Kathy,
Thank you so much for that information. It sounds like a wonderful
course. I'm on a mailing list that is now discussing the Purpose Driven
Life curriculum or a book about it. Not sure which. I didn't get the book
so am not personally involved in the discussion.
No, you didn't say too much about ALPHA. It was quite a concise write-up
about it, and I appreciate your taking the time to explain.
Helen
At 05:44 PM 11/14/03 -0500, you wrote:
>Carol and Helen,
>Actually, there are fifteen sessions now. The ALPHA course is meant to be
>mostly for seekers, but many churches also use it for their congregation
>the first time through to remind them of just what their faith is all
>about. That's where we are. Everything is covered in a pretty systematic
>way. The sessions build on each other. There is a meal involved to break
>down buriers and attenders are placed in groups that stay together
>throughout the course for the sake of building a sense of community and
>safety. By the end of the course, people feel pretty safe asking
>questions because they know that they can trust the people in their
>group. Also, if they do become Christians, or at least begin attending
>church, they have a sense of knowing someone else who is already there.
>Just walking into church is a huge hurtle for the unchurched to overcome.
>Also, the group leaders and helpers, who are from the church, are
>responsible to pray for there members every day and really be a shepherd
>to the members of their group.
>In Canada, there is a huge ALPHA movement right now. All of the
>evangelical churches in Canada are offering it at the same time in an
>attempt to evangelize their people, but also to build one another up in
>the faith. Lot's of churches in America that have run the ALPHA course
>for many years, I know two churches who have done it for 8 years now, are
>now moving on to using Rick Warren's Purpose Driven Life curriculum.
>Interestingly enough, without us saying anything about that, some people
>in our church are asking for us to do that as well.
>Anyway, back to ALPHA, it isn't meant to be run in a church because, like
>I said, the unchurched are usually more comfortable in someone's home
>rather than a church. After this first run with our people, we intend to
>continue offering it as a tool for our people to use to introduce Christ
>to their friends and neighbors. We already have our first home set up for
>next spring. So may people are afraid to share the good news of Christ
>because their afraid that they will be asked a question that they won't
>know the answer too, so they'd rather say nothing. It's sad, but it's
>human nature I guess. This course provides a way for them to feel
>supported and informative and less put on the spot.
>If I've said too much, sorry. If not, you can look it up on the Web.
>Sorry, I don't have the URL handy, but you're much better at that sort of
>thing anyway.
>In Him,
>Kathy
>
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