Alpha India Quarterly Newsletter (July-Sept)

VOLUME 6, ISSUE 3 |JULY - SEPT 2016

A QUARTERLY NEWSPAPER

FOR PRIVATE CIRCULATION ONLY

ALPHA INDIA NEWS No. 219, 5th A Main Road, HRBR 2nd Block, Kalyan Nagar, Bangalore - 560 043, India Tel: + 91 80 2542 0902, 0899, 0881 | india.alpha.org

Questions Of Life:

A Recuperated Church

Building the Next-Gen leaders

Creating space to discuss the big questions of Life & The freedom to share

An evidence of God's move through Alpha; beyond boundaries of denomination, people groups and cultural backgrounds

Raising a generation of worshippers who encounter God, equip the church and empower the local church

Pg 5

Pg 8

Pg 4

MAKING THE TIMELESS GOSPEL RELEVANT

Alpha in a Catholic Context (AICC) in Mumbai, 2007 - 2016 The parish of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception in Borivali, Mumbai has been using Alpha as a tool for sharing Christ under the direction of Bishop Agnelo Gracias since 2007. They have run 17 Alphas, reaching about 700 Catholics. Last eleven years have been a humbling experience to the organizers and here we give you a summary of all that happened in this amazing journey that the leadership embarked with Alpha.

Read more on Pg 5

CONTENTS Today’s youth are a savvy, diverse, and fast-paced generation, who are seeking for relevant truth and personal acceptance in a world that seems to offer both in things, like money, fame, sex, drugs, sports, media, education, and careers. AYFS is designed to make the timeless Gospel interesting and applicable to such post modern youth.

About 400 Youth gathered at Ranchi from Jharkhand, Orissa and West Bengal to get equipped to reach out to the such youth of our nation who are craving for Truth and acceptance. The event was held at Assemblies of God School Auditorium between the 25th and 27th of May. Read more on Pg 8

GOD AT WORK

WORSHIP CENTRAL

God at Work has been designed for Business Professionals who want to find meaning and purpose at work. The program deals with workplace realities and offers Biblical guidelines on important topics such as, ‘Dealing with Stress’, ‘Work life balance’, and ‘Handling Failure and Disappointment’ among others.

Alpha got the opportunity to train teachers and professionals during the Christian Teachers' Seminar held at Apostles Methodist Church on the 29th of May.

With a vision to help worshippers across the globe, Worship Central thrives to see the worship of Jesus Christ made central throughout our communities, local churches and the world. The WC team from India trained six churches from Dombivali, Kalina, Ghatkopar, Utsav, Borivali. They were trained on various aspects of worship that included practical tips and life examples from the trainers.

Read more on Pg 3

Read more on Pg 10

Work as Worship

Pg 3

Questions of life

Pg 4

Church Growth Stories

Pg 5

Alpha & Related Ministries

Pg 6-7

Alpha for Youth

Pg 8-9

Worship Central Courses

Pg 10

The Marriage Course

Pg 11

ALPHA & RELATED MINISTRIES

Read more on Pg 6-7

To give every person in the country – regardless of age, background or status an opportunity to attend an Alpha near where they live, work or study, and to hear the good news about Jesus Christ

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ALPHA INDIA NEWS JULY - SEPT 2016

ALPHA NOTES

CONNECT WITH US NCR - DELHI Ashish Mishra +91 98995 92929 SOUTH REGION Andhra Pradesh Nathaniel R +91 99088 22365 Tamil Nadu John Rajan D +91 98434 95572 Samuel Sundar +91 93808 06974 Marky Gnanadeepan +91 98414 08286

Prabir Mandal +91 96744-61951 Dilip Debnath +91 98742 07760

Atmanand Singh +91 90515 12161 George Muller +91 94310 16124

Rupak K Nayak 093189 02997

Tushar K Behera +91 93371-41600

Vikram Satyarahi +91 98763 70480

Karnataka Thomson G +91 93424 41399 Deepak Chander 9731436727

Jimmy Harshkant +91 98254-44197

Alpha - Catholic Robert M Amirtharaj +91 98864 88687

Silvester S Christian +91 94266 16601

EAST REGION 4/4B, Bank Colony Dhakuria, (Behind Ram Roy School), Kolkata 700 031 WEST BENGAL

Deepak Kumar +91 90047 47818 NORTH - WEST REGION No.5623, Modern Housing Board Duplex, Mani Majra, Chandigarh 160 101 PUNJAB

