Over 2 million people in the UK and 11 million worldwide have now attended an Alpha course, an opportunity to explore the meaning of life, running in tens of thousands of churches of all denominations across the world.

Who is it For?

The Alpha course is designed primarily for people who aren't churchgoers and each course is open to everyone who would like to attend.

Most courses attract a diverse range of guests of different ages and backgrounds, holding many different viewpoints. Over 7,000 courses are currently running across the UK in rural and urban settings, including every major UK city.

People find out about the Alpha course in a number of ways - a recommendation from a friend, a poster, flyer, newspaper article or advert, or through the website or an internet search.

Guests attend for a wide variety of reasons - some want to investigate whether God exists; others are concerned about what happens after death. Some people have particular questions that they would like to discuss; others want to understand other peoples' beliefs or would like to explore what the purpose of life is. Many guests have never been to church, others may have attended church occasionally but feel they have never really understood the basics of the Christian faith.

Some courses are specifically tailored for a particular setting or group - such courses are held in gyms, prisons, offices, residential homes, universities, parent and toddler groups, youth clubs, armed forces bases and schools, and with the deaf, blind and those who speak English as an overseas language (ESOL).

How the Course Works

The course is based around small groups of about 12 people, hosted by one or two leaders whose role is to facilitate and encourage discussion.

Courses vary in size, from one small group meeting in a home, to hundreds of people in a larger venue. Some courses are held over morning coffee or during a lunch hour, most are evening courses, typically lasting 2 hours. Whatever the course size, people tend to remain in the same small groups for the duration of the course so they can get to know each other, continue discussions and deepen friendships.

The whole course usually lasts for 10 weeks, with a day or weekend away in the middle.

Each session begins with a meal or refreshments - a chance to get to know others in the small group. There is then a short talk, which looks at a different aspect of the Christian faith each week.This is followed by a time of discussion in the small groups, where everyone is welcome to contribute their opinion, ask questions and discuss with the rest of the group.

The emphasis is upon exploration and discovery in a relaxed and informal environment.

There is no charge for attending the Alpha course, although courses may ask for a contribution towards the food.

Course Content

The talks each week cover the following topics, which people are then free to discuss in the small groups afterwards:

Week 1 Who is Jesus?
Week 2 Why did Jesus Die?
Week 3 How can we have Faith?
Week 4 Why and how do I Pray?
Week 5 Why and how should I read the Bible?
Week 6 How does God Guide us?
Week 7 How can I Resist Evil?
Week 8 Why and how should I tell Others?
Week 9 Does God Heal Today?
Week 10 What about the Church?

Day or weekend away

Who is the Holy Spirit?
What does the Holy Spirit do?
How can I be Filled with the Holy Spirit?
How can I Make the Most of the Rest of my Life?

Talks from the Alpha course currently running at Holy Trinity Brompton can be watched or downloaded from Here.

How Alpha Began

The Alpha Course has been running for over 26 years. It began at Holy Trinity Brompton in central London, in the late 1970s, initially as a means of presenting the basic principles of the Christian faith to new Christians in a relaxed and informal setting.

By 1990, when former barrister Nicky Gumbel took over the course, Alpha was a central feature of the church's life. It was while leading his second Alpha course that Nicky realised how this simple course could also appeal to non-churchgoers and he adapted the course to give it the kind of feel that would suit this group.

The Alpha course spread during the 1990s, initially in the UK and then internationally, as more churches and groups found it a helpful way to answer questions about the Christian faith in an informal setting. There are now over 33,500 courses worldwide in 163 countries and it is supported by all the major denominations.

Student Alpha

StudentAlpha is exactly what it says on the tin - Alpha for students! Genius! Well, may be not. But if you're at university and have found yourself wondering about the bigger questions in life... Why am I here? What's the point in life? Can there really be a God out there? ...then Student Alpha is the perfect place to explore these and many more questions.

