Does anyone know anything about the Alpha Courses? I've seen an ad for them but I don't know anything about it - my sister is thinking of going to a meeting and I am curious. sammieswife.
Alpha Courses?
by sammielee24 10 Replies latest jw friends
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Lady Lee
I've taken the course and it was good. There was no pressure to accept anything or buy anything. The group I was with had some Muslims and Jewish women. The only goal was to help people get an understanding of Christ and why he was on this earth.
The evening would start with a video and then a discussion. It was very open and no canned questions or answers. Just people talking about what they thought. Then there was a meal and I think we were asked to contributre 1$ for it. And after some singing. I forget how many weeks it went for. It ended with a weekend retreat.
I felt comfortable enough to let them know I was an exJW and they took it in stride.
My comment about the course is still online http://www3.telus.net/st_simons/cr9703.htm
"Good free-ing experience." Lee Hardiman
It was a good way for me to begin to see Christianity as something positive and without a burden
A few others here have taken it also
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Gordy
Our church is going to dun an Alpha course this year. We did one about 3 years ago we had 80 attend.
Basically is a way people can learn about the Christian faith in an informal way. Usually there's a meal then a short talk on that nights subject , then you split into small groups to discuss the subject. You will be given a booklet that covers the subjects for the course.
Last month I attended a meeting with others from churches across the area who would be holding Alpha this year. There were people from Baptist, Methodist, Church of England, Pentecostal and Independant churches present.
A couple of the churches had held the course every year since it had started. One church said that when they did it a couple of years ago they had a 1,000 people attend.
Some like the Alpha course others dont. It is not indoctrination. You just discuss basically why did Jesus come. His life and teachings. Also God and the Holy Spirit. When we did the Holy Spirit the talk was given by a Church of England vicar, who came across as more pentecostal than CofE.
More often than not in the group I was in we often ended up talking about some other point after someone raised a question.
The Catholic churches in our area wouldn't take part because it didn't include Mary or the Saints etc. But we did have a trainee RC priest attend. We later heard he had left the RCC and become a Baptist.
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Mrs Smith
Agent Smith and I have signed up to do the Alpha course. We start on the 24th of January. Will keep you posted as to what it's like. I'm looking forward to it.
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bernadette
I have seen the course advertised -
The thing that bothered me was the part where they all get filled with spirit and in some instances become very animated - I feel very suspicious of that. Does that always happen?
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Lady Lee
they all get filled with spirit and in some instances become very animated
not something I saw.
I got mine through an Anglican church
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Sad emo
Alpha courses are a good basic introduction to Christianity.
They're worth going to just for the food if its done properly
My suggestion for caution would be that if a church seems to be trying to push anything other than what is in the course itself, or if they seem to object to any of your questions, approach with caution as this is NOT what an Alpha course is about. The idea is the basic introduction and total freedom to ask anything you need to. No commitment necessary.
Hope all who say here that they've enrolled will enjoy and benefit from the course
Lee:
they all get filled with spirit and in some instances become very animated
not something I saw.
I got mine through an Anglican churchI guess that wasn't meant to be comical but to the tongue-in-cheek Anglican who isn't afraid to poke fun at the dinosaur of officialdom called the Anglican communion it's hilarious!!! Thanks for making me laugh!
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LittleToe
The Alpha course is pretty good, but I prefer Christianity Explored. Some exJWs get a bit anxious about the "Holy Spirit" week, but if you've an open mind and half an interest then it's all good
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Lady Lee
yes I suppose that could be taken a differnet way
When I took the course it was through the Anglican Church that my girlfriend was going to. I thought the Anglicans were the only ones doing it. Since then I have discovered others are giving it also
Oh and as far as I can tell - still no holy spirit
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Crumpet
Some exJWs get a bit anxious about the "Holy Spirit" week
You don't say? Why is that? Does holy spirit week involve a bunch of overly emotional fanatics caught up in the moment thinking they can speak ancient hebrew by any chance?