Subrata Halder +91 94335 56315

WEST REGION Near Salvation Army Church, Maninagar East, Ahmedabad - 380008, GUJARAT

The Marriage Courses Phillip N David +91 98844 36364

NEW STAFF UPDATE

Dehradun, Uttarkhand Inosh Karad +91 98976 44709

Arpit Rathod +91 98794 75765 Kamlesh Parmar +91 99830 03637

Balajied N Syiem +91 87942 98633

Johnson James +91 98290 77374

Ninghor K Shimray +91 090851 57153

Caleb J Ellis +91 98209 72519

Worshon Kashung +91 84149 28416

Shailendra B +91 99230 94656

Eyingbemo E Ngullie +91 098566 16680

Praise Points -

For God's grace, providence and leading in the last two quarters

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For the churches trained, leaders equipped and the lives transformed

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For God's protection on staff, leadership and board members

Deepak Kumar is a people and task oriented professional with 8+ years of insightful and dedicated experience.

Prior to this he was a Risk Management Analyst with JP Morgan Chase India.

Arun Gautham +91 081969 57126

NORTH - EAST REGION 1071, Peseyie Complex, 2 Floor, Near Town Baptist Church, Nyamo Lotha Road, Dimapur- 797112 NAGALAND

PRAISE & PRAYER

Deepak Dilip Kumar Regional Co-ordinator, Mumbai

Deepak Chander Regional Co-ordinator, Bangalore Deepak Chander comes to us with over 11 years of experience working in various NGO’s in sustainable and developmental sectors. His passion is to work and train the youth to have a transformed life in Christ.

Partner with us

Prayer Points -

For the organizational goals and targets set for the year to be accomplished

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For new partnerships and existing partners

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For all those who are rendering their unwavering support

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For God's protection over staff and family, Master Trainers, churches and organizations running Alpha

© Alpha India 2016, edited and published at Alpha India

Give someone the opportunity to explore life and faith on Alpha.

Your support makes it possible for anyone, anywhere to explore life and the Christian faith in a friendly, open and informal environment through Alpha.

Thank you for making this transformation possible. For more details write to contact@alphaindia.org or call 080 2542 0902

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ALPHA INDIA NEWS JULY - SEPT 2016

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DIRECTOR’S PAGE

From the desk of the National Director

WORK WORSHIP AS

In the movie “Oh, God! “, a 1977- comedy film starring George Burns and John Denver, Jerry Landers (John Denver), an assistant manager in a supermarket, receives a visit from God (George Burns), who appears in the form of a kindly old man dressed in casuals. Being startled by this casual appearance of God, rather than a magical and angelic advent, Jerry Landers wonders if this really is God Himself, to which God responds - “Not what you expected eh?”.

Every week when we get to our workplaces, what do we expect? Many of us become ‘Christian atheist’ or we dim Christ totally from Monday to Friday and start believing in God from Saturday to Sunday. The very same God we worship [in a building] on a Sunday is the same God awaiting us at our work places too. The Greek word 'AVODAH' means both worship and work. Who you are in the workplace is a direct reflection of where you are in your relationship with God. Our God is a worker and the creation mandate is to work. Work was cursed after the fall and sadly we still consider it a burden/curse. That's why Christians don't make good candidates to recruit. What Christ did was to restore work to its original status. “So whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Fundamentally, it is not a question of whether your work is in the realm of the

secular or the spiritual, but whether the work you do is done in the power of the Spirit or in the power of the flesh. God desires to be glorified by His saints, whether it is in the assembly-line or by the pulpit. God does not measure the significance of ministry as men do. Man has a built-in tendency to stratify the ‘worthwhileness’ of any activity.

“By the sweat of your brow you will eat food until you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you will return” (Genesis 3:19). The mistaken thoughts of many Christians today is that the one who engages in secular work cannot be truly spiritual, cannot be involved in any significant ministry and must simply settle for second best. Many also think that if one is to have a meaningful ministry, then he or she must leave the secular world to do so. Still others consider secular work to be competitive and antithetical to spiritual ministry. It has been a challenge to bring this teaching to the Church as every fulltime Christian leader or pastor feels they have made a huge sacrifice by serving the church and their call is celebrated. Not realizing that just as they were called, Christians are also called to a sacred service when they are at work in a bank or any company or managing his/her business. This means that irrespective of the kind of work we do, or the position we might be in, we are called to work as an act of worship.

