The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother
Simon and tell him, 'We have found the Messiah'
(that is, the Christ). And he brought him to Jesus.
(John 1:41-42)

Greetings from Amsterdam!  The winter is long and dark in the Netherlands—but we’re getting through it.  Each day, when I take the kids to school, the dusk is just a little bit lighter.  I lean into the wind as it pushes against the wide-bodied bakfiets (the “mini-van of bicycles”), and I force a smile knowing that, for all its hassles, the wind is one of those indicators that spring is on its way.  Every now and then, we’ll get an actual burst of sunshine!  But mostly we’re just waiting at this point in the game, and we’re trying to make the most of the winter:  cuddling up with a good book, eating delicious soups and stews, and enjoying long hours of candlelight conversation with friends.

As it happens, a Good Book, delicious food, and friendly conversation are also the main ingredients of a key ministry initiative that we’ve just kicked off this month as well:  the Alpha Course.  Have you ever heard of the Alpha Course?  It was started by an Anglican church in London, but it has since spread all around the world, across different denominations—and it’s become one of the most strategic evangelistic tools in Europe today.  It’s all based on the simple premise of a home-cooked meal, a laid-back presentation of Christianity’s most central beliefs, and a time for dialogue about the tough questions of life and faith.  Our church has offered the Alpha Course on two other occasions in the past, with great success; so we were very excited when another church in town approached us about the idea of teaming together to offer special edition of the Alpha Course at our ministry center—a course that could be carried by the combined resources of three churches, with room for dozens of people from the city, seeking answers to the deep questions in life.  Throughout the end of 2010 and the beginning of 2011, we’ve been planning, preparing, and promoting.  It always takes a decent amount of time and energy to organize an Alpha Course—but finally, on Wednesday, the 2nd of February, we achieved lift-off, and it appears that our efforts were well worthwhile.

Our introductory evening was attended by 43 people!  This is a huge number of people to participate in an Alpha Course, and it presents us with a very strategic ministry opportunity.

The whole Alpha Course lasts for 12 weeks, with a weekend away in the middle.  As mentioned above, each session begins with a meal and a chance to get to know others in the group.  There is then a short talk, which looks at a different aspect of the Christian faith each week.  This is followed by a time of discussion in small groups, where everyone is welcome to contribute their opinion, ask questions and discuss with the rest of the group (most weeks we’ll probably have four different discussion groups, in both English and Dutch).  The emphasis is on exploration and discovery in a relaxed and informal environment.  Throughout the course, we will be exploring the following topics:

• Who is Jesus?
• Why Did Jesus Die?
• How Can We Have Faith?
• Why and How Do I Pray?
• Why and How Should I Read the Bible?
• How Does God Guide Us?
• How Can I Resist Evil?
• Why and How Should I Tell Others?
• Does God Heal Today?
• What About the Church?
• Who is the Holy Spirit?
• What Does the Holy Spirit Do?
• How Can I be Filled with the Holy Spirit?
• How Can I Make the Most of the Rest of my Life?

As you might imagine, the Alpha Course attracts a diverse range of people of different ages and backgrounds, holding many different viewpoints.  Some want to investigate whether God exists; others are concerned about what happens after death.  Some people have particular questions that they would like to discuss; others want to understand other peoples' beliefs or would like to explore what the purpose of life is.  Many participants have never been to church, others may have attended church occasionally but feel they have never really understood the basics of the Christian faith.  In all of these cases, however, it’s exciting to have the opportunity to develop a meaningful dialogue about Jesus.

We’ve gotten off to a great start, but there’s still a long way to go—and in order for this initiative to really succeed, we need a lot of prayer support.  That’s why I’m writing you this letter at this time.  Would you please pray with us for God to plant, sprout, grow seeds of the Gospel—and that we might even experience a harvest before the end of this Alpha Course (even in the dying days of winter, before the Spring has fully sprung!)?  Would you pray for all the course participants and facilitators?  Would you please pray for people to encounter Jesus?

Thank you, as always, for your part in making this ministry in Amsterdam possible.  There’s no real original way to say it:  but you, seriously, are the life-blood of our ministry.  Your financial support and prayer support keep us going in more ways than one, so I just want you to know that we really appreciate you.  We’ll be in touch…

Eric