| Chi Alpha | |
|---|---|
| ΧΑ | |
 | |
| Founded | 1953; 73 years ago (1953) Missouri State University |
| Type | Christian fellowship |
| Affiliation | Assemblies of God USA |
| Status | Active |
| Emphasis | Pentecostalism |
| Scope | International |
| Motto | "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)[1] |
| Pillars | Community, Creativity, Diversity, Excellence, Integrity, Servant-Leadership, and Evangelism |
| Colors | Black, White, Gray, and Red |
| Symbol | Christogram |
| Philanthropy | Convoy of Hope |
| Chapters | 267 |
| Nickname | Christ's Ambassadors[1] |
| Headquarters | 1445 North Boonville Avenue Springfield,Missouri 65802 United States |
| Website | chialpha |
Chi Alpha |ΧΑ (sometimesXA,χα,xa, orSfC - Students for Christ,[2] officially known asChi Alpha Christian Fellowship), is an international andinterdenominational,coeducationalChristianfellowship,social club,student society, andservice organization founded in 1953 on the campus ofMissouri State University (then known as Southwest Missouri State College) inSpringfield, Missouri. Chi Alpha is sponsored by theAssemblies of God USA.[3][4][5]
Chi Alpha adheres to the AGUSA Statement of 16 Fundamental Truths.[6][7] Its stated mission is "to reconcile students toJesus Christ, thereby transforming the university, the marketplace, and the world..."[8] It describes its core values or pillars as community, creativity, diversity, excellence, integrity, servant-leadership, and evangelism. Its self-described five-fold approach is prayer, worship,fellowship,discipleship, andmission.[9] One of itsphilanthropic andservice organization affiliations is theConvoy of Hope. Through its campus ministries and fellowships, Chi Alpha operates a missionary internship program through theWorld Assemblies of God Fellowship, requiring doctrinal assent.[10][11][12]
Since the beginning of the 21st century, Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship's campus ministries have fluctuated from 310 locations in 2010,[13] to 350 in 2019,[14] and 272 in 2024.[15] The organization and its leadership have also been subjected to controversies involving theLGBT community,[16][17] andsexual andpsychological abuse with former members alleging "cult-like" personalities.[18][14] In May 2023,Christianity Today and other outlets reported a registered sex offender was knowingly allowed to continued ministering to Chi Alpha students for more than 30 years.[19][20] Since these reports, a website has been launched and dedicated against abuses within Chi Alpha and Assemblies of God.[21]
The nameChi Alpha was inspired by the contemporary Assemblies of God youth movement, Christ's Ambassadors (reflection a phrase in2 Corinthians 5:20). The initials "CA" were changed to theGreek alphabet initials "ΧΑ" (and itsLatin Script's stylized equivalent of "XA") in order to resemble the names of other college organizations, in particularGreek-letter fraternities and sororities. Outside of North America, it is also known asSfC - Students for Christ in Europe, andConexión orUConexión in Latin America.[22]
Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship originates from withinAssemblies of God USA as a ministry to collegians in 1947 at the urging ofJ. Robert Ashcroft (father ofJohn Ashcroft), consisting of a newsletter sent to college students to encourage them in their faith.
After Ashcroft's newsletter publications, it soon became apparent that a newsletter by itself was inadequate, and so in 1953 Dr. J. Calvin Holsinger chartered the first Assemblies of God student group atMissouri State University (formerly Southwest Missouri State University) inSpringfield, Missouri where theAssemblies of God and Assemblies of God USA headquarters is located.[23][24][note 1] The movement inspired and sponsored by Assemblies of God quickly spread to other campuses. For example, the first Chi Alpha to own property was theUC Berkeley chapter, which purchased a house next to campus in 1964.
Chi Alpha began its development internationally in the 1970s, establishing chapters in Europe under the nameStudents for Christ,[25] and also into Latin America under various names.
