Alpha and Beginnings classes

[Thomas Loy Bumgarner]

Alpha stands for:A=Anyone is welcomed who is interested in the basics of Christianity, wherther life-long believer brushing up on the doctrines, or seekers/searchers/inquirers; L=Learning and laughter; P=Pizza, pasta, pie, and people; H=Healing, hospitality, humility, and humor; and A=ask any questions on Christianity.

It was developed by The Reverand Nicholas(Nicky) Gumbel, an Anglican priest of the Church of England. The video class is 15 sessions long, with 12 being every Sunday evening and 3 on one Saturday on the Holy Spirit. The Class is free to participants(no green card or contract is signed) with meals and free chidcare/nursery, since the church budgets for it. Gumbel also has written a book based on Alpha called Questions of Life. Other classes/books are Life Worth Living(based on Phillipians), Challenging Lifestyles(based on Sermon of the Mount from Matthew), Heart of Revival(based on Issaiah), 7 Searching Issues(Human Suffering, Other religions, sex, the Trinity), and a devotional called 30 Days(individual Bible Studies).

Beginnings is the United Methodist answer to Alpha which is 12 sessions, but does not include the Holy Spirit discussions. Video presenter is The Reverand Robert(Rob) Weber, pastor at Grace Community UMC in Shreveport,LA. The companion book is called(and I am not kidding) Along The Way by United Methodist pastors, Thomas Anderson(Andy) Langford and Mark Ralls. Sessions include: Christianity, is it boring, myth,

and irrevelant/Is this all ther is?; Who is Jesus and why should I care?; Why did Jesus die/Why am I not where I want to be?; How can I be sure of my Faith/What happens when I die?; Why and how should I read

the Bible/How does God speak to me?; Why and how do I pray/how do I speak to God?; How does God guide us/Can I trust God?; Who is the Holy Spirit?; What does the Holy spirit do?; How can I be filled with the Holy Spirit(optional SIT)?; How can I resist evil/If I don't feel lost, why do I need to be found?; Why and how should I tell others/Can I start again?; Does God heal today/How can I make a life and not just a living?;

[Thomas Loy Bumgarner]

(cont.)What about the church/Why should I join any group that will have me as amember?; and finally, How can I make the most of my life/Lovefeast. Other classes we have run include 40 Days of Purpose(Rick Warren), Beta based on Neil T. Anderson's Victory over the Darkness, and the Bondage Breakers=sessions

include Good News; New identity in Christ; Living by Faith; Reshaping our worldview; Living by the Spirit; Renewing the mind; Battle for the mind; Emotional freedom; Forgiving from the heart; Steps to freedom in Christ; Godly relationships; Goals and desires; and finally, Living on the right path. Our advanced class is based on British and United Methodist materials combined called Essential Bible Truth Treasury/Christian Believer(supplemented by Companions in Christ books)= Believing/Faith; Revelation/Scripture/The Bible(main sections, inspiration, interpretation, application, central theme, contents);God as trinity, creator, being/

personal, character/providence, fatherhood/parent, revelation; Humanity-our uniqueness/made in God's image, our diversity, rebellion and fall, sinful condition/condemnation, covenant and election, quest and dilemna, enemies, grace, salvation/God's plan for humanity, need of salvation, The Way, acceptance;Jesus Christ-Incarnation/human and divine, Savior, main events in the gospels, aspects of his ministry, various names, atonement, Lord, triumphant resurrection/ascension; Holy Spirit-God present, person, names and descriptions, empowering, his work, activity in Christians, fruit, and gifts;God's messengers-angels, patriarchs,priests, prophets, apostles, and evangelists; Church-Body of Christ/God's called out people, characteristics, main description, relationship to Christ, authority and mission, Sacraments/worship, Ministry and order; Christian Life described, Bible, Prayer, witness, world; Sanctification, Romans; Christian hope; return of Christ; Judgement; Resurrection of the body; Eternal Life; New World oder;Believing and Living.

[TheInvisibleDan]

Soooo...I'm guessing you like this class?

[Thomas Loy Bumgarner]

One more thing, after each video session we meet in small groups of 5-10 people to discuss the material and to ask questions, something we were never allowed in Power For Abundant Living. Wierwille must have thought it would challenge him and obviously forbade it, always saying wait until the end of the class. But how are we to grow in the Christian faith if we can't ask questions?

