MICA (P) 140/01/2012

July 2012

ALPHA NEWS

The Alpha Singapore Newsletter

Great Alpha Courses

Leaders share ideas at Equip & Refresh Day
How can we keep on inviting new people to our Alpha Courses? What ways are there to keep guests coming back each week?
These were some of the commonly asked questions answered by veteran Alpha leaders at Equip and Refresh Day (ERD). Alpha works best when church members rally behind the course, whether as leaders in the Alpha Core team, or serving behind the scenes managing the logistics. But many teams encounter difficulty getting the congregation to actively participate in inviting guests for Alpha. To address this problem, The Bible Church organises an Outreach Sunday. During service, the congregation is challenged to get involved in evangelism by their Lead Pastor and church leadership. Booths are set up outside the worship hall for every outreach ministry, including Alpha, and members are encouraged to respond immediately after service. At the Alpha booth, additional aid is given out to members in the form of tissue packs or flyers to help them to invite someone. It was not an instant success when we first ran Alpha in 2005, said Mr Alan Tay, Alpha Coordinator at The Bible

In this edition:

Faith At Work: Touching Lives at the Workplace

Post Alpha Resources: Challenging Lifestyle by Nicky Gumbel

THE EVANGELISATION OF OUR NATION...

Church. It only really began to gain momentum after a few runs later in 2008, when we noticed a significant increase in the number of Alpha guests. And the real key is the leadership taken by our Lead Pastor to encourage and challenge our congregation to get involved. The team also had another strategy: each year, they identified Super Inviters members who consistently invite many people to each run, and Alpha Mascots prominent people who attended Alpha. These people were invited to share their testimonies with the church and it had an exciting multiplying effect cell groups got involved with logistics and serving food, and more people began to proactively invite someone to the course. Over at Kum Yan Methodist Church, Alpha is considered a key evangelistic activity. We first did Alpha in 2007 and are now in the midst of our eighth run, said Pastor Quek Boon Chiau. Like The Bible Church, Kum Yan Methodist Churchs most effective method of encouraging members to invite someone to Alpha was also over the pulpit. Alpha is everybodys business, said Pastor Quek. Every members minimum contribution to evangelism is to invite guests to an Alpha Course. Pastor Quek also emphasised that the day-to-day living out of a Christian life - showing love to family, friends, colleagues and neighbours - was crucial to a successful invitation. A Christians genuine display of love and concern for the people around them over a period of time would give them the premise to invite others to the Alpha Course. And to live

Pastor Quek Boon Chiau, Kum Yan Methodist Church

out their faith, the congregation was encouraged to purchase tickets for the Alpha Introductory event even before inviting their guests! Apart from mobilising the congregation, both leaders stressed the importance of prayer and have organised many prayer meetings to commit their courses to the Lord. The core team at The Bible Church gathers up names of guests whom members intend to invite and pray for each of them. Before the launch event, the core team at The Bible Church is consecrated and at Kum Yan Methodist Church, a dedication service is held for the Alpha team in the presence of the congregation. Pastor Quek said, During our meetings we pray that the Lord will stir and excite His people to respond to the call of evangelism, and that He would light up the hearts of each person in the congregation.

Mr Alan Tay, The Bible Church

Alpha Leaders, Daniel Ang & Ong Peng Kiat from Pentecost Methodist Church and Elly Goh from Queenstown Baptist Church sharing their tips on how to keep guests coming back each week.

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THE EVANGELISATION OF OUR NATION...

More Than Just A Course!

