Alpha Power Point Table Leader Training Handouts 8.08

Introductions

Name

Church

What Alpha means to me

Icebreaker

Be succinct – or we’ll be here till next week!

Welcome to Alpha Leader Training!

What is the Purpose of Alpha? Ultimate Purpose – __________________________ Goal – ____________________________________________________________________________________

What is the vision of Alpha? ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ What is the mission of Alpha? ________________________________ ________________________________ ________________________________ Why Alpha?

Alpha History

The Alpha course is worldwide

42,530 courses

163 Countries

Over 13 Million Attendees

72 languages – 5 major translations

127 denominations

Alpha History

Alpha stands for…

A ________________

L ________________

P ________________

H ________________

A ________________

Trust _____________!

There is a reason for everything!

Alpha

Alpha Schedule Introductory Dinner - “Christianity: Boring, Untrue & Irrelevant?” – soon to be - ”Is There More to Life than This?” Alpha #1 “Who is Jesus?” Alpha #2 “Why Did Jesus Die?” Alpha #3 “How Can I Be Sure of My Faith?” Alpha #4 “Why and How Do I Pray?” Alpha #5 “Why and How Should I Read the Bible?” Alpha #6 “How Does God Guide Us?” Holy Spirit Weekend Alpha #7 “How Can I Resist Evil?” Alpha #8 “Why and How Should We Tell Others?” Alpha #9 “Does God Heal Today?” Alpha #10 “What About the Church?” Celebration Supper

Alpha Small Groups

Table leaders are ______________

Those attending are ___________

Alpha Small Groups

The small groups are seen as a _____________ part of Alpha’s success across the world

____________ are developed and this is the primary reason people come back (especially the skeptics)

Alpha Principles

When I came to you, brothers, I did not come with eloquence or superior wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and Him crucified. I came to you in weakness and fear, and with much trembling. My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on men’s wisdom, but on God’s power.

1 Corinthians 2:1-5

Why me? Why Alpha?

Even though we are ______ “natural” evangelists, there is an undeniable need to spread the Good News

Over the last decades many countries have seen _________ in church membership and/or attendance

_____________________

Alpha Principles

Alpha works based on 6 New Testament Principles

Alpha Principle #1

_______________ is most effective through the local organizations

1 Thessalonians 1:8 The Lord's message rang out from you not only in Macedonia and Achaia—your faith in God has become known everywhere.

Alpha Principle #2

Evangelism is a _______________ – think agriculture, building, journeys, childbirth

Alpha Principle #3

Evangelism involves the ____________

______________

______________

_________

Alpha Principle #4

Models of evangelism in the NT include classical, holistic, and power evangelism.

Classical = __________ (proclamation of the message – spoken or written)

Holistic = ___________ (social action)

Power = ________ (signs and miracles)

Alpha Principle #5

Evangelism in the Power of the Holy Spirit is Both _______________________

As evident from the book of Acts, as the Holy Spirit touches lives, the Good News is spread.

Acts 2:37-41 Acts 2:43-47

Acts 3:1-11 Acts 4:12-14

Acts 4:21-22 Acts 5:12-16

Acts 6: 7 Acts 9:1-20

Acts 14:1, 3, 20 Acts 28:8-9

Alpha Principle #6

Effective Evangelism Requires the ___________________________

We rely on the __________ to touch lives through the Alpha Course.

____________ is key.

Trinity’s Typical Evening

6:00

Pray and prepare

6:30

Evening meal

7:00

Welcome

Recommend books and tapes

Joke

Worship (music)

Trinity’s Typical Evening

7:15

Talk – video, DVD, or live

8:00

Break – coffee, cookies, etc.

8:15

Small group discussion

9:00

Close, clean up, recap for team

Alpha Weekend/Day Away

VERY IMPORTANT

Solidifies friendships, concentrated experience

Think about ways to encourage attendance!

Expectations for Team

Continue to ________________ ______________

Focus on ______________

______________ with prayer partners and leaders

____________

Remember:

It’s not about ____ .

It’s about _____ !!

Key

Be fully present for Guests

Table Leaders

___________ of Alpha

Should have:

____________________

____________________

Table Helpers

Ideal Alpha Table Make-Up

Aims of Small Group Leaders

Discussion

You are the host. They are your guests. Treat them as such.

_______________________

_______________________

_______________________

_______________________

_______________________

Practical details

Common errors

_______________________

_______________________

Ask simple questions

_____________________

_____________________

_______________________ _______________________

Leader is _______________________ _______________________ .

Get _________________ and read it.

4 Essential Questions

_______________________

_______________________

_______________________

_______________________

Model Bible study

Only when the most reluctant person is ready

Start with questions

Prepare carefully

Have group read Bible passage

Give short introduction

Get people talking

Encourage everyone

DON’T be like school!!!

Pitch low

Aims of Small Group Leaders Develop lasting friendships _______________________ Get to know each person well. Key – 5 or 6 significant _______________________ .

Aims of Small Group Leaders Learn to minister to one another

Aims of Small Group Leaders Train others to lead

Aims of Small Group Leaders Show skit.

