Bear Grylls calls his journey of faith “my greatest adventure.”
And he’s right: following Jesus is the greatest adventure anyone could go on, taking you deeper into yourself, opening your mind wider than you could imagine, enlarging your heart further than you thought it could stretch, and taking you to places you never thought you’d go.
The Alpha Course has proved to be an effective way for people with questions about faith to discuss them in a safe place. For people with fears to voice them, and for people with a longing for meaning to find it in Jesus. Myths about Christianity are dispelled and judgments challenged. All in the comfort of a sofa with food and a group of people who become friends.
Alpha is an internationally respected course which gives people a chance to hear, think about and discuss issues about the Christian faith: is there really a God, how faith in Jesus works and what does it matter to me, along with other difficult issues such as how there could be a God with so much suffering in the world and why religion seems to bring division.
The course is designed with all kinds of people in mind: people who are not at all sure what they believe, or whether they believe anything at all; on to people who think they might believe but aren’t confident about it, to those who have faith but want to ask some deeper questions or have a refresh. There’s a mixture of video clips, discussion and study, where the gloves are off and people can ask or say things without fear of being judged. Some people who go on the course will find that they do accept that Jesus is real and want to find out more about his plan for them and for the world; others might not be sure, or they find it’s not right for them, but they leave with a better understanding of what Christians believe and what the Bible says, so they can make a more informed choice. After all, there’s a lot of popular misconceptions about what Christians believe so it’s good to get the facts. No one is pressured, and the whole thing takes place in a relaxed and respectful atmosphere.
So I’m throwing down the gauntlet. How about it? Are you up for the adventure?
Follow the link to find out how to come along to the Introductory Supper on 25th September.