Alpha Invitation 19
NAO Overview Only got a minute? Here’s a quick summary of the 2019 Alpha Invitation This year, we will demonstrate the power of a single
explore faith through Alpha. Our new resources for
invitation. The majority of guests come to Alpha be-
church leaders and congregants highlight the im-
cause of an invitation from somebody they already
portance of relationship as part of a guest’s journey
know, we want to build on this fact and encourage
to faith, and show how it’s central to both the invita-
the whole church to invite their friends and family to
tion and to the Alpha experience.
For more information:
Marketing Framework Document
Invite:
Resources to help church leaders mobilise their whole congregtion to invite.
Equip:
New materials to equip the church to run the best Alpha possible.
Church Engagement: We’ve also created Church Engagement resources to support you in talking the ‘Alpha Invitation’ through with your churches.
Research
Key findings that inform this Alpha Invitation In 2018 we conducted research with the Barna Group on why guests try Alpha and how we can best support churches in their mission to share the gospel.
Church leaders
Congregation members Congregants need more training and
Leaders need more training on how to create an invita-
encouragement to invite those closest to
tional culture within the church.
them.
Guests Greater clarity about what Alpha is and how it works would result in more fruitful invitations.
In response In response to these findings we’ve also assessed how we talk about Alpha. Our new messaging will help to communicate more clearly with churches and address specific challenges that leaders face.
Messaging How we talk about Alpha and share it with churches The challenge
The response
We know that invitations are crucial to the success of Alpha. The majority of guests try Alpha because of a personal invitation from someone they’re already sharing life with, but many Christians still feel ill-equipped and nervous to join in. We also know that when they get invited, guests won’t know what to expect from a session, which may make them hesitant to accept.
The messaging of the new Alpha Invitation focuses on inspiring and equipping congregation members to invite their friends and family to explore faith at Alpha. We position ‘invitation’ as a continuation of how Christians already share life with those around them, while acknowledging that it takes courage. ‘A place to be’ – For guests, we highlight the community aspect of Alpha; that it is a place to belong, and to explore faith with people like
Example messaging For a church leader Alpha is something that the whole church can get involved with, everyone can play their part in evangelism by inviting their friends and family. For a congregation member Everyone can share the gospel. When it’s hard to find the words you can simply invite your friends to Alpha. For the guest Alpha is a place to ________ think, chat, eat, laugh, explore, question
Creative style The look and feel of the Alpha Invitation We have put relationship and community at the heart of Alpha imagery. This means more group photography of people inviting, chatting, and sharing food together. There are two reasons for this approach:
Just like with our messaging, we want to inspire Christians to connect with people they already share life with and invite them to try Alpha. We want to visually present those moments as positive, personal, and friendly.
Showing people together in small groups helps to communicate what the experience of Alpha is like: social, fun, and inclusive. It tells guests what to expect from an Alpha session and it also reassures congregation members that an invite to Alpha is an invitation to something enjoyable.
At a quick glance we want Alpha to feel inclusive, social, diverse, fun, and engaging!
New Alpha resources Invite 5 Step Invite plan to support church leaders mobilise their whole congregation to invite. To be used at a church service
Main ‘Invite’ video and social edits A two-minute video designed to be aired at a church service. This video shows the journey of three different invitations to Alpha: for a colleague, a friend, and a neighbour. The video encourages those in the congregation to think about who in their lives they could invite to explore faith at Alpha. It can also be featured on a church’s website and social media channels. Video | In’tl Masters
The aim This video will help church leaders to engage the whole church with Alpha by demonstrating that evangelism can be as simple as an invitation. Localisation. ‘How - To - Guide’ We produced this so that you can use the footage ‘as is’ and both translate and record the voiceover if needed. Contact us directly if you would like to edit or make your own Invite video.
Sunday Service PowerPoint presentation A PowerPoint presentation with talking points to be delivered at a church service to inform the congregation about Alpha and encouraging the whole congregation to get involved by inviting their friends. The aim This presentation will inform the congregation about Alpha, and reassure and equip church members to invite their friends and family to Alpha. Localisation Made in PowerPoint so feel free to amend and localise to make it work in your region and context.
Testimony videos + social edits. 3
A set of videos that share testimonies from guests and those who invited them. These highlight the power and potential of a personal invitation to Alpha. The videos are designed to be shown at a church service, there are also shorter social edits to be shared on the church website or social media.
