Who is Alpha for ?

Alpha is for anyone

Everyone is welcome on an Alpha course and people attend for a wide variety of reasons. Some want to investigate whether God exists and if there is any point to life; others are concerned about what happens after death. Still others may have attended church on and off all their lives but feel they have never really understood the basics of the Christian faith.

People come from many different backgrounds, holding many different viewpoints - but all come with the same objective: to establish whether Jesus Christ has any real relevance for their lives.

.... in every kind of church

Alpha is being run by churches of every different denomination, including Anglican, Roman Catholic, Baptist, Presbyterian, Methodist, Pentecostal, Salvation Army, Free Church and House Churches. Wherever the course is being held, all churches provide the same material, making alterations only to suit local culture.

What will it cost ?

The alpha course is free. Guests may be invited to make a voluntary contribution towards the food.

A typical evening on Alpha

Alpha courses run in a wide variety of locations and at different times of the day. Many courses run on a particular weekday evening over 11 weeks. Below is a typical timetable for an evening session of Alpha.

Supper/light meal : 7:30pm

Almost all evening courses begin with a meal of some kind, ranging from a full supper to a light snack. Guests usually eat with other members of their own group.

Talk : 8:00pm

The main talk of the evening addresses a key issue relating to the Christian faith. Many courses use a video of speaker Nicky Gumbel giving the talk, but many others use a live speaker.

Titles Of Talks.

• Christianity: Boring, Untrue and Irrelevant?
• Who is Jesus?
• Why did Jesus die?
• How can I be sure of my faith?
• Why and how should I read the Bible?
• Why and how should I pray?
• How does God guide us?
• 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 our life?
• How can I resist evil?
• Why and how should I tell others?
• Does God heal today?
• What about the Church?

Coffee : 8:40pm

At the end of the talk, the guests break for coffee - usually in their small groups.

Small Groups : 8:45pm

Many guests speak of how they find the small group sessions to be the most rewarding times of the whole Alpha course. The sessions are an opportunity to ask questions, express opinions and to discuss the topic of the evening. They also provide an opportunity to make friends and to bounce ideas around in a relaxed and non-threatening environment.

End : 9:30pm

Most courses will have a specific time when discussion is brought to a close for the evening - although guests are free to stay and chat.

What now ?

If you would like to come on an Alpha course, here at St Andrews, please call the Church Office to find out when the next course is being run. If you are not from the surrounding areas please go to the official Alpha course web site, there you can search for an Alpha course near you.

Material adapted from Alpha Publications - ISBN 1-902750-07-1