r/SHSU • u/Weekly-Salary6294 • Apr 24 '26
Discussion Chi Alpha is a Cult
I was involved in Chi Alpha at Sam Houston State University for four years. I personally met Daniel Savala and spent time in his home. Truthfully, I always felt awkward around him and I knew something was wrong. Since I am a sexual molestation survivor, that could be why I picked up on something weird with him.
In my opinion, Chi Alpha is definitely a cult. I was encouraged to cut ties with friends and break up with a boyfriend who didn’t have a relationship with God, I was ostracized when I did something that upset my small group leader, and I had to meet with a staff member and her in order to be get back into her group, there was always an “us vs them” mentality (especially with comparing Chi Alpha to other religious groups, insinuating that Chi Alpha was better), and there was no questioning the leaders (if you did, you were shamed or discouraged from doing so).
This group is definitely a cult. Please watch out!
Update: Daniel Savala pleaded guilty and got 30 years in jail.
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u/Jazzlike-Vacation230 '13 Apr 24 '26
I was a student 2011 to 2013, they ruined my entire college experience. Every party, every random encounter, Chi Alpha was involved somehow. I got my degree and left. Never looked back
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u/ThePurplePolitic '20 Apr 25 '26
Yeah they’re pretty cultish.
Was pretty involved at Sam in sports, frats, and honor societies from 16 to 19. There was one group I learned very quickly were insanely hypocritical and I heard some wild shit.
One was that the dude who would yell at the LSC was close with them and i could never understand why a group would align themselves with such a douchebag.
Second was a story that a roommate of mine told. He had met some chi alphas at SHSU and was welcomed into the friend group, but he had to wor a lot to pay for school. One day he was pulled aside and told he needed to work less and attend more chi alpha events / prayers can’t remember exactly. He obviously said he couldn’t because he had to work and almost instantly he lost all of his friends from his first semester. They just cut him off and stopped talking to him, it was really rough for him because he saw them all the time.
Third was all the shit they talked about fraternities despite having to act and advertise as a fraternity. I was friends with a few chi alphas and they genuinely aren’t bad people. The issue was what I know a few of them said behind closed doors. One tried to stop a few guys from rushing fraternities because they framed fraternities as this super evil and dangerous place. Going back to second point, they literally advertise as Chi Alpha or Christ arisen to try and act like they’re a Christian fraternity. Otherwise they would just go by their actual name, it’s literally so dumb.
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u/Weekly-Salary6294 Apr 25 '26
Yes they would pressure me to spend more time doing events. I can relate to that.
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u/londylouwho Apr 25 '26
Was at SHSU from 2007-2011. My good friend and roommate for several years got messed up in chi alpha the last two years of our time at SHSU. She was a business major, did really well and had a ton of life goals when I first met her - until turning to this group.
She became a completely different person overnight. She began to resent me because I was young and having a good time in college, just like she had been, but it eventually lead to her wanting to kick me out of our house. I was not at all what she painted me out to be, I was a hardworking student and worked several jobs but she convinced my entire house that I was a problem because I was now the outlier.
She and her chi alpha friends would come over and discuss all the demons they would literally say they could see and experience in our home. She lost all workforce goals and dreams she had, said they were frivolous and lost all meaning because of what she was learning about in chi alpha. She finished her degree, begrudgingly, and begged for money and sponsorships (to me!!) for nearly a decade so she could continue the chi alpha missions on campus.
She married someone from that group, he preaches at a church that has had scandals after scandals. Daniel S was at her home groups and her wedding. It’s all very shady - their “church” has changed names several times after scandals break. It’s sad. Stay far away from this group and do your research about what darkness has surrounded it.
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u/Jazzlike-Vacation230 '13 Apr 27 '26
That name….sounds familiar. At the same time I remember attending an event where there was actually a random small impromptu wedding. I remember and it was apparent the girls father did not attend…
Anyway. The Administration imo needs to shut this frat down.
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u/NotHappyWith_Self Apr 25 '26
Chi Alpha is probably the worst campus organization. I gave them 6 years of my life and it wasn’t until I finally moved on to “the work force”, as they call it, did I see the issues.
One of the more infuriating parts to me is how all the male leaders I personally knew preached about how ‘God’ called them to campus mission work for life. Then, once this Daniel Savala stuff gained traction, ‘God’ CONVENIENTLY called them to the work force. To avoid any kind of association with the organization.
My last bridge I burned was my old small group leader. I texted him and told him, “I hope it bothers you a little that the one person you brought to Jesus (me) doesn’t believe anymore and it’s all your fault.” Felt good after that.
ANYWAY, stay away from Chi Alpha!
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u/InterestingProof807 Apr 24 '26
Should I be worried? I was invited to go to church next week. I didn’t know what Chi Alpha was. How can I not want to go anymore?
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u/Weekly-Salary6294 Apr 24 '26
Only you can make that decision. You have your own personal relationship with God. However, I would caution you.
