Alpha is a weekly program that creates a fun environment for people to talk about life, faith, and God together. Run over 11 weeks, it can be hosted anywhere—in homes, churches, coffee shops, or schools. Each session has three basic parts: food, a short talk, and small group discussion.
- Food - Every session begins with food, whether it’s a three-course meal or a light snack. Eating food together creates space for people to connect, relax and build friendships.
- Talks - The free Alpha talks are typically given in video format and designed to engage guests and inspire conversation. They explore the big issues around faith and unpack the basics of Christian faith, addressing questions like “Who is Jesus?”, “Why and how do I pray?” and “How does God guide us?" We'll give you a preview of the talk farther down.
- Discussion - The discussion allows people to share their thoughts and questions about the talks without being corrected or judged. Our training helps host and helpers facilitate this discussion time and keep it a positive and comfortable experience for guests.
Here is a preview of one of the Alpha talks.
So What Does it Require of Hosts?
Each week, you will host your small group, provide food, play the video, and make sure the conversation gets going.
An important thing to note is that teaching happens through the videos and you are there to keep the conversation going—you don’t have to have the answers or even have led an Alpha before.
Here are some helpful tips from the team at Alpha.
How Can I Prepare For Hosting an Alpha?
The first step in hosting an Alpha is getting comfortable with the platform through training, which you can do through Proclaim. You'll be able to ask questions and get more in-depth advice like the video above.
The next step is planning your Alpha. Who do you want to invite? Where you want to run your group? What food do you want to provide? What day do you want to start? Proclaim Training will be another great resource to help answer these questions.
Once you have these things in place, you can start inviting your friends, neighbours, family, or coworkers.
Whether it's your first Alpha or you have lots of experience, our team is here to answer questions and provide the resources you need.
Much of this content is originally published on alphacanada.org.
