The Alpha Course

"Not only has alpha been the most fulfilling social/spiritual thing I've ever taken part in, but God has changed my life in ways I never thought were possible. I am now beginning to understand why God put me here on this earth and my adventure with Him has begun."

We run an Alpha course at least twice a year which is open for anyone and everyone to attend. The Alpha course is designed primarily for people who aren't churchgoers but even those who have been christians for many years have found that God always does something new on each Alpha.

Over 7,000 courses are currently running across the UK in rural and urban settings, including every major UK city. At any point in the year we are likely to have either a daytime Alpha or an evening Alpha running - contact us for more details.

Above: TV star Bear Grylls featuring in the Alpha advert

Most alpha courses attract a diverse range of guests of different ages and backgrounds, holding many different viewpoints. Often the meeting will start with a meal or drinks, followed by a talk and then plenty of time to discuss what was said in groups. We seek to create a warm and friendly atmosphere where everyone is free to express whatever opinion they might have.

People find out about the Alpha course in a number of ways - a recommendation from a friend, a poster, flyer, newspaper article or advert, or through the website or an internet search.

Guests attend for a wide variety of reasons - some want to investigate whether God exists; others are concerned about what happens after death. Some people have particular questions that they would like to discuss; others want to understand other peoples' beliefs or would like to explore what the purpose of life is. Many guests have never been to church, others may have attended church occasionally but feel they have never really understood the basics of the Christian faith.

At Eagle Ministries we usually run Alpha courses with between 10 to 20 people but have been known to run them with 30 or 40 at a time. Regardless of the number of people attending, the course is based around small groups of about 8 people, hosted by one or two leaders whose role is to facilitate and encourage discussion.

Some courses are held over morning coffee or during the evening, typically lasting 2 hours. Whatever the course size, people tend to remain in the same small groups for the duration of the course so they can get to know each other, continue discussions and deepen friendships.

The whole course usually lasts for 10 weeks, with a day or weekend away in the middle.

Each session begins with refreshments - a chance to get to know others in the small group. There is then a short talk, which looks at a different aspect of the Christian faith each week. This is followed by a time of discussion in the small groups, where everyone is welcome to contribute their opinion, ask questions and discuss with the rest of the group. The emphasis is upon exploration and discovery in a relaxed and informal environment.

There is no charge for attending the Alpha course, although courses may ask for a contribution towards any food.

The talks each week cover the following topics, which people are then free to discuss in the small groups afterwards:

Week 1 Who is Jesus?
Week 2 Why did Jesus Die?
Week 3 How can we have Faith?
Week 4 Why and how do I Pray?
Week 5 Why and how should I read the Bible?
Week 6 How does God Guide us?
Week 7 How can I Resist Evil?
Week 8 Why and how should I tell Others?
Week 9 Does God Heal Today?
Week 10 What about the Church?

Day or weekend away includes the following teaching:

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 my Life?

We welcome you to attend one of our Alpha courses. You are more than welcome to come just once to see what it's like and there is no obligation to continue a course once you've started. Contact us to find out when and where you can join us. We look forward to hearing from you!