The Alpha course, held at the home of Jackie & Howard James in Ventouse, has now concluded.
If you are interested in joining the next one please join us for our concluding celebration. For details call Howard on Tel: 05 45 29 58 91 or email Howard@church-in-france.com.
The Alpha course is open to everyone interested in discovering what Christianity is about. Come, relax, eat, share your thoughts and explore the meaning of life.
Who is the Alpha Course for?
The Alpha course is designed primarily for people who aren’t churchgoers and each course is open to everyone who would like to attend.
As a course, Alpha attracts a diverse range of guests of different ages and backgrounds, holding many different viewpoints. Over 7,000 churches are currently running the Alpha course across the UK in rural and urban settings, including every major UK city.
People find out about the Alpha course in a number of ways – a recommendation from a friend, a poster, flyer, newspaper article or advert, or through the website or an internet search.
Why attend the Alpha course?
Guests do Alpha for a wide variety of reasons – some want to investigate whether God exists; others are concerned about what happens after death. Some people have particular questions that they would like to discuss; others want to understand other peoples’ beliefs or would like to explore what the purpose of life is. Many guests have never been to church, others may have attended church occasionally but feel they have never really understood the basics of the Christian faith.
Some courses are specifically tailored for a particular setting or group – such courses are held in gyms, prisons, offices, residential homes, universities, parent and toddler groups, youth clubs, armed forces bases and schools, and with the deaf, blind and those who speak English as an overseas language (ESOL).
“What distinguishes Alpha from other initiatives is the easy-going, relaxed feel of the proceedings – that, and it’s astonishing success”,(The Times, London).
How Alpha Courses Work
Alpha courses are based around small groups of about 12 people, hosted by one or two leaders whose role is to facilitate and encourage discussion.
Courses vary in size, from one small group meeting in a home, to hundreds of people in a larger venue. Some Alpha courses are held over morning coffee or during a lunch hour, most are evening courses, typically lasting 2 hours. Whatever the course size, people tend to remain in the same small groups for the duration of the course so they can get to know each other, continue discussions and deepen friendships.
Alpha Courses Weekly Format
The whole Alpha course usually lasts for 10 weeks, with a day or weekend away in the middle. Each session begins with a meal or refreshments – a chance to get to know others in the small group. There is then a short talk or video, which looks at a different aspect of the Christian faith each week. This is followed by a time of discussion in the small groups, where everyone is welcome to contribute their opinion, ask questions and discuss with the rest of the group.
The emphasis is upon exploration and discovery in a relaxed and informal environment.
There is no charge for attending the Alpha course, although courses may ask for a contribution towards the food.
Course content
The talks each week cover the following topics, which people are then free to discuss in the small groups afterwards:
- Week 1 Who is Jesus?
- Week 2 Why did Jesus Die?
- Week 3 How can we have Faith?
- Week 4 Why and how do I Pray?
- Week 5 Why and how should I read the Bible?
- Week 6 How does God Guide us?
- Week 7 How can I Resist Evil?
- Week 8 Why and how should I tell Others?
- Week 9 Does God Heal Today?
- Week 10 What about the Church?
Day or weekend away
- Who is the Holy Spirit?What does the Holy Spirit do?
- How can I be Filled with the Holy Spirit?
- How can I Make the Most of the Rest of my Life?
You can watch talks from the Alpha course currently running at Holy Trinity Brompton.
To contact Holy Trinity Brompton or Alpha click here http://uk.alpha.org/contact
How Alpha began
The Alpha Course & Nicky Gumbel
The Alpha Course has been running for over 30 years. It began at Holy Trinity Brompton in central London, in the late 1970s, initially 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 barrister Nicky Gumbel took over the Alpha course, it was a central feature of the church’s life. It was while leading his second Alpha course that Nicky 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 – UK and Worldwide
The Alpha course spread during the 1990s, initially in the UK and then internationally, as more churches and groups found it a helpful way to answer questions about the Christian faith in an informal setting. There are now over 33,500 courses worldwide in 163 countries and it is supported by all the major denominations.
After Alpha
Read the Bible in One Year with Nicky Gumbel
The Bible in One Year 2011
FaithTrack (introduction to Christian belief)
The FaithTrack DVD resource contains ten teaching sessions presented by Dr Graham Tomlin, Dr Jane Williams and Dr Michael Lloyd and introduces what is sometimes known as systematic theology. Sessions include The Character of God; Creation; Jesus and the Holy Spirit; as well as question and answer sessions.
Challenging Lifestyle – Series 1
The Challenging Lifestyle Series 1 DVD contains six talks given by Nicky Gumbel, at Holy Trinity Brompton, based on Jesus’ radical teaching on the Sermon on the Mount, and suggests ways in which we can apply this teaching to our own lives.
Very similar in style to The Alpha Course DVD this is a great vehicle for small groups, particularly for those post Alpha who are already familiar with Nicky Gumbel. The six sessions look at six ‘hows’ including ‘How to find the Secret of Happiness’ and ‘How to Change the World around you’.Other topics include the Old Testament, Sex, Divorce and Anger. Each talk is around forty minutes long, allowing plenty of time for group discussion.
Challenging Lifestyle – Series 2
Challenging Lifestyle Series 2 continues Nicky Gumbel’s talks on the Sermon on the Mount. This brand new resource runs over six sessions and covers such topics as, ‘How to Live and Act with Integrity’ and ‘How to Respond to Difficult People’. It also looks at handling conflict, generous giving, and money.
Challenging Lifestyle – Series 3
This brand new resource is the last in the series and contains Nicky’s final six talks on the Sermon on the Mount. Topics include Worry, False Prophets, Criticism and Building a Secure Future.
As with the others in the series, Challenging Lifestyle Series 3 is perfect for use in a group setting as a follow-up to Alpha
God at Work course
The brand new God at Work course is based on the book of the same name by Ken Costa and is an ideal follow-up course to Alpha in the Workplace. The course runs over six sessions and looks at how Christians can live out their faith in the workplace with the utmost integrity. The sessions covered are:
- Work Matters
- Ambition and Life Choices
- Tough Decisions
- Stress and Work-Life Balance
- Failure, Disappointment and Hope
- Money and Giving
Ken Costa is Chairman of Lazard International and has over thirty years’ experience as an investment banker. He’s also Chairman of Alpha International and is passionate about the relevance of the Christian faith for the workplace.
A Life Worth Living Course
Over seven talks, Nicky Gumbel tackles the issues raised on Alpha, such as the question of suffering, the validity of other religions and sex before marriage.
“I was quite cynical … but it was brilliant to be able to question openly in a supportive atmosphere”, Jan, Liverpool