God does not distinguish between secular and spiritual, but only between that which is of the flesh and that which is of the Spirit ( R o m a n s 8 ) . T h e O l d Te s t a m e n t distinctions have been eliminated by the work of our Lord Jesus Christ. This includes the distinctions between clean and unclean (Acts 10), clergy and laity (1 Peter 2:9), holy and unholy (Colossians 2:8-19), circumcision or un-circumcision, and bond or free (1 Corinthians 7:17-24; also Colossians 3:11). Whatever we do is to be done as to the Lord.

In Colossians 3, Paul urges us to let go of all the characteristics of our old self and to put on Christ-likeness; to do all that we do with all our heart and giving our best. Work is not worship but when we work as if unto God then worship flows out of all that we do. When this truth is instilled deep within we begin to work towards being good stewards of the time, energy, finance and resources that have been entrusted to us.

When we work, “as though you were working for the Lord and not for people" God becomes our security and in Christ we find our true identity and Christ in us becomes the hope of glory and hence we become a fragrance to those who are perishing.

Blessings Rajeev Menon National Director

Who you are in the workplace is a direct reflection of where you are in your worship.

GOD AT WORK - LIVING EVERY DAY WITH PURPOSE The Christian Teachers’ Seminar at Apostles Methodist Church was attended by twenty vibrant Teachers. The day began with an interesting ice-breaker and continued into insightful sessions based on Alpha’s ‘God at work’ program.

The participants could identify with the challenges which they regularly face at their workplace. One participant noted, “Understanding God’s perspective for work gives us an idea on how we see our role at our workplace.” In fact, the sacred and secular divide starts to fade when we come to grips with the fact that for God all that we do whether at Church or workplace is sacred for Him. Mrs. Leena Kapoor facilitated an interesting session on different styles of learning and using mental imagery for helping students to remember.

The participants found the session on “Stress and Work - Life Balance“useful as they learnt the various factors that contributed to stress as well as Biblical guidelines on handling stress and living a balanced life between work and family. The highlight of this session was to understand God’s mandate for keeping the Sabbath, i.e. resting in God’s presence before working. Keeping the Sabbath is indispensable for our Christian lives and vital for our spiritual, mental, physical and emotional well-being.Overall, it was an enjoyable and insightful day which reminded us that work is a blessing and God wants us to enjoy our work and excel in it.

- Alpha, Delhi-NCR

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ALPHA INDIA NEWS JULY - SEPT 2016

ALPHA

Got Questions about Life Alpha creates a space that encourages conversation in a relaxed, friendly and open environment

CNI Diocese of Cuttack

Systematic and strategic

The CNI Diocese of Cuttack, under the leadership of Bishop S. K. Nanda and Mr. B. D. Das, Hon. Secretary and thirty Pastors representing 350 churches across Cuttack, were introduced to Alpha and its contexts on the 25th of June. The team from Alpha India took the audience through various tools and products available and their effectiveness in the Indian context. The Bishop and Pastors expressed their desire to partner with Alpha and train churches under the diocese in the next couple of months.

Indian Pentecostal Church, Davangere went on an Alpha training on 11th March in which over twenty delegates participated. Pas. Jacob who works among medical college students is very passionate about working among youth and students and Alpha seemed to be just the right tool. He said "Alpha is very systematic and strategic to share Gospel to the present generation, it is very simple and effective." At the end of the training six Alphas were registered and three have started.

- Alpha, Orissa

- Alpha, Karnataka

TRANSFORMATION STORIES But Now I See!!

When I was invited to attend Alpha at Rock S h i e l d A s s e m b l y, I decided to give it a try. It initially seemed gibberish to me but the love and concern shown by the leaders and my host kept me going. As I continued to attend Alpha week after week I was invigorated in my spirit. I eventually found Christ or in other words Christ found me. I am blind but I can now see the Truth. About six months after attending church I decided to get baptized. I am excited because I found a new life in Jesus through Alpha. I am grateful to God and Pas. Dixon.

- Murugesan, Namakkal

Freedom to Share When I heard about Alpha from Rev. Vijay. I initially thought it will be boring but then I decided to go on because my mum had signed up too. I simply loved the meal and group discussion time. I could share my opinions and views without being afraid of

getting rejected. I am a very shy person, wouldn't open up much but then on Alpha I slowly stepped out of that introvert zone and began to share these questions I had deep within me. I am no more a shy person. I can pray in gatherings and share my view in front of an audience. I have also begun to actively participate in my church.

- Mohit, Amritsar

I Know My Saviour In the month of January my friend invited me to join her in attending a small group discussion.

