Mar 15, 2019

Reviving Evangelism

At The Alpha Conference, we introduced Reviving Evangelism, the report resulting from more than a year of work with our friends at Barna Group.

Two data points from this study captured headlines quickly:

Nearly half (47%) of Christian Millennials think sharing one’s faith is wrong (outpacing non-believers and lapsed believers).
Yet, 94% of these same Christian Millennials think knowing Jesus is the best thing that could happen to anyone.

The disconnect it seems, is not in people wanting others to know Jesus. It’s how they learn about him – the method – that concerns the next generation.

Given our current cultural climate, this makes sense. Well-intentioned but transactional efforts at evangelism can be off-putting.

But, when the church leads instead with radical hospitality, listening, trust in the Holy Spirit, and empowering the guest to navigate their journey on their own terms, the concerns about proselytization dissipate. We think this is why, again according to Barna, 82% of non-believers who complete Alpha discover and align their lives to Jesus.

The invitation to life shared through an Alpha group within a local church opens up real respect and friendship, while faithfully spreading the good news.

Watch Craig Springer, Alpha USA’s executive director, unpack what this study really means for today’s culture.

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“The invitation to life shared through an Alpha group within a local church opens up real respect and friendship, while faithfully spreading the good news.”

ENCOUNTER

This track is full of amazing main-stage speakers who will showcase the power of prayer in every generation, equip you to live a naturally supernatural life and train you to heal as Jesus did. Senior pastors, church leaders, non-profit leaders, this track is you!

Workshops in this Track

Learnings from Asbury on the Power of Prayer

Speaker: Angela Chadwick, Global Director of Prayer, Alpha USA

Alpha’s Global Director of Prayer will interview some of the spiritual leaders involved in the Asbury revival where a chapel worship service caught the attention of our country. You’ll hear stories of how the students were deeply moved by God through the simplest forms of worship and how the leaders made sure the only celebrity on stage was Jesus. You’ll also be amazed by the powerful breakthroughs in young people’s lives through the gentlest of prayers.

Additionally, we will explore how the resurgence of faith in one small American town is relevant to every person in the Church and how it shapes how we share the good news in a good way with this generation.

How to Facilitate Eternal Connections with Jesus

Speaker: Danielle Strickland, Spiritual Leader, Justice Advocate, Communicator, Peacemaker

Encounter is God’s favorite way to spiritual revelation. Why do we emphasize information-formation as our primary means of discipleship? What if we put more time, energy, and effort into facilitating more encounters? Be prepared to discuss together how cultivating curiosity becomes a means to do just that. We will talk techniques, experiences, and new ideas.

Everyday Miracles

Speakers: Dr. Chloe Swart, Associate National Director for Alpha UK, and Dr. Russo Swart, New Wine Cymru Prophetic and Healing Team

This workshop will look at how to heal the sick as a part of our everyday missional lives. Following Chloe’s PhD studying healing miracles in Wales, Chloe found that Christians in Wales were praying for their friends, family, and colleagues, in the gym, in the supermarket, at work; wherever they found themselves, as well as in church services, and Alpha courses. Healing is a missional tool that points toward Jesus. Unpack the theology of healing, while also hearing very practical teaching and demonstration of how to heal the sick in an everyday way.