US Story from International Days

Imagine being Bono’s mom or dad or sibling. To you he would be just “Paul”—Paul David Hewson. To the rest of us he is “BONO!”—the rock star commanding stages and thrilling audiences all over the world. Being an insider to The Alpha Course can be like that. Those of us who work closely with it day in and day out know it as “just Paul”. When, however, we see Alpha from a different vantage point it we can see amazing fruitfulness and growth—like a child who grew up to became a star!

That change in perspective happened to me again most recently in London at Alpha International Week, Alpha’s yearly meeting for leaders from all over the globe. Thirty years of studying culture and practicing local church based evangelism has given me a fairly comprehensive view of the Gospel-sharing challenges and opportunities in American churches.
For instance, I know how prized spiritual conversations are to seekers today. They really need to talk; they need more than apologetics. Alpha provides just such a context—the ability to talk about what one is hearing. Just try doing that at a crusade or interrupting a sermon at church with a question! Now of course that is not to put down evangelistic preaching or sermons at church. It is just to say that an increasing number of seekers find both information and dialog to be crucial. Alpha hits that sweep spot. There is a talk and a conversation.

Secondly, I know that most churches are like most Christians: they love to see people come to faith, but they do not feel they have the gift or calling to do evangelism. They are frustrated at best and sometimes they are defeated, deflated and even guilt-ridden over the lack of evangelistic effectiveness. Alpha provides a simple tool that any size church can use to leverage the gifts of anyone in the church toward the task of evangelism. Thousands of churches around American have experienced significant renewal as they have witnessed seekers come to faith and seen the joy Christians have when they get to participate in the evangelistic process. I could say a lot more about what I know about “Paul”, but let me tell you the new view I experienced in London.

This amazing tool not only fits the challenges and opportunities in America, it works in cultures all over the world. It is exploding in Asia, especially China, India, Singapore, Malaysia and Japan.  It is taking off in Latin America and bringing unity between Catholics and Pentecostal Protestants. Alpha Courses can be found in most countries of Africa. Many observers believe The Alpha Course has been the best advocate for Christianity in the UK and Europe over the last decade or two, stemming the otherwise decline in biblical faith. Notable leaders of every denomination enthusiastically endorse the course.

Thoughts like this hit me every time I visit London for International Week. I am star-struck by humble, yet passionate and gifted Christian leaders from every ethnic and religious background coming together in genuine, unforced unity around the task of church-based, conversational evangelism. Alpha is the gift of God for the people of God and for those seekers who want a conversation with us—to see if we are real; to see if we will listen to them and not just talk; to see if the faith is real, to see if it is working for us. Alpha—this little boy—has grown to become a true star in the field of world-wide evangelism. It is Bono-like!