At the 1977 Chi Alpha Campus Ministers Conference, chairman C. David Gable met with six other personnel, who collectively became known as the San Antonio Seven[26] to develop an approach to local campus ministry. Subsequently, a document approved by the AG Executive Presbytery established a concise set of ministry principles centered on a fourfold philosophy of worship, fellowship, discipleship, and witness, adapted from Acts 2:42-47. Gable explained, “Our goals are more than evangelism; they include stabilizing, maturing, and drawing out the dynamics of the body of Christ.”[27]
In 1979, Dennis Gaylor became national director of Chi Alpha, and served until April 2013,[28] making him the longest-tenured leader of the organization. In a significant move in 1986,[29] Chi Alpha switched from being under the purview of the AG’s Youth Department to a division of AG U.S. Missions. The change recognized Chi Alpha as missions and the university campus as a mission field. Chi Alpha evolved from a loosely knit disparate band of campus workers scattered across the nation in the 1980s to a solid group of trained and qualified missionaries in the 1990s.[30]
By 1985,Annie Dillard wrote a widely reprinted essay—"Singing with the Fundamentalists"[31]—about her experiences singing with a group of students from the Chi Alpha chapter atWestern Washington University (a chapter which operated under the local name of Campus Christian Fellowship).
In 2013, following Gaylor's leadership, he was then succeeded in leadership led by Scott Martin,[32] up to 2023.[33] Following Martin's resignation in November 2023,[33] Severin Lwali became "transitional stakeholder" of the organization.[34][35] Lwali, a native of Kenya, remains the director of Chi Alpha International as of 2025,[36] while Alex Rodriguez serves as the Senior National Director.[32]
Chi Alpha within the United States has a large presence throughout theSouth andMidwest.[37][38] Globally, its second-largest presence is in Europe, within some predominantly and historicallyCatholic andEastern Orthodox countries ofWestern,Central, andMediterranean Europe.[39] At the beginning of the 21st century, there have been Chi Alpha ministries and fellowships on over 310 campuses throughout the United States as of 2010.[13] As of December 2024, Chi Alpha had a presence at 270 campuses throughout the United States, and as of December 2025, its presence declined to 267 campus ministries and fellowships.[15]
Throughout the organization's history, it has been involved in numerous controversies involving theLGBT community,sexual andpsychological abuse, andreligious abuse.[16][18][14] For instance, Chi Alpha chapters atGeorgetown University and theUniversity of New Hampshire were highlighted in a 2003 article inThe New York Times entitled "Of Bart and Homer, and the Many Ways of Faith"—an article about their use ofThe Simpsons as a Bible study tool.[40] Additionally, in the 2014-2015 school year, Chi Alpha atCSU Stanislaus was removed from campus because they required that their leaders be Christians. The case gained national attention through conservative news channelFox News.[41][42][43] The chapter was eventually reinstated after a year-long dispute between Chi Alpha and the campus.[44]
In 2019, Chi Alpha'sWinona State University fellowship was highlighted by former members for allegations of students following "cult-like" personalities. Its campus leader was alleged of favoritism and shaming student party-goers and drinkers; additional allegations included mishandlingsexual abuse andpsychological abuse.[14] In 2020, a student from theUniversity of Virginia alleged discrimination after coming out and being forced to step down.[45] A year later, from 2021-2022, the fellowship was highlighted for leadership's accusations of discrimination against the LGBT community, students havingpremarital sex, and students whoconsume alcohol.[46][17][47][48]
In July 2022, a pastor working for Chi Alpha was arrested for "continuous sexual abuse of a child," pleading innocence.[18][49][50]
In May 2023,Christianity Today and other outlets reported the organization's platforming of registered sexual offender, Daniel Savala, for more than 30 years.[19][20][51] Following, according to aDallas, Texas-based law firm, demands have been made to limit the activity of Chi Alpha on multiple college and university campuses.[52] A website was also published, dedicated against abuses within Chi Alpha and the Assemblies of God.[21] On 21 May 2023, board members and elders of a North Texas Assemblies of God church dismissed a pastor of the Texas A&M Chi Alpha chapter and Mountain Valley Fellowship linked to the sex abuse scandal.[53] On 25 May 2023, a Chi Alpha campus minister forBaylor University was arrested on child sex abuse charges.[54] At the Baylor ministry, the campus chapter has opposed the university allowing an organization for LGBT students. The Baylor chapter was suspended during the sex abuse scandal.[55][56][57]
In June 2023, Savala was arrested;[58][59][60][61] according toThe Christian Post, the Assemblies of God USA noted that Savala was never on staff with Chi Alpha and took steps to sever ties as they learned of his sex offender status. Whistleblowers reportedly disputed the claims.[62] Following Savala's arrest in June, an Alaskan minister linked to Chi Alpha was charged with sexual abuse.[63]
