Inside Alpha: Explorations in Evangelism

by James Heard, Andrew G. Walker (Foreword by)

Overview

UK church attendance hemorrhaging and one course is hailed as the most effective tool for "turning back the tide." From small beginnings in the early 1970s, Alpha has grown to become a global success. Churches from across the denominational spectrum have enthusiastically seized upon the course, seeing it as the remedy for declining church attendance. Inside Alpha explores such claims through richly grounded qualitative research on six Alpha courses. It assesses Alpha's primary aim of converting non-churchgoers and its longer-term goal of spiritual maturity (Colossians 1:28-29). It questions whether the Alpha program is as successful as it claims at uniting evangelism and discipleship, mission and spiritual formation. This is an invaluable study for those--in the academy and the church--who have an interest in ecclesiology and mission. How exactly is one to understand conversion? What is it to "be Christian"? How does ambiguity and doubt fit within one's journey of faith? The importance of this work is in discovering--through an engagement with Alpha--how people might appropriately be initiated into and discipled within the Christian faith in contemporary culture.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781725245549
Publisher:	Wipf & Stock Publishers
Publication date:	06/01/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	286
File size:	42 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

James Heard has worked with Operation Mobilization in the Indian sub-continent, and at Holy Trinity Brompton. He trained for the Anglican priesthood at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, and is now Associate Vicar of St. Luke's and Christ Church, Chelsea.
James Heard has worked with Operation Mobilization in the Indian sub-continent, and at Holy Trinity Brompton. He trained for the Anglican priesthood at Ridley Hall, Cambridge, and is now Associate Vicar of St Luke's and Christ Church, Chelsea.
Andrew G. Walker is Emeritus Professor of Theology, Religion, and Culture at King's College, London.