It was quite a different experience. The group first played some games followed by snacks, during which we got a chance to get to know one another. After this the leader came forward and shared about Jesus. He said “Jesus said 'I am the way, truth and life'”; I could not really understand what he meant. After the talk we were given an opportunity to ask questions and discuss on what each one thought about the talk. I put forth my questions and we discussed. Each one of us were able to express freely and I found answers to my questions. With many of my doubts cleared I left the place with a sense of peace in my heart and I knew I had to come again. My friend was surprised

looking at this strange difference in me and asked if I would like to join for next ten weeks. I said yes at first instance. On completion of Alpha I decided to learn more about Christ and live as per the Bible.

I am so grateful to God for revealing Himself through Alpha to me. I do pray for my parents and my siblings. I wish that they will also know Jesus as their savior.

- Rajzi, Uttarakhand

Questions answered I come from a different belief system. I became a believer recently and had lots of questions about my new found faith. A couple of months ago my Pastor's wife invited me to Alpha which was conducted every Wednesday for a group of women. As I attended week after week I found answers to my questions about Jesus and I was encouraged to read the Bible and pray every day. I began to see changes in my life and in my family too. My prayers were being answered and it only helped me to trust Jesus more and strengthened me to face my day-to-day challenges.

- Ajni, Haridwar, Uttarakhand

ALPHA INDIA NEWS JULY - SEPT 2016

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CHURCH GROWTH

CHURCH GROWTH

Answering the call to reap plentiful harvest

CATHOLIC CHURCH IN MUMBAI COMPLETES 17TH ALPHA Looking back over the last 11 years of the Alpha Ministry in the Catholic context of Mumbai Archdiocese has been a humbling experience. Things that appeared so big at the time, now appear to be teeny weeny albeit colorful bits of a much larger tapestry that God has woven in us, for us and through us.

A look through all the records of the last 11 years show that the team from Immaculate Conception Church, Borivali (of an ever changing array of team members) has conducted twenty-nine Alphas - seventeen in our own home parish, seven in non-parish settings like hostels and colleges, and five in other parishes that gave rise to four other teams who ran more Alphas in their own locations - Bandra, South Bombay, Nerul and Sion. These twenty-nine Alphas reached out to over 700 Catholics in Mumbai, over 500 of whom completed Alpha and more than fifty were trained over one of ten training weekends to join the Alpha ministry with the training tools given to us by the Malaysian

A CHURCH IS BORN

team. In April 2016, at the end of the 17th Alpha, participants from across Alphas, testified to God's goodness in leading them into a deeper relationship with Him and His Church through Alpha.

Participants who had done Alpha years ago, encouraged the ones who had just finished to keep growing in their faith by receiving from the Church's bible studies and the Catholic Charismatic Renewal and serving in the many ministries in the Church. In June 2016, we have begun our 18th and 19th Alphas – for youth and adults separately. The youth Alpha team comprising of 18-25 year olds are running the new Alpha Youth Film Series for the first time, having used the classic talks for 3 previous youth Alphas. We look forward to seeing many more lives, marriages and families renewed through this tool.

- Organizers, Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception Borivali, Mumbai

is now turning into a worship place of the true living God. Witnessing this breakthrough only assures us that nothing is impossible with the God we serve.

Weekend was powerful and the celebration day was fabulous with fifty two unchurched guests invited by our present Alpha participants.

- John Rajan, Coordinator, TN

With fifty two registered during the wrap party, we initiated seven Alphas. Prayer teams were set up for each Alpha and this resulted in endowing responsibilities on the church. Alpha not only brought new believers, but also influenced the church positively. By experience, I would state boldly that Alpha (AYFS) is the best tool available currently for evangelism.

CHURCH RECUPERATED!

In the year 2014, sixteen leaders from Eternal Living Light Church, Perambalur were trained on how to run Alpha. After going through the materials and planning for a year Pas. Barnabas started Alpha and ran it three consecutive times. Among those who went on Alpha was Sis. Vasantha, 40, who started an Alpha in her home and during this a sister named Shanthi and four others came to know the Lord.

Being passionate to share their new found faith; the Good News with their friends and neighbors, both Sis. Vasantha and Shanthi started Alpha in their homes and eighteen unbelievers met Jesus. On the next run of Alpha at the church premises, forty registered and have been regularly attending Alpha. Such harvest in a city where a different belief system is prominent birthed a church on the 6th of July at Chettikulam, Perambalur. A religious sight

We have always tried various tools in our church to share Jesus.