[Belle]

I'm curious to hear what you got out of these classes. What did you think of the 40 Days of Purpose class?

[Thomas Loy Bumgarner]

Belle, while I agree with Rick Warren's overall message, its too much Southern Baptist for me. I also have been involved with the Lutheran version of Cursillio called Las Via del Christo(The Way of Christ) and have read Lutheran pastor Michael Foss of Burnsville,MN book called PowerSurge: 6 Disciplines of the Christian Life which is prayer, public worship, daily reading of Scripture, Serving(as in John Wimber's Servant Evangelism), Relationships(family, church including other denominations, and seekers/searchers/inquirers/

outsiders), and giving of money, time and talents as stewards. Overall, I have enjoyed everything because of the relaxed atmosphere and no pressure. You can email to www.alphausa.org or www.alpha.org to find the nearest class. In fact, classes are running in Lima, Sydney, and St. Mary's, all within TWI's area. LOL.

Edited October 5, 2005 by Thomas Loy Bumgarner

[Belle]

Thanks, Thomas, but having only been out of TWI for a little over a year now, I'm still extremely gunshy and revolted at the idea of any kind of Bible class. :)

I ask about Rick Warren because I did try to do the 40 Days of Purpose Class/Promo/whatever with the church I sometimes attend. You can see in the link below that I was very excited about it and looking forward to the class:

Purpose Drive Life Discussion

However, as the class got started, I was sitting in someone's living room, watching a video that sounded like a teaching straight from TWI and full of things I disagreed with. It seemed to me to be promoting, encouraging and focusing on "performance based religion", which, honestly, is what your posts above look like, too.

Like Somebody Died

I can't handle that. I'm having a hard time believing in a God that requires so much of us when my earthly father never demanded that much from me. I'm having a hard time seeing where everything I do has to be quantifiable and substantial and how my behavior has to be "just so" in so many different categories of life. Daddy didn't spoil me rotten, but I never felt the pressure to "peform" for him that I do when I take these classes and listen to a lot of the teachings of most churches.

*shrug*

If God is all knowing, all loving, always good, everywhere present - then why do the churches continue to put millstones around people's necks with attributing so many rules and so much jumping through hoops being required by Him?

Please know that I'm not slamming you or trying to start a fight. These are things I genuinely think about and have been trying to come to terms with since leaving. I respect you and your posts, so I was surprised to see that you mentioned Rick Warren and his stuff. :) But then again, I think I'm still ultra-sensitive to those kinds of things.

[def59]

Belle

When I got out, it took me years before I looked at another program. I am still leery of such things. PDL worked for me because I took a quasi-antagonistic approach. I didn't just accept Warren, I looked up his verses in the versions I had.

I like the book and recommend it to those who are searching.

[Belle]

Def, you didn't feel like it was Performance Driven instead of Purpose Driven?

It just seemed so legalistic to me. I can't remember the things I disagreed with off the top of my head, but there were things he taught that I felt were wrong, wrong, wrong. I'll have to look for my notes or the book after the Weenie Roast. :) Then I'll better be able to speak to why I thought he was wrong.

[CoolWaters]

I am currently taking the Alpha Course at my church...but out of 5 videos I've only attended 2. Sigh. Maybe I'll get it together and go this evening? :)

Anyway, my church does the course 2 or 3 times a year. When they first introduced the Alpha Course in 1999 (I think that was the year), I was still in too much twi shell-shock...as were the other half dozen or so extwi folks we were with. We all got up and walked out...well, one of us ran out...we were so shaken up about the whole thing. One of us ended up vomiting into a trash can and another one of us ended up hardly able to breathe due to the panic attacks the ad video triggered.

The congregation and the pastor were so worried about us! They thought they had done something terrible to us. After about half an hour of comfort from some of the congregation while we sobbed and puked and caught our breath, we were able to explain our reactions.

I didn't sign up for the course until last month when it was offered again.

It is very different from PFAL, to say the least. There is no pressure (as you can see by my lack of 'faithful' attendance) and our church allows the discussions to free-flow...and they don't back off the hard questions, either.

My friend is re-taking the course with me so that we can bunk together on the retreat. I'm so looking forward to it!!!!!

