where to go after the alpha course

by Maria Emard 8 min read

Where are Alpha courses being run?

Alpha courses are being run in churches, homes, workplaces, prisons, universities and a wide variety of other locations. The course began in Britain and is being run around the world by various Christian denominations. Alpha was started in 1977 by Charles Marnham, a curate at Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB), a parish of the Church of England in London.

Is the Alpha course good or bad?

In the hands of a solidly evangelical teacher, the Alpha Course can be excellent. In the hands of someone trying to push beliefs and practices that are biblically questionable, the Alpha Course can be used to indoctrinate and mislead. As with any course or teaching, we must be diligent and discerning.

What has Alpha got to do with it?

Possibly Alpha's greatest influence has been on the ministry of John Wimber, who visited Holy Trinity Brompton a number of times during the 1980s and 1990s.

What happens after you finish Alpha?

Once a guest has finished Alpha, online or in person, it is essential that there is an intentional process of ongoing formation in place to help people continue to grow as missionary disciples. Process – The most important thing a parish can do is move from a programme-based model of mission, to a process-based model.

What's next after Alpha?

That is why the generations today each span 15 years with Generation Y (Millennials) born from 1980 to 1994; Generation Z from 1995 to 2009 and Generation Alpha from 2010 to 2024. So it follows that Generation Beta will be born from 2025 to 2039.

How many sessions are there in the Alpha course?

fifteen sessionsThree of the fifteen sessions are given to the person and work of the Holy Spirit and cover the infilling of the Spirit; speaking in tongues and healing via prayer.

How much does it cost to run an Alpha course?

How Much Will It Cost? There is no charge for attending the Alpha course. There will be a $3 fee for adult dinners (Kids eat free and free childcare is available during class).

How long is the Alpha program?

eleven weeksAlpha is a series of sessions exploring the basics of the Christian faith. Typically run over eleven weeks, each session looks at a different question that people can have about faith and is designed to create conversation.

How long are the alpha videos?

around 30 minutesThe Alpha videos are designed to be engaging and inspire conversation. Usually around 30 minutes long, they explore the big issues around faith and unpack the basics of Christianity. You'll have a chance to watch with others in a live discussion during each video!

What is Alpha weekend?

The typical Alpha Weekend runs from Friday night to Sunday morning. This creates unhurried time and space to watch all the talks about the Holy Spirit, for waiting on God and praying together, and for people to relax and have fun. For some groups getting away for a whole weekend is not possible.

Is Alpha good for Catholics?

Alpha is proven to awaken faith in lapsed Catholics, those on the fringe of parish life and those outside the faith. It gives faithful Catholics a path and a language to fulfill their baptismal call to evangelize.

Where does Nicky Gumbel preach?

Since 2005, he has been Vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton in the Diocese of London, Church of England.

Is Alpha A Catholic course?

Afterall, Alpha didn't come from the Catholic Church. Alpha started in an Anglican parish in London called Holy Trinity Brompton. It was further developed and popularized by an Anglican vicar named Nicky Gumbel. And it has gone on to be used in churches of virtually every Christian denomination and tradition.

What is Alpha Youth Series?

Read allThe Alpha Youth Series is a brand new interactive series exploring life, faith and meaning. Re-imagined for today's youth culture, each episode looks at a different question around faith and is designed to create conversation. It's for young people with no Christian or church background.

Who started Alpha course?

The Alpha Course had been founded in 1977, by the Reverend Charles Marnham, but Gumbel developed it into its current format. Courses involve sessions over a 10-week period, which are preceded by informal suppers.

What is the Christianity Explored course?

Christianity Explored is an informal Christian evangelistic teaching course developed by Rico Tice and Barry Cooper at All Souls Church, Langham Place, a leading Anglican church, and published by The Good Book Company. The course is considered to stand within the conservative evangelical tradition.

Why is it important to have a Christian friendship after Alpha?

Community/Relationships – It is crucial that guests build Christian friendships in the parish after Alpha in ways that work best for them. The support and accountability of Christian friendships is key to growing as a disciple. It is important that the Alpha team are not their only link to the parish and that guests are introduced to other ministries in the parish and to a wider group of people outside of their Alpha group.