Alpha works when it is seen as more than merely a course. It works well when it is seen as a people-centred ministry, said Rev Then Chee Min to a group of seasoned Alpha practitioners at Alphas Equip and Refresh Day. Alpha is about Community, not Course. He likened the Alpha Course and new Christians to the new wine of the Spirit and churches to the new wineskins. A church running Alpha needs to be flexible and ready to welcome and integrate these new believers. It has to consider the ways in which it conducts follow-up, even looking beyond traditional pastoral purposes of the church to better accommodate these new members. Having such a perspective helps leaders and helpers to focus on the context of Alpha and not just its content. We have to create a seeker-friendly environment if we want to reach the lost, said Rev Then. Like any relationshipbased ministry, Alpha requires commitment beyond the one-night-per-week session over 11 weeks of the course. Time must be invested in building relationships and authentically sharing lifes ups and downs with the guests. We live in a pluralistic society with multiple claims to truth. Pre-believers who come on Alpha no longer ask what is true? but what works? and how should I live?. The Lord said in Acts 1:8, that when the Spirit comes we shall be witnesses unto Him. And by having a firm grasp of both the content and the context of Alpha, teams can demonstrate a Christian life that works not just during the course but also after it.

How to Keep Wineskins New

1. Have a staff-supervised Alpha core leadership team with ad-hoc helpers

3. Encourage new cell leadership development and formation 4. Establish an on-going Alpha ministry, running at least twice a year, not just occasionally

2. Create a discipleship program where 5. Be Seeker-friendly during Sunday worship services Alpha is the first course
Rev Then Chee Min, Alpha Trainer

How do we keep guests coming?

Some ideas from the panelists at ERD on building relationships and involving guests...
We believe that even small things are noticed by our guests and help to make them feel welcome and valued. Flower arrangements on the dining tables, friendly food servers and a warm welcome by greeters help to convey a message of warmth and love to our guests which helps to open up doors for friendships to develop. -Mr Alan Tay, The Bible Church Form a carpool or walk with guests to the MRT station or bus stop. - Ms Elly Goh, Queenstown Baptist Church The chit chat on the way home is the best time to get to know the guest and to jumpstart relationships. -Pastor Quek Boon Chiau, Kum Yan Methodist Church.

One of the ways we encourage involvement and attendance by guests is to involve them in what happens during a course. We select and invite some of our guests to lead in ice-breaker games during our Alpha Day Away and we also ask them to bring-a-dish for the Alpha Celebration dinner at the end of the course. - Ms Elly Goh, Queenstown Baptist Church

Building relationships with guests also involve things like the occasional call during the week. Maybe initiating a meet up for a meal on a non-Alpha day. These things involve a sacrifice of time, but it is also sends a message of genuine interest in the lives of the guests. - Pastor Quek Boon Chiau, Kum Yan Methodist Church.

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THE EVANGELISATION OF OUR NATION...

Lord, Im Amazed by You.

Shawns Story:
I was invited to the Alpha Course in 2008 by my best friend Zhi Fei. Prior to Alpha, I did not consider myself a Christian. Although I prayed to receive Christ many years ago when I was in primary school, I come from a Buddhist background and many of my family members were practising Buddhists. For most of my teenage years, I felt torn between these two religions and it affected me, because religion was important to me. I struggled for close to eight years before I rediscovered my faith. During this time, Zhi Fei gently shared the gospel with me several times and patiently invited me to his church events year after year. In 2007, Zhi Fei invited me to Angora Brethren Chapels annual Christmas outreach event, where an international guitar maestro was invited to perform. He testified how the Holy Spirit had supernaturally taught him to play the harp. I was touched by the beautiful music. It was then that I prayed in my heart to re-dedicate my life to God and found my way back to Him.

A testimony of how a family of three all received Christ

Jacquelines Story:
I had never found Christianity believable and found the stories of God in lives of Christians exaggerated. Christians always seemed too eager to share their faith with me and I would often avoid them. Apart from this, I was also convinced of the futility of prayer. On a few occasions, I did try praying but there were no tangible answers to my prayer. So when my brother and mother told me stories of their answered prayers, I was skeptical because that was certainly not my experience with prayer. However, when my brother invited me to the Alpha Course this year, I was at a cross road of life and I needed guidance on certain decisions. I decided I had nothing to lose and went for the course. When I first saw the Alpha video talks, I found them difficult to relate to. But during the small group discussions, I had the opportunity to ask questions and many things became clearer. As I went through the course, the teaching in the videos increasingly spoke to me. My misunderstandings about Christianity were cleared up and I began to understand why my previous prayers went unanswered.

