Would y'all worry about the Alpha Course?

[nuck chorris]

The Alpha Course is a video series intended to introduce unbelievers to Christianity and encourages them to bring their questions.

My concerns lie in a few areas. The creator does not believe in Hell, from what I've read online. This seems to make it go light on sin and refer to it mainly as "that bad stuff we've done".

Many of the videos contain interviews with Roman Catholic priests, bishops, or cardinals. The Alpha Course can be run as "protestant" or "catholic". For the catholic mode there is a final video that is left out of the protestant videos. This seems concerning in that all the other videos are in common and acceptable, and it only takes another 30 minutes to tack the catholic part on.

It is a very friendly tone with well produced videos and has some accurate doctrine in some areas, but room for improvement in others.

What would you think if your church used this material?

Thanks!

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

The Alpha Course is a video series intended to introduce unbelievers to Christianity and encourages them to bring their questions.

My concerns lie in a few areas. The creator does not believe in Hell, from what I've read online. This seems to make it go light on sin and refer to it mainly as "that bad stuff we've done".

Many of the videos contain interviews with Roman Catholic priests, bishops, or cardinals. The Alpha Course can be run as "protestant" or "catholic". For the catholic mode there is a final video that is left out of the protestant videos. This seems concerning in that all the other videos are in common and acceptable, and it only takes another 30 minutes to tack the catholic part on.

It is a very friendly tone with well produced videos and has some accurate doctrine in some areas, but room for improvement in others.

What would you think if your church used this material?

Thanks!

My church uses scripture.

 

[tyndale1946]

My church uses scripture.

I'm on the Alpha and Omega course and according to scripture someone left out the most important part... Brother Glen

Revelation 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

 

[Earth Wind and Fire]

I'm on the Alpha and Omega course and according to scripture someone left out the most important part... Brother Glen

Revelation 1:8 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty.

God bless

 

[tyndale1946]

God bless

Yeah... The Lord gives me the wit!... Without him, I'm half... Brother Glen

 

[John of Japan]

The Alpha Course is a video series intended to introduce unbelievers to Christianity and encourages them to bring their questions.

My concerns lie in a few areas. The creator does not believe in Hell, from what I've read online. This seems to make it go light on sin and refer to it mainly as "that bad stuff we've done".

Many of the videos contain interviews with Roman Catholic priests, bishops, or cardinals. The Alpha Course can be run as "protestant" or "catholic". For the catholic mode there is a final video that is left out of the protestant videos. This seems concerning in that all the other videos are in common and acceptable, and it only takes another 30 minutes to tack the catholic part on.

It is a very friendly tone with well produced videos and has some accurate doctrine in some areas, but room for improvement in others.

What would you think if your church used this material?

Thanks!

No way in the world would our church use this, or would I personally use it or recommend it. It compromises the truths of the Word for God.
1. No Hell? Then there is no need for Jesus dying on the cross.
2. Catholic compromise: It is a false religion, requiring works (various ceremonies) for salvation, and adding Purgatory to the Bible.
3. If sin is not completely evil, we don't need to be saved from it.

I'd say not just "room for improvement," but rank heresy.

 

[Baptist Believer]

The Alpha Course is a video series intended to introduce unbelievers to Christianity and encourages them to bring their questions.

My concerns lie in a few areas. The creator does not believe in Hell, from what I've read online.

I've searched a bit but can't find answers to my questions. You seem to have some information, so maybe you can assist:

(1) Who is the founder?
(2) Does the Alpha Course exclusively represent the founder's viewpoints, or does it represent the essential Christian beliefs of the broader Christian community?
(3) Where do you get the idea that the creator "does not believe in Hell?"
(4) What does the statement, "does not believe in Hell" mean? Does it mean that he does not believe in final judgment at the end of the age that in some cases leads to the "second death," or does it simply mean that the creator does not believe the Bible teaches eternal conscious torment for those who oppose God?

 

[GodisgraciousR325]

I think our class did this before.

 

[Martin Marprelate]

My experience with the Alpha Course was way back in the 1990s, and some things may have changed since then. However, there were several problems with the Course, and I could not recommend it based on my brief acquaintance with it. One problem that I saw quite clearly was that it was supposed that people on the course would be converted by the third installment, and in the fourth, they were being encouraged to 'receive the Holy Spirit' and speak in 'tongues.' One has to ask, if someone was not converted at that time, what spirit was he being invited to receive?

An altogether better course for introducing people to the Christian Faith is Christianity Explored. Christianity Explored Ministries My church has used this to good effect. However, there is no reason to use a pre-made course; invent your own. But do something. If people are coming into your church without any real idea what Christianity is, what sin is, what God has done about sin through the Lord Jesus etc., then the sermons may go over their heads, and a special class or course may be very helpful to them.