A small testimony via Facebook

It is super encouraging to see students coming to know Christ! It is also encouraging when they voice to other students their experience in coming to know who Christ is. This was a recent post on Facebook by a Freshman at Georgia southern University. Logan called me just the other day to ask if it was ok for him to make this post in hopes of challenging the body of Christ to get involved on University Campuses.


"When I came to SOAR orientation at Georgia Southern, I met these two people named Kevin and Richard. Little did I know the difference that they would make in my life. We were just playing basketball and I saw Richard wearing a shirt that said "Chi Alpha" I proceeded to ask about it and come to find out it's a Campus Ministry here at Georgia Southern. They have gotten me back into church and praising Jesus again. I'm glad I met them! They need your help. Only 1 out of 20 kids at Georgia Southern know Jesus and that needs to change! Please think about giving a donation to this great organization!
Go to http://kwilliamsxa.blogspot.com/p/support-information.html to get more information on how to donate to a great organization that helped start my college career on a great note!"

US Missions Missionary Highlight (Official)

U.S. Missions (Assemblies of God)

Yesterday

Meet our U.S. missionaries: Kevin Williams, Chi Alpha at Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA.

Kevin is a Campus Missionary Associate, and serves as an assistant to the director and pastor, Richard Burke, by providing spiritual leadership, training, and development. Kevin graduated from Georgia Southern with a B.S. in Public Relations and spent a year giving back to Chi Alpha. Soon after, he became a full-time staff member serving to give students the same opportunity to know Jesus that he had when he was in college. Kevin is passionate about showing the love of Christ just as he was shown the love of Christ through Chi Alpha.

Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship at GSU hosts close to 100 students at our weekly services. In addition to services students enjoy a variety of bible studies and missional trips.

To donate to this ministry: http://tinyurl.com/brk7caa

Over 35 Salvations this year!

       Carl F. H. Henry said, “The gospel is only good news if it gets there in time.”  For 35 students this year, who gave their lives to Jesus in Chi Alpha, it came perfectly in time! This school year has absolutely flown by and it’s only as I get to sit back and reflect on the year, that I can begin to fully see what God has been doing!

       We have had such a great year at Chi Alpha. Our student leaders have grabbed hold of our vision to transform the University through prayer, worship, fellowship, discipleship and witnessing and it has paid off! In addition to over 35 students  who gave their lives to Jesus this year, countless more students have grown closer to God as we saw our service double in size again this year. We had a few weeks this year where 100+ students were in attendance!! We also have more students attending mission trips than we have had in the past few years. We have more bible studies (we call them Alpha Groups) than we have ever had and WAY more students actively and consistently involved in them as well. It has been a year of blessings in Chi Alpha, and we feel that He has poised us for Revival in the Fall!

Curious about Chi Alpha?

Chi Alpha is a Campus Ministry Organization that started in 1953 at Southwest Missouri State University. Now there are 279 XA locations worldwide. 

There are now 6 groups in Georgia alone at University Of Georgia (UGA),Georgia Tech (GT), Columbus State, Savannah College of Art and Design (SCAD), Armstrong Atlantic, and Georgia Southern. 

Changed

Alpha Team on my mind

My experience working as a Missionary in Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship has been one life changing experience. The definition of work seems to be changing daily as I see God working in my life. For the sake of this post I must boast about one thing or I should say Group that I hold dear to my heart here at XA.

Do not read me wrong, I love all the students in XA but there is a specific set that will always have a special home in my heart. What we call Alpha Team or as described in a secular job, Pre-Leadership, has made a lasting impact on my life. Every Wednesday at 5:30pm I am honored and blessed to train/develop the future Leaders not only for our organization but for the world.

Alpha team is a new addition to XA here on Georgia Southern's campus. It is designed to be a bible study where we, XA Staff, pour into our students and give them specific instruction on how to be effective leaders. This semester numbers as the second semester Alpha Team has been implemented. Never did I imagine that there would be a day where I would be influenced in such a way by such individuals. With 7 members in all Alpha Team this semester has made a huge impact.