Pastoral Care

Summary of Alpha: ____________

___________ – message of the Bible

____________ – 1 st commandment

___________ – 2 nd commandment

_______________________

Aim of Pastoral Care

Love _______________________

_______________________ to personal spiritual maturity

_______________________ .

__________ and __________ are KEY!

Aim of Pastoral Care

Be patient. Lots is going on.

_______________________ .

_______________________ .

_______________________ .

_______________________ .

Methods of Pastoral Care

Give Guests opportunities

Encourage growth in:

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

__________________________

Alpha General Attitudes

Be an encourager

1 Thessalonians 5:11

Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing.

_______________________

_______________________

_______________________

_______________________

_______________________

Be a listener

James 1:19

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.

No ________________ during meals.

Be a listener

_______________________.

_______________________.

_______________________.

Be a peacemaker

Matthew 5:9

Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God.

Don’t _______.

__________________________ .

__________________________ .

__________________________ .

Alpha Commitment

Colossians 1:29

To this end I labor, struggling with all his energy, which so powerfully works in me.

Our Responsibility:

__________ _______________

__________ _______________

__________ _______________

__________ _______________

Alpha Commitment God’s Grace Allow the Spirit of God to speak to you during the talks and fill you during worship and ministry moments. Ask for the Holy Spirit to be present. Be ready to serve.

Some Listening Facts

We can effectively hear ______________ words per min.

We can effectively think ______________ words per min.

____% of what we learn is by listening

____% of our day is spent listening

____% amount of time preoccupied, distracted or forgetful

What does the Bible say about listening? Proverbs 18:13 He who answers before listening— that is his folly and his shame. James 1:19 My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, Proverbs 18:2 A fool finds no pleasure in understanding but delights in airing his own opinions.

One Anothering 59 One Another scriptures ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________ ___________

Six Invisible Barriers 1. Jumping to ______________________

Six Invisible Barriers 2. ___________

Six Invisible Barriers

4. ___________

We worry about:

______________________

______________________

______________________

______________________

Six Invisible Barriers

5. ___________

We become __________ and __________.

Key

__________________________

__________________________ !

Oswald Chambers said: We often represent Jesus in a spirit that is not his. We harm Him by our advocacy for Him.

Alpha Guest on First Night How do they feel? What are they looking for?

Greatest Gift

___________ , ___________ , and ___________________________ .

It gives them ___________ .

Communication Pie What you say ___% Tone of voice ___% Body Language ___%

5 Keys to Communicating _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ _________________________ S E R V E

If We Listen Effectively

Realize that the first thing out of our mouth _________________________.

Must make them feel _________.

__________ their feelings.

______________.

Allow them to __________ at the deepest level.

Listening Skills

Listen for what they are ___________

Listen for the ____________ – what are they feeling that way about.

Listen for what they are _______________.

Then _______________________________.

Let’s them make sure __________________.

They are _________________ on their own lives.

Listening for Understanding

Six things going on:

____________________________________

____________________________________

____________________________________

____________________________________

____________________________________

____________________________________

Feeling Chart Remember: S – _______________ O – _______________ L – _______________ A – _______________ _____________ R - _______________ Nonverbal Warmth Also Consider: T – _______________ E – _______________ A – _______________ _______________

Inquiring or Wondering Questions

Basic Reflective Listening Formula Tentative Opening + Feeling + About/Because/When + Thought It sounds like you feel mad about I hear you saying that you feel sad because of If I hear you correctly you feel glad when You seem to be saying you feel afraid about I think I hear you saying you feel confused because of I’m not sure I am follow you feel ashamed about Am I hearing you say you feel lonely when

Basic Reflective Listening

Careful ______________________________ .

______________________________ figuring out what they are really saying.

Not being _______________ – just trying to _______________

Hearing and understanding leads to _________ .

Compassion keeps us from trying to _________ and lets us _______________ .

Characteristics of Wondering Questions

_______________

_____________________________

______________________________

______________________________

Characteristics of Wondering Questions 4. ______________________________

Wondering Skills

________ what others are wondering . .

___________ a wondering dialogue . . .

Searching for _________________ . . .

When they ask the hard question

Try to find out the underlying question

Don’t _________ – that comes from emotional base

Stay away from _______________

“ ______________________________________________________________?”

When they ask the hard question

Important to decide ____________ to send the question back to the table.

End with “I wonder if you can continue to participate in the course and if you don’t find the answers you seek, we’ll talk.”

___________________ so they know you won’t forget to get back to it.

When they ask the hard question You have the privilege of meeting people ______________________________ . That is the place where ______________________________

I Corinthians 1: 26-31 Brothers, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things that are not – to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him. It is because of him that you are in Christ, Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness, holiness, redemption. Therefore as it is written: “Let him who boasts boast in the Lord.”

1 Peter 4:8-11 Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins. Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others, faithfully administering God's grace in its various forms. If anyone speaks, he should do it as one speaking the very words of God. If anyone serves, he should do it with the strength God provides, so that in all things God may be praised through Jesus Christ. To him be the glory and the power for ever and ever. Amen.

To get access to this Alpha slide show: http://www.slideshare.net/lmcculloch/slideshows

To find out more about Alpha in this area: http://www.alphadfw.org

To find out more about Alpha in the U.S.: http://www.alphausa.org/Groups/1000004068/Alpha_USA.aspx