Gleaning a Harvest
Colorado university students reconciled to Christ.
Duncan Chance, U.S. missionary with Chi Alpha Campus Ministries, notes that less than 1% of the world’s population completes a college education.
“But that 1 percent then goes on to positions of power,” Chance says. “We have a mandate to reach those who are going to rule the world.”
While he was raised in a Christian household, by the time Chance began college, he considered himself a firm agnostic. During his time in school, Chance met a group of men on campus who encouraged him to attend a small group with them. Due to the ministry of this group, Chance rededicated his life to Jesus and began feeling called to missions.
Chance spent a few years after college on volunteer Chi Alpha staff, followed by a one-year internship. In 2009, he joined a team of 10 people who moved to Colorado to pioneer Chi Alpha programs across the Centennial State. With 28 public universities in Colorado, only six have active Chi Alpha programs. Chance has been pioneering a Chi Alpha group at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) in Greeley for the past four years.
When the UNC group began, only 4% of on-campus students declared themselves to be followers of Jesus — with over 11,500 students claiming no Christian connection. Chance realized he and his staff of a dozen had their work cut out for them.
“College campuses are often portrayed as out-of-control bastions of secularism,” Chance says. “The truth is, students are really hungry for truth and the meaning of life.” Many students he encounters are pursuing degrees in order to find purpose in life. When they graduate, they discover they are still missing something.
“We are constantly asking God to lead us to reach the right students,” Chance says.
William was a foreign exchange student from Northern Ireland. Soon after meeting Chance and his team, William began coming to a Chi Alpha small group, whose members became his only friends on campus.
Through his search for friendship, William gave his life to Christ, was water baptized, and was baptized in the Holy Spirit.
“It was so cool to see the change in his life,” Chance says. “He went back home, became deeply involved in church, started a Bible study, and began leading others to Christ.”
While Chance is fervent about reaching students, he is equally passionate about equipping students to reach their peers.
“The most effective person to reach a college student is another college student,” he say. One way Chance and his team motivate students to begin discipling is through small group leadership. Students are encouraged to begin leading a small group and entrusted with the responsibility of teaching as well as inviting other students to join their group.
Chi Alpha also encourages responsibility in young adults through a Campus Missionary-in-Training internship. The internship, available in 38 Chi Alpha groups, is an intensive 10-month training program for graduated students who feel a call to ministry.
“The goal is to prepare interns to be sent out to do ministry somewhere in the world,” Chance says. In addition to learning to raise a budget, working as Chi Alpha staff, and taking accelerated theological and ministerial classes, the internship program fast-tracks students to receive their first level of credentialing through the Assemblies of God.
Since pioneering Chi Alpha at UNC in 2018, Chance and his team have seen over 30 students accept Christ and be water baptized.
“The ultimate goal is to reconcile these students to Christ,” Duncan says. “We want to see more young people come to know Jesus and then go into the world in relationship with the Savior.”
“But that 1 percent then goes on to positions of power,” Chance says. “We have a mandate to reach those who are going to rule the world.”
While he was raised in a Christian household, by the time Chance began college, he considered himself a firm agnostic. During his time in school, Chance met a group of men on campus who encouraged him to attend a small group with them. Due to the ministry of this group, Chance rededicated his life to Jesus and began feeling called to missions.
Chance spent a few years after college on volunteer Chi Alpha staff, followed by a one-year internship. In 2009, he joined a team of 10 people who moved to Colorado to pioneer Chi Alpha programs across the Centennial State. With 28 public universities in Colorado, only six have active Chi Alpha programs. Chance has been pioneering a Chi Alpha group at the University of Northern Colorado (UNC) in Greeley for the past four years.
When the UNC group began, only 4% of on-campus students declared themselves to be followers of Jesus — with over 11,500 students claiming no Christian connection. Chance realized he and his staff of a dozen had their work cut out for them.
“College campuses are often portrayed as out-of-control bastions of secularism,” Chance says. “The truth is, students are really hungry for truth and the meaning of life.” Many students he encounters are pursuing degrees in order to find purpose in life. When they graduate, they discover they are still missing something.
“We are constantly asking God to lead us to reach the right students,” Chance says.
William was a foreign exchange student from Northern Ireland. Soon after meeting Chance and his team, William began coming to a Chi Alpha small group, whose members became his only friends on campus.
Through his search for friendship, William gave his life to Christ, was water baptized, and was baptized in the Holy Spirit.
“It was so cool to see the change in his life,” Chance says. “He went back home, became deeply involved in church, started a Bible study, and began leading others to Christ.”
While Chance is fervent about reaching students, he is equally passionate about equipping students to reach their peers.
“The most effective person to reach a college student is another college student,” he say. One way Chance and his team motivate students to begin discipling is through small group leadership. Students are encouraged to begin leading a small group and entrusted with the responsibility of teaching as well as inviting other students to join their group.
Chi Alpha also encourages responsibility in young adults through a Campus Missionary-in-Training internship. The internship, available in 38 Chi Alpha groups, is an intensive 10-month training program for graduated students who feel a call to ministry.
“The goal is to prepare interns to be sent out to do ministry somewhere in the world,” Chance says. In addition to learning to raise a budget, working as Chi Alpha staff, and taking accelerated theological and ministerial classes, the internship program fast-tracks students to receive their first level of credentialing through the Assemblies of God.
Since pioneering Chi Alpha at UNC in 2018, Chance and his team have seen over 30 students accept Christ and be water baptized.
“The ultimate goal is to reconcile these students to Christ,” Duncan says. “We want to see more young people come to know Jesus and then go into the world in relationship with the Savior.”
