wfn.org | ACNS3686 Australian Alpha Conference explains how to begin

["Anglican Communion News Service" <acnslist@anglicancommunion.org>]

ACNS 3686     |     AUSTRALIA	  |	25 NOVEMBER 2003 

Australian Alpha Conference explains how to begin

[ACNS source: Religious Media Agency] The Australian National Alpha
Conference, held November 17-18 in the Hillsong Conference Centre,
Baulkham Hills, explained perfectly what Alpha courses are all about and
how to conduct them in a variety of locations.

The guest speakers, the Revd Nicky Gumbel and the Vicar, the Revd Sandy
Millar, are both from Holy Trinity Brompton, an Anglican Church in
London, where the Revd Charles Marnham first started Alpha courses in
1977. Their years of experience in sharing the whole concept and
professional communication skills enabled those present to understand
better what was possible and practical in sharing Christianity with
others.

Other guests included Emmy Wilson, who began Alpha for Prisons and
musician Andy Piercy, who provided the musical items.

Approximately 2,000 representatives attended from across Australia, as
well as from a variety of overseas countries, to participate in the main
auditorium meetings, as well as workshops and seminars.

At the Opening Meeting, the Senior Minister of the Hillsong Church,
Pastor Brian Houston, welcomed the guests, supported by the Revd
Professor James Haire, President of the National Council of Churches in
Australia, as well as the Revd Tim Costello, the former National
President of the Baptist Union of Australia.

Mr Millar, who is known for his experience in church growth ministry,
explained that the reason Alpha had been so successful was because; "the
Holy Spirit has adopted it". It has proved its positive attributes in
80% of the prisons in the United Kingdom and has been used by every
mainline denomination to explain Christianity to those who do not attend
churches.

Mr Gumbel, who took over the running of the Alpha courses in 1990,
stated that the aim of an Alpha Course is to "introduce people to the
Lord Jesus Christ and Him crucified".

The lectures that followed over the next two days, dealt with The
Principles of Alpha, The Practicalities, a Model Alpha Evening, Small
Groups and Pastoral Care, Ministry on Alpha, Questions and Answers and
Integrating Alpha into the Church.

Some of the practical issues included ideas on how "hosts" should
welcome "guests" and finishing with the subject: How Can a Person be
Full of the Holy Spirit.

For further information please contact: 

Alpha Australia
PO Box 57
Hunters Hill 
NSW 2110
Australia 

Tel: +61 2 9816 5477
Fax: +61 2 9816 5795

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