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.

NOVEMBER 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 are midway in our Fall (2) classes. Spring classes for 2026 are already scheduled and students are beginning to sign up. I will be offering Greek 1 during the summer of 2026. I look forward to teaching these classes and meeting new students.

On Friday we were introduced to our Dean-Elect over the Liberal Arts Department who oversees our work at the Bible Chair. He is Dr. Stephen Crandall from West Texas University. Dean Becky Easton is retiring in January. She has been an encouragement to me in our work at the Bible Chair.

Concerning the enrollment for the Spring classes, Becky Easton recently reported that we are up 23.5% over the same time last year. We believe that the “Badger Bound” program for Dual Credit students will encourage more students from our nine-county service area of High Schools to attend Amarillo College. This is a great opportunity for students in High School to attend AC tuition free beginning in 2026.

Recently, one of my philosophy students asked me about the Bible Chair and what classes we offered. Another student in the same class has enrolled in Introduction to the Old Testament for the Spring. This is the primary reason that I teach philosophy and World Religions. These are required classes for many majors.

Sing All the Verses

Good song writers make a biblical point or tell a biblical story with their songs. Singing is not just a time-filler between sermon and Lord’s Supper. It is worship in praise and is teaching and encouraging one another. It sometimes seems we are more interested in how long we have to spend in service than in earnest teaching or meaningful worship.

Many song leaders arbitrarily skip the third verse of four-verse songs, regardless of what effect that has on the song’s message.

The third verse of the song, “How Great Thou Art,” is the one about Jesus: “And, when I think that God his Son not sparing, sent him to die, I scarce can take it in.”

The third verse of, “It is Well with My Soul,” is one that tells why it is well: “My sin—Oh, the bliss of this glorious thought—my sin, not in part but the whole, is nailed to the cross and I bear it no more.”

I have written before about the song leader who said of the closing song, “In the interest of time, we will sing just one verse of ‘Take Time to Be Holy.’”

(Preacher Talk, Spring 2019, Cecil May Jr.) Brother May was one of my teachers at IBC, Florence, AL.

A Misapplied Scripture

Jesus said, “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself” (John 12:32). Preachers often tell Christians to “lift up Jesus so that He can draw all men to Himself.” A gospel hymn says, “Lift the blessed Savior up” (Lift Him Up, Johnson Oatman Jr.).

However, the gospel writer, John, immediately after recording these words of Jesus, says, “He said this to show by what kind of death he was going to die” (John 12:33).

So according to the inspired John, Jesus was not saying, “Lift me up,” (i.e., Preach Christ crucified, and that will draw people to obey the gospel. That is, of course, true, but not what this passage says. Rather, Jesus is saying, “If I am lifted up, if I am crucified, for people’s salvation, that fact will draw them to me.”

It is a similar sentiment to, “We love because he first loved us” (1 John 4:19).

(Preacher Talk, Summer 2018, Cecil May, Jr.) Brother May was an excellent teacher, preacher, and writer. One of his sons, Cecil May III, followed me as a missionary to the Cayman Islands.

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!