How do you feel when you hear that word ‘invitation’? When it comes to sharing our faith it may be something that creates one of two reactions in you. It may fill you with excitement at the chance to share and reach out. Or it may fill you with dread: the potential for rejection, the cold response from a friend or the risk involved in sharing your personal beliefs.
At the heart of our faith is an invitation from Jesus to ‘come, follow me’ – we are called to echo this invitation to the world around us. In the same way, invitation is at the heart of Alpha: an invitation to explore, to ask questions, to discuss the Christian faith.
I talked to Tom, who’s studying at Sheffield University, and he told me about how he got together with some friends from church to throw a launch party where guests are invited to Alpha.
How did you feel inviting your friends? What went through your head?
My initial response to the party idea was this isn’t going to work, they’ll hear it’s a church thing and won’t come – but because it was an informal party in a venue people knew, it helped make it more approachable. I figured: it’s the kind of event I might go to, even if it wasn’t linked to Alpha, so why not try inviting my friends?
Who did you invite and what did you say?
I wanted to invite my flat mates, all five of them and some of the guys from the flat upstairs. I just handed out tickets and said ‘My friends and I have organised this party, there should be some great music.’ When they asked what Alpha was I just told them that Alpha explores the Christian faith and it’s an easy way for them to ask the questions they always ask me. I also encouraged them that it was an opportunity to meet some of my church friends they hadn’t met before. They were intrigued about who my other friends were, they wanted to see this other side of my life. It’s probably why they came along.
What was the response?
First they said ‘ah, ill let you know’ which made me assume it was a no – but as a group they decided to try it out. A few signed up for Alpha on the night and then two of the ten came along and joined. One of them did 5–6 weeks of it but then got too busy. One kept coming back – and I’ve invited him to a lot of other events and he seems up for continuing to explore. Other friends who invited their mates saw some of them come to faith.
Do you think it was worth inviting? Would you do it again?
I would definitely do it again. My housemates who came last year are already asking ‘when’s the next Alpha party?’ The idea of stepping-out and inviting was a really great challenge to be proud of what I’m involved in rather than embarrassed. I found it really beneficial to my faith and I’m encouraging others to have a go.
Even if it is a bit a daunting – why not run Alpha this January? Invite your friends and see what happens.
If you want to find out more, head to: uk.alpha.org/students.
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By Georgi Sheaf: UK Student Development Coordinator for Alpha
