ALPHA

The Alpha Course is going strong here in France. It is such an encouragement after years of trying different approaches to evangelism and witnessing in a strongly Catholic-culture country which is also militantly secular.

Yet, did you know that Alpha France was started by and is powered by the Catholic Revival movement ?

Thank God, He knew the best way to bring people back to Him. The Protestants wouldn't have had nearly the same impact and their efforts would have stayed marginal. However, right from the start of Alpha in France, more than half of the groups being created were in Protestant and Evangelical churches.

Alpha has now adapted the Marriage Course and the Youth Course to French context.  Apparently there were around 600 Alpha Courses operating during the year.

It's reviving the Catholic parishes and providing a much needed boost to many churches.

Recently there have been a number of calls to improve on the Christian concept of leadership (servant leadership) and to work on training and mentoring. Alpha France has started courses on that aspect also - a vital aspect of any church life and one that has been neglected in general in French churches.

Pascal and I have the desire to work on a Church council member information and training session to use within our Union (and our region). We lack the time to develop it, but Pascal has already worked on it for one of his churches. We have the blessing of our Regional Group, but we need time .... May God lead us in this also.