Yearning to know more about God, I attended the Alpha Course in 2008. I was touched by the family-like atmosphere of the course. The hosts were warm and loving and they helped to clarify One Sunday, I decided to go attend Jacqueline and Shawn with their mother, Mrs Teo. misunderstandings I had about service with my brother. When the the faith. The Alpha video talk was worship songs played, I began to tear the weekly highlight for me. Nicky Gumbel was engaging mysteriously. I was very surprised, because I did not know where and I learnt a lot. I enjoyed the course. It gave me a clearer all that emotion came from. Over the next few weeks, I gave picture of Christianity, many of my doubts about God serious thought about the faith and finally requested my group were also dispelled. Alpha helped me rediscover my faith, leader to lead me through the sinners prayer. enabling me to start a new life with Him. In the subsequent weeks on the Alpha Course, I shared with my As my life began to be changed by the power of God, I felt a group the tearing incident and they suggested that it was the burden for my mother and sisters salvation. My sister was Holy Spirit who inspired those tears. I was also experiencing an more antagonistic about my conversion and would often unexplained and unprecedented peace although I was still at question my belief. I would remember them in my prayers the same cross road, and they explained to me that this was the and asked God to reveal himself to them and open their peace of God that transcends all understanding mentioned in hearts. Indeed the Lord heard. My mother miraculously scripture. accepted Jesus in 2010, during one of the outreach events of our Chinese congregation! This year I felt God leading My experience on Alpha jumpstarted my relationship with God me to invite my sister to the Alpha Course, and she came! and I am learning to continue working on this relationship. Ironically, prayer is now an important source of comfort for me. I am learning to be earnest in my prayers and to also pray according to Gods will. 4.

THE EVANGELISATION OF OUR NATION...

Guests at the Good Friday outreach event organised by Faith At Work.

Mr Philip Ng delivering his Good Friday message.

Mr Philip Ng with Mrs Fang Ai Lian (Chairman of Great Eastern Holdings) and staff at the Good Friday Outreach event.

It Only Takes A Spark To Get The Fire Going!

Faith at Work was formed in 2008 by a group of Christians at Great Eastern Financial Advisers who have a heart for workplace ministry. Its mission is to help believers in the marketplace get back on track with God and grow in their faith at work. They also have a heart for outreach at the workplace. One of the ways they do this is through the Alpha Course which takes place during lunch time. When they first ran Alpha in 2008, they were pleased by the structure that the Alpha Course brought to their weekly meetings. Each year, Faith at Work organises outreach activities during Christmas and Good Friday and this years Good Friday was no exception. 120 guests turned up for the event where they heard a Good Friday message by Mr Philip Ng, CEO, Far East Organisation and a testimony by Mr Khoo Kar Siang, GM, Great Eastern Financial Advisers. After the event, everyone was invited to sign up for the Alpha Course. We praise God that many of the guests enjoyed the outreach event and 15 of them signed up for the Alpha Course to explore the Christian faith, said Ms Christine Cheah, Alpha Coordinator. When asked about the experience of serving in a market place ministry, Ms Cheah and her team collectively said, Like any one serving in any other ministry, we face discouragement. It is important that we rely on God in face of this stress in order to love, to touch lives and to plant seeds. There is a vast difference between kingdom work and secular work kingdom work cannot be result-oriented the way secular work is, instead it must be faith-oriented. We must remember the promises of God, and the truth that nothing you do for the Lord is ever useless (1 Cor 15:58).

Top tips for organising an outreach event at the workplace:

1. 2. 3. 4.
The faithful Faith At Work team!

