Missions Mobilization: Early Streams of the Global Missions Movement ~ Addendum
Billy Graham, Paul Cedar, Luis Palau, Pat
Robertson & the Catholic Archbishop of Vancouver Voice Support for Alpha
{See: ALPHA Course: Christianity Lite J}
July 20th, 2001
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Edition 3 (Mar - Jul 2000)
* Billy Graham Invites Alpha
* Seven tips on making the most of your Alpha course
* Time magazine on Alpha 'miracle'
* Archbishop of Vancouver issues conference invitation
* 'We're seeing God at work in France'
* Other news from around the world
* Back Issues
[emphasis added]
Billy Graham has invited
Alpha leader Nicky Gumbel to speak at a major conference he is organising in Amsterdam [Amsterdam 2000- Itinerant
Evangelists],
Netherlands, this July. Mr Gumbel has
been asked to speak at a workshop on the Alpha course at the conference, to
be attended by 10,000 evangelists from around the world. Mr Graham wrote, “Your
experience and expertise as a leader will be a great asset to the conference,
and participants will gain invaluable knowledge and insight from the content of
the workshop.”
The
Amsterdam conference is seen as an opportunity for evangelists across the world
to come together. Meanwhile, a group of well-known evangelists and church including Luis Palau and Paul Cedar, head of
Mission America – have written letters to encourage churches to run Alpha
courses and attend training conferences. Their letters have been sent to
thousands of Christian leaders all over the country with details of the 25
conferences being held in the year 2000.
Evangelist Luis Palau wrote,
“I thank God for the way Alpha is turning the focus of churches on evangelistic
outreach.
Churches that are running Alpha courses have new enthusiasm for evangelism and
are leading people to Jesus Christ... The
Alpha course is a first rate tool in our day to live out the Christian
mission.”
Paul Cedar [AD 2000 Mission America -- M.A.'s honorary
Chairmen include Billy Graham and Bill Bright, CNP] wrote, “I rejoice and give
our Lord thanks for the wonderful way He is using the Alpha ministry throughout
the United States and around the world.
“Inviting
friends, family or work colleagues to an Alpha course is an outstanding way to
share the love and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in a non-threatening
environment.”
George Gallup, Jnr., of the Gallup polling
organisation, wrote, “Out of England has come an exciting course that is moving
churches around the world from maintenance to mission.
“Alpha
is a well-designed, implementable course that addresses the basic questions of
life for the churched and unchurched alike.
“Through
Alpha, Jesus Christ is capturing the hearts and minds of an ever-growing number
of persons. The course meets the vital test of being both open and faithful –
welcoming of all, while presenting the gospel message with clarity and power.”
In
an address to 200 Christian clergy and leaders at Wayne Presbyterian Church, in
Wayne, Pennsylvania, Mr Gallup said that polls revealed that in the last four
years, the percentage of persons seeking ‘spiritual growth’ had risen by 24
points to 82 per cent.
“Surveys
suggest a dramatic growth in interest in spirituality and hunger for God, a
turning away from materialism and the hedonism of our age,” he said.
“Alpha
is an entry program seeking to get people excited about what Jesus Christ can
mean in a person’s life.”
Meanwhile,
Pat Robertson [CNP], the influential religious
broadcaster and former presidential candidate, wrote of his support for Alpha.
He
said, “Alpha provides a unique teaching tool which brings to the new Christian
outstanding integration of Biblical truths with practical applications for
everyday life.”
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Archbishop of Vancouver issues conference invitation
------------------------------------------------------------
The Catholic Archbishop of Vancouver has
issued an invitation to his clergy to attend a Catholic Alpha conference there
in July, describing the course as ‘a most
effective tool of evangelization.’
The
Most Rev’d Adam Exner wrote, “Why am I inviting you to this conference?
“The
Alpha course has been used in may countries throughout the world and has proved
to be a most effective tool of evangelization.
“It
gives us practical ways of sharing our faith with others: with those who have
never heard of Christ, with those who have fallen away from their faith, with
those who wish to grow into a deeper personal relationship with Christ and His
Church.“The Great Jubilee of Christ’s Birth is a unique moment in the history
of the Church and of the world. “Alpha
could be one way for you to answer the call of the Spirit to bring about the
new Springtime of Faith and Christian Living desired by Pope John Paul II and
to help make your parish an evangelizing community.”
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OTHER NEWS FROM AROUND THE
WORLD
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Young people attending an open-air Alpha course in Luanda, Angola – one of hundreds taking place in Africa
Singapore: Around 500 people attended
Alpha courses during 1999 in the Anglican church of St John’s and St
Margaret’s. The church magazine wrote, “We
believe it was the wind of the Holy Spirit that brought Alpha into Singapore
…"
Kazakhstan: A group of medical students
running Alpha at Almaty University have seen such success with the course that
they are travelling to other universities to teach other Christians how to run
the course. They have visited a medical school in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, and in
May they are planning to visit a school in Semey, in the east of Kazakhstan.
Switzerland: Since the setting up of an
Alpha office in 1998, the number of registered Alpha courses in Switzerland has
grown from 60 to 160 by the end of 1999. With the recent publication of the resources in French, it is expected that
many more courses will start up in the French-speaking area of the country.
Russia: Two hundred church leaders
attended an Alpha conference in Moscow – and another 150 attended a conference
in Amavir, on the eastern coast of the Black Sea – in March…
United States: Press interest in the Alpha
course has continued to grow, with an article in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette
describing Alpha as “the hottest movement to
sweep mainstream Christianity since Promise Keepers.” An article in the national
Methodist magazine Good News resulted in huge interest among US Methodists.
Emphasis
added
All images, text and other material
contained herein © Copyright Holy Trinity Brompton
2001
Global Prayer & Missions Movement:
Missions Mobilization