Table of Contents

Foreword Andrew Walker xv

Acknowledgements xix

Introduction 1

1 Secularisation 1

2 Thesis Outline 4

3 Personal Identity 6

Chapter 1 The Genesis of Alpha 7

1 Holy Trinity Brompton 7

1.2 John Wimber 9

1.3 'Church Growth Movement' Principles 10

1.4 Toronto Blessing 13

2 The Genesis of Alpha 15

2.1 Nicky Gumbel 18

2.2 Marketing 19

2.3 Funding Alpha 21

2.4 Alpha's Growth 21

3 Summary 23

Chapter 2 An Outline of Alpha 25

1 The Principles of Alpha 25

1.1 Evangelism is Most Effective Through the Local Church 26

1.2 Evangelism is a Process 27

1.3 Evangelism Involves the Whole Person 30

1.4 Models of Evangelism in the New Testament include Classical, Holistic and Power Evangelism 31

1.5 Evangelism in the Power of the Holy Spirit is both Dynamic and Effective 32

1.6 Effective Evangelism requires the Filling and Refilling of the Spirit 33

1.7 Summary 34

2 The Structure of Alpha 35

2.1 The Alpha Content 36

2.1.1 Christianity: Boring, Untrue and Irrelevant? 38

2.1.2 Who is Jesus? 39

2.1.3 Why Did Jesus Die? 41

2.1.4 How Can I Be Sure of My Faith? 42

2.1.5 Why and How Should I Read the Bible? 43

2.1.6 Why and How Do I Pray? 45

2.1.7 How Does God Guide Us? 46

2.1.8 Alpha Holy Spirit Weekend 46

2.1.9 How Can I Resist Evil? 50

2.1.10 Why and How Should We Tell Others? 52

2.1.11 Does God Heal Today? 52

2.1.12 What About the Church? 53

2.1.13 Summary 53

2.3 Preparation 54

2.4 Small Groups 55

2.5 After Alpha 57

3 Summary 58

Chapter 3 Literature Review 61

1 Martyn Percy 61

2 Stephen Brian 63

3 Pete Ward 65

4 Mark Ireland 68

5 Stephen Hunt 69

6 Peter Brierley 72

7 Summary 73

Chapter 4 Methodology 75

1 'Insider' Research 75

2 Reflexivity 79

3 Methodology 80

3.1 Generalisation 83

4 Method 84

4.1 Participant Observation 85

4.2 Interviews 87

4.3 Secondary Methods 89

4.4 Access 89

4.5 Church Introduction 90

4.6 Field Relations 91

5 Summary 94

Chapter 5 The Alpha Programme 95

1 An Outline of the Churches 95

St A 96

ST A1 96

ST A2 97

St B 97

St C 98

St D 98

St E 99

2 The Alpha Recipe 100

3 The 'Process of Affiliation' 101

3.1 Alpha Guest Profile 102

3.2 Religious Background of Guests 102

3.2.1 Already in Church Which is Running Alpha 104

3.2.2 On Fringes of Church Which is Running Alpha 104

3.2.3 No Church Experience, Non-Believprs 104

3.2.4 Belonging to Other Churches 105

3.2.5 Christened, May Have Grown Up Going to Church, But At Some Stage Had Left 105

3.2.6 Summary 108

3.3 Joining Alpha 108

3.4 Discerption 110

3.5 Size Matters 112

4 The Alpha Programme 114

4.1 Meal 114

4.2 Worship on Alpha 116

4.3 Alpha Talks 117

4.4 Small Group Discussion 121

4.4.1 ST A1 122

4.4.2 ST A2 123

4.4.3 ST B 125

4.4.4 ST C 127

4.4.5 ST D 127

4.4.6 ST E 129

4.5 The Alpha Weekend/Day Away 132

4.6 After Alpha 137

5 Summary 139

Chapter 6 Alpha and the Sociology of Conversion 143

1 Defining Conversion 143

2 Conversion on Alpha 145

3 Process Theory 146

4 Social-Psychological Explanations 151

4.1 The Need for Identity 151

4.2 The Need for Community 152

4.3 The Need for Compensation 153

4.4 The Need for Certainty 154

5 Social-Psychological Explanations and Alpha 155

5.1 Need for Compensation 155

5.2 Need for Community 158

5.2.1 Love Bombing 160

6 Structural Explanations 162

6.1 Plausibility Structures 163

6.1.1 Social Encapsulation 165

6.1.2 Ideological Encapsulation 166

6.1.3 Physical Encapsulation 166

6.2 'Plausibility Shelters' 167

6.3 Maintenance Processes 167

6.3.1 Socialisation 168

6.3.2 Conversation 168

6.4 Legitimations 170

7 Structural Explanations and Alpha 171

7.1 Plausibility Structures 171

7.2 Legitimations 175

7.3 Maintenance Processes 178

8 Cognitive Explanations 179

9 Cognitive Explanations and Alpha 181

10 Summary 185

Chapter 7 A Theological and Liturgical Critique of Alpha 189

1 Link with Traditional Liturgical Practices of Initiation 190

1.1 Pre-catechumenate 193

1.2 Catechumenate 194

1.3 Sacramental Initiation 195

1.4 Mystagogy 196

2 Alpha and the Catechumenate 196

2.1 Sacramental Initiation 199

2.2 Conversionism 203

3 Alpha's Theology and Spirituality 205

3.1 Ecclesiology 205

3.1.1 Authority 210

3.2 Soteriology 211

3.3 Arminianism 216

3.4 Liturgia and Alpha 218

4 Contextualisation 222

4.1 Translation 223

4.2 Inculturation 225

5 Summary 227

5 Conclusion 231

The Future of Alpha 235

Appendices 237

Appendix 1 Alpha Research 237

Appendix 2 Process Evangelism Courses 239

Appendix 3 Interview Questions 240

Bibliography 243

General Index 265

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

'The hugely successful Alpha Course has been given serious academic scrutiny in this valuable study. Both extensive fieldwork and long-term historical perspectives on Christian discipleship inform James Heard's scholarly work.'
— William K. Kay, Director of the Center for Pentecostal and Charismatic Studies, Bangor University

'The first really systematic assessment of all dimensions of the Alpha Course, this book combines an ethnographic study with rigorous theological analysis to develop an innovative and important contribution to practical theology. I highly recommend it not only to those interested in the Alpha Course, the sociology of conversion and the theology of catechesis, but also as an in-depth case study in what "ecclesial ethnography" involves.'
— Luker Bretherton, Senior Lecturer in Theology and Politics, King's College, London

'James Heard's book offers us an exemplary analysis as well as fair-minded critique of the Alpha Course. It provides a clear and very accessible guide to its strengths and weaknesses.'
— David Martin, Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics and Fellow of the British Academy.

Editorial Reviews

'The hugely successful Alpha Course has been given serious academic scrutiny in this valuable study. Both extensive fieldwork and long-term historical perspectives on Christian discipleship inform James Heard's scholarly work.'
— William K. Kay, Director of the Center for Pentecostal and Charismatic Studies, Bangor University

'The first really systematic assessment of all dimensions of the Alpha Course, this book combines an ethnographic study with rigorous theological analysis to develop an innovative and important contribution to practical theology. I highly recommend it not only to those interested in the Alpha Course, the sociology of conversion and the theology of catechesis, but also as an in-depth case study in what "ecclesial ethnography" involves.'
— Luker Bretherton, Senior Lecturer in Theology and Politics, King's College, London

'James Heard's book offers us an exemplary analysis as well as fair-minded critique of the Alpha Course. It provides a clear and very accessible guide to its strengths and weaknesses.'
— David Martin, Emeritus Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics and Fellow of the British Academy.

From the Publisher