Form a dedicated planning team Free lunch! A convenient location A respected guest speaker

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...AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF OUR SOCIETY

God Called and I Answered

By Ivan Ng

Late last year, I joined Alpha Singapore as a communications intern. Despite some initial hesitation due to a job offer with a better pay elsewhere, I decided to work at Alpha for six months because God clearly wanted me to spend my time here before I leave for my further studies abroad. I am thankful that my internship went beyond being a deskbound designer. I was involved in fundraising and training events. I also accompanied the ministry coordinators visiting Alpha Weekend Away-s and courses run at Half-Way Houses. I also had a chance to conduct modules during training events such as Leading Small Groups, give a demo talk on Who is Jesus?, lead worship and ministry time. My experience in Alpha Singapore taught me how to minister in partnership with the Holy Spirit.

Ivan Ng, Communications Intern at Alpha Singapore.

Not only did I see God at work in Singapore, I could also appreciate how He is expanding His kingdom around the region. Helping both the Singapore and the Asia-Pacific team with their communication needs gave me a chance to meet with and befriend many leaders in church and the marketplace both locally and overseas. Blessed by the guidance of a pastor at work, I saw my capacity at ministry being expanded these few months, and as a 21-year-old, I felt valued and empowered to contribute at work. All this exposure provided a better appreciation of the context of Alpha, which is just as significant as the content in ensuring that a course runs well. I am able to apply these insights and help my church run our own Alpha Course where I serve as one of the Alpha Coordinators. My colleagues were always ready to have their brains picked when I had questions about running Alpha in my church, questions on spiritual matters or dealing with issues at work. The manner which God has grown me in these few months has shown me in part, what He has in store for me. I do sense God preparing me to serve Him in a greater capacity in the future and my experience at Alpha Singapore is part of His plans to steer me towards certain fields of ministry, for Gods glory. Interested in being an intern at Alpha? Drop us an email at hr@alpha.org.sg to find out more!

New publicity resources to promote your Alpha Course

This years campaign is based around the tagline Life Is Worth Exploring and features an image of nine pictures depicting some of lifes emotions and experiences that are common to everyone. Each year, this publicity forms a backdrop for courses running around Singapore helping to raise awareness of the Alpha Course so that when you invite guests to your course, people are already familiar with it! The new publicity resources have been designed to help you promote your course there is space on the posters or flyers where you can add your course details (date, time, venue) and contact information (contact no, email or website). Posters (A3, portrait), outdoor banners (4ft x 12 ft), information and invitation flyers are now on sale at Alpha Singapore. Visit us at Blk 8D Dempsey Road #03-02, Singapore 249672 (9.30 am - 6.00 pm). You can also request for a DVD with the full range of publicity templates ready for you to download, customise and print in either English or Chinese. Email us at info@alpha.org.sg. For more ideas on how you can promote your course visit: www.alpha.org.sg/friends/invitation.

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...AND THE TRANSFORMATION OF OUR SOCIETY

Challenging Lifestyle
The Challenging Lifestyle DVD contains eighteen talks given by Nicky Gumbel at Holy Trinity Brompton, based on Jesus radical teaching given in the Sermon on the Mount and it suggests ways in which we can apply this teaching in our own lives. The DVD is a resource designed for use in a small group setting, and is accompanied by a guest manual. It is ideal for use as a follow-up course to Alpha, or in a small group of new Christians. Each talk can be viewed in its entirety or in convenient segments DVD: $70.00 (A 3-DVD set) Manual $12.00 (A 3-Manual set)
DVD 1 topics: 1. How to find the secret of happiness. 2. How to change the world around you. 3. How to understand the Old Testament. 4. How to handle anger. 5. How to approach sex in the 21st Century. 6. How to respond to divorce. DVD 2 topics: 7. How to live and act with integrity. 8. How to respond to difficult people. 9. How to handle conflict. 10. How to become a generous giver. 11. How to pray (and fast) like Jesus. 12. How to handle ambition. DVD 3 topics: 13. How to stop worrying and start living. 14. How to deal with criticism. 15. How to respond to the most challenging words ever spoken. 16. How to make the big decision. 17. How to spot false prophets. 18. How to build a secure future.

