AMARILLO BIBLE CHAIR
at Amarillo College
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.
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
Fall (2) classes began on October 27. Presently, I have 23 students enrolled in The Life of Paul and 24 in Philosophy. I wrote earlier about the new dual credit opportunity for high school students. Amarillo College is now offering tuition free classes for those who complete 15 hours of dual credit in high school. This begins in 2026. We are already seeing some effect of this new program. One private high school contacted me about our religion classes and how they can prepare students interested in a religion major to take advantage of the tuition free program at AC. This means that we will have more students coming to AC to complete their associate degree. One goal of this program is to encourage more students to continue their degree program at a university.
We are continuing our Tuesday lunches with a devotional which includes brief information about the Greek language and Greek tools in our library for students to use. In addition, we will offer a Greek class in the summer for credit or audit. Several students have expressed an interest in these studies in Greek. Two professors have also expressed interest in language studies.
I have emphasized the value of using the textbooks in our library for general reading and biblical research. Students tend to google instead of using books. It is better to become acquainted with the authors. Churches and individuals have donated useful books for our use, and we are grateful!
Student Responses
In a class that just finished, one of our students wrote the following to this question. “What did you find in Romans most encouraging to you?”
Answer: “I take comfort in the knowledge that the Holy Spirit speaks for us when words fail or emotions take over, like a translator between the physical and spiritual realms. We rarely know what God’s will is for us, but the Holy Spirit bridges the divide from us to Him. I also appreciate the reminder that all of creation is in this with us. We can so often feel alone in the world, but both literally and poetically, the very Earth beneath our feet is there to hold us up, and it longs for the same thing we desire, and it has been doing it much longer than we have.”
The student was referring, of course, to this text:
“Because the creation itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groans and travails in pain together until now. . . Likewise the Spirit also helps our infirmities; for we know not what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit itself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered.” (Romans 8:22-26.)
Another student responded to this question: “Why do you think biblical scholars regard Romans so highly?” He replied, “I am going to answer this question with a quote from Martin Luther—'This epistle is really the chief part of the New Testament and it is truly the purest gospel. It is worthy not only that every Christian should know it word for word, by heart, but also that he should occupy himself with it every day, as the daily bread of the soul. We never read it or ponder over it too much; for the more we deal with it, the more precious it becomes and the better it tastes.'”
A professor and head of a Bible Department, brother J. D. Thomas, penned the following: “The Scriptures do have indications, however, of their supernatural origin. They have a majesty, a moral tone, a seriousness of purpose, a unity, an understanding of human nature, and a power to convict of sin and to produce faith in the person of Jesus Christ. Ordinary human writings are not this lofty, nor do they have such power. . . There is no way to know Christ at all, especially as Savior, without the Bible. The Scriptures serve as an all-important link in helping us enter into an intimate personal relationship with Christ. For this reason, he who accepts Christ accepts the Scriptures. The one is not possible without the other. The goal of the Bible is to produce the faith and the relationship. (Heaven’s Windows, J. D. Thomas, 1974, 23-25.)
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!