In 2001, Tim and Melissa Kern traveled to Helena from Dillon Montana with Curtis Cole, campus minister at University of Montana–Western (UMW) to check out Carroll College. Curtis and Delyn Freeman Cole were their XA pastors and mentors who invested years in them as students at UM-W. Tim and Melissa were 26 years old and were toting around their daughter Hannah Kern who was 1 month old. That day, God birthed in them a calling to pioneer Chi Alpha at Carroll College, a private Catholic campus. Pastors Ken Ross, Norm Christofferson and Paul Feuerstein were incredible mentors and supportive of XA along with so many other pastors in Helena and Montana that helped them start XA. Levi Mielke was their first student who transferred to Carroll to help the Kerns pioneer the ministry. Emily Roehm was their first full time associate staff and Haylee Petrusha and Haley Feuerstein were their first students to “give a year” back to XA at Carroll. Keith Elder, district youth director for Montana, challenged and appointed the Kerns to establish XA at Carroll College.
Nick & Haylee Petrusha and their team took over the ministry at Carroll College. Tim and Melissa received national missionary appointment in 2013, to relocate to South Bend, Indiana to pioneer another private Catholic University, University of Notre Dame and they have! They also began ministry at the Indiana University at South Bend and St. Mary’s College.
Steve graduated from Georgetown University and served three years active duty in the U.S. Army. He was led to the Lord by a college student and experienced a dramatic conversion to a real faith in Jesus Christ. Steve received divine direction to State College, Pennsylvania, home of Penn State University. He began doing outdoor preaching. He became a member of the local State College Assemblies of God church, pastored by Rex Bornman. Rex asked Steve to organize a XA group at Penn State. Steve would direct XA a from 1980 to 1985. During that time, he met and married Charlene Bernhardt in 1984 who had come to PSU from Evangel University to pursue a Masters degree.
In 1990, Pastor Arnold Lastinger invited Steve to preach two services at the First Assembly of God in Gainesville, Florida. He was looking for someone to develop XA at the University of Florida. The pastor then referred him to the AG Peninsular Florida District Council (PFDC) in Lakeland for an interview. The district presbyters approved Steve as the first full-time XA campus minister in Pen Florida.
Steve and Charlene implemented the XA principles of prayer, worship, discipleship, fellowship, and evangelism as a foundation for university ministry. XA meetings were held on campus. Student leaders equipped their peers for spiritual growth. Bible studies met in dorms and apartments. Those with musical gifts led in worship. Over the years, hundreds of students participated in the UF XA ministry. They witnessed salvations, water baptisms, fillings with the Holy Spirit, and healings.
Chi Alpha students at the University of Florida
UF influences students from many nations and cultures and with a diversity of backgrounds. For twenty-five years (1991 – 2016), they directed XA at UF. In 2016 Steve (age 71) and Charlene stepped away from full-time XA to focus on international students and scholars representing fourteen nations. Through the years, UF XA students have traveled to fifteen countries on mission trips. Here at home, students helped hurricane victims in New Orleans and migrant workers in South Florida.
The global impact of campus ministry is represented by a journalist who came to UF from Taiwan on a Fulbright scholarship. Her major was media management. One day, she called the Michaels to let them know that she was setting aside three days to seek the Lord, and wanted to meet to talk about the Holy Spirit. She received the baptism with the Holy Spirit in the Michaels living room after a Bible teaching from Acts! This scholar returned to her nation knowing that Jesus gave “power from on high” to be a witness to her unsaved family and her nation.
National XA provided the Michaels with an opportunity to fulfill God’s assignment. The network of relationships and oversight helped them to continue these many years. Steve explained, “We are grateful to the Lord, our supporters, and all the college students who made this mission an exciting adventure!” At 75, Steve’s ministerial credential card reads, “Senior Retired,” however he and Charlene continue to minister to internationals as retirees.
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.
