Closing the book on Chi Alpha

Chi Alpha, a Christian organization on campus that serves students announced it will be shutting down on May 5.  

According to Chi Alpha’s leadership, the shutdown is coming due to a myriad of reasons, including a lack of support. Justin Felch, the Troy Chi Alpha Minister, was removed from his position in 2023 due to allegations from former members with no one to replace him, leaving the responsibilities to three staff members. 

“Our staff members have spent time in prayer the past year about how we can best exemplify what it means to honor God with our lives,” said a statement from the Chi Alpa staff. “At this time, it means closing the ministry we love.  

“This has not been an easy decision to make, we have loved serving students here at Troy. Each of our staff members have a myriad of reasons for stepping away, many of them being personal. We are incredibly grateful for Troy University’s faculty and staff for their continued hospitality toward us. We are excited for an incredible final semester with our current students. We love Chi Alpha and cannot wait to cheer on whomever may bring this ministry to Troy in the future.”  

The three staff members announced at the beginning of the semester they will be stepping down, and with the role requiring a year of internship and an undergraduate degree, there is no one available to step up and help run the organization. 

The organization is meant for individuals wanting to participate in worship and small groups with their peers, but for some, it means more.  

“For me, Chi Alpha is more than just a Christian organization; it's a place where I can truly be myself and am encouraged to grow and learn and have the most amazing friendships and connections,” said freshman attendee Kali Overby, a collaborative education major from Columbus, Georgia. “If given the choice, I'd do it all over again, even knowing that we have to depart, freshman year would have been incomplete without it.” 

The news of the shutdown hit the faithful congregation hard. 

“We have a very deep and compassionate community,” Francis said. “When the news came out that the doors were closing, a lot of people went into a deep grief period that we’re still working through, but it is also a time to really enjoy our last semester together.” 

With no firm plans to have a replacement for the organization for the next semester, some underclassmen have discussed the possibility of meeting up without a formal group. 

“We have been encouraged to enjoy the time we have left with each other, and that just because the organization is closing, our community doesn't have to,” Overby said. “Many of us are talking about having regular meetups and are looking for ways to get plugged in next year.” 

While the feelings of the congregation are sad, some members have said the tight-knit group had a cult-like feeling with the group’s focus being on only two points. 

“There are some parts of Chi Alpha that do feel cult-y, especially the extreme focus on conversion and discipleship,” said Mark Smith*, a junior. “Both points are pretty much the entire focus of the group, and while they are important to Christianity, I think there are other aspects that they need to talk about besides those. 

“I do think it is sad the organization is closing down, and I feel bad for the people who may not have a place to express their religious views after the group is gone.” 

Chi Alpha said it is still welcoming new members in its closing weeks. The group meets at 7:30 p.m. on Tuesday at TC 119 and 7 p.m. on Wednesday and Thursday for small groups in different locations. 

*Some names have been changed to protect the individual.