Dangers within the Alpha Courses

[turtletwo]

This thread is to share info about dangers that lie within the Alpha Courses... In researching it, I came across some red flags. They include ecumenism and some questionable (unbiblical) behaviors.

I hope this helps someone. It is not intended to spawn fighting. It is simply a warning to those considering getting involved with the Alpha Course.

The Alpha Course was started in the United Kingdom, at Holy Trinity Brompton Church, by Nicky Gumbel and Sandy Millar in 1977. This Anglican church in London was the center of the holy laughter movement in England and Europe, and has been known for services that include being “slain in the Spirit” and behaviors such as uncontrollable laughter, spasms, loud animal-like noises and physical manifestations during emotionally driven services. While there is much good teaching in the Alpha Course, this extreme background sometimes finds its way into the teachings of the course.

The Alpha Course begins with a solid presentation of the gospel message and progresses with some solid biblical teachings. It is interesting that the Alpha Course does not seek to teach about the person, character or attributes of God, and does not focus on doctrine, which may cause division among those whom they seek to include, New Age adherents and Roman Catholics, for example. The Alpha Course is ecumenical, and any course that can appeal to the wide range of traditions and denominations, as the Alpha Course does, has to sacrifice many essential Bible truths. A wide tent that is inclusive of those who hold teachings contrary to the tenets of the faith for which we are to contend (Jude 3) necessitates that the Word of God is sliced and diced into palatable portions, leading to error and following humanistic viewpoints rather than the revealed Word of the Lord. This sometimes results in the Alpha Course eventually working its way into error and ritualism, works-based salvation, and even occult manifestations. The push is for experience-driven evangelism while biblical doctrines are side-stepped or ignored (1 Timothy 4:13, 16).

Some teachers have used the Alpha Course to teach “kingdom now” theology, which is also called “dominionism” or “triumphalism.” This is the idea that those who have enough faith can enjoy right now all or most of the physical and health benefits promised during the coming Millennial Kingdom of Christ on earth. This is nothing more than the “health, wealth, and prosperity” gospel repackaged with a new name. Wealth, health and good times are promised in the name of “faith.” This treats God like a spiritual ATM who must give what we ask, rather than a holy God deserving of our submission to His perfect will and His sovereign purpose. With a teacher from this persuasion, the Alpha Course can be used to promote the idea that the Holy Spirit can be called upon to perform His works in response to man’s demand.

This, of course, is not biblical. It incorrectly applies passages such as John 14:12 where Jesus says, “Anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these.” Jesus, in His incarnation, was limited to one space at one time as He laid aside the prerogatives of His divine nature (Philippians 2:6-8). The sending the Spirit to live in the hearts of the apostles and believers has brought untold millions to faith in Him, and that is the “greater” works referred to here, not the miracle signs that accompanied Jesus’ ministry on earth to authenticate Him as the Jewish Messiah.

The Lord Jesus Christ told the disciples and all who would believe upon Him through their testimony (John 17:20) that He had to go away to prepare a place for us but would not leave us comfortless or orphans but that the Father would send another Comforter. This Comforter is another of the same kind and quality as Christ Himself, and He would be with them and in them (John 14:17). Never is it said that He would come upon them and cause them to lose control of themselves. We are called to do “all things decently and in order” (1 Corinthians 14:40). Nowhere in Scripture do we see the Lord Jesus ever laying His hands on the disciples and producing manifestations of uncontrollable laughter, shaking, animal noises, the need to be restrained to protect oneself from harm, or the loss of bodily control. Rather, Jesus rebuked the demons or devils that caused these manifestations and healed those that were possessed of them (Matthew 4:24; 8:16, 28; 9:32; 12:22; 15:22).

Peter warns us in 2 Peter 2:1 about false prophets and false teachers, who would “introduce destructive heresies and even deny the sovereign Lord.” Although there are many positive things about the Alpha Course, due to its ecumenicalism, it is easy for false and dangerous ideas to be introduced. The apostle Paul said, “a little leaven, leavens the whole lump” (1 Corinthians 5:6; Galatians 5:9). As believers, we are to test the spirits and to be informed and not deceived by the false teachers that abound today, whom the apostle Paul warned of in his day (2 Corinthians 11:13; 2 Timothy 3:1-7). And these valuable lessons are left for us to use and apply in every age.

Again, as with any course or teaching, we must be diligent and discerning. We must diligently study God’s Word on our own and reject anything which contradicts the Bible. We must be discerning in evaluating the qualifications of the person or people teaching the course.

 

[Michael37]

1 hour ago, turtletwo said:

The Alpha Course was started in the United Kingdom, at Holy Trinity Brompton Church, by Nicky Gumbel and Sandy Millar in 1977.

Hi turtletwo. Here are some alternative facts about the origin of the Alpha Course, with mainly the dates and personnel at variance with your material.

Alpha was started in 1977 by Charles Marnham, a curate at Holy Trinity Brompton, a parish of the Church of England in London.^[4] It started as a course for church members regarding the basics of beliefs commonly held by many believers in Christ but then began to be used as an introduction for those interested in the faith. John Irvine, at that time a curate at Holy Trinity Brompton, took over the running of the course in 1981 and developed the 10-week format which continues to this day. In 1985 Nicky Lee took the course on and in 1990 Nicky Gumbel, also then curate at Holy Trinity, took over the running of the course^[5] at the invitation of Sandy Millar (vicar at that time) and oversaw its revision and expansion.

Alpha grew rapidly in Britain in the 1990s, from just four courses in 1991 to 2,500 in 1995. A peak was reached in 1998, when 10,500 courses were run. By 2001 this had fallen to 7,300.^[6] In 2018, the Alpha website described the course as running in over 100 countries and over 100 languages, with over 24 million people having taken the course.^[7] Courses have been run by Anglican, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Baptist, Methodist, Pentecostal, Eastern Orthodox^[5] and Roman Catholic churches,^[8] with some variations in course material [Wkpd]

[frienduff thaylorde]

I am going to bring what another brought to the other post .    This needs to be seen too .