Can you preview all the videos before running Alpha?

Before you run Alpha, you can preview all the videos for all of the Alpha series.

What is the Alpha Course?

The Alpha Course is ecumenical, and any course that can appeal to the wide range of traditions and denominations, as the Alpha Course does, has to sacrifice many essential Bible truths. A wide tent that is inclusive of those who hold teachings contrary to the tenets of the faith for which we are to contend ...

Where was Alpha Course started?

We must be discerning in evaluating the qualifications of the person or people teaching the course. The Alpha Course was started in the United Kingdom, at Holy Trinity Brompton Church, by Nicky Gumbel and Sandy Millar in 1977.

How has the Alpha Course helped Christians?

We do recognize, however, that the Alpha Course has been a tremendous help to many Christians. Many people have come to faith in Jesus Christ through the Alpha Course. Many more have been strengthened in their faith and knowledge of God’s Word because of the Alpha Course.

Is the Alpha Course good?

The problem is that the Alpha Course can be very different depending on the church/organization that is using it. In the hands of a solidly evangelical teacher, the Alpha Course can be excellent. In the hands of someone trying to push beliefs and practices that are biblically questionable, the Alpha Course can be used to indoctrinate and mislead.

What is an alpha course?

The Alpha course is an evangelistic course which seeks to introduce the basics of the Christian faith through a series of talks and discussions. It is described by its organisers as "an opportunity to explore the meaning of life". Alpha courses are run in churches, homes, workplaces, prisons, universities and a wide variety of other locations.

What is the Alpha for Prisons course?

Caring for ex-offenders is a follow-up to the Alpha for Prisons course, supporting released prisoners by providing them with material assistance including accommodation, work, food, and pastoral support through church life. It operates in Britain, Canada, South Africa and the United States.

What is Alpha's teaching?

Alpha's teachings are intended to centre upon aspects of Christian faith on which all denominations are in general agreement. Nicky Gumbel says (quoting the current Apostolic Preacher Raniero Cantalamessa ), "What unites us is infinitely greater than what divides us."

What is Alpha Film Series?

In April 2016, Alpha introduced the Alpha Film Series, where traditional Alpha content is shown in a series of films, featuring stories and interviews. This series is mainly presented by Nicky Gumbel, Toby Flint (a curate at Holy Trinity Brompton) and Gemma Hunt.

What is the alternative Christianity explored course?

The alternative Christianity Explored course is an attempt to go beyond what Alpha teaches on sin.

How many courses were there in 1998?

A peak was reached in 1998, when 10,500 courses were run. By 2001 this had fallen to 7,300. In 2018, the Alpha website described the course as running in over 100 countries and over 100 languages, with over 24 million people having taken the course.

When was Alpha founded?

Alpha was started in 1977 by Charles Marnham, a curate at Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB), a parish of the Church of England in London. It started as a course for church members regarding the basics of beliefs commonly held by many believers in Christ but then began to be used as an introduction for those interested in the faith.

How long is Alpha?

Alpha is a series of sessions exploring the basics of the Christian faith. Typically run over eleven weeks, each session looks at a different question around faith, and the talks are designed to create conversation in small groups afterwards. It’s totally free, it’s run all over the globe, and everyone’s welcome. Find out more about Alpha.

What are the three things that Alpha have in common?

Every Alpha is different, but generally they have three things in common: food, a talk and conversation.

Is Alpha free?

Alpha is completely free – and there’s no follow-up if you don’t want to come back after the first session.

Can you preview all the videos before running Alpha?

Before you run Alpha, you can preview all the videos for all of the Alpha series.

Can you personalise an Alpha invitation?

Yes, you can personalise the Alpha Invitation materials with your Alpha’s details such as name, website and address – just head to Printshop.

What is the Alpha Course?

The Alpha Course is an effective form of evangelism when done by and through the local church. By focussing on the essentials of the Christian faith, it opens the door for Alpha to be used in almost any context so that everyone has the opportunity to see their friends’ lives transformed by the gospel.

Where did Alpha start?

Alpha began at a church called Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) in London in 1977, it was taken by Nicky Gumbel in 1990 and repositioned as a course for those outside the church. The number of people attending Alpha at HTB grew quickly into the hundreds and attracted the attention of other churches across denominations seeking to find an effective tool ...

