why is the alpha course successful

The Alpha Course is an effective form of evangelism when run by and through the local church. By focusing on the fundamentals of Christianity, it opens the door for Alpha to be used in almost any context so that everyone has the opportunity to engage is discussions and be transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

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What do you think about the Alpha course?

Having said that, most of the article is surprisingly positive, about the Alpha Course itself , and the man mainly associated with it, Rev. Nicky Gumbel. “Alpha males (!) . . . may not all clap happily and speak in tongues, but they are all part of an evangelical tide; a global Anglican phenomenon.”

Is the Alpha course “British Christianity’s biggest success story?

13 The British newspaper The Independent has an article by Matthew Bell on the Alpha Course , which it describes, interestingly, as “British Christianity’s biggest success story.” Being the Independent , and standing at the far distant extreme of secularism, there are some inevitable digs.

What are the dangers of the Alpha course?

The Alpha Course is now the fastest growing Christian education course in the world, according to Christianity Today, and it is growing at an exponential rate.   Dangers are that the main message of the gospel is glossed over to make it have basically little or no effect.

How has Alpha evolved over time?

After Marnham's initial input, Alpha gradually evolved. One of the key figures in this and the main architect of the Alpha course as it now exists is Nicky Gumbel, currently curate at Holy Trinity Brompton. It was through Gumbel's vision and work that Alpha grew to have the impact it has today.

What is good about 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".

What is the purpose of Alpha?

3:015:01An Introduction to Alpha - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIt's running in the workplace. Running in residential homes to the poor people are being settled. InMoreIt's running in the workplace. Running in residential homes to the poor people are being settled. In their place. Understanding the fundamentals of the gospel.

Is Alpha approved by the Catholic Church?

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.

Who developed the 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 are the topics in the Alpha course?

You can try it out one time and see if you like it....Here are some of the topics:Life: Is there more to life than this?Jesus: Who is Jesus?Cross: Why did Jesus die?Faith: How can we have faith?Prayer: Why and how do I pray?Word: Why and how do I read the Bible?Spirit: Who is the Holy Spirit and what does He do?

How much does the Alpha course cost?

Everyone is welcome. 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 do I run an Alpha course?

5 point plan for hosting a successful Alpha courseBringing an Alpha course to life.Find a shared vision.Identify your team's strengths.Line up your strengths with the course.Maximize the course's strengths.Plan for a course's weaknesses.Remember, God is always in the room.

What are the Alpha sessions?

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 that people can have about faith and is designed to create conversation.

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.

Why is Alpha called Alpha?

The Greek alpha comes from the Hebrew and Phoenician aleph, a form of the word for "ox," eleph, possibly because the character resembled an ox's head.

Is Nicky Gumbel Catholic?

Nicholas Glyn Paul Gumbel (born 1955), known as Nicky Gumbel, is an English Anglican priest and author in the evangelical and charismatic traditions. He is known as the developer of the Alpha Course, a basic introduction to Christianity supported by churches of many Christian traditions.

What country was Jesus from?

When Jesus was born, all of Jewish Palestine—as well as some of the neighbouring Gentile areas—was ruled by Rome's able “friend and ally” Herod the Great.

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 ...

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.

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.

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 are the dangers of the Alpha Course?

Dangers are that the main message of the gospel is glossed over to make it have basically little or no effect.

Where did the Alpha start?

Since London is known to be the headquarters of the occult, it is not surprising that the Alpha originated there. In1970 an English cleric, Charles Marnham, devised a four- week series of lessons for non-churchgoers and new Christians. In 1981 a former barrister of Holy Trinity Brompton extended the course to 8 weeks.

Is Alpha a good course?

Indeed, as several people have commented, the Alpha course serves more as an introduction, and not an exhaustive Theological course. It may not be perfect, yes; but it is to a good extent suitable for its intended audience, and it has helped thousands of people come to the Christian faith.

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.

What is the Alpha Course?

One of the fastest growing evangelization programs in Evangelical and Charismatic Protestant circles these days is the "Alpha Course," developed over 20 years ago at a charismatic Anglican parish in London, Holy Trinity Brompton, and currently directed by Nicky Gumbel. It has been promoted to Catholics in the United States for six years by ChristLife Catholic Evangelization Services in Baltimore, which claims that "hundreds of Catholic parishes" are now using it. The purpose of this paper is to describe the process and content of the "Alpha Course", and to evaluate whether "Alpha", either in its original form or in the "Alpha for Catholics" model, should be recommended to Catholic parishes looking for evangelization tools.

What is the evaluation of alpha?

An evaluation of Alpha materials reveals that Alpha does not offer simply "basic Christian truths" common to all, but presents specific teachings on the Church, the Sacraments, and the gifts of the Holy Spirit that constitute the theology of the Charismatic Protestantism which gave birth to Alpha.

Where did Alpha come from?

As mentioned out the outset, Alpha was developed by a parish of the Church of England, Holy Trinity Brompton in London. From Anglicanism, it has spread to other Christian groups. Yet one of the first detailed criticisms of the course came from an Anglican source—an M.A. dissertation written by Rev. Mark Ireland, Diocesan Missioner for the Diocese of Lichfield, in the year 2000. Ireland questioned the 426 parishes in the diocese about the evangelization programs they were using, and then his Bishop followed up with a letter to the parishes which used Alpha, asking if they had any concerns. "The main theological areas of concern centred on lack of teaching on the sacraments, social ethics and the resurrection, and the perceived over-emphasis on tongues, physical healing and substitutionary atonement." These issues were then raised in a meeting between Ireland and the Area Bishop of Shrewsbury with Sandy Millar and Nicky Gumbel at Holy Trinity Brompton. 18

What is the thrust of Alpha?

The basic thrust of Alpha is to communicate the essentials of the Christian faith, with its understanding of God the Father, of Jesus Christ—his incarnation, death and resurrection—and the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is the historic faith expressed in the ancient creeds.

Is Ireland negative on Alpha?

Ireland is not wholly negative on either Alpha in particular or "process evangelism" courses in general. Over 61% of the parishes in his diocese use some form of such a course, resulting in "1,377 people having come to Christian faith, commitment or confirmation.".

What is the Alpha Course?

The Alpha Course, though teaching some truth, also lays truth alongside error. The wooing of people using the gospel message, only to later enslave them in ritualism, works salvation, and occult manifestations is one of the great deceptions of our time.

Who is the architect of Alpha?

After Marnham's initial input, Alpha gradually evolved. One of the key figures in this and the main architect of the Alpha course as it now exists is Nicky Gumbel, currently curate at Holy Trinity Brompton. It was through Gumbel's vision and work that Alpha grew to have the impact it has today.

When was Alpha 10-3-98 made?

Alpha 10-3-98. Blessings! The foundations of the Alpha course were originally laid in 1979 through the work of Charles Marnham. During his time at Holy Trinity Brompton in west London (one of the main proponants of the Toronto "Blessing" and where Steve Hill of Brownsville picked up his ability to "slay people in the spirit"), ...

What is the Alpha Course?

The Alpha Course is a course that has been used by many as a way to attempt to introduce the false doctrines and practices of the Third Wave into mainstream denominations.

Why is the Alpha Course important in Lighthouse Trails?

Alpha Course Promotes Spiritual Formation.

Who is the face of Alpha?

Its first presenter was a man called CHARLES MARNHAM but today 'the face' of ALPHA is the assistant curate ' NICKY GUMBEL and to a lesser extent his boss, the vicar of HTB ' Sandy Millar.