All-in-all, our church uses the Alpha Course to help people 'work out our own salvation'. That's good by me!

But I'll bet that the experience varies from very good to very bad...depending on the type of church presenting the course.

[Thomas Loy Bumgarner]

Belle, I can understand your hestitancy, but these classes are free of cost, you can drop out if you want, and

you take them on your on time schedule, no pressure from clergy or congregation. Pastor Foss is at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, ELCA in Burnsville, MN. Their praise ensemble(I hate the term band) is Changing Church Forum and they have their own bookstore called Genesis. All these classes encourage small Bible

Study groups called cells, which are not competitive but are part a larger congregation/parish, not independent house churches/home fellowships like the former twigs. But take your time and move at your own pace. Also talk with your pastor about your experiences or seek counseling with a qualified expert dealing with cults. God really bless you and others like Rascal, Shelly, etc. Agape, Thomas

[Rhea Pantelides]

Buy the book

Belle, you sound like a real sweetie

If you decide to keep seeking truth on your own, or within a group, I am sure you will find what you are after

Edited October 5, 2005 by Rhea Pantelides

[def59]

Rhea

Were you ever WOW in California? I knew someone with that last name once. Maybe your related.

Def

Def, you didn't feel like it was Performance Driven instead of Purpose Driven?

It just seemed so legalistic to me. I can't remember the things I disagreed with off the top of my head, but there were things he taught that I felt were wrong, wrong, wrong. I'll have to look for my notes or the book after the Weenie Roast. :) Then I'll better be able to speak to why I thought he was wrong.

I guess I've seen enough legalism in TWI and elsewhere that I found PDL to be refreshing. There are other great books out there in Christendom that could help you. If PDL is not your thing, that's no big thing.

Have you read Chuck Swindoll or Phillip Yancey or Beth Moore?

[Thomas Loy Bumgarner]

For more info, click on my church's website at www.holycrosselca.org about Alpha and also to see my pics of me and various musical groups. Thomas

[Thomas Loy Bumgarner]

I'll give some quotes later on from Alpha and Beginnings, but am in a hurry.

[Thomas Loy Bumgarner]

Alpha session 1: Christianity-Boring, untrue, and irrelevant? Christianity is public truth. If true for some, then true for all. If not true for anyone, then it isn't true for everyone. See Gospel of John 14:6. Objections and Misconceptions like What does Christianity have to do with life? Directions for a lost world. Hunger for meaning and purpose; First order questions of life- What am I doing on Earth? What is the point of life> Wher am I heading?Reality in a confused world, Does it matter what we believe? Truth understood and experienced. Life in a dark world-Created in God's image, fallen in sin, forgiven in Christ. men and women were created to live in arelationship with God. Leo Tolstoy was left asking"Well fine, so what?"to which he had no answers. Life without a relationship with God is like a television without an atenna. I used to think I was a nice person because didn't rob banks or murder people. Christ died toremove our guilt and to set us free. He died instead of us. Beginings session 1: John 3:1-16.So, is this all there is? If your house were on fire and after saving your family and pets, you had only time to rescue one item, what would it be? A lot of people sum up their basic approach to life by using bumper stickers they place on their cars: Normal people worry me, my karma just ran over your dogma, Money isn't everything but it sure keeps the kids in touch, compost happens, it is as bad as you think and they are out to get you. ordering"sea monkeys", Can you remeber a significant time of yearning to experince God? Where were you? How did you respond? Did you try to forget it? Did you feel unnerved? Did you embrace it? Do you now have a yearning to know more about God? I won't put up the other sessions, but hope this gives you a taste for it. Thomas

[Thomas Loy Bumgarner]

I mentioned earlier about Via Del Christo/VDC, the Lutheran version of El Cursillio de la Christiandad, as well as other expressions such as Teens Encounter Christ/TEC, Pathways, Emmaus Road, Tres Dies, Kairos,

and Epiphany(last 2 are prison ministries) which includes 3 day retreat at a camp/conference center and is very busy with activities for Christian believers(not seekers/inquirers) and includes almost 20 talks, not lectures with again small group discussions on these "ideals" in the walk with Jesus. There is no brainwashing/programing minds to "groupthink", plent of food, 9 hours of sleep. However, this is not for everybody, but neither does it create cliches/factions within congregations(or shouldn't) of "Super Christians

with all the answers" versus the ordinary believer. Instead, there is strong encouragement of the concept of the one body of Christ and each individual with their own gifts and talents bring diversity to the health of the church.

