Maria: “Before I had always thought you had to do good to be a Christian, and I knew I was not good enough…But the people in Alpha…helped smash that idea…no one is better than the next.”
Mark: "When I first heard about the Alpha course I was at a stage when I was searching for something 'out there'. I really needed to ask questions and not feel like I was getting a hard-sell pitched at me. Now I perceive things differently and just feel so at peace. I have also met a wonderful bunch of new friends on the course."
Graham: "The first evening surprised me completely. The people were from all walks of life, from different races, classes and abilities. During the first evening, there were no prayers or heavy preaching. We were just given the opportunity to listen to the talk and then discuss anything we wanted. I chose to ask some challenging and confrontational questions, but they were welcomed, and I was made to feel valued and appreciated. I enjoyed the evening so much that I couldn't wait to go back the following week..."
| | Marta: “9/11 hit and my life changed. While I was fortunate not to lose anyone I loved, my company went out of business, and my fiancé and I broke off our engagement as a result of the tension…I had "issues" with organized religion. Christianity is not the religion I grew up in, and I had hostility to religion to begin with, so I had a lot of questions, but I learned a lot.”
Anthony: "I didn’t expect the warm welcome I received, the interesting discussions or the lack of pressure to speak in the small groups that followed. I found that I could express any doubts about Christianity, and that my opinions would be respected. If I had an issue with something, I had a forum to voice it with no need to apologize."
John: "Over the years, church became more of a social club… I’m still figuring it out. I was nervous the first week but was placed at a table with other young people, many of whom were going through the same stuff I was. But now God is a daily part of my life. The friends from Alpha have become some of the closest friends I’ve ever had." |