What is the Alpha Talks series?

The Alpha Talks have been repackaged for today’s audience in the Alpha Film Series and the Alpha Youth Series was created to reach a younger generation with the Gospel. Even as times have changed, the Alpha course has continued to be used by the church as an effective tool to reach the lost with the gospel of Jesus Christ.

When was Alpha filmed?

As interest grew Alpha conferences were organized internationally and the original Alpha Film Series was filmed in 1994 to make it accessible to the widest possible audience. Now all over the world millions of people have tried Alpha and it has been translated into 112 different languages.

Can you preview all the videos before running Alpha?

Before you run Alpha, you can preview all the videos for all of the Alpha series.

How many guests said the course had a positive impact on their relationship?

99% of guests said the course had a positive impact on their relationship.

How many guests experienced significant improvement in their relationship from the course?

73% of guests experienced significant improvement in their relationship from the course.

What is the marriage course?

The Marriage Course and The Pre-Marriage Course act as a bridge between the church and the local community by recognising the need to go beyond the social, as well as physical, walls of the church to help couples with their relationships. The Marriage Course is designed to be easy for churches to run; with episodes that are available to download online for free, along with training, guides, and journals. The sessions are completely private, with no group work.

Can you preview all the videos before running Alpha?

Before you run Alpha, you can preview all the videos for all of the Alpha series.

Is the marriage course available online?

Everything you need to run The Marriage Course is available online to download so everyone can play a part in seeing relationships transformed.

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Overview

The Alpha course is an evangelistic course which seeks to introduce the basics of the Christian faith through a series of talks and discussions. It is described by its organisers as "an opportunity to explore the meaning of life". Alpha courses are run in churches, homes, workplaces, prisons, universities and a wide variety of other locations. The course began in Britain and is run around the world by …

History

Alpha originated in 1977 with the work of Charles Marnham, a curate at Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB), a parish of the Church of England in London. It started as a course for church members regarding the basics of beliefs commonly held by many believers in Christ, but then began to be used as an introduction for those interested in the faith. John Irvine, Marnham's successor curate at HTB, took over the running of the course in 1981 and developed the 10-week format which co…

Structure

Alpha is organised as a series of sessions over 10 weeks, including a day or weekend away. Each session starts with a meal, followed by a talk and then discussion in small groups. The talks aim to cover the basic beliefs of the Christian faith.
In April 2016, Alpha introduced the Alpha Film Series, where traditional Alpha content is shown in a series of films, featuring stories and interviews. This series is mainly presented by Nicky Gumb…

Doctrine

Alpha's teachings are intended to centre upon aspects of Christian faith on which all denominations are in general agreement. Nicky Gumbel says (quoting the current Apostolic Preacher Raniero Cantalamessa), "What unites us is infinitely greater than what divides us."
Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox distinctives, such as those concerning the Virgin Mary and certain sacramental teachings are absent, as are Baptist teachings on baptism. Instead, individua…

Influenced by

Possibly Alpha's greatest influence came from the ministry of John Wimber, who visited Holy Trinity Brompton a number of times during the 1980s and 1990s. Nicky Gumbel's approach can also be linked to the ministry of E. J. H. Nash, an influential Anglican cleric who set out to evangelise "top boys at top schools" and who organised summer camps at Iwerne Minster in Dorset. David Fletcher, who took responsibility for the camps after Nash, described Alpha as: "ba…

Usage

Although originating from the evangelical Anglican tradition, Alpha is now used in various denominations around the world. Its supporters include many Catholic cardinals, Anglican archbishops and bishops, and leading figures of all denominations. Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey described the courses as "superb." Rowan Williams was an enthusiastic supporter when he was Bishop o…

Criticism

Alpha has been criticised for having a charismatic emphasis, with some non-charismatic evangelicals criticising Gumbel's emphasis upon the person and work of the Holy Spirit in particular. As a result, some churches have chosen to teach a different view of the Holy Spirit in the course, although this is discouraged in Gumbel's book How to Run the Alpha Course.
More conservative critics (especially from a Reformed and evangelical perspective) have complai…

See also

• Awareness Course
• Cursillo
• Living the Questions