Next intake starting Monday 10 February 2025. See other intake dates on the FAQs below.
What is Alpha?
Alpha is a free course that creates space for everyday people to participate in conversations about life, faith and God. Each session includes a video and a small group discussion where you will be able to explore the basics of Christian perspective, addressing questions like 'Who is Jesus?', 'How can I have faith?' and 'Does God heal today?'
What can I expect?
Dinner
Alpha begins with a free light meal, eaten at a table with others, where everyone has a chance to connect and get to know each other. Part of what makes Alpha special is the relationships you form with real people who are on a journey of discovery – just like you.
Alpha Video
The Alpha video is where a particular aspect of faith in Jesus will be explored. Each Alpha video is professionally put together and presented and was filmed in locations all over the world including a wide range of cultures and experiences.
Discussion
The heart of Alpha is the discussion group. This is where there truly is no such thing as a ‘bad question’ and is where everyone’s perspective is respected and discussed. The Alpha Group is a pressure free environment and is designed to allow for investigation and enquiry.
"Alpha Course has answered so many of my life impacting questions and it has opened different perspective on a series of both worldly and churchly things."
The stories of Alpha
"Alpha has helped me personally connect and have a closer bond with Jesus. I love the environment and being surrounded with such open-minded people. It’s a breath of fresh air coming to Alpha with people that don’t know me or what’s going on but actually I can still relate with. It makes me feel not as alone."
"Alpha has made such an impact in my relationship with Jesus. My faith has become way stronger than before and my love for Christ has taken the next level. I have better direction towards Christianity and want to help others know more about God too."
"One of the highlights for me during the course was I learned more about what the Holy Spirit does and how we can be filled with Holy Spirit. I love how we can experience God’s love through the Holy Spirit."
"Alpha has helped me grow in my relationship with God, by being able to answer deep questions and receive logical and meaningful answers with no judgement involved. I love the caring atmosphere at Alpha."
"I now feel a genuine sense of completeness since doing Alpha. It is an amazing experience shared with genuinely amazing people. I have left with not only meeting some true friends but also family. Alpha has allowed me to lay out my doubts without being judged, while experiencing and understanding others' opinions. I feel so much closer to God. I’ve never felt so much excitement to spend time with God or to go to church. I know that God loves me and I cannot be a Christian alone."
"I found the course very encouraging and it was great fellowship and community. I found the core ideas refreshed my faith again and made me want to keep digging deeper in growing my faith and relationship with Jesus."
Frequently asked questions
We have Alpha running in each term this year. Here are the term start dates:
- Monday 10 February
- Alpha Holy Spirit Day: 15 March – 9:30am to 1pm
- Monday 28 April
- No Alpha Holy Spirit Day (content will be taught within the Monday evenings)
- Monday 14 July
- Alpha Holy Spirit Day: 16 August – 9:30am to 1pm
- Monday 6 October
- Alpha Holy Spirit Day: 15 October – 9:30am to 1pm
Alpha course is 7 weeks in total but there is absolutely no pressure to attend every session. Links will be provided to videos which can be watched at any time. These links are emailed out each week on the Wednesday after each session.
Alpha also includes one Saturday which follows week 5 of the course. We strongly encourage everyone to attend this session, as it is one of the absolute highlights of the course.
We currently run Alpha courses in English at our Mt Eden, Albany and Manukau campuses. We have also just started running Alpha in Mandarin in our Albany campus. To register for Chinese Alpha, click here.
No! Alpha is put together in such a way that people with no faith background at all will be able to attend and enjoy. Alpha is regularly attend by members of other faiths and religions.
We run Alpha four times a year (once each term) in our Central (Mt Eden), South (Manukau), and North (Albany) campuses.
Alpha is free to attended and can be attended as many times as you like!
Unfortunately, we are currently unable to offer a kids programme during the Alpha course.
Each Alpha location has plenty of onsite parking!
Each Alpha course ranges from 10 – 60 people per intake depending on the location.
Looking for more information?
"I'm not totally sure how to put it into words at this point. I have loved every single week, and I didn't expect that. I've grown up in a Christian home and going to church in my childhood and youth, but this has hit differently. I got answers to questions I didn't even know I had. I shared what I didn't even know I had to share. I met Jesus."
Volunteer at Alpha
Alpha would not be able to happen without the help of an amazing team! Every year, dozens of Alpha Team members come together with the goal of doing whatever they can to help people navigate their questions about God, life and meaning in an environment that is comfortable, meaningful and fun to be in. We are always looking for new people to join the Alpha Team. If you are interested, flick us a message! We’d love to chat.