Alpha Getting Started

How to run Alpha Getting Started

Where should I start

Who should I invite How should I train my team

How to Run Alpha: Getting Started First published by Alpha India May 2006 Global edition first published by Alpha International 2007 This edition published in the Americas by Alpha North America, 2275 Half Day Road, Suite 185, Deerfield, IL 60015 © 2008, 2103 Alpha International, Holy Trinity Brompton, Brompton Road, London, SW7 1JA, UK How to Run Alpha: Getting Started All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publishers.

First printed by Alpha North America in 2008 Printed in the United States of America Scripture in this publication is from the Holy Bible, New International Version (NIV), Copyright 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 Biblica Inc., used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

ISBN 978-1-934564-52-3 7 8 9 10 Printing/Year 18 17 16 15

How to run Alpha Getting Started

You have attended an Alpha training event, but what comes next?

After attending an Alpha training event, we hope you will catch the vision and be excited about starting Alpha in your church, home, small group or with another group of people. So, what is your next step? How do you get started?

This guide will help you plan and start Alpha by providing step-by-step advice.

You have all the tools you need to start running your Alpha, now you just need to use them!

If you haven’t attended an Alpha training event, then please contact your Alpha Advisor 1, Regional Alpha Office or the National Alpha Office (details on the back cover), or visit alpha.org to find the next training event near you.

Preparation and planning Depending on the context in which your Alpha will be run, the preparation and planning you need to do will vary slightly. Check all the points in this guide to ensure you have considered every aspect of how to run your Alpha effectively.

Prayer Prayer is vital to the planning, preparation, and effectiveness of your Alpha. We recommend finding a group of people who will pray for every aspect of Alpha, from the beginning of your planning to the last session and follow up. You may want to look at the Alpha Prayer Guide - a new tool that provides your church with interesting ways to under gird the ministry of Alpha as they reach out to the community

Alpha Advisor—a person who knows Alpha well and volunteers his/her time to help others with Alpha

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The five important steps to running Alpha STEP 1 – PREPARE w Contact your Regional/National Alpha Office or Alpha Advisor w Inform your church leadership w Appoint a leadership team w Register your Alpha

STEP 2 – PLAN The Dates w Set the dates for your Alpha w Set the date for your Celebration dinner w Set the dates for your Weekend/Day away The Talks w Decide how to deliver the talks (DVD or Live speaker) w If live speaker, decide who will deliver the talks The Venue w Select a venue for your Alpha w Select and book a venue for your Weekend/Day away The Team w Select the Alpha team, hosts, and helpers w Select a task force

STEP 3 – PROMOTE w Empower your church members to catch the vision w Decide the best method to invite guests to your Alpha w Prepare the invitations w Hold an Alpha Sunday in the church w Hold an Alpha Introductory Event/Celebration dinner

STEP 4 – TRAIN your Alpha Hosts and Helpers w Training session 1 – Hosting Small Groups w Training session 2 – Pastoral Care w Training session 3 – Praying for Others on Alpha w Taskforce Training

STEP 5 – RUN your Alpha w Typical Timetable w The Weekend/Day Away w Alpha Celebration Event

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Step 1 Prepare for your Alpha

Step 1 – Prepare We recommend that you do the following 2 months before your Alpha starts:

n 1.1 Contact your Regional/National Alpha Office or Alpha Advisor

or write to info@alphausa.org or Americas@alpha.org where you will be able to get help with general questions about Alpha, and also: w Suggest a speaker who could give a presentation about Alpha to your church leadership w Run the Alpha team training sessions for hosts and helpers w Suggest venues in your area for the Weekend/Day Away w Let you know of other courses running in your area, so that you can arrange joint Alpha Small Group Hosts and Helpers Training and/or the Weekend/ Day Away w Suggest speakers who can support you on your Weekend/Day Away w Suggest people, whose lives have been transformed by Jesus through Alpha, to give their testimony at your Alpha Celebration Event w Suggest a speaker for your Alpha Celebration Event

n 1.2 Inform church leadership If you are not the church clergy, ensure you have the support and blessing of them before you begin. The What is Alpha? DVD and booklet for course leaders can help you explain Alpha. It is also helpful so the church leader can prepare and encourage the church to reach out to their community before Alpha begins. Ideas on how to do this are set out in 3.1.

