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What is Alpha? |
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Alpha
is a ten-week opportunity to explore the validity and relevance
of the Christian faith for our lives today. It is a practical introduction
to the basics of Christianity with loads of opportunity for debate
and discussion. The style of Alpha is informal, friendly and non-pressured.
Alpha is enjoyed and appreciated as much by those who have never
set foot in a church as it is by those who once attended and by
the regular churchgoer. No matter what their background, whether
investigating Christianity for the first time or revisiting their
faith, participants get a lot out of an Alpha Course.
Each week people meet together for a meal, a talk on topics such
as "Who is Jesus?", "Why Did Jesus Die?", "How
Can I be Sure of My Faith?", and "Does God Still Heal
Today?" , followed by small group interaction. There is a day
or weekend retreat midway through the course, which focuses on the
person and work of the Holy Spirit.
There are over 5000 Alpha courses running in the US and about 1,000,000
people in America and Canada have already participated. Most Americans
live within easy access of an Alpha course. Find
a Course near you.
Churches of every different type and background, including Anglican,
Baptist, Presbyterian, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Pentecostal, Salvation
Army, Free Church and House Churches are running Alpha. Because
Alpha covers the basics of Christianity all churches provide the
same material, making alterations only to suit the local culture.
Alpha originated at Holy Trinity Brompton - an Anglican church in
London, England over twenty years ago. The syllabus of the course
is contained in the Book "Questions
of Life" by Revd Nicky Gumbel. Thousands of Alpha
courses are now running in many countries and it has been translated
into many different languages.
Church leaders from all denominations report the astonishing impact
the course has on non-churchgoers and existing Christians in their
areas. And it's spreading fast to many secular locations - prisons,
university campuses, businesses and schools. |
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Who is Alpha
for? |
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- Those wanting
to investigate Christianity.
- New Christians.
- Those who
feel that they have never really got going as a Christian.
- Newcomers
to the church.
- Those who
want to brush-up on the basics.
There are hundreds
of Alpha Courses running in locations across the country and we
would love to help you find
one near you.
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What's
involved? |
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The
evening Alpha course begins with
supper, followed by a talk. We then divide into smaller groups for
coffee and cookies to discuss any questions raised from the talk.
A
typical Alpha evening
There is an opportunity
to go on a weekend away. This has been a key part of the
Alpha course and a great success in helping people get to know each
other.
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What
will it cost? |
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There
is no charge for the Alpha course, although a small contribution
might be requested for the meal each evening and for the food and
accommodation during the Alpha weekend away.
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When
and where? |
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The
evening Alpha course usually runs once a week for 11 weeks. There
is also one weekend getaway.
For more information search our course
directory.
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What
others say... |
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Over 1,000,000 people have now attended an Alpha course in North
America alone. Here is what some church leaders have said about
the Alpha course.
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"We stand alongside others who have a similar passion
for leading people into vital relationships with Jesus Christ.
We applaud the vision and work of Alpha Ministry to connect the
unconnected to the life of the local church and to relationship
with Jesus Christ."
Bill Hybels
Senior Pastor
Willow Creek Community Church
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"Alpha is definitely a powerful tool for reaching
the lost for Christ and helping them mature in their faith"
Bill Bright
President
Campus Crusade for Christ
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“The Alpha course is a most engaging way of passing
on the basics of Christianity. It is a tool for evangelism and
nurture that I highly recommend.”
J.I. Packer
Professor of Theology
Regent College, Vancouver, B.C.
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“I know of many people whose lives have been transformed
through the Alpha Course. I rejoice at how God is using
it so powerfully to renew many churches both inside and outside
prison walls.”
Charles W. Colson
Founder
Prison Fellowship Ministries
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"The Alpha course is a superb vehicle for seeking
and evangelizing non-Christians, the unchurched and the nominally
churched. Would that every Episcopal Church had an Alpha
course for we would be truly embracing the Great Commission of
Jesus our Lord.”
The Rt. Rev. Herbert Thompson, Jr.
Bishop
Episcopal Diocese of Southern Ohio
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"Alpha seems especially blessed in that the Lord
is using it to reach all sorts of people in all sorts of spiritual
conditions"
Luis Palau
Evangelist
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"I see Alpha as a strategic tool, sensitively crafted
to address today's secularized seekers with satisfying answers
to their spiritual hunger."
Jack W. Hayford
President
King's Seminary
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“It's great to see how Alpha has been used to reach people with the good news of Jesus Christ, who wouldn't normally come to church. This resource is very complementary to helping seekers connect with The Purpose Driven Life.”
Dr. Rick Warren,
Sr. Pastor, Saddleback Church
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