Introductions

•Name

•Church

•What Alpha means to me

• Icebreaker

Be succinct – or we’ll be here till next week!

Welcome

to Alpha Leader Training!

What is the Purpose of Alpha?

Ultimate Purpose –

Everyone come to know Jesus

Goal –

Gently, persuasively, caringly, sensitively, respectfully to listen and love them

What is the vision of Alpha?

To make disciples of Jesus from all walks of life to transform society one life, one church, one community at a time. 

What is the mission of Alpha?

To support the local church in its call to make disciples of Jesus and deepen relationships with Jesus and other Christians by providing the tool of the Alpha course.

Why Alpha?

Alpha History

• Began in England in 1976 in the living room of a clergyman of the Anglican Church

• Most of its current form was developed by Nicky Gumbel, an Anglican priest at Holy Trinity Brompton in England

• At HTB, more than 500 people participate in each of three courses held during the year

Alpha History

The Alpha course is worldwide• 44,365 courses• 163 Countries• Over 13 Million Attendees• 72 languages – 5 major

translations• 127 denominations

Alpha History

Alpha stands for…• Anyone can come• Learning and laughter

• Pasta• Helping one another• Ask anything

Trust the Alpha recipe!

There is a reason for everything!

Alpha

Alpha Schedule

Introductory Dinner - “Christianity: Boring, Untrue & Irrelevant?” – soon to be - ”Is There More to Life than This?”

Alpha #1 “Who is Jesus?”

Alpha #2 “Why Did Jesus Die?”

Alpha #3 “How Can I Be Sure of My Faith?”

Alpha #4 “Why and How Do I Pray?”

Alpha #5 “Why and How Should I Read the Bible?”

Alpha #6 “How Does God Guide Us?”

Weekend/Day Away

Alpha #7 “How Can I Resist Evil?”

Alpha #8 “Why and How Should We Tell Others?”

Alpha #9 “Does God Heal Today?”

Alpha #10 “What About the Church?”

Celebration Supper

Alpha Small Groups

Table leaders are servant leaders

- not self-serving leaders!– not teachers!

Those attending are guests.

Alpha Small Groups

The small groups are seen as a fundamental part of Alpha’s success across the world

Friendships are developed and this is the primary reason people come back (especially the skeptics)

The small group may stay together after the conclusion of the course

Alpha Principles

When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Expectations for Team

• Continue to develop personal faith

• Focus on Guests• Communicate with prayer partners and leaders

• Prayer

Remember:

It’s not about us.It’s about Him!!

Team Training

Be fully present for Guests• Develop a community of

trust and honest sharing• Create an atmosphere of

comfort and confidentially

Table Leaders

Heart of Alpha

Should have:1. Faith in Christ –

committed Christians2. Strong relational skills

Table Helpers

Potential leadersPerhaps returning guests

Ideal Alpha Table Make-Up

2 Leaders2 Helpers8 Guests

Aims of Small Group

LeadersDiscussionYou are the host. They are

your guests. Treat them as such.

• Non-judgmental • Respectful• Honest • Authentic• Genuine

Aims of Small Group

Leaders• Practical details• Common errors

– weak leadership– too dominate leadership

• Ask simple questions– What do you think?– What do you feel?

• Be prepared for common questions

Aims of Small Group

Leaders

Leader is a referee and does not join sides in discussions.

There to ensure fair play.Share the Ground Rules.There to draw out thoughts,

feelings, and ideas.Get Searching Issues and read

it.

Aims of Small Group

LeadersModel Bible study1. Only when the most reluctant person

is ready2. Start with questions3. Prepare carefully4. Have group read Bible passage5. Give short introduction6. Get people talking7. Encourage everyone8. DON’T be like school!!!9. Pitch low

Aims of Small Group

Leaders

Develop lasting friendships with the Body of Christ

Get to know each person well.

Key – 5 or 6 significant Christian friendships.

Aims of Small Group

Leaders

Learn to minister to one another

Aims of Small Group

Leaders

Train others to lead

Aims of Small Group

Leaders

Show skit.

Pastoral Care

Summary of Alpha: LOVE!!1.God loves you – message of

the Bible2.We love God – 1st

commandment3.Love others – 2nd

commandment

Heart of Christianity

Aim of Pastoral Care

• Love who God sends us• Lifelong process to

personal spiritual maturity

• Don’t hurry the process.• Small groups and

relationships are KEY!!

Aim of Pastoral Care

Be patient. Lots is going on.• Hearing the gospel.• Seeing Jesus Christ in your

lives.• Experience Jesus Christ.• Experiencing Christian

community.• Not just one relationship.

Methods of Pastoral Care

Give Guests opportunities• Encourage growth in:

• To study• To pray• Personal relationship with Christ

• Relationships within the Body of Christ

Alpha General Attitudes

Be an encourager• 1 Thessalonians 5:11

• Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you

are doing. Understanding

AffirmationValidation

AppreciationAcceptance

Alpha General Attitudes

Be a listener• James 1:19

• My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.

No religious conversation during meals.

Draw them out.

Alpha General Attitudes

Be a listener• Listening empowers people.• Opinions are valued.• Gives dignity.

Alpha General Attitudes

Be a peacemaker• Matthew 5:9

• Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

Don’t argue.Diffuse arguments between

guests. Validate points made by each.

