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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