n 1.3 Impart the vision to the members of the church It is very important that the leader or pastor of the Church take responsibility for giving vision to the team members who will organize the course, as well as encourage them to engage in Alpha. Ask the team members to address small groups, help in practical things, and invite their friends to participate in Alpha. w Show them the What is Alpha? DVD and booklet. w Involve all the members of the church in praying for the team and guests at Alpha.

n 1.4 Appoint Alpha Leadership

Alpha Leader/Coordinator—should be a mature Christian in the leadership of the church or parish. The Leader/Coordinator will be the one who starts each Alpha session by welcoming the guests. He/she will lead the team training session and the talks, and will also be Alpha Chaplain.

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Alpha Course Director/Administrator—takes care of all the practical aspects (logistics and work “behind the scenes”). Choose a person with good organization and communication skills. The Director’s Handbook is a valuable tool for the administrator of Alpha where you will find practical advice on every aspect of the implementation of Alpha.

Worship Leader—when your Alpha has about 30 members or more, you may wish to introduce worship. You can use a worship leader or recorded music.

If you use a worship leader, try to ensure the leader is sensitive to those unfamiliar with Christian worship and the worship does not last a long time: at the early stages of your Alpha, one or two well known songs are best.

You now have an Alpha leadership team to plan your Alpha.

n 1.4 Register your Alpha Please complete the registration form on your Regional/National Alpha Office website (see the back cover); or contact your Alpha Advisor or Regional/ National Alpha Office to ensure your course is registered in the national course directory. This will help to direct those who want to attend Alpha in your local area.

It is important that your Alpha is registered not only so that you can be invited to local Alpha events, but also so that churches and people interested in Alpha may be able to contact you.

n 1.5 Select the hosts and helpers for your small groups The ideal small group size is 12 in total, in which you have two facilitators and two assistants, (two men and two women if possible) and 8 guests.

Facilitators and aides host the small group. When you choose your team, look for people who are sociable, patient and confident, and ask “Would I have my best friend, who does not have a living relationship with Jesus, speak with this person about Christianity?” If the answer is ‘no’ then we recommend that you not choose that person to be a host or helper. Remember however, that if a person does not have the profile to be a host or helper in a small group, they can be involved in administration, kitchen, arranging the room where Alpha is held, as well as in prayer.

Make sure the whole Alpha team is aware of the commitment that they are undertaking before committing to participate, since they must be present for each of the aspects of the course, such as: w Training for hosts and helpers of small groups w Other training sessions w Weekly at each session w The weekend or day away

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Once the team has been chosen, it is a good idea to familiarize yourself and them with all the available Alpha material before you start your Alpha.

n 1.6 Appoint the task force This is the group of people who do all the practical (“behind the scenes”) work before, during, and after the Alpha session, such as: w Greet guests when they arrive w Prepare chairs for each small group w Install the multimedia equipment if you’re using the DVD, or if delivering the topic live, a pulpit or similar stand for the speaker’s notes w Give each guest an Alpha Manual w Prepare and serve meals and beverages w Clean up the venue at the end of the session The Alpha Director’s Handbook has various weekly checklists for the service team to ensure that everything works as easily as possible.

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For more information please contact the following:

Alpha International Holy Trinity Brompton, Brompton Road, London SW7 1JA, UK e-mail: info@alpha.org alpha.org

Alpha Canada Tel: 800.743.0899 Tel: +604.304.2082 e-mail: office@alphacanada.org alphacanada.org alphatools.ca Alpha U.S.A. Tel: 800.362.5742 Tel: + 212.406.5269 e-mail: info@alphausa.org alphausa.org

Alpha in the Caribbean e-mail: americas@alpha.org alpha.org @AlphaCaribbean FB: Alpha in the Caribbean

For information in Spanish contact: Alpha AmĂŠrica Latina e-mail: latinoamerica@alpha.org alphalatinoamerica.org @AlphaLatam FB: Alpha Latin America

Resources can be ordered from Alpha Americas Tel: + 212.406.5269 e-mail: resources@alphausa.org alpharesources.org In Canada David C. Cook Distribution Canada Tel: 800.263.2664 e-mail: custserve@davidccook.ca davidccook.ca Americas Edition ISBN 978-1-934564-52-3 ISBN: 978-1934564523 17151

9 781934 564523