Over the years we observed that all of them moved to a halt. This eventually led to no active ministry outside the church. While we were looking for yet another tool that could help us get back on our feet, we connected with the Chennai Alpha Team who introduced us to the Alpha Youth Film Series.

Though we had decided to give it a try, we just had no belief in the tool and that it could bring new comers to the church. So we decided to have it tested among our youth.

The following 10 weeks brought in a tremendous transformation in the group, especially what happened among the boys was noticeable. Their attendance in the youth fellowships became steady and their involvement in the fellowship increased.

These youth stood out in communicating openly and speaking the Truth. Holy Spirit

Pas. Elisha, Trinity Full Gospel Church, Kolathur, Chennai

Get ready to join the Greatest Adventure.

Arriving 01.09.16

#TryAlpha Alpha.org

What is Alpha Alpha is a series of sessions exploring the Christian faith, typically run over eleven weeks.

Each talk looks at a different question around faith and is designed to create conversation. Alpha is run all around the globe, and everyone's welcome. It runs in cafés, churches, universities, homes, you name it. No two Alphas look the same, but generally they have three key things in common: food, a talk and good discussion.

ALPHA FILM SERIES Alpha Film Series—an updated, relevant and engaging resource designed to take the audience on an epic journey exploring the basics of the Christian faith. The Alpha Film Series is for anyone to run Alpha with and will be free for download on Alpha Builder.

ALPHA YOUTH FILM SERIES The Alpha Youth Film Series (AYFS) is designed to engage students and youth around the world, engaging them in conversations about life, faith and Jesus in a fun and relaxed environment. AYFS is a tool to equip youth workers and students to reach their friends and community. Episodes take the audience on an adventure to Israel, London and Vancouver, with interviews of people and discussions about some of the biggest questions of life.

CATHOLIC Alpha for Catholics is a tool for the New Evangelization that is being used by thousands of Catholic parishes around the world. Alpha introduces people to Jesus while teaching the foundational elements of our faith in a friendly and relaxed environment.

WORSHIP Worship Central Course (WCC) is a seven session course, developed by Tim Hughes & Al Gordon. It explores the theological and practical aspects of leading worship in the 21st Century. WCC is a movement to train, equip and resource worship leaders, musicians and worshippers all around the world.

THE MARRIAGE COURSES The Marriage Courses is an easy-to-run, practical seven session course designed to support couples looking for practical support to strengthen their relationship. No expertise is needed to run the course. You may have experience working on your own marriage, or you are passionate to see marriages and family life strengthened in your community

THE PARENTING COURSE The Parenting Children Course and The Parenting Teenagers Course are an easy-to-run, practical fivesession courses designed to support parents or carers who want to invest in their relationships with their children and/or teenagers. No expertise is needed to run the course. Anyone who wants to support and encourage parents and other carers and who enjoys hosting a group can run the courses.

GOD AT WORK God calls us to the work we are doing. He's interested not only in what we do but how we do it. Yet, finding purpose at work is one of the greatest challenges in our world.

ALPHA - PRISON Alpha is running in a number of prisons around the world.

It is run in all types of prisons and correctional institutions for both men and women and is also used in young offenders and juvenile institutions.

ALPHA & RELATED MINISTRIES "I don’t know if there is a place in the world I go to, but that somebody comes up and says, 'it was through Alpha.' Alpha takes people gently step by step...It is wonderful to see the impact Alpha is doing globally.."

Ravi Zacharias, Christian Apologist

The Marriage Courses has been the most popular. I have heard fabulous testimonies of restoration of relationships and the spark has been rekindled.

Thank you for your selfless service and your partnership with local churches.

Stanley Mehta

A LIFE WORTH LIVING Based on the book of Philippians, this series is particularly good for newer Christians. Structured using Nicky Gumbel's book, also called "A Life Worth Living," this course looks at six topics over the course including "New Heart," "New Attitude" and "New Ambition." Alongside the six pastorate sessions, the series also includes three sessions perfect for use in a home group.

Gateway Ministries International

THE PRAYER COURSE The Prayer Course is six interactive sessions for small groups based on The Lord's Prayer, covering topics such as intercession, dealing with disappointment, learning to listen and spiritual warfare.

Over 29 million people have experienced Alpha. 84,000 courses are running in 112 languages in 169 countries worldwide.*

#TryAlpha india.alpha.org

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ALPHA - YOUTH

YOUTH FILM SERIES

ALPHA INDIA NEWS JULY - SEPT 2016

Invite a generation to explore

life,faith&God.

