Alpha USA’s 2021 Fall Report

Alpha USA Fall Report

January – September 2021

Because of you

Because of your support, Alpha USA has provided the vision, resources, and training for churches and ministries to share the good news of Jesus this year both in person and online, and we are not finished yet. It is your generosity and God’s blessing that have made all of this possible!

The Church has been faced with a multitude of challenges during the past 20 months. The global pandemic and related shutdowns, increasing racial tension, political division, and economic uncertainty have deeply impacted local churches. The Barna Group estimates that up to 30 percent of Christians in the U.S. have stopped attending church altogether. In certain expressions within the U.S. church, particularly youth ministries and the Catholic context, the declines are even more substantial.

Despite all of this, Alpha USA—together with you and thousands of churches across the country actively running Alpha—has been faithful to help people discover and develop a relationship with Jesus. In this report, you will read about how God is working through Alpha USA; he's expanding our networks in new regions across the country, increasing our training opportunities to equip churches to run Alpha, and more.

Our goal is to have more than 740,000 people participate in Alpha in 2022 by equipping 10,000 churches and organizations. Thank you for joining us as we seek the evangelization of the nations, the revitalization of the Church, and the transformation of society. We are grateful to be in ministry with you!

Network Advancement

Cultivating flourishing Alpha networks is an essential part of extending Alpha into new communities and across the country. In 2021, we launched new networks in Florida, DMV (Washington D.C., Virginia, and Maryland), Kansas/Missouri, and Colorado. Our goal is to have the entire U.S. in a network by 2023.

Your partnership through prayer, extending your influence, and generosity have helped form these new networks, which will

engage churches and ministries, train and coach Alpha leaders, and reach people with the transforming love of Jesus through the local church.

Already in Network

Phase 1: 2021

Phase 2: 2022

Phase 3: 2023

Training Churches

God truly blessed our efforts to train new Alpha leaders this year by equipping more people to lead groups that will impact their communities with the love and message of Jesus. Our training team has hosted opportunities for individuals to be equipped to lead Alpha, The Marriage Course, or to serve as a coach.

Love Listens, events for church leaders to pray, connect, and envision how to reach their communities for Jesus, was held in cities nationwide. Trainings were hosted in person and virtually in the first three quarters, with significant effort set forth in the fourth quarter to support the fall season. When individuals attend our training events, we

Alpha Prisons & Reentry

Alpha Prisons and Reentry ministry was deeply affected by the global pandemic shutdowns. Before the pandemic, volunteers were running Alpha in 630 criminal justice facilities in 41

can only imagine the ripple effect that takes place as they impact others in their sphere of influence. We are thankful for your support, which allows us to train and equip leaders to create a unique space for faith conversations within their communities.

3,499 Participants

1,843 Ministries represented

91 Training events

states. Some prisons are just beginning to allow ministries to return, and many prisons are still closed to outside groups. Because of these circumstances, there were fewer prisons hosting Alpha than in previous years. This

Alpha USA Network Advancement Strategy

vital ministry is key to Alpha’s strategy to transform society, and you are an important part of that ministry. Please pray with us for God to bless this ministry in the days ahead and bring prisoners to freedom in Christ.

I can be a light to someone and show them that there is a way out of addiction. I don’t have to turn to drugs and alcohol to medicate myself. I fight my battles on my knees now with my hands raised high.”

Alpha

Youth: Reaching

Gen Z Generation Z, more than any other generation before it, seeks authenticity, community, and truth. This generation desires to have honest conversations about faith in a judgment-free environment. Alpha Youth is a powerful tool to engage students, many of whom have not been connected to a church before, as they explore faith in Jesus and have the opportunity to discover the truth of who he is.

Alpha Catholic Context

Your support is helping to create evangelical communities of faith in Catholic parishes around the country. Alpha is leading church attenders to a revitalization of their faith with a new passion for reaching out in mission, and people who are new to church are experiencing the power of the Holy Spirit.

– Courtney Trankle

Courtney was a drug addict for 25 years before being sent to prison. She now serves as an Alpha advisor for the State of Missouri Prison and Reentry program.

Nearly half of non-Christian teens (47%) are at least somewhat interested in learning more about what Christianity means for their life.” – Barna Group and Alpha USA, Reviving Evangelism in the Next Generation, 2021

JANUARY – SEPTEMBER 2021

108,837

Estimated number of students who attended Alpha Youth

3,124

Number of Alpha Youth courses run

JANUARY – SEPTEMBER 2021

91,323

Estimated number of participants who attended Alpha Catholic Context

1,620

Number of Alpha Catholic Context courses run

Through the encounter with Jesus that I had at Alpha, I not only had a tremendous desire to change myself but to change the world around me, including doing all I can to volunteer, support, nurture, and give to my parish.”

– Lauren Herzing

Give for future generations

To serve all of your charitable giving needs, Alpha USA launched a planned giving and non-cash giving program in 2021. Well-planned, intentional giving strategies can equip you to impact future generations while minimizing the taxes you pay. If you are interested in learning more about different charitable vehicles you can use to support Alpha USA, such as a simple will provision, life insurance,

My wife and I have financially supported Alpha for more than 20 years, and we believe deeply in the importance of this ministry. This year, instead of making a cash gift, we consulted with Alpha and our financial advisor to create a philanthropic giving strategy. By giving non-cash assets, we were able to give more and maximize our tax savings, a win-win for everyone.” – Mark Emery

an IRA or investment account, transferring stocks, or several other options, we would be happy to guide you to benefit your family and grow the Kingdom.

Please kindly consider including Alpha USA in your estate plans. For more information on planned giving and non-cash giving, contact Kyle Wallace, Vice President for Development, at kylewallace@alphausa.org.

You are making a difference!

Alpha USA would not be able to bear such fruit without your generous support. As we seek to reach people across the country with the good news of Jesus, your partnership is essential to accomplish all that God has set before us.

You are an important part of this ministry, and we could not do this without you. Will you prayerfully consider continuing to support Alpha USA?

Your support is a vital part of serving the Church in its mission to help people discover and develop a relationship with Jesus.

If you have any questions or would like further information, please contact:

Craig Springer, Executive Director craig.springer@alpha.org

Kyle Wallace, Vice President for Development kylewallace@alphausa.org