anyone done the alpha course?

[franklampoon]

if so please give me your thoughts.

Thank you

yes, back in the early 1990's and it was the best decision I made other than getting married and having kids....

run some courses since and have seen some people get loads out of it, others had thier lives changed, others knew it wasn't for them

It gave me the chance to ask all the questions about Christianity, Jesus and faith that I'd never dared ask before. It also gave me the knowledge that God loved me, not just everone else but me

have you been invited on a local course?

yes Eagle, went to the intro tonight and will be doing the full course.
Thanks for your reply

enjoy!
:)

I'm doing it - starts in 2 weeks. Introduction is this afternoon

DW did it and found that everyone was very friendly but it didn't change her mind on anything. She missed the weekend away because of a family wedding - I gather this is the one where it all kicks off, with the "speaking in tongues" and so on.

Its being run by a very ordinary, sensible, middle aged Scottish couple! I can't imagine them speaking in tongues or encouraging anything similar!! We shall see.

I am starting in a couple of weeks too Franklampoon and Oxocube. Perhaps we should start a new thread to discuss the journey - what do you think? I'm sure there must be some others too.

Interesting what UnquietDad said - have spoken to a couple of friends who did Alpha last year and they both seemed to miss the weekend 'speaking in tongues' bit.

Sounds good newbeliever

The weekend isn't just about speaking in tongues etc. It is about the Holy Spirit, and people are sometimes turned off by the thought of it or stuff they have heard of happening - but all the HS is is the presence of God with you - sometimes stuff like tongues happens but only if that's for you and what you want, it's certainly not a forced thing and if it is I'd question the leaders muchly. Nothing to be afraid of - often people find it just brings it all home for them and helps them ground their faith a little bit.

All the best to you all - I've done and led alpha so would be happy to discuss.

agree with madhair

shame to miss the weekend or awayday, its so much more than speaking in tongues.

The weekend away was the best bit for me

Our leaders made it very clear that the weekend was a vital part of the course and urged us not to miss it - they said that every time they run Alpha, people seem to get loads out of the weekend away

Speaking in tongues?

Can someone try to explain this to me please - I heard about it happening to a friend of a friend when we were at school and never got to find out what language she actually spoke.

I find it all totally weird tbh.

Oh don't worry actually...have googled and found some comments and articles.

Including one reverend something or other describing it as 'psychological manipulation techniques'. And he's an evangelist! That's enough for me.

flight its not what the evangelist writes. I pray in tounges when I am unable to find the right words. It happens when I am alone or when praying for someone. In the later case I don't speak the words outloud.

I think of it as a special prayer language when God is more knowing of the needs and right words than me!

I have been in a room when someone did speak aloud and someone else understood every word as they were speaking in the native language of the listener. The translation was awsome.

Not speaking in t's is not a sign of being un Christian anymore than speaking in t's is. If you don't ask for the gift it won't be a problem.

Its not a big part of the weekend and there is so much else that's fab.

Good description eaglewings. Same for me too. I have a friend that happened to - she was in south america somewhere and was praying in tongues for this person who was distressed, turned out she'd spoken this persons language incl. local dialect, no way she could have known it, and spoken encouraging words. Really cool stuff. I think it's abused sometimes by the more out there churches/Tv evangelists etc and not used how it is intended therefore is ridiculed by so many as being a load of bunkum. But it's hard to explain it, impossible in fact, so it comes down to one-of-those-faith-things which really won't satisfy most people from the outside of it as it seems nonsense.

Agreed in full it's not a sign of being christian and those who say it is are talking bollocks. so there.

Sorry that last sentence doesn't quite make sense. I mean to say that those who say that every christian should speak in tongues are wrong on every level and have been responsible for a lot of unecessary heartbreak and turning people away.