Why Alpha

Alpha is a resource churches use to create a space and a culture where people are excited to bring their friends for a conversation about Jesus. Alpha can be run almost anywhere – from a church basement to a restaurant or online, and has lasting impact on guests and church communities.

Why run Alpha?

Many Christians see evangelism as uncomfortable, unnatural or only for a select few experts.

In fact, a recent Angus Reid study showed only 29% of religiously-committed people in Canada view evangelism positively.

80% of guests attend Alpha because of a personal invitation from someone they know. And they keep attending because of the relationships that develop during Alpha.

Evangelism is always relational and not just informational. This relational dimension of Alpha is what speaks loudest to a culture that suffers from increasing feelings of loneliness and social isolation, where the primary question is no longer “What do I believe?” but “Where do I belong?”

Re-imagining how the Church shares life, faith and Jesus.

Alpha helps create a space for encounter

People come to discover a relationship with Jesus and experience the Holy Spirit.

Alpha creates a culture of invitation

As people invite their friends to Alpha they get to experience the joy of seeing first-hand the work of the Holy Spirit in salvation. This encouragement helps entire church communities recapture the joy of evangelism.

Alpha creates a discipleship and leadership pipeline

Guests who come on Alpha will often come back as helpers to the next one, and integrate into the greater life of the church.

What Alpha can do over time

Revitalize a culture of:

Expectancy and Prayer

Listening

Hospitality

Empowerment for Mission

Invitation

Restore unity of the church

“I in them and you in me—so that they may be brought to complete unity. Then the world will know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.”
– John 17:23

Reach a broken world

“My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.”
– 1 Corinthians 2:4-5

The overflow is not reserved to Alpha itself. Some people take over Alpha or lead an Alpha later but many other people become elders, and pastors, and leaders. That’s actually one of the best byproducts of Alpha is gift discovery, gift affirmation, and out of that ministering way beyond the bounds of Alpha.

Jon Thompson,

Lead Pastor, Sanctus Church, Ajax, ON

Alpha equips people to be missionary disciples, not simply to just be consumers of their faith. It brings people into these much deeper relationships, and makes people comfortable sharing their faith with others.

Father Michael Leclerc,

St. Ignatius of Loyola Parish, Montreal, QC

What I love about Alpha is that it’s not really a formula, it’s just community, around a table, with the gospel of Jesus and an openness to Holy Spirit.

John Mark Comer,

Author, Teacher at Practicing the Way, and Founding Pastor at Bridgetown Church