Youth Alpha

The Youth Alpha course is an opportunity for anyone to explore the Christian faith in a relaxed, non-threatening way over ten thought-provoking sessions

It's low key, friendly and fun. You get to ask any questions you want and chat through the issues in a place where your views are respected.

You're not on your own either. More than 8 million people around the world have done the Alpha course in churches, homes, schools, youth groups, universities and prisons.

So why not come check it out? There's a Youth Alpha course running somewhere near you.

Alpha in the Workplace

Have you ever felt like you spend more time with your work mate than your best mate? We spend on average 40 hours a week with our colleagues, who often are people we might not normally cross paths with. Sometimes we end up wanting to understand more about their views, which is where the Alpha Course is brilliant. Even still, by the time the day is done, the last thing you want to do is spend an evening with the person you've spent all day with (as much as we love them).

That's why we have Alpha in the Workplace.

An Alpha in the Workplace course is designed to sandwich nicely into your normal working day. Most run in an hour either during lunch or after work when you'd normally have a drink or end of day meeting. Some are run in your office meeting room, others in a neutral venue near by. Yet it retains the aspects that famously make Alpha so special: it's sociable, informative and you most certainly will have the chance to give your opinion or question what has been covered.

If you've ever thought about exploring the bigger questions of life, in particular if there is more to life than the 9-5, the Alpha course is a great way to find out about real Christianity in a relaxed, non-threatening manner over ten thought-provoking weekly sessions.

What guests have told us:

The course was initially brought to my attention by a colleague and having heard of the Alpha course from other friends I decided to take a look for myself. It turned out to be an excellent decision. I met some really great people and it was very helpful to discuss Christianity and allowed me to gain an insight into the faith. The format and location, not to mention the food, were great; allowing me to fit the course into a lunch hour. I think, because of the shortness of the sessions, I was left wanting more and always looked forward to returning the following week. The course has inspired me to find out more on my own and so the follow-up course is a great idea as it allows people like me who still want to find out more to continue meeting and learning each week.

Senior Alpha

Senior Alpha is Alpha tailored to the 65 and above generation.

Whatever views you may have about the Christian faith, Senior Alpha will give you an opportunity, together with people who are at the same stage in life and experiencing the same things, to explore the meaning of life.

You may have attended church for much of your life but don't really understand what it means to have a personal relationship with Jesus. Come on a small group and discover what that means. You don't have to have all the questions worked out. This is the place to ask all the questions you have in a friendly and non-threatening atmosphere. No question is too small or too big.

Or you may know someone else who fits in this category. Invite them onto a Senior Alpha course.

Senior Alpha follows the same format as standard Alpha. We have large print Guest manuals with all the Bible verses printed out and in ring bound design. Large print 'Why Jesus?' booklets are also available. Courses are run in churches, people's homes, in sheltered accommodation and residential homes.

Elizabeth, a 76 year old great-grandma says I was married for 20 years, had three daughters, but sadly divorced when the girls were teenagers. She became depressed, suffering from stress and panic attacks.

When she retired from nursing, she moved down to Bath and by chance she saw an advertisement for an Alpha course and went along. This turned my life around. I changed and yet I was still 'me' and I came to truly believe in God....Alpha is friendly and you can take part at your own pace. In the beginning I didn't say anything in the discussions and it didn't matter at all!

Alpha for Prisons

Alpha for Prisons was launched in 1995 in response to demand from inmates. Since then enthusiasm for Alpha for Prisons has grown.

It is now registered in 80% of the prisons in the UK as well as running in the prisons of over 74 countries on all the continents around the world.

The course is run successfully in all types of prisons and correctional institutions for both men and women and is also used in young offenders and juvenile institutions.

The Alpha course is normally run over a period of ten weeks, although it can be presented over a shorter period of time depending on a prison's regime. At each session there is a chance for fellowship over snacks and drinks followed by the talk. After the talk, participants divide into pre-arranged groups - each group has two leaders and two helpers who may have completed a previous course, or be prison staff or volunteers.

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