MAKING THE TIMELESS GOSPEL RELEVANT

Assemblies of God School Auditorium, Ranchi was packed with 400 youth from sixty-one churches across Jharkhand, Bihar and West Bengal. This mega event was organized by the Rev. John Toppo and the Committee Members of Assemblies of God Church, Ranchi. The event was organized by the team with a desire to equip the youth with tools for reaching out. The objective was to train and equip the youth gathered on running the Alpha Youth Film Series, thereby equipping the future of this country with the tool to reach out and make a difference in someone’s life. The event was held between 25th and 27th of May and to name a few of the churches and organizations that participated are New Creation Fellowship, Brethren Assembly, Mighty God Mission, JJMPC, India Pentecostal Church of God, Kingdom of God Church, GEMS Church, G. E. L. Church, Sower Mission Church, Good News Children Education Mission, Mighty Gospel Church, etc.

Inauguration

This mega event commenced with an inaugural ceremony welcoming the Chief guests for the day with traditional Jharkhand music. Mr. Solan Mundu prayed for blessings and the worship was led by Bro. Arun Kerketta and team. Rev. Toppo welcomed the guests and delegates,

followed by special greetings from S.P. Kachchhap, an executive member of The Assemblies of God of North India (AGNI). A special message was delivered former Bishop Dr. Nirmal Minz. The resource team comprised of Team Alpha(East), Caleb and Marky, our Coordinators for Youth. The event was anchored by Dr. Pratibha.

The commissioning

AYFS, our nation can be reached. The interactive and rich digital content and the fun quotient makes it a must try tool.

TESTIMONIES BY PARTICIPANTS: I believe that AYFS is the ideal tool for sharing the love of Christ because we usually get together and watch movies at home and since the AYFS is very interactive and fun we can denitely invite our friends and share Jesus.

- Jyothi Vishwas

Rev. John Toppo The sessions were led by Caleb and Marky and it progressed on the note to instill a new passion for evangelism among the participants and to motivate them to reach out to the youth, giving them an opportunity to try church. The commissioning session shifted the whole atmosphere to a new level during which the youth were filled with the power and anointing of the Holy Spirit and charged to reach out to their community. On the final day the participants registered fifty of AYFS to be run in the upcoming days.

Dainik Bhasker, a Hindi Daily featured the event quoting “Alpha is an effective tool to reach the youth and transform their lives by sharing the truth of the Gospel”. The event concluded with prayer by Bro. Prabir, our Regional Manager for East.

With sixty-one churches coming together under one roof the event was a first of its kind in Jharkhand. Rev. John Toppo shared that with a unique and easy to run tool like

I have always found it difcult to share the Gospel on a one on one conversation. But with AYFS being so visual and simple it is very easy f o r a n y o n e t o understand the Gospel and nd Jesus.

- Deepak, Ranchi Sharing Jesus directly and very confrontational manner will take us no where and I have realized that it happens over a series of conversations and discussions which is the DNA of AYFS. This will denitely be a blessing to both believers and non believers.

- Jeevandeep, Ranchi

ALPHA INDIA NEWS JULY - SEPT 2016

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ALPHA - YOUTH

ALPHA IN NEW THEOLOGICAL COLLEGE

New Theological College, Dehradun, Uttarakhand, one among the highly reputed theological seminaries, organized its annual Summer Bible School for this year.

Rev. George Oommen, Dean of Student Affairs, having been a part of Alpha, couple of years ago, and being assured of its effectiveness among youngsters, took the initiative to add AYFS in the School's syllabus.

evening of 23rd May was exclusively set for testimonials and reflection. Amazing testimonies were given by the youth. Every one of them came forward to share what the Lord has done through AYFS in the last couple of weeks. The Vice Principal of New Theological College handed over course completion certificates.

TESTIMONIES BY PARTICIPANTS:

With much prayer and planning the AYFS was run and sixty two youth from different churches and cultural backgrounds went on the course. During the Holy Spirit day the guests recommitted their lives to God and have resolved to live a life pleasing Him. The

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AYFS is a very attractive tool for the youth and it really helps them to understand life and its meaning. I also found answers to questions related to my faith - Naomi

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On the Holy Spirit day I was touched by the Lord. I used to be reluctant in sharing Jesus with my friends, but now I am encouraged to tell about my Saviour and I believe that Holy Spirit will help me and will give me appropriate words when I share Gospel with my friends.

