As we have listened to feedback from various churches over the last three years patterns are beginning to emerge.

1. The First Course

a) One way to start is simply to begin with a small group of anyone interested and allow it to grow from there.

b) Another way is to start by introducing Alpha to the whole church. The advantage of this is that:

    i) everyone in the church can see what Alpha is and how it works. Hopefully this will build confidence in the course.

    ii) Alpha may act as a programme of renewal for the church.

However, it needs to be borne in mind that there are two possible disadvantages:

    i) Those from the fringe of the church and beyond are less likely to feel at home on a course which is predominately church members.

    ii) There could be a sense of anticlimax if the second course is smaller than the first.

2. Subsequent Courses

Where the first course has been run for the whole church there tends to be a sharp drop in numbers for the second course. For example, the first course might have 50 - 100 people on it.

By the time the second course starts, most church members will have already done the course. Thus the second course may be very small - possibly five or six people. It is important that the church is not discouraged by this. It is likely that this small group will include fringe members or even outsiders. Thus the course is beginning to fulfil its true function, i.e., to draw in those outside the church.

Hopefully, if one or two of those come to Christ and are filled with the Spirit they will become excited about Jesus and bring along their family and friends. So, the third course will be slightly bigger. Numbers might look something like this:

It is important to remember that ideally Alpha is a rolling programme of evangelism. It may take a few courses to iron out the difficulties in getting started and for church members to gain the confidence to invite their friends.

The important thing is to not be discouraged if there is initially a drop in numbers. At this stage perseverance is required, for it is only as outsiders are attracted to the church that the real purpose of Alpha is starting to be fulfilled.

The Alpha course includes material on the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion. This can be found in chapter 14 of Questions of Life ("What about the church?"). Teaching on Holy Communion is given in the context of an informal communion service on the Sunday morning of the weekend away (it is not, for that reason, included on the video or audio tapes).

Alpha is now being run by all the major denominations in the UK and is endorsed by Christian leaders across the traditions. Teaching on the sacraments is limited, in the sense that we only teach on Alpha what all the major denominations and traditions are agreed about. For example, we teach about the essential meaning of Baptism and the necessity for Baptism but we do not go into the divisive issue of infant baptism.

We encourage all those who have not been baptised to be baptised at the end of the course. In our particular church, which is an Anglican one, we do practise infant baptism because we believe it is the biblical pattern and the traditional practice of the church. We do not re­baptise those who are already baptised as infants. However, we recognise that many Christians, especially those of Baptist, Pentecostal and Neo-Pentecostal backgrounds do not accept this as the biblical norm. So we refrain from teaching this on Alpha and ask the other denominations to exercise a similar degree of restraint. This enables us all to teach the same material to the person on their way in to their Christian faith. It means that people can get their family and friends to an Alpha course in other parts of the country without checking the theological position of those teaching the course to assure it accords with their own.

In the case of the teaching on Holy Communion, again we try to teach what all the major denominations and traditions agree about. We are aware that some denominations and traditions would want to add more. Again, we ask them to refrain from doing so during the Alpha course. But they are, of course, free to do so afterwards in their own church membership courses. As an Anglican church we would teach our own views (obviously which we consider to be the biblical ones) in our confirmation courses. Others, for example, Roman Catholics and Baptists might teach something different. This would not form part of the course itself.

So, although the teaching on the sacraments is limited on the course itself, both the teaching and the practice of the sacraments of Baptism and Holy Communion form an essential part of the course.

The chart below has been compiled from comments received at HTB and from Alpha regional advisers around the world. If you know of other successful ways of encouraging people to attend Alpha courses please contact the Alpha News agency with the details.

1. Through Word of Mouth. Friends, family and work colleagues of those who did the last course attend the subsequent one. This is the main way a course grows once it is established.

2. Through Guest Services or Alpha Sundays. This type of service, specifically aimed at non-churchgoers, can be held before a course starts. Regular members of the congregation are informed of the date in good time, and encouraged to bring friends and family. The service aims to be unthreatening and inclusive. Alpha is highlighted and a guest from the previous course is interviewed. Many friends and family of the congregation come on Alpha this way.

3. Through Celebration Suppers. These are organised to celebrate the end of one course and to launch the next one. Those who have just finished Alpha invite people they know. Many who attend the supper go on to complete the course, perhaps because they have heard about it in the relaxed and informal setting of a meal. Many church members claim this is the easiest form of evangelism they know.

4. Through Missions and Evangelistic Events. Alpha is an ideal follow-up course for a crusade-style mission. The evangelist, J. John, now recommends that all his events are backed up by an Alpha course.

5. Through Baptism and Marriage Services. When people who are not members of the congregation approach your church regarding a baptism or wedding service, why not recommend Alpha as a means of information and preparation.

6. Through Congregation Members. A church of 100 people has about 300 family contacts and any number of friends, colleagues and acquaintances. Research shows that the church door is a big barrier for many people. However, a personal invitation to a service or special event by someone you know and like can be very attractive.

7. Through Occasional Visits and Special Services. Many people go to church at Christmas, Easter or for Harvest festival. Also there are on average 25 non church-goers at Baptisms, 80 at Weddings and 35 at Funerals. These are opportunities to reach out to all who come. An appropriate talk may refer to the Alpha course, or the course may be advertised via notice boards or other forms of publicity. This Christmas, for example, many churches will be giving away copies of Why Christmas? with an Alpha brochure.

8. Through the Parish Magazine. Printing interviews of those who have come to Christ on the local Alpha course has proved a very effective method of encouraging others to come along. This method may reach those who only have contact with the church though the parish magazine or through church hall events such as community groups, scouts and guides, or mother and toddler groups.

9. Through the Alpha Register. We would highly recommend that you register your course if you have not yet done so. This is because an increasing number of people are attending Alpha courses after recommendations through the register from, for example, relatives or friends in another part of the country or the world.

10. Through Inviting Parish Members. Leaflets advertising the start of an Alpha course can be distributed throughout the parish.