| What is Alpha? | | Print | |
| Thursday, 20 January 2011 10:52 | |||
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What started at the Holy Trinity Brompton church in London is now a worldwide initiative helping to take on some of the greatest questions of life. “Who is Jesus and how can we have Faith? How can I Make the Most of the Rest of my Life?” These are just some of the questions the Alpha course addresses, and according to Emmy Wilson, the answers are changing lives across the world. Initially the Alpha course was intended for churchgoers, but today it is held for anyone including students, prisoners and members of the armed forces. “During the Alpha course, the whole picture of Christianity comes together, and people’s eyes are opened to the full meaning of the Christian faith,” explains Wilson, who has been a part of the movement since 1980. The first Alpha courses were held in the late 1970s as a means of presenting the basic principles of the Christian faith to new Christians in a relaxed and informal setting. By 1990, when former lawyer Nicky Gumbel took over the course, Alpha was a central feature of the church’s life. It was while leading his second Alpha course that Gumbel realised how this simple course could also appeal to non-churchgoers, and he adapted the course to give it the kind of feel that would suit this group. The Alpha course spread during the 1990s, initially in the U.K. and then internationally, as more churches and groups found it a helpful way to answer questions about the Christian faith in an informal setting. Now 16 million people worldwide have attended the courses in 164 countries, and it is supported and run by all major denominations. The central theme of the Alpha course is about Christianity and helping individuals find meaning in their lives. One local resident who participated in an Alpha course in England says, “I knew there was more to the church, and I found the answers through Alpha.” Wilson says Alpha is revitalizing churches and renewing people’s faith, creating unity across the denominations around the world. “The course turns Sunday-only Christians to embrace the spirit of God throughout their lives,” Wilson said. She tells countless stories of how Alpha courses have changed peoples lives, some right before her eyes. “After church leaders hear about the Alpha course, they say ‘I wish I had known about this at the beginning of my ministry,’” helping to provide answers to some of the most sought after questions their congregations require. The Alpha program is 100-percent funded by donations. It’s all about uniting around the gospel and creating unity, Wilson said. Wilson says her passion over the years has been for prisoners. She has held Alpha and Caring for Ex Offender training courses across the world, spreading Alpha for Prisoners into prisons from Switzerland to Siberia. Her passion for helping prisoners grew into a charity which supports released prisoners through churches, Caring for Ex-Offenders. 164 - Countries running Alpha courses
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