What is a Bible Chair?

The term “Bible Chair” is an adaption of a term commonly used in colleges and universities. A “chair” can be established in any department to draw students due to the subject matter or the professor teaching in that position. In Amarillo the Bible Chair is not directly on campus but nearby and funded entirely by churches and individuals. Students can obtain an associate degree in religion accredited by Amarillo College. Amarillo Bible Chair is the only Chair at Amarillo College that teaches Bible courses for credit toward a religion degree. The academic classes are taught by William Mural Worthey. These students can then transfer to a university and pursue a bachelor’s and/or master’s degree in religion.

The History of the Amarillo Bible Chair

The Amarillo Bible Chair was founded in 1972 by Gordon Downing and the San Jacinto church of Christ in Amarillo. Brother Downing directed the activities of the Bible Chair for four years, and the San Jacinto church has continued their support of the work for almost fifty years (1972-2022). We have had three churches in Amarillo oversee the Bible Chair over this period. They are San Jacinto church of Christ, Comanche Trail church of Christ, and Bell Avenue church of Christ. We have had a number of directors over the years. Following Gordon Downing, they are Dean Morgan, Wayne Wilks, Jerry Klein, Wyatt Fenno, Mark Johnson, Bobby Boaldin, Frank Bellizzi, Jerry Klein (second term), and Mural Worthey.

JULY 2025 REPORTER

The Amarillo Bible Chair facility is located at 2501 S Jackson Street, across the street from Amarillo College. The building is used for students to gather for Christian fellowship, counseling, devotionals, lectures, Bible classes, fellowship meals, and to extend our presence and Christian influence among Amarillo college students, staff and community. We also host a Christian Club on campus known as Kappa Chi, which stands for Christian fellowship. William Mural Worthey is the director of the Amarillo Bible Chair. Mural has been the Bible Chair Director since the summer of 2017 and serves as sponsor of Kappa Chi, our Christian club on campus. He also is an instructor in the Philosophy Department of Amarillo College.

Director's Report

We just completed our summer eight-week session with 42 out of 44 completing two courses. I had an exceptional group of students in our Revelation class; 19 of 19 completing the course with excellent grades and one taking it as an honor’s class. This student, in order to get honor’s credit, completed a professional paper on “The Thousand-Year Reign” based on Revelation 20:1-6. He is an eighteen-year-old entering West Texas University in the Fall.

I presented the messages for the 16th and Pile church of Christ in Clovis, New Mexico, on Sunday July 20. They are a faithful supporter of the Bible Chair and a great encouragement to me. Norma and I will be traveling to Amory, MS, during the break before our Fall semester. I will present three messages for the Christian Chapel church of Christ on Sunday, August 10. I preached for this church for nine years, 1985-1993.

July 2025 is the beginning of our ninth year of work at the Bible Chair. Norma and I are committed to this work. We thoroughly enjoy our work with Amarillo College and its students. We appreciate all our supporters who understand the value of teaching Bible at a state community college (rated number one in the nation). It is a unique opportunity made available to us and continued faithfully since 1972. Paul wrote, “Preach the word, be ready in season and out of season, reprove, rebuke, and exhort with complete patience and teaching.” (2 Tim. 4:2)

Five Witnesses for Jesus in John 5

Jesus declared, “If I alone bear witness about myself, my testimony is not deemed true. There is another who bears witness about me.” (John 5:31, 32.) Then Jesus enumerated others who testified or gave witness concerning him.

“You sent to John (the Baptist) and he has borne witness to the truth.” (5:33)
But the testimony that I have is greater than that of John. “For the works that the Father has given me to accomplish, the very works that I am doing, bear witness about me that the Father has sent me.” (5:36)
“And the Father who sent me has himself borne witness about me.” (5:37)
“You search the Scriptures because you think that in them you have eternal life; and it is they that bear witness about me, yet you refuse to come to me that you may have life.” (5:39, 40)
“Do not think that I will accuse you to the Father. There is one who accuses you: Moses, on whom you have set your hope. If you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote of me. But if you do not believe his writings, how will you believe my words?” (5:45-47)

What Witnesses Would Jesus Give in Speaking to Us?

To the Jews in Jesus’ Day, He gave the above as witnesses to Himself and to the Truth. He pointed to John the Baptizer, the works the Father gave to Him to accomplish, the Father Himself, the Old Testament Scriptures, and Moses’ writings whose disciples they were. If Jesus were speaking to us today, what witnesses would He appeal to in order to urge us to accept His words in addition to the five named already?
Jesus, no doubt, would appeal to His life, deeds, death, burial and resurrection.
The apostles, the twelve special eye-witnesses. John wrote, “That which was from the beginning . . . the Life was made manifest and we have seen it and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us.” (1 John 1:1-4)
“For the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy.” (Rev. 19:10) This is a powerful statement that the angel made to John. The heart, life, and spirit of prophecy is the full testimony from Jesus and about Him that others have given.

Kappa Chi

Kappa Chi has a strong presence on the Amarillo College campus, currently averaging 40 members. Kappa (K) is the first letter in the Greek word for fellowship, and Chi (X) is the first letter in the Greek word for Christ. Thus, Kappa Chi stands for “Fellowship in Christ.”

Membership is open to any AC student who wants to be a member. There are no dues; but the members are expected to help pay for the parties, retreats and trips in which they choose to participate. Club t-shirts are available for purchase. Send an email to amarillobiblechair@gmail.com if you would like to join the club. . Mural Worthey is the faculty sponsor.

On Tuesdays of the regular semester, we have a lunch meal for our Kappa Chi students and enjoy fellowship with one another. This gives us an opportunity to talk about biblical subjects. New students often ask about the meaning of a Bible Chair and how we function on a state college campus.

Our 2024 Fall graduation was held in the Civic Center in Amarillo on Friday evening, December 13. We honored one of our graduates at the Bible Chair on Saturday. Norma prepared a meal for her family and afterward we took pictures with Donna Warner. I expressed to her family that we appreciated her dedication in her biblical studies. For the past several years she completed her studies at AC while battling cancer. She introduced several of her family members to the Bible Chair and our classes. Some of these have plans to enroll for Spring 2025.

I want you to know of my appreciation for your support of the Bible Chair. I let my classes know how the Bible Chair exists at a State Community College. From them, thank you!