New to Running Alpha?

Running Alpha is so much fun! You will see lives impacted on your course and have the opportunity to support and grow the gifts of the people on your team.

If you are the sociable type with a passion for changing lives and meeting new people, Alpha is just for you. Here's some info about the course.

What is Alpha?

Alpha is a tried and tested, practical introduction to the Christian faith in 10 sessions. The format of the course is very simple with lots of resources available to help you run it in your local community.

Alpha is supported by leaders of all of the main denominations and continues to make an impact in a variety of settings including prisons, schools, universities, workplaces, hospitals, rural areas, inner cities, homeless projects and churches.

Where can I find out about running Alpha in other settings? Jamie Haith speaking

What does a typical session look like?

Courses run in the morning, afternoon or evening. This is an example of an evening session:

  • 7.00 pm – Food (supper or a light meal)
  • 7.35 pm – Welcome and notices
  • 7.45 pm – Worship (if appropriate)
  • 7.55 pm – Talk
  • 8.45 pm – Coffee and small groups
  • 9.30 pm – Finish

A day or weekend away occurs halfway through the course (usually between Session 6 and Session 7).

What is the course structure?

Courses often launch with a taster event and / or end the course with a celebration party, providing guests with the opportunity to invite friends to come and see what Alpha is.

The weekly course structure

  • Who is Jesus?
  • Why Did Jesus Die?
  • How Can We Have Faith?
  • Why and How Do I Pray?
  • Why and How Should I Read the Bible?
  • How Does God Guide Us?
  • How Can I Resist Evil?
  • Why Should I Tell Others?
  • Does God Heal Today?
  • What about the Church?

Weekend / day away

  • Who Is the Holy Spirit?
  • What Does the Holy Spirit Do?
  • How Can I Be Filled with the Spirit?
  • How Can I Make the Most of the Rest of My Life?

Launch (taster) event and / or celebration party

  • (E.g:  the 'Is There More to Life Than This?' talk.)

Can anyone run Alpha?

If you attended Alpha as a guest, you are ready to run Alpha. If you have not attended Alpha, we recommend you visit a local course for at least a few, if not all, of the sessions to see how it works.

Read here to find out more about training to run Alpha.