These 7 unique and amazing individuals have stepped out of the college crowd and have boldly asked to be trained as leaders. If I could describe this years team in a few words it would be something along the lines of, "Fierce Servants in Love". Never have I seen such an unique group of students who are so willing to serve. 

I woke up this morning with an excitement for this weeks meeting. Unlike typical bible studies, Alpha Team is a study + Application group. Just as much as we study the Word in a casual setting we practice team building and servantship by working together serving the campus and surrounding community. Half of our time is spent in a study setting and the other half out having fun implementing what we have gone over. We are a group that plays to each persons strengths and works as a team on weaknesses. This semester in particular  we have a group of unique gifts. For example we are blessed with students who enjoy leading and participating in worship, dance, video game hangout groups, Automotive hangout groups, outdoors recreation groups and musicianship hangout groups. Alpha Team members use their interests to connect to others and share the good news of Christ! 

Today I noticed how much I have learned from Alpha Team this semester. This years team has an uncanny ability to break all the cultural rules and reach the hearts of those seeking more to life. I have learned that God works through us in unique ways that to some may seem small but in reality are huge. I have seen first hand the power of God's love as I am constantly taught more and more by these students. It  is with much pride that I say I have been blessed to be leading such a magnificent group of students.

If Alpha Team is something you would like to be apart of or know of someone who would please feel free to contact me. There is some supplementary reading that will enrich and encourage development. The  book required is, "Spiritual Leadership by J. Oswald Sanders." Also if you are seeking just some instruction on how to be a spiritual leader this Alpha Group is open to you as well! Although Alpha Team is a pre-requisite for anyone who is seeking to be on Leadership at XA it is also a bible study for anyone who is seeking guidance.

If you are looking to get involved in an Alpha Group (Life Group or Bible Study) please check the Get Connected page for the dates, times, and who to contact.

A message of Condemnation and God's miracles on Campus

What I can tell you about the first thought of my day is that I did not think I would encounter a seemingly crazy guy quoting scripture like he was a human Bible Dictionary on Georgia Southern University's Campus.  Literally, it happened.

A good buddy of mine sent me a text requesting that we meet up because he had some things on his mind. Little did I know that upon my arrival to meet him On Campus at the Russell Union I would find a man standing amongst what had to be at least 120 or so students preaching what sounded like the Word of God.

Now, I was gravely mistaken. As I moved into the crowded attendance I could hear distinctly the battle shouts of the students against the man. It broke my heart to see that he was mis-using the Holy Word of God. He was boldly calling students slurs and negative names that I shall not repeat. Furthermore he was claiming God felt exactly as he was saying.

There was so much discouragement being thrown back and forth from the crowd to the man and from the man to the crowd I almost couldn't take it. To see a man claiming to be from the Father I know and representing Him in the most horrific of ways was heart clenching.

Despite this horrific seen there was so much to be proud of. I saw with my own eyes miracles being performed by the grace of God. Chi Alpha students who were spread sparingly amongst the crowd were showing the love of God in power as they ministered to the hearts of students who were being hurt by the words of condemnation.

At this realization I was inspired to act. I asked a fellow Chi Alphian for a bible and I tried to ease my way closer to the guy. I felt it on my heart just to discreetly ask him some questions and kind of shed some light on the fact that if he was a Christian this was not a great venue for administering the Gospel in hope of Salvations. After speaking the a police officer he allowed me to step out from the crown towards the man's right shoulder. I tried to politely get his attention but as he saw the bible in my hand he ignored me.

After 10 or so minutes I gave up and went to sit with some of the students to pray only to be called back by the crowd of students to come over and ask my questions. I was startled that so many people realized my attempt to speak with the guy. It dawned on me that many of the students must have seen me before or at least knew some of the students I work with. So, I hurried over and stepped out from the crowd to the man's side once again. This time he acknowledged me and told me as loud as for all to hear that I better not have come to preach but only to ask a question.

