Alliance Christian Fellowship Celebrates 50 Years at Penn State
Written by Dan Min
The story of Alliance Christian Fellowship (ACF) began in 1975, when David and Susie Martin, were called by God to begin a new ministry reaching Penn State students with the gospel of Jesus Christ. They served under the leadership of Pastor Ray Dibble, then the lead pastor at State College Alliance Church.
Pastor Ray had a remarkable vision—he realized that State College Alliance Church would never have a building large enough to hold the university. So instead of waiting for the campus to come to the church, he dreamed that the church would go to the campus. That vision took root through the Martins, and Alliance Christian Fellowship was born—not as a separate work, but as an extension of the church’s mission to bring Christ to the heart of this community.
Over the course of the last 50 years, ACF has ministered to thousands upon thousands of college students at Penn State University. Countless leaders have been sent out in every generation of ACF’s history and are now serving across the country and around the world as missionaries, pastors, Bible teachers, church planters, and faith leaders. Some quick examples for you:
Pastors in Philly (Matt C, Walter S.), Pittsburgh (Spencer S.), Erie, PA, Virginia (Nate R.), North Carolina, Washington State, New Jersey (Dave J.), just to name a few!
A teacher at the Bethel School of Ministry
Directors of missions organizations in Gabon, Pakistan, and the DRC
Missionaries to China, Japan, Bosnia and Peru
Missionaries to France who have been doing campus ministry for over 40 years there
Church planters in Chile and Mexico (Bob & Cheryl F.)
ESL teachers in SE Asia
ACF alumni and students have also built an orphanage in Chilca, Peru, planted churches in Philadelphia and Williamsport, PA, raised up strong leaders within local churches to serve as worship leaders, elders, deacons, youth workers and children’s ministry leaders, just to name a few. And all of them learned how to do ministry right on the campus of PSU at ACF! These are disciples who are making disciples in virtually every corner of the world!
As we think about all the students who have come to faith in Christ, been baptized in Him, discipled towards Him, we are truly thankful for God’s goodness and faithfulness over the 50 wonderful years of campus ministry. And the ministry is still going strong today!
May the best be yet to come…
Read about ACF’s history in this Alliance Life article “A Church Blooms on Campus” published April 25, 1984.