WHO IS JESUS?
WHY DID JESUS DIE?
In gratitude to God for His blessings, I would like to support Alpha Singapore/ Alpha Asia Pacific (Please indicate): q One-time Donation: $ _____________________________________ q Monthly Donation: q$10 p/m q$30 p/m ($1/day) q $60 p/m ($2/day) q $100 p/m q Other amount: $ _______ p/m DONATION MODE Freely you have received, freely give... Matthew 10:8b An Alpha Friend is one who makes it possible for Alpha Singapore and/or Alpha Asia Pacific to carry out its life transforming mission through one-time donations or a monthly donation by credit card. By becoming an Alpha Friend, you will have the joy of knowing that you are making a meaningful difference, and that you are changing peoples lives forever by leaving a legacy of peace, love, joy and purpose for them.

IS THERE MORE TO LIFE THAN THIS? BECOME AN ALPHA FRIEND!

HOW CAN WE HAVE FAITH?

WHY & HOW IDO I THE BIBLE? PRAY? WHY & HOW SHOULD READ
q Credit Card
Card No.

q Cheque (Bank: __________ Cheque No. ___________)

Please make payable to Alpha Singapore

WHAT DOES THE HOLY SPIRIT DO?

Please mail to: Alpha Singapore, Blk 8D Dempsey Road #03-02, Singapore 249672

HOW DOES GOD GUIDE US? WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?

q Visa q Master Card Expiry: /
Name on card: _______________________________________ Signature: ___________________________________________ Date: _______________________________________________ Handphone: __________________________________________ PARTICULARS Name: ______________________________________________ Address: ____________________________________________ Email: ______________________________________________ Handphone: _________________________________________ Place of worship: _____________________________________

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The Alpha Course - an opportunity to explore the meaning of life

Greetings in the Name of our Lord! How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, Your God reigns! Isaiah 52:7
The apostle Paul quoted this verse in Romans 10:15 to stress the importance of evangelism. And indeed we, as believers, are privileged and blessed to be involved in this global mission through Alpha. As we approach the middle of the year, I thought it would be appropriate to pause and to give thanks to God. We want to thank Him for the many churches and organisations that ran the Alpha Course and its family of other courses during the first half of the year. Indeed, we thank you for your prayers and partnership and if you have any stories of lives touched by God through the courses, we would love to hear from you.

Alpha Invitation

We will be launching this campaign in July, and our slogan is Life is Worth Exploring. What can be more exciting than to see many churches and organisations coming together to invite pre-believers to attend Alpha Introductory meals all across Singapore. The new publicity resources are now available for sale at our office, Call us at 64695085 for enquiries. We also encourage you to register your course with us as we get enquiries from the public about where they can find a course to attend register online today at www.alpha.org.sg/friends/register.

Alpha Global Year of Prayer

2012 is a special year for us as we acknowledge the vital foundation of prayer to the work of Alpha. Every National Alpha Office across the globe has chosen a week to pray for the evangelisation of the nations and the transformation of society. In Singapore this special week will take place from 29 July (Sunday) to 4 August (Saturday). We encourage you to mark this week down in your calendar and to commit to spend a moment during the week to pray for the work of Alpha in our nation and around the world. More details will be shared on our website and eNews nearer the date on how you can be involved. Thank you once again, and may God pour out His richest blessings upon His work as we stand in partnership together! God Bless, Daniel & the Alpha Singapore Team

Stay In Touch with Us!

Like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/alphasingapore Follow us on Twitter www.twitter.com/alphasingapore
Subscribe to Alpha News www.alpha.org.sg/subscribe www.alpha.org.sg www.relationshipcentral.org.sg

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[Newsletter Publisher: Alpha Singapore | Chief Editor: Philip Oh | Editor: Chiam Ai-Ling | Printer: Hock Cheong Printing Pte Ltd]