I prayed silently and waited for a second. Then attempted to let him know that it is in my experience  that it is hard to minister to students on campus through the venue he was attempting to use. I was cut off and called spineless and a devil worshiper. I repeated again this time using scripture quoting 1 Cor 8:9. I told him if he is a believer we must be careful not to use our freedom in a way that would cause brothers to stumble. I mean't this simply as he was using Scripture which is the truth but the way he was using it hardened hearts. To the students this man was attacking them with Words that they have been taught should not be spoken of lightly. *We must use discernment in how to administer the Gospel in a way that is glorifying to God.


He then grew angry and bombarded me with questions about if I believe sinners go to hell. I gently said that is not what I came here to address. He then raised his voice to the crowd and things grew even more grave. He petitioned a vote if people liked him more or myself. Unfortunately I won the vote because of how hateful he was being towards the students. He then quoted that I won the World because I was of the World and that I did not know the Lord.

At this I told him thanks for hearing me and retreated from the front to make my way through the crowd. This was not possible because I was stopped by 6 students who wanted to know who I was and 1 reporter who wanted to get some more information about what I had spoken. I spent the next hour and a half preaching the Gospel to all who would hear not 20 feet from the Crazy Guy telling people that God hates sinners.

I recount this story because today I learned a little bit more about who God is. That even in the gravest of circumstances God's goodness will be shown. He is sovereign over all things. Nothing will separate us from God's love. Today I felt embarrassed, I felt angered, I felt made fun of, I felt like I was inadequate in my knowledge of scripture and most of all I felt attacked. Let this be on the record I would do it all again because the Salvations and the sharing of the Gospel that came out of it was beyond worth it.

If I could leave anyone who reads this a message this is what it would say, "God is real. Jesus is his Son. Get to know him because he is what you are seeking in your life whether you know it or not. And to the believers Walk in Power take every opportunity to put yourself in a position where the Holy Spirit can administer the Power of Christ in your life. Be a radical!--Most importantly---God loves you."

A Lasting Memory

It is through working with Chi Alpha that I found my passion to be aiding college students in coming to know Jesus. There is nothing more gratifying than to be apart of God's awesome plan for his sons and daughters. After half a year here in Chi Alpha God has moved in such a spectacular way.  

This story was written September 1st 2011 by a freshman student who attended one of our weekly services. This piece of writing is a lasting memory and encouragement to how God is working through Chi Alpha to touch the Georgia Southern University Campus.

———————————————

“My First Campus Ministry”

————————————

My first week, I focused on surviving. I was at Georgia Southern University by myself for the first time, I mean truly by myself. So my first week instead of looking for ministries I was getting a crash course in time management, memorizing key dates, not to mention being told what to do at 4:30a.m. (I’m used to telling cadets what to do at about 4:30pm.)

This week, my second week, I dedicated time to finding a campus ministry where I can be connected to followers of Christ here at southern. I found a couple online on the Student Organizations page and lined up the schedule so that I could check out a few. All around campus, and I mean literally ALL AROUND CAMPUS, I saw advertisements for Chi Alpha, a Christian ministry that always starts its ad with; “We are not a fraternity or sorority” just a group of students finding out what it means to follow Jesus.” So do to the great marketing of Chi Alpha I decided I would try there first.

