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[Christopher Rose]

Should I feel offended by this? Probably. I still REJECT the Alpha program. I know many who have gone to check it out and find themselves feeling WORSE for going (including myself, I became suicidal for a number of months because I felt like I had an "insufficient quantity" of the Holy Spirit). I will stay with my position. The rest of you are free to believe as you will, but this is where I MUST disagree.

Pax,

Christopher



----- Original Message -----
From: "Timothy R . Butler" <tbutler at uninetsolutions.com>
To: "A Christian virtual Free Software and Linux Users Group." <Christiansource at ofb.biz>
Subject: Re: [CS-FSLUG] Alpha course
Date: Thu, 2 Dec 2004 20:38:02 -0600

> 
> That's good to hear, Kathy. Alas, I wasn't able to attend the Alpha 
> course at my church (which, ironically, I suggested we have), but I 
> have read a portion of Nicky Gumbel's excellent companion book -- 
> Questions of Life.
> 
> At any rate, to respond to the original post concerning an article 
> critiquing Alpha, I think the anti-Alpha article is so far off its 
> hard to even begin to critique. They seem to mostly go after what 
> they see missing in the program, but they overlook the fact that it 
> is a "Christianity 101" type course -- it should be the BEGINNING 
> of the journey, not the end. Therefore, it is important to 
> emphasize the basics on issues like sin, not go into the 
> theological minutia that is just going to confuse new Christians 
> and seekers. Don't get me wrong, it should be truthful and not 
> misleading, but it needn't get into everything right off the bat.
> 
> Moreover, it criticizes the idea that being filled with the Spirit 
> has external results. If it does not, then faith is dead (James 
> 2:20). This isn't a question of salvation but the fruits of the 
> Spirit.
> 
> Frankly, this sounds sort of like a critique I saw from a Lutheran 
> magazine on the Left Behind series a few years back. It was so 
> worried about details -- non-important ones -- that it missed the 
> mark. Rather than lauding the fact that millions of non-believers 
> were reading the Gospel that is presented over, and over and over 
> in the series, it went on a tirade on why it was wrong and people 
> should not read it.
> 
> Alpha seems to be bringing a lot of people into the Body of Christ. 
> If we can tell a tree by its fruit, and this tree's fruit is 
> bringing people to Christ, it seems to me it would be better to 
> write an article on how to supplement Alpha rather than merely 
> criticize it.
> 
> As an aside, what's the quick jab at CCM all about at the end? 
> Don't tell me they think Christians shouldn't listen to Christian 
> music either...
> 
> 	-Tim
> 
> 
> On Aug 24, 2004, at 10:18 PM, K Montgomery wrote:
> 
> > Christopher Rose wrote:
> >
> >> Works now. Oh, and goto http://www.luthercomment.org for an 
> >> interesting article on the alpha program. I do not recommend 
> >> that program to anyone.
> >>
> >> In Christ,
> >>
> >> Christopher
> >>
> > Lest the opposite point of view be neglected, I'll testify that 
> > I've experienced the Alpha program and think it's fantastic.  The 
> > presenter on the videos has a great sense of humor and explains 
> > the various facets of Christianity in a straightforward, 
> > non-threatening way.  I know people who came to the Lord as a 
> > result of this course.
> >
> > Of course, I'd recommend anyone to watch the videos and judge for 
> > themselves before implementing Alpha in their organization.
> >
> > - Kathy
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > ChristianSource FSLUG mailing list
> > Christiansource at ofb.biz
> > http://cs.uninetsolutions.com
> >
> ---------------------------------------------------------------
> Timothy R. Butler       Universal Networks      www.uninet.info
> ==================== <tbutler at uninet.info> ====================
> | Christian Portal:      | Have you not learned great lessons |
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> ---------------------------------------------------------------
> Presently on "Albert" (DP PPC 970 "G5" running at 2.0 GHz)
> 
> 
> _______________________________________________
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