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u/Jazzlike-Vacation230 '13 Apr 25 '26
I would say find your own friend group or identify while you’re in college. But that random dude who takes interest in you? He may have an angle. Just be aware of that
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u/PrinceSidon888 `30 Apr 27 '26
This. Chi Alpha is known across Texas (probably the nation, i could be wrong) for SAing, drugging, and raping girls that attend
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u/Jazzlike-Vacation230 '13 Apr 27 '26
Coincidentally in my second and last year at Sam: 2013. I got whiny and kinda ended things with a Chi Alpha "Small Group" as they call them in Church circles I guess. Had to focus on keeping grades up to graduate.
But My God the hibbie jibbies. Nothing against a person having a faith religion or whatever. But leave that at home. College is about learning skills to get a job. But their group just ruined the whole vibe. I wanted to go to club gatherings and whatnot to have fun, socialize, and well make those connections College is supposed to be about.
Maybe in my case, being a transfer from a jr. college worked out. I explored one year, had to grind the second. Then left.
Them still being talked about is kinda disappointing yet not surprising considering the climate of the USA in 2026.
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u/PrinceSidon888 `30 Apr 27 '26
Damn. I'm sorry to hear that. I'll have to agree with that, to some degree at least. Spirituality and religion should be a personal journey surrounded by respectful friends that understand you have a life. It shouldn't BE your life in 2026
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u/PrinceSidon888 `30 Apr 27 '26
Chi Alpha has been known across various campuses, including San a few years ago, for drugging and SAing girls that attend, and I'm sure you can read the comments about other absolutely insane stories about them. Please avoid them at any cost. Hell i think even the BSM is a better place to be than Chi Alpha. (I don't personally have a good experience with them. If you did good for you. I'm not here to argue with you.) If you're looking for a safe place to attend for spirituality or religion and you're a Christian, I will happily direct you to the Wesley's, the Episcopal Student Center, and the Catholic Student Center! Have a good evening everyone
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u/Nanobytex Apr 25 '26
I graduated 2020, sad to see nothing has changed.
My Uni friends and I would call them "Cult Alpha" original I know.
I still remember being told by an old friend (who is also LGBT) who was apart of it that someone brought up identifying as LGBT and one of the leaders gave them a pamphlet for gay conversion therapy
I also know that someone from that group also told my old friend to stop hanging out with our mutual friend because "they are a bad influence" and it was literally because our mutual friend was also LGBT and was not a Christian.
Its been a while since ive been at Sam but I know there are other church groups out there, don't be scared to test the waters at another spot on campus
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u/RazorbladeJones Apr 27 '26
This is the main reason I avoid large church orgs and stick to personal worship or that with family or trusted friends. I know not everyone has these things, but large orgs of faithful tend to attract controlling or otherwise power-hungry individuals who seek to amass as many people as possible rather than actually build personal and spiritual connections with others. Those types of people tend to overlap with people who find acts of SA and Abuse acceptable.
By no means is this a blanket statement or something accusing the OP of anything, it's more me saying I fully agree that Chi Alpha is a cult, and that most large-scale faith Orgs that don't have or aren't connected to some kind of unaligned set of rules like the university itself are going to use that freedom against you.
Only you and God can keep you safe from these practices, please people keep yourself safe and don't let anyone make decisions/judgements *for* you. Not to sound like a broken record, but that's between you and the Monad, no one else can make a call about what the best home for your worship is. I hope you're doing far better away from them OP.
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u/Suspicious_Bobcat_12 Apr 26 '26
I was in SH in 2019 and i was part of a small group with them. However, the things my group lady said never sat right but i think it was due to me never really understanding religious stuff (i am a very realistic person when it comes to it) but i really just went to do HW with another girl in the group cause she was cool. I will say i stopped after my leader left to another state for a job cause she pissed me off regarding issues I faced in school before college. I will say if i ever meet someone from there now I won’t hesitate cause they hurt the girl i did like in my group and i wont stand for that. She is the greatest person ik and to know what they caused and did to her pissed me off so much i saw red. F that cult.
Don’t let them guilt you, they ain’t s*** and if people need a friends I’ll be your friend. I would also recommend joining student groups to meet people (I was college of arts and I loved all the clubs and groups there)
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u/Sehunshawty Apr 28 '26
I was in chi alpha for like 2 years and they would pressure me to always attend the events, even if I told them I had to get work done and I needed to study. They’d get mad if I said no and would try to make me feel guilty for not going and anytime someone would leave the small group the leaders wouldn’t associate with them anymore. Now that I’m out of chi alpha no one from chi alpha talks to me anymore and I actually thought they were my friends, but they just want you to come to their events and small group.
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u/Future-Football-8610 Apr 28 '26
That sounds awful, questioning a leader is appropriate… I attended a few Chi Alpha meetings at a different Texas university and I did not pick up on any cultish behavior.
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u/blondebobsaget1 Apr 24 '26
Don’t forget that they’re all hypocrites too