Mobilize Your Church

Invite a Generation

Churches around the world have been using Alpha for over thirty years to invite people to explore Christianity. The unique format based around authentic relationships and a common creed Christians of all traditions can rally around has made Alpha the foremost evangelistic tool of our time.

During the Global Alpha Campaign, churches have the opportunity to participate in a coordinated evangelistic effort across Canada by running Alpha between September 2016 – September 2017. Campaign materials, training resources and promotional tools will be provided online by Alpha Canada.

If churches would like to run advertising featuring Bear Grylls in their community, we recommend they join or start a regional coalition. Alternatively, churches may purchase advertising independently as long as they coordinate with Alpha Canada.

Alpha is my primary church planting tool. Now with this campaign the world will see the power behind Alpha: the unity of the church.

Rev Graham Singh, Church Planting Canada 

FAQ

Why run Alpha?

Alpha has been an evangelistic tool for churches across a wide spread of denominations, contexts and cultures. Over 675,000 people in Canada have taken Alpha. 65% of churches running Alpha report church growth.

What are the key elements of Alpha?

Alpha is a series of interactive sessions that explore the basics of the Christian faith. A proven format to running successful Alpha sessions includes: food, a short talk about the Christian faith, and a space to share your thoughts in an open discussion while trained hosts facilitate the conversation.

How do we use the Bear Grylls promotional materials?

Churches can use different promotional materials featuring Bear Grylls during the campaign. These posters, invitation cards, and videos are all great ways to promote your Alphas. If you’d like to run advertising featuring Bear Grylls we recommend your church joins or creates a regional coalition. Your church may purchase advertising independently as long as you coordinate with Alpha Canada for the release of the art files.

Register by filling out the form below to gain access to the Global Alpha Campaign Guide for more information.

I've never run Alpha before but I want to participate in the campaign. Where can I find more information?

Visit alphacanada.org to find out more about the elements of Alpha and how to get started. Also sign your church up below to get more information and to participate in the campaign.

What topics are covered on Alpha?

Is There More to Life Than This?
Who is Jesus?
Why Did Jesus Die?
How Can We have Faith?
Why and How Do I Pray?
Why and How Do I Read the Bible?
How Does God Guide Us?
Who Is the Holy Spirit and What Does He Do?
How Can I Be Filled With the Holy Spirit?
How Can I Resist Evil?
Does God Heal Today?
What About the Church and Telling Others?

Where can I find the Alpha talks, training resources and promotional materials?

Sign up your Alpha on Alpha Builder to access all of the Alpha material for FREE online. For physical Alpha resources, including the Alpha talks on DVD, you can visit alphacanada.org/bookstore.

I've done Alpha before, do I still need to do the training?

Yes, we recommend running Alpha training with all of the leaders on your team. Training is essential for first timers and includes very important information for returning leaders. Brand new training is available in Alpha Builder for your whole Alpha team and for you as an administrator.

Why run multiple Alphas in different venues?

Alpha works in big or small groups and in variety of venues. As a result, we encourage multiple Alphas to be running simultaneously. This will allow guests in your community to choose a time and location best suited for them to attend Alpha. Churches have found success in the past converting all of their small groups into Alphas.

How can I encourage my congregation to invite people to Alpha?

Explain that 86% of guests come to Alpha because of a personal invitation. Giving plenty of notice for the upcoming campaign and Alphas will give your congregation plenty of time to pray about who to invite. Also check out the church-made Church Mobilization Kit that features a weekly promotional plan and videos on invitation, all by made a church for other churches to use.

You can find extra promotional material on Alpha Builder or additional videos on Alpha Canada’s YouTube page.

Has Alpha content been updated recently?

Yes! Alpha has recently released the brand new Alpha Film Series featuring Bear Grylls. A number of new versions are also available, including the Alpha Youth Film Series and Alpha with Nicky Gumbel. Find out more about the Alpha Film Series at alphacanada.org/AFS.

Next Steps

  1. COMMIT

    Decide if Alpha is right for your church. Many churches find the greatest success when all of their small groups run Alpha together. Most Alpha courses are run in a church but many have found it effective to host Alpha in a neutral space where people feel more at ease, such as in homes, coffee shops, pubs, and restaurants.

    Register by filling out the form below to gain access to the Global Alpha Campaign Guide for more information.

  2. ENVISION

    Share the vision with your congregation and invite leaders to step up into key roles to help facilitate your Alpha course(s). Planning and communication with your congregation should ideally begin six months before the courses start. Create a culture of invitation in your church, emphasizing that 86% of guests attend Alpha because of a personal invitation. Let your community know to pray about who to invite. We have some great resources to help you out with this in the Church Mobilization Kit.

  3. TRAIN

    New Alpha training videos and materials are available to all Alpha leaders and teams! Even if you’ve run Alpha before and have gone through the training, it’s important to bring your team together, watch the videos and go through different scenarios so they feel prepared to run Alpha. You can also join other churches and leaders at an Alpha Lab or Alpha training event in your region. 

  4. PROMOTE

    The campaign promotional materials help support personal invitation. Access all the assets for the campaign by creating your Alpha in Alpha Builder and downloading them for free under the promote section.

  5. PRAY

    Ensure you have a commitment to prayer for this initiative and all the invitations going out from your church. Prayer is foundational to Alpha and in our lives, and enlisting prayer support will prepare the way for results.