[frienduff thaylorde]

I let a pastor in our area know of it's troubling teachings, as he was thinking on teaching this 7 week Alpha course to his parishioners. Upon seeing it up on his church bulletin board for a pre-start date a short time later, I had typed up much more thorough memo on much of Alpha's anti-biblical content and wished to hand it to him in person.
   Upon seeing him out front a a bit later, I pulled over to give it to him. He quickly walked inside, and locked the door. I knocked on the door, no answer. So, I taped it on the outside of his door, in prayerful hopes that he might read it and walk away from the Alpha Course . Didn't happen. But the ear tickling Ecumenical, Roman Catholic like message that was intertwined throughout did nearly triple his numbers in church for the next 7 weeks. This particular Alpha Coarse taught at the end, you would "experience" holy spirit "laughter..."

A portion from a ministry that researches these things often times far beyond what I do:

"Author and lecturer Roger Oakland offers some insight: (On the Alpha Course)
   ...When Vineyard pastor Randy Clarke came to the Toronto Airport Vineyard in January of 1994, he held several nights of meetings and then lit “the fire.” Randy Clarke had received his “anointing” from the “Holy Spirit Bartender” from South Africa, Rodney-Howard Browne.
   For years afterwards, the transferrable anointing spread around the world. “It” was also called “it.” Once someone got “it” they were able to give “it” away. “It” was transported to the UK by Nicky Gumbel from the Holy Trinity Brompton Anglican Church in England."
  "...When we look at the background and what influences the “spirit” behind Alpha, there is every indication that this is not the Holy Spirit of the Bible, who does not ask us to do all kinds of weird and crazy things. We are not to seek visions and dreams or other things typical in Alpha-style hyper-charismatic circles. While some might perceive Alpha’s teachings on the Holy Spirit to be biblical, the problem lies in the clear beliefs and practices of the founder and how it is and has spread throughout the churches in practice thanks to Toronto and Brownsville. The kinds of manifestations that Gumbel promotes have nothing to do with the Comforter leading us into all truth and making us more like Jesus. It will more likely lead the participant into altered states of consciousness and occult practices common in New Age and emergent circles.
Alpha Endorsers
So who are the endorsers of the Alpha program? Probably the most influential supporter of Alpha (at least within the evangelical church) is Rick Warren. Warren was the keynote speaker at the 2014 Alpha Global Conference. For the fee of $190, one could catch him at Royal Albert Hall or get a seat at Gumbel’s church in Brompton (HTB)—remember, the site of the birth of the Holy Laughter movement."

Believer or whoever he spells his name ,  BROUGHT THIS .      May all read it .

[frienduff thaylorde]

They all In it together .   Folks many many leaders in many many churches have been doing the work of Rome who does the work of darkness .

[frienduff thaylorde]

But I got wonderful news ,  the true lambs wont be taking it and rolling over to it .    They will be doing all out exploits which point to JESUS and not men

and exposing every evil work which tries to potray itself as good . 

And no marvel .    We were warned satan himself can appear as an angel of .........LIGHT

no surprise that his ministirs can lead many churches either .

The attack in the times ahead will come against bible believing JESUS ONLY christains .    IT sure will .   BUT let that not once worry us or cause any to have fear .

FOR TO LIVE IS CHRIST and thus to die is only gain .       WE WIN , FOR JESUS WON .    No fear of what is coming and is rising up even now .

For whether we live or die , WE ARE HIS .      Thanks to all who helped to show the dangers of this course .   

[turtletwo]

@Michael37 

23 minutes ago, Michael37 said:

Hi turtletwo. Here are some alternative facts about the origin of the Alpha Course, with mainly the dates and personnel at variance with your material.

I went directly to their own site now (to do a fact check.)

This is what they state about their origin. 

 

Alpha began at a church called Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) in London in 1977, it was taken by Nicky Gumbel in 1990 and repositioned as a course for those outside the church. The number of people attending Alpha at HTB grew quickly into the hundreds and attracted the attention of other churches across denominations seeking to find an effective tool for evangelism.  

This led to the first Alpha conference in 1993 at HTB where over 1000 church leaders attended to learn about Alpha and how to use it in their congregation. As interest grew Alpha conferences were organized internationally and the original Alpha Film Series was filmed in 1994 to make it accessible to the widest possible audience. 

[frienduff thaylorde]

1 minute ago, turtletwo said:

@Michael37 

I went directly to their own site now (to do a fact check.)

This is what they state about their origin. 

 

Alpha began at a church called Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB) in London in 1977, it was taken by Nicky Gumbel in 1990 and repositioned as a course for those outside the church. The number of people attending Alpha at HTB grew quickly into the hundreds and attracted the attention of other churches across denominations seeking to find an effective tool for evangelism.  

This led to the first Alpha conference in 1993 at HTB where over 1000 church leaders attended to learn about Alpha and how to use it in their congregation. As interest grew Alpha conferences were organized internationally and the original Alpha Film Series was filmed in 1994 to make it accessible to the widest possible audience. 

THANK YOU DEAR SISTER .     Read this micheal 37. ITS ON THEIR ON SITE .   AND let all who name the name o JESUS flee the alpha course and anyone connected to ROME also .

[frienduff thaylorde]

Sounds like nickey made it worse than ever .

[frienduff thaylorde]

A special thankyou to our dear and loved sister , who loves to Point to Christ , and who is doing all for the sake of others . 

We warn out of love and great concern for all .     Lambs don't let lambs do alpha course .