I was embarrassed. For the first time, I think in years, I was embarrassed to say that I as going to a ministry meeting. I mean who does that? This is college; we’re supposed to leave those “childish” religious beliefs at home. Instead we should live and believe how and what we want. Only holding on to our religion as something that we are born with, something that has no purpose something that is just there… almost like a birthmark. So walking sheepishly out the door, one of my roommates asked me where I was heading to, “to see Jessica,” I quickly replied. Knowing this was a blatant lie and a violation of Matthew 10:33. I could almost hear the rooster crow as I got on my bike and went to the IT building where the meeting was to be held. I passed a small mostly African American ministry group doing devotion under a gazebo looking thing on my right, that was a little encouraging, but still doubt crept into my mind. I wondered if there wasn’t really any meeting, what if I just walked into an empty room, what if it was just me and the preacher-guy, what if there all crazy, what if there’s nothing but overwhelmingly southern rural white people, what if, what if, what if… you get the idea my mind went on a full sprint down interstate what if and it was hard to see the upcoming exit.

I saw a sign in front of the IT building advertising the event. I finally left interstate what if as I confirmed that there was actually a meeting. As I walked in God answered a whole lot of what ifs and then some. I was greeted by a director-like lady, who was a senior at the university, and she told me about Chi Alpha being an abbreviation of the Greek “Christou apostoloi” written by Paul meaning literally “Christ’s sent ones.” I love languages and stuff (international studies major/ history nerd!) like that, so it was a great way to start a conversation with me.

Then the doors opened. As we walked in I looked around and just kind of observed what was going on, and I as truly amazed by what I saw. I saw a group of college students, larger than my congregation in Augusta, gathered talking, laughing, and when the time came praising God, reading Bibles, taking notes, etc, etc. Here’s the craziest part, you ready? It was on their own time. Like me they were all college students who just came, not because of parents, or grandparents made them, not because their friends or roommates would think its cool (I KNOW it was not that one lol), but simply because they loved the Lord. They could have been studying, a lot were over 21 and could have been chilling at the bar, to be honest even the ones under 21 could have been chilling at the bar (that’s for another reflection though). They could have been literally anywhere but they wanted to be here. There are universities where students are required to go to chapel and stuff like that, I promise I don’t mean to bash these schools, but to me this was way more beautiful.

This was very much different. The next thing I noticed was just how diverse college Christianity is. By diverse I could have simply meant there was a good mix of both black and white students, and there were. As a matter of fact the band played a mix of music. Some was contemporary stuff that you would hear on 88.3 others are the gospel stuff that you would hear on BET Sunday mornings. This is good, different, but good. Let me remind you though that this is still not the diverse that I am talking about. Alongside the blacks and whites, there were Hispanics, Asians, and a ton of other cultures! Behind me sat a VERY middle eastern looking guy who if I would have saw anywhere else on campus I would have pushed off as Islamic (but I have a stereotyping problem to be honest lol). Here at there’s Georgia Southern even a Japanese’s foreign exchange student that believes in Christ, a country that is “Proud of their secular society, most Japanese aren’t religious in the way Americans are” according to Dan Gillgolf, religion editor for CNN. Some didn’t like certain songs, I personally HAT, excuse me STRONGLY DISLIKE southern gospel, but we all seemed to put that aside to embrace unity in diversity. I liked that though because I my mind as the Church we should truly be the epitome of the Latin phrase E pluribus unum, meaning “Out of many, one.” I saw this amongst Christ’s sent ones Tuesday night.

People doubt all the time the ability of God to do his work, especially in the United States, and I don’t judge them because I think that too, a lot more that I would like to admit. I expected to see Christianity at a stand still here, on the ropes in a fight against postmodernism, atheism, and simple apathy. Instead I saw a group of believes still running the race that Paul tells us about in 1st Corinthians 9:24. I saw them doing it in a place that I personally consider more hostile to Christianity than the famous “10-40 window.” Audrey Assad, a Catholic singer, wrote her most famous single “It’s You I’m chasing after cause I am captivated by who You are and how You move I’ll follow You forever.” (Italics are mines). Like Mrs. Assad I am truly captivated to see Christ move especially as I remember that this is only the first ministry I’ve looked at. I hope that my optimism last as I go through the years (I like to live in terms of semesters now actually).

-written Sept. 1, 2011
by: Jonathan Quintyne