. For James, that process was nine years in the making.
Now as a US Army Chaplain, it is his great honor to continue to serve the Lord, my country, my soldiers. Titles have changed from campus minister to chaplain, but the calling remains the same!
Chaplain (CPT) Jasmin R. LuckUS Air Force*
Jasmin 27, is a recently commissioned U.S. Air Force endorsed chaplain and ordained Assemblies of God minister. She credits her training in XA with setting her course. Jasmin, a captain, stationed at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa, Japan, planning to build a spiritual community among the airmen at Kadena.
Military personnel at foreign bases often can’t just visit the local church of their denominational choice down the street. “Whatever spiritual community is on base is where they go and that’s why it’s so crucial to have strong spiritual communities overseas,” Jasmin says. “There are worship services held at churches off base, but often people look first to chapels where they can be around like-minded believers in similar seasons of life.”
Jasmin understands the value of having a strong spiritual community away from home. As a college student at Arizona State University, she too wondered if there was more to life than the party culture that surrounded her on campus.
“I knew that I was called to ministry at age 12, but I didn’t have a strong foundation in my faith until I went to college,” she says. Jasmin gained the spiritual foundation she needed through ASU XA chapter.
“XA not only gave me the grounding that I needed in my faith but also as a minister,” Jasmin says. Through XA, Jasmin received formative discipleship and training that solidified her calling to ministry. While active in XA, she took part in two transformational missions trips (XA Expeditions) to Greece and Macedonia.
Chaplain candidates must pursue their MDiv, work toward ordination in their church, and receive military training during their time in the program.
Jasmin enrolled in the chaplaincy candidate program and applied to the MDiv program at AG Theological Seminary. She gained acceptance into both programs in 2015 and finished in the top 5 percent of her class, which contained 235 chaplains candidates.
“I received a lot of training and experience in the chaplain candidate program that included assignments in Guam, England, and South Korea. The training helped me see the need on our overseas bases,” says Jasmin. Kadena Air Base is her first active duty assignment. One of her goals is to build a strong gospel and contemporary worship community, especially among the younger troops. Jasmin believes she has the coolest job ever.
Chaplain (Major) Russell H. Trubey—US Air Reserves
Russ Trubey
Russ Trubey’s XA story began in a roundabout way when Saddam Hussein invaded Kuwait on August 2, 1990. He was 21 years old, and in the Army, stationed at Ft. Sheridan, IL, about 30 minutes north of Chicago. Rusty was less than one month from getting out of the Army, and that day couldn’t come soon enough. He had no clue what he wanted to do with his life. The one thing he knew was he wanted out of the Army. Apparently, however, trumpet players (Russ played the trumpet in the Army band.) were needed. “Stop-loss policy” involuntarily put his exit from the Army on hold. He wondered if his band and trumpet playing were critical to national security.
In the providence and grace of God, the Holy Spirit brought people into my life who helped me understand and respond to His leading. It became crystal clear. The full-time ministry was my calling, but its shape would be a process. When he left the Army, he enrolled in Southeastern University, Lakeland, FL. from 1991 to 1995. It convinced him of two things – he wanted to reach young people and didn’t want to do it in a church.
After graduation and an internship, he met Mario Solari, the XA missionary at Florida State University, Tallahassee. After exposure to XA, he was hooked. XA was his path, and so he embarked on the daring journey of faith and finances as a campus missionary intern with campus minister, Gary Paschal at Stephen F. Austin State University, Nacogdoches, TX,1996-1997. He spent 16 years directing XA at the University of South Florida, Tampa, and West Virginia University, Morgantown. It was a rewarding ministry, but Russ felt his time with XA was ending. The Army needed chaplains.
He wondered if there was something to his calling to ministry that began when he was a soldier. Again, it was clear. He knew what God wanted him to do. He completed all the education and requirements necessary and became a chaplain in 2012. Because he was a Reserve Chaplain, he still needed a “civilian” ministry. The calling to help Soldiers and Veterans was primary, and so in 2015, He became a chaplain with the Department of Veterans Affairs.
His passion was to carry the stories of those on the front lines of faith who struggle with life’s greatest questions. XA helped prepare me for this unique ministry of bringing hope of Christ to those who have borne the battle.
*Originally an AG News article “Building a Bedrock of Faith,” about Jasmin Luck by Ally Henny, June 14, 2021, appeared: https://news.ag.org/en/News/Building-a-Bedrock-of-Faith
In 1988 Vic and Kathy started as college and youth pastors at Gresham Family Worship Center and Mount Hood Community College. Their first day on campus they met Caribbean and Central American international students and hosted them at their home to barbecue and watching the NBA finals. The Varises attended the Northwest SALT conference and knew God had called them to serve students. The state youth director, Stan Russell, invited them to become Oregon’s first district Chi Alpha directors and they relocated to Portland, Oregon.
At the beginning of 1990, the Varises left church staff ministry to serve as campus ministers to Portland State University. Family Worship Center and pastors Bob and Dona Barham assisted them in this transition from church staff to campus. In 1992 the Varises became the first nationally appointed missionaries. This would lead to new staff being added to University of Oregon, Oregon State University, Southern Oregon University, and other campuses.
They began renting the 1748 House (pictured above), a 110 year old 10 bedroom Craftsman house, and in 2004 the landlords sold the house to the Varises. Portland Christian Center assisted with a major remodel of the house. This house was a ministry center providing hospitality and housing to American and international students. The home was so often the first and only American home many international students ever visited in their time in America. The Varises hosted 150 international students and scholars from 25 nations at the 1748 Home. Their hearts for reaching international students and scholars led them to align themselves with FOCUS, an international ministry at PSU. During their decades of ministry, thousands of international students came through FOCUS with many coming to Christ.
As they reflect on their 30 years of ministry, so many lives were changed forever– through International Bible studies, one-on-ones, small groups, larger life groups and campus ministry meetings, staff retreats, and assisted with urban mission trips.
On a personal level, “Chi Alpha has simply been the very best missions and ministry experience of our lives. Kathy and I are so honored to forever be part of the Chi Alpha “tribe”. We’ve met the very best and brightest, and most committed mission staff reaching our campuses and literally the world.” The Varises resigned their missionary appointment June 30, 2021. They have moved to Hawaii and with other family members purchased a compound with a farm and large lagoon pool. They have already hosted missionaries, pastors, Christian workers, for rest and rebuilding and will continue live missions where they are represented in hospitality.
