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Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship is dedicated to forming a community of Spirit-empowered witnesses for Jesus Christ at Eastern Illinois University. Although Chi Alpha is affiliated with the Assemblies of God, persons of all denominations are welcome. It is our desire to provide a context in which university students are encouraged and challenged to live their lives to the max for Jesus Christ by following His example (I John 2:6). We strive for excellence in every area of our lives for His glory. If you have any questions about Chi Alpha. Our mailing address is Chi Alpha Christian Fellowship, P.O. Box 1141, Charleston, IL. 61920-1141, or you can call at (217) 345-1126.
chialpha@www.eiu.edu Following is information that tells about our vision and focus as we endeavor to know Christ and make Him known in the university, marketplace, and the world.
Chi Alpha (abbreviated XA) is a missions arm of the Assemblies of God. We are a national organization of students in higher education who unite to express the person and claims of Jesus Christ to campus communities and call others into relation ship with Him. Chi Alpha takes its name from the Greek words christou apostoloi, "Christ's sent ones." We take our mission and vision from Second Corinthians 5:16-20 which says, "So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creati on; the old has gone, the new has come! All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 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."
Reconciling students to Christ --- transforming the University, the Marketplace and the World.
As ministers of reconciliation, we are a community of God's college-age people: a community of worship, a community of prayer, a community of fellowship, a community of discipleship, and a community of witness. Community of Worship. By "community of worship" we mean as a gathered people of God on campus, Chi Alpha must establish ministry to God as the highest call of Christians. We recognize we were created by and are now reconciled to God to bring glory to him. We believe the presen ce of God is made real among us when Christians are spiritually empowered in worship. We direct adoration to His person and give thanks for His acts of loving-kindness toward us.
By "community of prayer" we mean as a gathered people of God on campus, Chi Alpha must establish intimacy with God as the highest privilege of Christians. We recognize the importance of confession, affirming the lordship of Christ, the fatherhood of God, and the conviction of the Spirit. In supplication we acknowledge God as our source and supplier. We look to God for daily guidance, open to His revelation. Prayer is a priority in breaking the spiritual strongholds on our campuses and in our society.
By "community of fellowship" we mean as a gathered people of God on campus, we are in joint submission to Jesus' command, "As I have loved you, so you must love one another" (John 13:34). The permanent motivation to pursue fellowship is the command of Je sus to love one another. The permanent pattern of fellowship is the example of Jesus' relationship with His disciples. It produces harmony among the members that reflects the relationships within the Triune Godhead, testifies to the divinity of Jesus, and validates the community's claim to be disciples of Jesus.
By "community of discipleship" we mean as a gathered people of God on campus we are committed to pursue the fulfilling of the Great Commission given by the Lord Jesus Christ, to "disciple" all nations (Matthew 28:20). It is our conviction that discipling is best accomplished in the relational context of the mature believer helping to nurture younger members of the community in small group situations. By this process each member is thus given the basic knowledge and skills necessary to grow toward maturity in Christ and is equipped for the work of the ministry. In this way we perpetuate a continuous development of maturing leaders for the work of Christ in the collegiate community and beyond.
By "community of witness" we mean as gathered people of God on campus we are Spirit-empowered to display to the campus community what it means to be the people of God, proclaiming the gospel, and calling others into relationship with God. We owe every per son a clear presentation of the good news, that "God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life" (John 3:16). Our statement of the gospel is combined with the Christ-like life- style we exhibit. Our witness extends beyond the campus to reach a lost world. Each student is endowed with a distinct calling from God. Our priority is the preparation of students to enter and impact the marketplace and society for Christ and assist thei r involvement into the life of the local church.
Deeply aware of the urgency of this moment in history, we commit ourselves unreservedly to the work of reconciling men and women to God by the power of the Holy Spirit. We consider the Great Commission of Jesus Christ to be our personal and primary respon sibility before God and dedicate ourselves to reaching and discipling students to impact the nations of the earth before Christ's return.
333 Park Central East # 62
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"...God is on one side and all the people on the other side, and Christ Jesus, Himself man, is between them to bring them together..."
"For Christ also has suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God..."
"But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
The resurrection is central to the faith of a Christian. There are several reasons why those who study the resurrection believe it is true: FORETOLD: First, Jesus Himself foretold His death and resurrection - and His death and resurrection came about exactly as He had predicted (see Luke 18:31-33). THE EMPTY GRAVE: Second, the resurrection is the only plausible explanation for His empty grave. A careful reading of the biblical story shows that the grave where they laid the body of Jesus was closely guarded by Roman soldiers and sealed with an enormo us boulder. If, as some have claimed, Jesus was not dead, but only weakened, the guards and the stone would have stopped his escape - or any rescue attempt by His followers. Jesus' enemies would never have taken the body since His body missing from the g rave would only serve to encourage belief in His resurrection. PERSONAL ENCOUNTERS: Third, the resurrection is the only explanation for the appearances of Jesus Christ to His disciples. After His resurrection, Jesus appeared at least ten times to those who had known Him and to as many as 500 people at one time. The L ord proved that these appearances were not hallucinations: He ate and talked with them and they touched Him. (see I John 1:1) BIRTH OF THE CHURCH: Fourth, the resurrection is the only reasonable explanation for the beginning of the Christian church. The Christian church is by far the largest institution that exists or has ever existed in the history of the world. More than half of the first sermon ever preached had to do with the resurrection (Acts 2:14-36). Obviously, the early church knew that this was the basis of its message. The enemies of Jesus and His followers could have stopped them at any time by simply producing Jesus ' body. TRANSFORMED LIVES: Fifth, the resurrection is the only logical explanation for the transformed lives of the disciples. They deserted Him before His resurrection; after His death they were discouraged and fearful. They did not expect Jesus to rise from th e dead (Luke 24:1-11). Yet after His resurrection and their experience at Pentacost, these same discouraged, disappointed men and women were transformed by the mighty power of the risen Christ. In His name, they turned the world upside down. Many lost their lives for their fait h; others were terribly persecuted. Their courageous behavior does not make sense apart from their conviction that Jesus Christ was truly raised from the dead - a fact worth dying for. In 40 years of working with the intellectuals of the university world, I have yet to meet a person who has honestly considered the overwhelming evidence proving the Deity and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth who does not admit that He is the Son of God, the promised Messiah. While some do not believe, they are honest in confessing, "I have not taken the time to read the Bible or to consider the historical facts about Jesus." A LIVING LORD: Because of Jesus' resurrection, His true followers do not merely observe the ethical code of a dead founder, but rather have a vital, personal relationship with the living Lord. Jesus Christ lives today and faithfully blesses and enriches t he lives of all those who trust and obey Him. Throughout the centuries, multitudes have acknowledged the worthiness of Jesus Christ, including many who have greatly influenced the world. French physicist and philosopher Blaise Pascal spoke of man's need for Jesus when he said, "There is a God-shaped vacuum in the heart of every man, which only God can fill through His Son Jesus Christ." Would you like to know Jesus Christ personally as your living Savior? As bold as it may sound, you can! Jesus is so eager to establish a personal, loving relationship with you that He has already made all the necessary arrangements.
What does Chi Alpha do? Chi Alpha believes the university campus is one of the most pivotal institutions on earth. Virtually all future leaders in every sector of society receive education at university. It is our endeavor to provide a context in which students can lovingly c hallenge and encourage one another in living lives that honor God in everything they do. We believe that God has a specific plan and calling for each person and desire through prayer to see all that God has for each person realized.
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