[Thomas Loy Bumgarner]

We also teach Luther's small and large catechism to our teenagers and our adults study the Augsburg Confession and its sequel called the Apology/Defense(not a retraction but a further commentary). We also use Service book and Hymnal as well as Lutheran Book of Worship and With One Voice for traditional liturgy,

while for Contemporary we use Worship Together and Songs for Worship DVD's.

[Thomas Loy Bumgarner]

I guess everyone is at the wiennie roast, that is if they didn't get flooded out. When I first heard of it, I thought they were talking about VPW and LCM and their sexescapades, so my mistake. Jellystone Park, eh?

Smarter than the average bear, boo-boo. Remember what MR. Ranger, I mean Hameroni said Yogi. So, Ham how was your coronation, I mean inaugaration ball? Now, can we get back to the topic at hand? PS, next time I'll bring the booze(schnapps, beer, wine and Drambuie/scotch/rum, etc). Still trying to find a single or divorced woman to cuddle with. If Ted can do it, then I still have a shot at it. We now return to our previous program already in progress.

Edited October 8, 2005 by Thomas Loy Bumgarner

[Mike]

Thomas,

Please allow this interruption for me to apologize to you for the way I posted addressing you on another thread the other day.

I already did this in a PM, but received no response. It occurred to me that you may have blocked my PMs as well as my posts, and if that's the case, this public apology will have to be relayed to you from anyone here who cares about you, and who isn't caught up in the mob mentality against me.

When I posted what I did I too was getting caught up in the mob mentality that generated the mood of that hour, which was getting pretty nasty.

I noticed much later that some poster on the same thread was able to misconstrue my post as a possible threat to you and your well being. I figure now, after several days contemplation, that if the adversary could inspire that poster to try and twist my post into a possible threat, then in some round-about way you too may possibly have felt a similar thought. Not to allow that possibility to spring up, I am now posting this.

My intent in posting what I did was to refute the logic of what you posted, and not to bring any mental pressure or worry to you. I know that adversary always wants to push these negative buttons in us in any way possible.

My post was primarily directed at the logic, but I also wanted to give you some practical advice about Internet security. Because of the heat of the moment I didn't see that trying to do the two at the same time was not best. I'm sorry I didn't see this until I saw the words of that poster who likes (and brags about) making trouble.

Thank you for considering this, and I'd love to discuss things of this or any nature with you in PMs. I won't be interrupting your thread here any more.

Edited October 12, 2005 by Mike

[likeaneagle]

At this time- I have totaly thrown out all my WAP class stuff and have worked very hard to get back to the basics that I know...Took alot of sifting in my thoughts, very deep stuff..it was necessitated from my last decade in twi 11......

I think PFAL gave us some basic understanding..some of that I had to sift, but all in all.......my brain is tired...but the light is still on.

[Tom Strange]

geezuss Mike! just when I think I've seen it all... quit stalking people!

Edited October 12, 2005 by Tom Strange

[Belle]

TLB, not a drop of rain at all! We had a most wonderful time! I invite you to the gallery to see our mugs and grins.

I will look at what you've posted tonight as I don't have time since I've played hooky from work the past few days. :P Thank you for taking the time to post it; I really appreciate it.

[Thomas Loy Bumgarner]

We are getting ready for the Holy Spirit weekend here at church, and while discussions do include SIT, we don't make mandatory for anyone to do so. If anyone wishes to speak in tongues, we suggest they do it at home as part of their private prayer and devotional life. By the Way(no pun intended), I have several different books on the Holy Spirit field, beyond Wierwille and Hendricks, that are very interesting readings.

[Thomas Loy Bumgarner]

As a postscript(which got omited yesterday for some odd reason), I am familar with HS books by Smith Wigglesworth, Lester Sumerall, Albert Benjamin Simpson, Ruben Archer Torrey, Sam Storms, David Ireland,

Watchman Nee, Ethelbert Bullinger, Edward William Kenyon, Jack Edwin Stiles, Brian George Leonard, and Dennis Bennett, just to name a few.