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Alpha News July-AlphaFriends
Alpha News July-AlphaFriends
July 2012
ALPHA NEWS
In this edition:
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.
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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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
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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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.
Mr Philip Ng with Mrs Fang Ai Lian (Chairman of Great Eastern Holdings) and staff at the Good Friday Outreach event.
Form a dedicated planning team Free lunch! A convenient location A respected guest speaker
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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.
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!
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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.
WHY & HOW IDO I THE BIBLE? PRAY? WHY & HOW SHOULD READ
q Credit Card
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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.
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
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[Newsletter Publisher: Alpha Singapore | Chief Editor: Philip Oh | Editor: Chiam Ai-Ling | Printer: Hock Cheong Printing Pte Ltd]