Alpha Stories

Stories: Linda, Jo & Dave

Linda's Story:

If you are reading this then it will have crossed your mind that you might be interested in an alpha course.  I would say to you, stop thinking, and start doing!!  I would recommend doing an alpha course 100%!!  There’s no better way to find out more about God and the Christian faith.

I grew up in a Christian family, my Father is even an Ordained Local Minister, when I was little I went to church every Sunday.  However, when I came to do my GCSEs I used revision as an excuse not to go to church and I never went back.  I had no interest in anything to do with Christianity or church thinking ‘It’s not for me’ until one day one of my friends invited me to an alpha course.  I was very unsure about going but decided that I would try it out once (if I hated it I need never go back.)  When I arrived I found that everyone was really friendly, welcoming and open.  I learnt a lot from the sessions and found it really interesting listening to different peoples points of view on various issues.  I found myself each week looking forward to the next instalment.  Alpha re-opened my eyes to God’s grace and love in a completely non-threatening, non-pressured way.  I made some amazing new friends who have really helped me through troubled times.

I really implore you to give alpha a go.  At least go once....if you hate it, you need never go back....although I think you’ll find that you will leave wanting to know more!  I hope you find alpha as warm, friendly and uplifting as I did!

Jo's Story:

when I was in my first year of uni, a friend invited me to come along with her. I didn’t really know what to expect about the course but was very open to hearing more about Christianity and so I went along. I was given free food which was a bonus straight away and the format of the evening was always the same, food, a talk then an opportunity for discussion after. It might sound a bit like school but its not really, the groups are filled with people your own age without a teacher to guide the discussion. I finished the alpha course and I had learned a lot about Christianity but at the end of the course I did not feel I wanted to become a Christian. I thought that might upset the people running the course but they were cool with it and I had grown to consider many of them as my friends. About a year after the course finished I did become a Christian and became involved with Open Heaven Church.

Personally I would recommend Alpha to anybody. It’s a great course without any pressure to conform. I would also especially recommend Alpha for students. Because I did the course with other students and we had so much in common, to start with the fear of meeting a new group of people was reduced. I really felt that being part of a group I had so much in common with allowed me to be myself from the start and really helped me to get the most out of the course.

Dave's Story:

Prior to going to Alpha had had been to a Catholic school, I had attended church and RE lessons but it meant little, I considered such things a waste of time. I think I believed in God but I did not know him, I wasn't even aware I could know him and speak to him.

The first six or so sessions of Alpha were very difficult and uncomfortable, especially the small group discussions; nobody wanted to say what they thought. After the sixth talk I decided I had had enough and just let rip in the small discussion group, all my questions just came pouring out. The next week one of the Church leaders sat in on the discussion group, she was really helpful and was able to give reasonable answers to what I had to ask, rather than trying to avoid answering the question. I feel that that half-hour in the small discussion group played a major role in me becoming a Christian.

On finishing the Alpha course, I still was not yet fully convinced that I believed in God and that Jesus died on the cross for me. However, Mike invited me to his baptism, during the time of worship I felt a huge presence all around me, I knew it was God showing himself to me, that was it, I knew God was real!  It took me another two weeks to pray to God that I needed him and was sorry for what I had done in the past, it was a scary thing but something I needed to do.

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