- Himanshu

Endorsement by Rev. George Oommen, Dean, NTC The Summer Bible School this year has been a great blessing.

God gave me an opportunity to be part of an Alpha program 12 years ago when I was attending a church in Philadelphia, USA. It touched my life. When I came to know that Alpha has produced film series for young people in Hindi I thought it will be a great opportunity for ministering to the young people attending the Summer Bible School. With much prayer and planning we were able to conduct this Youth Film Series and it truly proved to be a great blessing. The youngsters were touched and experienced the presence of God, the anointing of the Holy Spirit and many of them were delivered. We praise God for what Alpha Youth Film Series is doing. We want to bless this ministry and wish all the best to Alpha, may the ministry bear much fruit.

- Alpha Team, North West

BUILDING NEXT GENERATION LEADERS Two hundred and sixty youth from AG churches across Rajasthan were equipped with our Alpha Youth Film Series tool, the first of its kind developed for building the next generation leaders in our churches. The event was organized by Pas. Rajnish Jacob, Corner Stone AG, Jaipur, who is passionate to see young leaders trained to share the love of God. The simple tool which can be used in any setting for youth and students is now creating a new thirst for evangelism and Pas. Rajnish Jacob passion to reach out to those youngsters in their neighborhoods, schools, colleges and hangouts who are desperate to find answers to their questions related to life and its meaning.

The youth who hailed from different parts of Rajasthan went on a 3-day training from 15th to 17th of June. Bro. Caleb and Marky, our Alpha for Youth Coordinators led the sessions brilliantly. The sessions helped the youth understand the various facets of the film series and its impact on the youth. The rich digital content, interactive episodes, interesting vox pops featuring youngsters from different walks of life, the fun and thoughtful illustrations left the youth excited and eager to run the AYFS on return to their spheres of influence.

- Alpha Team, West

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ALPHA INDIA NEWS JULY - SEPT 2016

WORSHIP CENTRAL

WORSHIP CENTRAL COURSE Encounter God, Equip the worshipper, Empower the local church

WORSHIP CENTRAL COURSE AT NORTH EASTERN HILL UNIVERSITY thing that really touched me was 'Freedom in Worship', that we are not bound by anything to worship Him. This freedom has made me stronger and more confident in leading the congregation to worship.

The North - East Hill University, Shillong was trained in the year 2014 and since then hundreds of students have gone on the WCC. The different campus fellowships have run WCC with about 35 to 40 worship leaders and students participating every term. The graduates on their return to their town and churches have started running WCC. Here are a few testimonials from the current WCC: Mr. Elvis L Hrangkhol (Worship Leader): WCC has moulded me and shaped me to be an authentic worshipper. I have learned that in all things worship is first and service is s e c o n d . M o s t i m p o r t a n t l y, I h a v e experienced His unfailing love and His calling, and yes! I can now truly say that I am created and called to worship Him. Mr. Joh Diru (Worship Leader): Worship Central has given me a whole new chapter of 'what worship really is'. It has laid the foundation for me to stand as a worship leader. Now, my intimacy with Jesus is much greater and clearer than before. One

Ms. Kethovino Chutso: The course has really been a blessing to me. Initially, it was more like out of compulsion because I was holding a post in one of the fellowshipS in our university campus and I felt the need to be well informed and answerable when questioned about worship. But it turned out the other way round when I attended; it was exactly what I needed. It has really been an

very benefit of the people around us, and above all, striving in unity to give our very best for God's glory alone. In short, “less of myself and more of God”.

Ms. Rokoriano Meyase: Worship Central has brought me closer to God by making me realise what worship is really about. It has taught me about the heart of worship. I have learnt that it is all about Jesus and not about the songs, music or anything else.

eye opener for an ignorant person like myself. I realized that worshipping is not just about standing up, waving hand and singing to the fullest, but more about 'losing oneself and letting God take the centre stage'. The sessions were very practical and applicable to our everyday life as well. I learnt that a leader should be open to explore, experiment and introspect oneself for the

Ms. Vimetuonuo Rutsa: I feel so blessed to learn that worshipping God is unlimited. I learnt that wherever I am, I can worship God; I have that access. I am more attached to my keyboard now because I have learnt how to worship God with it as well. Through this course, I met people who are so passionate about worshipping God and interacting with them encourages me always. Thank you Worship Central team. I had a wonderful and blessed time.

