Today, as we mark the 506th anniversary of Martin Luther’s historic act of nailing his 95 Theses to the famed Wittenburg Door, there’s a ministry needing reform as desperately as the Catholic Church did in 1517. The name of that ministry is Chi Alpha, and we as advocates for reform have drafted 95 Questions to those in power.

Chi Alpha Campus Ministries (XA) and the Assemblies of God have allowed 67-year-old Daniel Savala, a 2012 registered sex offender, unrestricted access as a trusted mentor to groom an entire generation of student leaders. This resulted in the alleged rape or sexual assault of at least 13 men connected to Chi Alpha. And tragically, some of those abused leaders have reportedly gone on to groom and sexually abuse others. 

Just as Luther boldly challenged the abusive and unscriptural ideology of the Catholic Church, we present our “95 Questions” to the leadership of the Assemblies of God and Chi Alpha institutions. And we ask them to confront the three-decades-long spiritual and sexual abuse scandal of the mentor they promoted—Daniel Savala. (To read the 95 Questions, click here.)

The eve of ‘All Saints Day’ serves as a symbolic protest against the lackluster response of leadership at various levels who have ignored the pleas of those who have suffered and received no justice. 

XA & the Lion’s Den forum community (xalionsden.com), created in April of 2023, with over 2.7 million page views, stands united, advocating for all victims and survivors of spiritual and sexual abuse. These people trusted Chi Alpha leadership to protect them, but Chi Alpha instead protected the abuser.

The Fundamentals of a Healthy vs. Unhealthy Culture

According to the XA ministry website for Sam Houston State University, Chi Alpha states they are a “healthy community of students who love Jesus.” However, several fundamental principles held by XA and the Assemblies of God (AG) appear to have been violated in this spiritual and sexual abuse scandal, casting doubt on the extent of their proclaimed healthiness.

Transparency: Healthy organizations promote transparency by openly addressing issues and communicating clearly. XA and AG have often kept matters hidden, creating an atmosphere of secrecy and distrust.

Accountability: In a healthy organization, leaders are accountable for their actions and are subject to checks and balances. XA and AG allowed leaders to operate without oversight, using the good-ol’-boy mentality to protect the brand at all costs. This led to unchecked power and abuses.

Protection of the Vulnerable: A healthy organization prioritizes the safety and well-being of its members, especially the vulnerable (high school and college-age students). XA and AG tolerated or covered up abuse, leading to further harm.

Listening and Compassion: Healthy organizations listen to the concerns of their members and respond with compassion and care. XA and AG dismissed or silenced those who spoke out, perpetuating a culture of fear and silence.

Restoration and Repentance: When mistakes occur, a healthy organization seeks restoration and emphasizes repentance. XA and AG often swept problems under the rug, hoping they would go away. They even resorted to legal threats to silence victims. 

Reformation in the 21st Century: God’s Message to Chi Alpha and the Assemblies of God

God looks for people to oppose injustice, rebel against tyranny (Ezekiel 22:23-31), and demand justice and accountability. God’s message to Chi Alpha and the Assemblies of God leadership is clear: sin cannot be hidden forever. The Lord is slow to anger. But he also warns there will be a day of reckoning for those who oppress the vulnerable (Isaiah 10).

For over a decade, Jesus has been knocking on the door of the Chi Alpha Campus Ministries, sending people to warn of a wolf in shepherd’s clothing. Those who bravely attempted to sound the alarm were met with character assassination and gaslighting, and some even lost their ministry jobs for speaking out against Daniel Savala. 

In this 21st-century Reformation, God’s judgment and exposure have come to the church, starting with the leadership (Ezekiel 34 and 1 Peter 4:17). He disciplines those he loves. When this discipline comes, some confuse it as an attack of the devil. But the enemy doesn’t come to expose sin, bring accountability, and restore broken relationships.

If XA and AG do not heed the warning, they will fall into the hands of a rightfully angry God. And no lawyers or NDAs will save them. 

Jesus Flipping Tables: A Time of Uncovering

Revival is a time that brings both comfort and uncovering. It reveals the true intent of the heart. Everything hidden for far too long will be brought to light. We are witnessing the divine correction of what has been allowed to fester for decades within Chi Alpha.

This is the dirty side of revival. God Himself has come to heal, restore, and remove leaders whose arrogance and lack of discernment have led to potentially hundreds of students being spiritually and sexually abused on their watch.

The Call To Action

As we reflect on the legacy of Martin Luther’s 95 Theses, we must recognize the power and responsibility of questioning authority and holding leaders accountable. Through these two fundamentals, the Church can grow, heal, and stand strong in its commitment to the truth and the well-being of its members. 

Our 95 Questions are not an act of rebellion but a call for reformation in the spirit of love, justice, and discernment. The questions call for an ideological transformation at all levels of leadership that allowed Daniel Savala 30 years of unrestricted access to abuse whomever he wanted in Chi Alpha. 

Like one pastor said, “Daniel wasn’t helping your kids; he was helping himself to your kids.” The three of us on the XA Lions Den moderation team keep asking ourselves “Where were all the (spiritual) adults in this ministry?”

If a sheepdog doesn’t know what a wolf smells like, you have a problem. If a pastor has no discernment, they have missed their calling and have put the entire flock in danger.

We ask that you share this article and the 95 Questions with your community of pastors, elders, and all Chi Alpha leaders and students. Join us to fervently pray that the leadership of Chi Alpha and the Assemblies of God will choose a path of repentance and commit to a truly impartial investigation, leading to the reformation of these institutions. 

God is looking for righteous people to stand in the gap for those whose stories have not been heard. The XALionsDen.com forum exists for one reason: to stand in the gap and offer a platform for those whose stories haven’t been heard.

Never forget, “You are not alone. You are not crazy. And you are not the only one.” Amen.

This commentary does not necessarily reflect the views of The Roys Report. 

Ron Bloomingkemper Jr., is the founder of XALionsDen.com, a forum for abuse survivors and their advocates; Monica Roeger and Olivia Wolf are moderators of that online forum.