No arguing allows people to change with greater comfort.

Alpha Commitment

Colossians 1:29To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

Our Responsibility:Prayer Overcoming

tirednessHard work Loving everyoneEffort Overcoming

disappointment Late nights Concentrating on

guests

Alpha Commitment

God’s GraceAllow the Spirit of God to

speak to you during the talks and fill you during worship and ministry moments.

Ask for the Holy Spirit to be present.

Be ready to serve.

Some Listening Facts

• We can effectively hear 125-250 words per min.

• We can effectively think 1,000-3,000 words per min.

• 85% of what we learn is by listening

• 45% of our day is spent listening

• 75% amount of time preoccupied, distracted or forgetful

What does the Bible say about listening?

Proverbs 18:13

He who answers before listening—        that is his folly and his shame.

James 1:19

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,

Proverbs 18:2

A fool finds no pleasure in understanding

       but delights in airing his own opinions.

It’s a Process

• Conversion Process (Vision New England)

• 86% of new converts came to faith in Christ over a period of time.

• 32% over several months to a year• 54% journey to salvation took place over

several years• 14% one point conversion

“Vision New England Recent Convert Study”, Jan. 2007, Vision New England, Acton, Main.

Six Invisible Barriers

1. Jumping to Conclusions or Causes• Shuts down communication

• Tell someone their motive

• Make judgement about their relationship with Jesus

• Judging can make guest frustrated and decide to not return

• Guests don’t feel valued

Six Invisible Barriers

2. Impatience

•Fidgeting

• Interrupting

•Finishing sentences

•Guests don’t feel valued

Six Invisible Barriers

3. Hot Buttons

•Cause emotional responses.

• If they hit a hot button for me and I respond, it becomes about me.

•Focus should be on guests.

•Think soccer ball.

Six Invisible Barriers

4. Anxiety

•Allows focus to shift to us again!

•We worry about:• Questions we don’t know the answer to

• Asking good questions

• Domination

• Dead air

Six Invisible Barriers

5. Defensiveness

•We become preachy and argumentative

•Key

•Breath slow long and deep

•Talk to self – NOT ABOUT ME!

•Need to know what to say to them

Six Invisible Barriers

6. Insensitivity

•Must be aware of the feelings of others

•Must not ignore any sharing

•Pay attention to the message we are sending

•Focus on us or guest?

Oswald Chambers said:

We often represent Jesus in a spirit that is not his. We harm Him by our advocacy for Him.

Alpha Guest on First Night

How do they feel?

What are they looking for?

Greatest Gift

•Listening ear, eye contact, and good body language.

• It gives them value.

•Allows for sharing

•Gives a place for Jesus Christ to touch them.

Communication Pie

What you say

7%

Tone of voice

38%

Body Language

55%

5 Keys to Communicating

ervant attitude

ye contact

elaxed posture

aluing differences

mbody Jesus’s love – Love them thru me

S

E

R

V

E

If We Listen Effectively

•Realize that the first thing out of our mouth isn’t want they want to talk about.

•Must make them feel safe.

•Validate their feelings.

•Understand.

•Allow them to share at the deepest level.

Feeling Chart

Remember:

S – Sensitive Seating

O – Openness

L – Leaning

A – Appropriate eye contact

R - Relax

Nonverbal Warmth

Also Consider:

T – Touch

E – Environment

A – Accommodating Attitude

Questions

•Not a sales pitch

•Not memorized set of questions

•Putting caring for them into words.

Basic Reflective Listening Formula

Tentative Opening + Feeling + About/Because/When + ThoughtIt sounds like you feel mad about

I hear you saying that you feel sad because of

If I hear you correctly you feel glad when

You seem to be saying you feel afraid about

I think I hear you saying you feel confused because of

I’m not sure I am follow you feel ashamed about

Am I hearing you say you feel lonely when

Basic Reflective Listening

• Careful not to give advice.

• Practice with others figuring out what they are really saying.

• Not being manipulative – just trying to understand

• Hearing and understanding leads to compassion.

• Compassion keeps us from trying to be right and lets us sit with them.

Characteristics of Wondering Questions

1. Non-threatening

• No right or wrong

• Only opinions

2. Communicates humility

3. Allows people to discover the truth for themselves

• About caring for someone with no ulterior motive

Characteristics of Wondering Questions

4. Causes people to ask questions

• We are all seekers

• Must listen first – but discern what people are wondering about

• Initiate a wondering dialogue – be curious about them

• Search for underlying questions

• Think Columbo

When they ask the hard question

•Try to find out the underlying question

•Don’t debate – that comes from emotional base

•Stay away from theology

•“I was wondering why that question & why that question right now?”

When they ask the hard question

• Important to decide when & if to send the question back to the table.

•End with “I wonder if you can continue to participate in the course and if you don’t find the answers you seek, we’ll talk.”

•Write the question down so they know you won’t forget to get back to it.

When they ask the hard question

You have the privilege of meeting people where they are worried.

That is the place where they long to meet Jesus

I Corinthians 1: 26-31

Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ, Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness, holiness, redemption. Therefore as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

1 Peter 4:8-11

Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

To get access to this Alpha slide show:

http://www.slideshare.net/

lmcculloch/slideshows