The aim These testimony videos will encourage the whole church congregation to invite their friends by showing the transformative power of discovering Jesus, and how an invitation to Alpha can be integral to initiating that relationship. Localisation We’ve made these as simple as possible so that you can make your own, using the guides.
To be used in a church community group 4
Community Group Resource A three-episode video series that facilitates community group discussion and gives practical tips around the subject of evangelism. Each video features insights from a different influential Christian leader, and real-life stories from Alpha guests and the person that invited them. Hosts: Jason Ballard, Stephen Foster Experts: Jon Tyson, Danielle Strickland, Jay Pathak The aim These videos provide Alpha training for the whole church. They will inspire and equip church members to engage with evangelism and to invite their friends to Alpha. They also facilitate space to pray Localisation Each video is split into together for friends and family. four sections: Host – Expert – Testimony – Host We have a presentation and script to help explain this community group curriculum to church leaders, as Localise and refilm all four sections or simply swap one section out. well as an informative pdf to share with them.
Promotional digital assets Church Leader to Congregation Member
Congregation/Church to Guest 1
Instagram Posts
1
a place to Put it all out on the table 2
Instagram Stories
who who will will you you invite invite to explore
2
GIFS
3
GIFS
3
Promotional digital assets Congregation/Church to Guest
4
Digital Invites
5
Facebook Banners
a place to
explore together 6
Youtube Banners
a place to
ask questions
a place to
explore together
Church Leader to Congregation Member
Promotional print assets Congregation/Church to Guest 7
Church banners 8x 3 Looking for a place to
Try Alpha www.alpha.org
explore the
Try Alpha www.alpha.org
think.chat.eat.laugh. connect.explore.question.
8
Church banners 15 x 3
christian faith
your text here your text here your text here
try alpha
www.alpha.org
looking for a place to
think. chat. eat. laugh. connect. explore. question.
9
10
Postcards
Wallet Cards
Try Alpha www.alpha.org
Church Leader to Congregation Member
Promotional print assets Congregation/Church to Guest 11
Roller banners
Church Leader to Congregation Member
11
Your text here Your text here Your text here www.alpha.org
try alpha
12
Posters
12
who will you
invite?
alpha.org
who will you try alpha
your text here your text here your text here alpha.org
invite? a place to
think.chat.eat laugh.connect. explore.question.
invite your friends to think chat eat laugh connect explore question
alpha.org
Equip Materials to make sure every Alpha volunteer is prepared, excited, and equipped.
A series of seven training videos Training videos that each focus on a different key ingredient of Alpha. We have identified key practices that contribute to a great Alpha, ‘Seven best practices’, for each of these we have developed an engaging training video to help prepare the Alpha volunteer team. The aim These training videos will provide essential training for all volunteers at Alpha. Each episode will inform the team about how to get the most out of Alpha, and help prepare them for the upcoming course. Localisation We’ll be providing scripts for you to translate and guides for you to create your own.
2
‘Top Tips’ communication guides Talking points for: NAO to Church Leader: Engaging with church leaders on Alpha and the Invitation, including sample emails. Church Leader to Congregation: On how to communicate about Alpha to their church congregation. Congregation to Guest: Tips for church leaders to pass on to their congregations to equip and encourage them to invite, including sample text messages.
The aim These guides will help to equip church leaders to engage the church with Alpha, and in turn help inspire and prepare the congregation to get involved by inviting their friends.
Church Engagement We have created a suite of resources to help you engage directly with your church leaders on creating a culture of invitation and using the new resources to engage congregation members to invite.
Presentation and Script
Church Leader – Alpha Invitation PDF
A presentation and script for you to use to engage Alpha churches on creating a culture of invitation and with the NEW community group resource. Feel free to amend and edit this script and presentation to make it work for you.
A short pdf to be given to the church leader or Alpha coordinator along with the presentation, uploaded to Alpha Builder as an overview, or emailed to your churches. This document provides a four-week invitational strategy for churches to engage their congregation members to invite.
Comms Plan and Localistion We know how important it is for you to engage with churches early. See the Communications timeline which details how we suggest you engage with your churches. We have included all the design files for you to localise these assets, We have ensured that these assets are simple for you to swap out images and translate. All the colours we’ve used are from our Brand Guidelines document. Any questions at all, please do get intouch: comms@alpha.org