By August 2023, three Assemblies of God pastors from Texas and Louisiana had called for the resignation of the denomination's leaders over the Savala scandal.[64] A pastor fromOrange, Texas criticized his denomination's general superintendent, Doug E. Clay, and alleging minimization of the abuse Savala has been accused of. According to Clay,Along the spectrum of ministry lines, there are times when there are hiccups, there are times when there are shortcomings, there are times when there are failures. But the failures of some individuals never trumps the strength and purpose and vitality of the particular ministry.[65] But Orange, Texas-pastor Armstrong responded, "Hundreds of victims of sexual abuse is not a spot on a spectrum."[66]
In October 2023, it was revealed from a 1989 yearbook for theUniversity of Louisiana at Lafayette, that Savala was mentioned as a Chi Alpha staff member alongside campus minister Eric Treuil.[67] Treuil reestablished the local Chi Alpha chapter for the university in 1987, and since 1994, has led the Cajuns 4 Christ athletic outreach program.[68]
Prior, in 2012, formerLouisiana Ragin' Cajun football players were arrested for sexual assault allegations. Following, some members of the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns sought baptism through Chi Alpha and Treuil responded:[69]
I believe it played a bit into it, from the angle of the reality that anybody can get into trouble—easily. And less you make some choices and decisions, it's easy for anybody to mess up. I do think it played a part. They stepped over and decided to make some good, strong decisions. It's saying, ‘Hey, I'm telling everybody I'm living out the Christian life. Now, they've put themselves out there for some accountability.
In November 2023, national director Scott Martin resigned and the Assemblies of God withheld comment fromThe Christian Post, referencing its statement on the Savala scandal.[33][70]
In January 2024, additional allegations were presented from an unnamed minor in Texas in a lawsuit set by their father against the Assemblies of God.[71][72][73] By March 2024, a church disaffiliated from Assemblies of God USA over the Chi Alpha sex abuse scandal.[74] By May 2024, three men linked with Chi Alpha's Texas A&M chapter were arrested for indecency with a child.[75]
In August 2024, the suspended Texas A&M chapter was highlighted for recruiting during its suspension.[76][77]
Following is a list of some of Chi Alpha's notable alumni.
Chi Alpha is sponsored by the Assemblies of God (AG). That means the AG provides each local campus with support, resources and connectivity to a larger worldwide movement. They also work to equip the leaders of each local XA, both the vocational missionaries associated with each group and the student leaders. The sponsorship by the Assemblies of God does not mean that you have to have a history with the AG. You don't have to have any particular denominational connection to be welcomed in our groups.
Mason dreamed of an integrated church and believed that all races were entitled to equal rights and authority. From COGIC's inception, Mason ordained and allowed whites to join his denomination. From 1907 to 1914, Mason ordained hundreds of white ministers. In 1914, a group of whites left COGIC and established the Assemblies of God. Throughout his tenure, Mason continued to integrate COGIC. A white COGIC pastor named Leonard P. Adams pastored Grace and Truth in Memphis, and COGIC's first general secretary was a white man named William B. Holt. Mason also conducted integrated funerals, baptisms, and worship services. At the height of Jim Crow, Mason allowed blacks and whites to sit next to each other in church. In the 1930s, Edward Hull "Boss" Crump told Mason he could not continue to allow blacks and whites to sit together. However, Boss Crump did not stop Mason from holding integrated meetings. Mason used COGIC as a platform to fight against segregation and encouraged blacks and whites to embrace racial unity.
Even as a believer in Christ, your members have tried to make me and others feel bad for not wanting to be a part of your organization. I've politely told your members before as they approached me on my way to class that I am already part of a church family, only for them to try and grill me about the church I attend, and how involved I am to see if it fits their standards of Christianity and tell me "that's not good enough." I can distinctly remember a situation on campus last year that I had to witness in disgust where some of your members purposefully set up next to the LGBTQ club, just so that you could scream at them and harass them for their life choices. The LGBTQ members stood there silently and with dignity as you made complete fools out of yourselves with your hypocrisy towards religion.
Savala has been associated with multiple chapters of Chi Alpha since at least 1989. A 1989 article from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette yearbook refers to Savala as a "Chi Alpha staff member and world traveled missionary," but Assemblies of God officials said in a statement that was a "captioning error," and that Savala did not hold credentials with Assemblies of God and never served as an official Chi Alpha staff member.