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 2026 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.

Area Christians have made it possible for the work to continue at Amarillo College for the past 54 years (since 1972). The San Jacinto Church of Christ established the work in that year and has been a faithful supporter ever since. In addition, we receive several gifts in memory of loved ones on a monthly basis.

Michael Foster and his grandchildren from Bell Avenue Church of Christ take care of the lawn for us. This is a weekly task that demands time and effort. I also want to acknowledge Enviro-Ag Engineering for providing a copier for our office over many years. This company in Amarillo is run by Norman and Bryan Mullins. They are members of the Comanche Trail Church of Christ.

Over the past 54 years, only three churches have served as the overseers of the Bible Chair. They are San Jacinto Church of Christ, Comanche Trail Church of Christ, and Bell Avenue Church of Christ. They have made sure that the Bible Chair has the financial resources to continue and that the Chair provides a Christian environment for students at Amarillo College. I have great appreciation for everyone involved in this work of teaching religion classes, spending time with students, and providing regular devotional periods of worship and encouragement.

Over the past nine years of my experience here, I have seen first-hand the good that teaching Bible classes on a weekly basis has upon students. They regularly express their appreciation for what you are doing.

Director's Report

We are finishing our Summer session this week with a Greek 1 class (7 students) and philosophy (24 students). Our Fall 1 term will begin on August 24. I have 16 enrolled for Introduction to the New Testament and 25 have signed up for philosophy. I noticed an increase in the number of students signing up for religion as their major. For Fall 1 there are 24 who are religion majors taking New Testament and Romans. We are really pleased that more are declaring religion as their major at Amarillo College.

Our Greek class went well this summer with five taking the class for credit and two more for audit. I plan to offer this study more often due to the increase in interest in Koine Greek. We have many different Greek books that have been donated to the Bible Chair. Having these references books for students to do their research was very helpful. For their final exam, I assigned a research project for them to use these books and commentaries which refer often to the Greek text. Students too often rely on Google and AI without knowing the authors of the material that they are relying upon.

During the break between Summer and Fall classes, Norma and I will be visiting family in northeast Mississippi. I am scheduled to teach classes and preach at Christian Chapel Church of Christ on August 9. I look forward to being with them again. They have been a great encouragement to us.

Refreshing Christians

Several times in Paul’s letters he refers to Christians who refreshed his spirit. Here are a few examples. “At the same time, prepare a guest room for me, for I am hoping that through your prayers I will be graciously given to you.” (Philemon 22) And, “Yes, brother, I want some benefit from you in the Lord. Refresh my heart in Christ.” (Philemon 20, ESV) “May the Lord grant mercy to the household of Onesiphorus, for he often refreshed me and was not ashamed of my chains.” (2 Tim. 1:16.) “We rejoiced still more at the joy of Titus because his spirit has been refreshed by you all.” (2 Cor. 7:13.) It is good to note that there are “refreshing Christians” and that we should strive to be one as well. “Repent therefore and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord. . .” (Acts 3:19.) A good sermon could be preached on “refreshing Christians”!

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!