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
This is our fourth week of an eight-week Summer session in our classes. I have 24 students in philosophy and 7 in Greek I. Five are taking the Greek class for credit and two are auditing.
We have had a valuable book donated to the library at the Bible Chair—a Hebrew-Greek-English Interlinear. We are grateful to sister Barbara Burch for giving the book to us after the death of her husband, Cecil Burch. Brother Burch was well-known and respected in our area due to his work with High Plains Children Home and prison ministry. He continued to preach, though suffering with cancer, until near the end of his life.
We have multiple copies of valuable books in Greek and Hebrew languages that have been given to the Bible Chair over the years. One part of our Greek class is to acquaint students with these books and their use in biblical research. We are grateful to those who have contributed excellent books for students to use.
Another way that churches and individuals have supported the Bible Chair at Amarillo College is through memorials. Often we receive contributions in memory of their loved ones. These gifts are especially meaningful and greatly appreciated.
I remind our classes that the Bible Chair is supported by churches and individuals throughout the Panhandle. We exist because of you!
The Parable of the Dragnet
(Matt. 13:46-48)
Recently, during a Wednesday Bible study at Bell Avenue Church of Christ, Sam Collins presented a study of a parable by Jesus that we call the parable of the dragnet. This is a story that Jesus told about fishermen using a net to draw to shore a multitude of fish. As is common with fishermen who do this, they cast back the unwanted fish and keep those that are more desirable. The story itself is simple and common among those who live near a body of water like the Sea of Galilee.
Brother Collins then pointed out three important lessons from this parable. This was an impressive and power reminder of several important aspects of the Kingdom.
1) The reach of the gospel net is universal. The fishermen are not interested in fishing for one kind of fish. The net draws many fish. God’s will is that all men come to faith and repentance in order to be saved. (1 Timothy 2:4.) Any doctrine that limits salvation to only a segment of mankind must necessarily be false. Jesus by the grace of God tasted death for all men. (Hebrews 2:9.)
2) The mixed nature of the present Kingdom. That is, many are drawn into the present Kingdom of God. Some are not fully committed to the Gospel presented to them. Some still love the world and do not grow in their faith. The parable of the soils reveal that there are different kinds of hearts upon which the seed fall. (Mark 4.) For this reason, we face many difficulties in the present Kingdom. We have problems in the work of the Church and in our relationships with one another.
3) The certainty of divine separation at the end of the age. Jesus concludes the short story of the fishermen and the net by saying: “So it will be at the close of the age. The angels will come out and separate the evil from the righteous and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” (Matthew 13:49-50.) This agrees with biblical teaching under both testaments. The Jews held to a strong view of a coming Judgment from God. Jesus presented a lengthy description of it in Matthew 25:31-46. John on Patmos presented a similar message called “The Great White Throne Judgment.” (Revelation 20:11-15.)
This is a meaningful parable teaching us about the Kingdom of God that presently exists.
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!