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Missions

Relationships are Key in Chi Alpha

Lori* was becoming a party girl. She intended to serve God when she left home and she initially sought out Christian fellowship. But the college party life was attractive. Soon she was deeply involved in the secular college lifestyle.

Regrettably, this story is repeated on college campuses across the nation and Christian parents are heartbroken by the choices their children are making.

Fortunately for Lori, the first friends she made on campus were a part of Davis Christian Fellowship, the Chi Alpha chapter at University of California, Davis.

Chi Alpha is an Assemblies of God campus ministry dedicated to introducing college students to an authentic relationship with Jesus Christ. Jennifer Hughes, director of Davis Christian Fellowship, says this is accomplished through a variety of means. Jennifer conducts Friday night meetings, when students gather for worship, encouragement, and a message from God's Word. She is also involved in mentoring, discipling and training leaders for small groups. These "core groups" meet weekly and participate in Bible study, prayer, service opportunities, social interaction, worship and evangelism. They are an important key for reaching unbelieving students and helping young believers stay on track. Students will attend a core group meeting out of curiosity or because of a friendship with someone in the group. Jennifer says many of the testimonies of salvation start with, "I had a friendship with someone in the group and."

When Lori stopped showing up at the core group meetings her Christian friends were relentless. They sought her out, asking, "Hey, what's going on? How are you doing? We want you to come back. We miss you. We love you." Through those loving relationships Lori was drawn back into the small group and re-dedicated herself to Christ. "Christian friendships are key on the secular university campus," says Lori.

Jennifer adds that "Lori is a fireball on campus right now, reaching out to people and helping out with her small group. Her life is changed."

Jennifer urges parents and pastors to tell their youth about Chi Alpha. Jennifer and her team want to be the first to greet new students because often the first relationships they build are the ones they stay with.

"New students want to belong and they want friends but they will act like they don't need anyone," Jennifer explains. "It makes all the difference if they can get plugged in with a group like ours right away. Then they have a solid foundation to fall back on even if they start to go astray.

"Relationships are powerful and that is really how we share Christ and help people come to know Him. Pray that we will have our eyes open to see who needs a friend and that we will have the opportunity to build relationships."

* Name has been changed.