The Just Curious Kit is just enough to answer your questions. It includes 1 of each of the following: Alpha-Questions of Life book; The Alpha Course Manual; How to Run the Alpha Course: Telling Others book; Why Jesus? booklet; What is Alpha? DVD (which includes talk 1 of the Alpha course: Christianity: Boring, Untrue, and Irrelevant?); and a copy of Alpha News.
for 25 guests can be found in The Just Beginning Kit. Naturally If your course is larger, you can order additional manuals as needed. The kit gets you started with: (1) Alpha Course DVD with Alpha Express, (25) Manuals, (1) Leader's Training DVD, (4) Leader's Guides, (1) Director's Handbook, (50) Why Jesus, (4) Questions of Life, (2) Searching Issues, (1) Telling Others, (3) each Searching Issues booklets, (4) posters, (2) Multiple Face Invitations/Pack of 50, (2) Explore the Questions of Life Invitations, and (1) Alpha Cookbook. While you can deliver the talks "live", most churches starting the course for the first time choose the DVD-set the first year or two simply to relieve the pressure of developing their own talks and it allows them to concentrate on other course details. While the cost of your Alpha course will depend on which resources you choose and how many are attending your course, expect to spend around $500-$600 on one-time startup costs.
and to connect with others and glean from their experience, attending an Alpha training event is highly
recommended. If however you are excited to start now or funds and time are limited, the book How to Run the Alpha Course: Telling Others presents the principles behind the Alpha course, explains the best way to go about setting up your own course and provides detailed timetables for the course and the weekend away. The How to Run the Alpha Course Director's Handbook is one of the most important tools in setting up and running an Alpha Course as it provides a guided step by step tour through every stage of the course... and it contains great stuff like reusable checklists, forms for recording and organizing information, tips on booking venues for the
weekend or day away and advice on organizing guest services. |
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and takes place right before a course is run. The Alpha Course Small Group Leaders Training DVD and Alpha Course Small Group Leaders Guide cover topics like 'Leading Small Groups' and 'Pastoral Care,' as well as 'Praying for Others,' It also helps if Leaders are familiar with the book Searching Issues which contains responses to the seven most commonly raised objections to the Christian faith. Plan on providing these resources to your Leaders along with the Alpha Course Manual and possibly Questions of Life
For your budget, you can figure on about $15 per leader, but remember, some of the leadership team will return for the next course, so not everyone will need new copies. After your first course, your ongoing Alpha costs will be approximately $5.00 per person for the Leadership team members.
The Alpha Course Manual when they arrive on the first night as it includes outline notes for each talk.
The Why Jesus? booklet is also great for guests and can be given out the second and third talks on the Alpha course.
Because it is recommended these booklets are provided to guests free of charge, plan on approximately $5.00 per guest. (please note: the cost can be recouped by donations or can be considered part of the church's giving.)
While the Alpha Course DVD is not essential to present the
course, most have found it is a great way to get started as it enables the Leader/Speaker to concentrate on greeting guests and dealing with other important areas of the course, particularly the small groups. The talks can be done live provided a dynamic speaker is available and committed to preparing notes based on the chapters of the book Questions of Life (which is the Alpha course in book form), or by watching the DVDs. A CD-ROM is also available with the book Questions of Life and the transcripts of all the Alpha talks.
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