Alpha wrap-up

We're having the last session of Alpha tonight. In some ways I am glad that the evening will be free for awhile. We'll be able to do Wednesday nights at Chamorro Village again! But I will miss the buzz.

Alpha is a 10-week course that introduces the gospel in a non-threatening and pressure-free way. I know that when I first looked at Alpha I couldn't believe that it would work. But then I eventually went through the Alpha leaders training in California, hoping to get it started at Cornerstone in Turlock. We never got it off the ground there but were able to plug in on Guam pretty quickly. Cheryl and I are discussion group leaders.

The format is simple -- a meal, a video talk, and a discussion group. It sounds sort'a hokey but it works. And there are people who actually become Christians through it all. Last week a Japanese man visited for the first time (missing all of the basic upfront information) and on Thursday he met with a friend to discuss what he'd seen in the one session of the course he had been to. As a result of it all he has decided to become a follower of Jesus. There are many such stories.

This is the third time that the Lutheran Church of Guam has done the course. Faith Church in Mangilao was a co-sponsor. We've had about 80 people enrolled this time through, about 15 of which are PIBC students in the college's evangelism class. Stacy Larsen has again been the director and Dee Bahret has been coordinating the food. Both of these military wives have done a great job. Pastor Jeff Johnson from LCG has been teaching the evangelism class for the college. There are a lot of diverse people working together on this.