- Alpha Team, North-East

WORSHIP CENTRAL FOR NLF CHURCHES - MUMBAI The training on Worship Central Course was enriching, simple, a lot of fun and very practical. We were a total of fifty worshipers from six worship teams in Mumbai, who got together and spent two days learning, interacting, sharing challenges and having fun with one another. The training was very well structured and covered many aspects such as how to have a more effective and productive time, during our choir practices, worship times and in our respective local churches.

Jied Syiem shared very simple and appropriate steps to make my personal devotions an uplifting time of worship which influences my practice sessions. I could relate to the examples he shared. Most of all, I enjoyed the group discussion times, that were intentionally planned after each of the seven sessions. These group discussions helped everyone share their views, strengths and challenges they faceD while leading in worship. We became a family, sharing and encouraging one another as we embarked on a new journey of worship. The highlights of our discussion was then shared with the rest of the teams which helped us to learn how to practically deal with certain challenging situations.

I am sure the Worship Central Course will help us build stronger worship teams for the glory of our Lord Jesus. - Gaston Noronha

ALPHA INDIA NEWS JULY - SEPT 2016

11

THE MARRIAGE COURSES

An opportunity to invest in the future of your relationship REGARDING MARRIAGE IN A NEW PERSPECTIVE

On June 25th, the couples from Corner Stone A.G Church, Jaipur went on a training on The Marriage Courses. The sessions catered to various aspects of Marriage like resolving conflicts to the beneficial of doing the Marriage Courses. The sessions were conducted by Bro. Vikram and his wife Mitika Satyarahi, the Coordinators for Marriage Courses, North-West.

The couples found these sessions to be very interesting and helpful in seeing their relationships on a whole new perspective. A

lot of them gave positive feedback after the training. The mock session on ‘Resolving Conflicts’ gave opportunity for the couples to discuss the kind of hindrances in growing and building a strong marriage. There was an atmosphere of reconciliation as they began to forgive each other for mistakes in the past. The session helped them to understand the importance of spending time together. At the end of the day the couples sensed a freshness in their affection towards one another.

- Alpha Team, North West

MARRIAGES RESTORED TO WHERE GOD INTENDS

The Marriage Course at FOBAL Church, New Delhi was attended by 14 couples. All the seven sessions were engaging and full of wisdom from the Word of God as well as practical tips and insights from founders of the Marriage course, Nicky and Sila Lee. The ‘Art of Conversation’ session was facilitated by Marriage Course partners, Dr. Ashok Chacko and Vinita. The guest couples found it very helpful when they shared their feelings with their partners by labeling their emotions and also learned to actively listen when their partner shared.

Sessions on ‘Good sex’, ‘Impact of Family: Past and Present’, ‘Resolving Conflicts’ and ‘Love in Action’ were also enjoyed thoroughly. Valuable insights were shared,

flavored with humor, as we looked deeper into marriage and extended family relationships, especially in the Indian context.

The session on ‘Forgiveness’, facilitated by Vikram & Mitika was clearly endued with God’s power as couples forgave each other and resolved their hurts which are sometimes caused unintentionally.

As the Marriage Course drew to a conclusion, we heard many stories of transformation and positive changes that spouses saw in each other. Many couples have come forward and committed to support this ministry by becoming partners and starting or supporting marriage courses in the region.

- Alpha, Delhi-NCR

Parenting Children in the Godly Way

After attending the Parenting Children Course I immediately requested my management to grant me weekly off on Sunday in order to dedicate my time to my children. I decided to take them to parks and other places of their interest and spend quality time with them. When I set aside time for my children I realized that I enjoyed myself while I was with them. I began to be less stressed about my work.

Before attending Parenting Course, I could not find my work-life balance and this affected my relationship with my daughter which resulted in she feeling unloved and not cared for. After the session on 'Meeting our Children's Needs' I realized that my daughter wasn't getting enough attention and love. I began to spend time with her reading stories from the Bible and other activities and this small effort has brought a huge change in our relationship for better.

The sessions on 'How to Build Healthy Relationships' and 'Setting Boundaries' was an eye opener, After discussion with my husband, we set some simple ground rules like taking time to visit our relatives so the children would learn and build relationships with their extended family which we were neglecting in their upbringing and others. This has changed the atmosphere of our home dramatically.

Today, because of The Parenting Course my husband and I are always making conscious efforts to raise up children in godly way understanding the responsibility the Lord has placed on us and treating them like an inheritance from the Lord.

Jayshree is the mother of a handsome son, Mihir and two pretty daughters Karuna & Harshitha

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