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ALPHA INDIA NEWS
October - December 2009
The quarterly newsletter of Alpha India
A Taste of Alpha
Bangalore pastors experience Alpha first-hand
Zion Worship Centre in Bangalore recently began its fifth season of the Alpha course, which the church has run back to back on Sunday evenings since the beginning of 2008. 50 people came to faith during the first four courses, and the latest Alpha course had 62 new people at the introduction night.
This introduction night was also attended by 60 pastors from churches across Bangalore city, who were invited to take part in the dinner and fellowship time and a seperate meeting called ‘A Taste of Alpha’. Their meeting was housed in a tent outside the home-church. “One senior pastor, when he saw the number of new guests, told me he was perplexed as to how there could be so many,” says Pastor Jerald, who leads the church of 130. “Another told me afterwards that he didn’t sleep that whole night because he was thinking about how he could do this thing too.”
Catholic courses “God’s Two starting in India Hands” by Revd and Sri Lanka Graham Tomlin
“Yet another pastor asked how I was able to get 62 guests, and I just told him that I had encouraged the church to bring them. I couldn’t have carried this burden alone, so I imparted the vision to the church members.” This is an exciting time for Pastor Jerald and the church. Yet the fruit they have seen over the past two years is significantly tied to the consistent missional focus of the church: Planted seven years ago with just a few newlybaptised members, Zion was soon supporting a local evangelist to visit house to house in the community, and eventually began support of a number of missionaries in different parts of India. Much support has been generated despite the low incomes of many of the church members. The church has also recognised prayer as key to all that it does. Zion Worship Centre has different people praying every night from 10pm to 6am (continued inside)
Alpha’s DNA: 7 Alpha Course International key factors for a follow-up: A Life Prayer focus: successful course Worth Living Indonesia