Theland, I've just been reading the post below by wizard66 and you made a comment about Alpha being way off the mark. Can you expand a bit further for me? I'm going through an Alpha course at the moment and am really interested to hear your views? I'm keeping an open mind while going through it.
Wow, wizard66, you rebel. You're very right in what you say though. It's not that I need more convincing as such but a bit more time spent on the more basic questions would have been beneficial to me.
I am still fairly new to answerbank and am not sure of anyone's views or background, can I ask you your thoughts now?
I was interested in the Alpha Course because it was advertised as open discussion on the bible - and I love nothing more. However, I subsequently discovered that it is, in reality, bible study from a Christian viewpoint. As Wiz says, it's unacceptable to talk about the wrong subjects, or to ask the wrong questions. No point in me going along then, because I would, without doubt, ask the wrong questions.
When you say you're keeping an open mind, JamSam, what does that mean? Why exactly are you doing this? Hope you don't mind me asking.
You may think it is splitting hairs, but the Alpha has been described as, "pneumocentric," rather than, "Christocentric," that is, it encourages worship of the Holy Spirit, when in fact, in the Bible, the Holy Spirit only ever points towards Jesus Christ.
Also, it's co-founder, Nicky Gumbel, is an advocate of, "holy laughter," as in the, "Toronto Experience," which is totally unbiblical, and as far as I am concerned, demonic deception.