Public Faith & An Experience Called Alpha
Jonathan Kerhoulas | February 19th, 2024
We’re not supposed to know his name. Yet when Jesus called it, Zacchaeus’ life was upended by grace and he was never the same. “For the son of man came to seek and to save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)
A follower of Christ is someone who gives Jesus permission to orient their life in the world. What Jesus values we, too, learn to value for ourselves. And evangelism, or going public with our faith, or as Jesus put it in Luke 19, “seeking and saving the lost” is at the center of Jesus’ kingdom vision. But approach, answering the “How do we go about this in a globalized, secular, digital, and fragmented society?” is critical.
Addressing what he calls “the challenge to get over the initial ‘speed-bump’ of our post-Christendom age,” Pete Nicholas writes, “Because the Christian narrative is diminishing in Western society, and because globalization is bringing other faiths into our cities, These dynamics create a sort of instinctive, superficial resistance to the gospel and the church, which shakes the confidence of the church as people seek to be witnesses. We need to be unafraid of these initial challenges and have cultural apologetics ready to answer them, rejecting the hype that people are “more hostile” than ever before. The truth is, there may be an initial speed bump of the objections highlighted above, but once they are overcome, they open up to an increasing spiritual appetite.”
No one is diminishing the reality of speed bumps in going public with your faith. Yet what remains unanswered for many modern people are what we might consider “the big questions of life.” Where can I find meaning? Do I have a purpose? What makes for the good life? Where is hope found? Because answers to these questions make up what Nicholas refers to as the social imagination of a culture, we are currently living through a cultural moment with a severely limited moral imagination, or said more simply, a society with big questions and no substantial answers to match.
This is where a tool like Alpha comes into play. “In a world of isolation, anonymity, and keyboard-warriors, Alpha offers content and guidance for churches, ministries, and individuals to create a space for honest and open conversations about life’s biggest questions. Everyone is welcome and no questions are off limits.”
Connection: Like Jesus and his life-changing encounter with Zacchaeus, every Alpha session begins with a time of connection around the table. Shared meals and rich hospitality lay a foundation for friendship as we invite non-believers to explore life’s most important questions
Content: The Alpha talks are designed to engage people from all walks of life and inspire conversation. They explore the big issues of life and faith and unpack the basics of Christian belief, addressing questions like “Who is Jesus?”, “Why and how do I pray?”, and “How does God guide us?”
Conversation: One of the most important parts of any Alpha is the chance to share thoughts and ideas on the topic in a small group format. Guests hear from others and have an opportunity to contribute/share in a judgment-free environment.
This winter, in partnership with Alpha, we are inviting our non-believing neighbors into meaningful connections around the table as well as into honest conversations regarding the foundations of Christianity and this person named Jesus. Who could you invite to be a part of this in the future? Begin praying for them now. Plant the seeds of possibility as the Lord leads. And look forward to joining God in his mission to “seek and to save the lost” as we continue to go public with our faith in our city.
For more information about Alpha, please visit: alphausa.org
Register and learn more here.
