The latest novelty in the ecclesiastical scene is the course started from the UK, called the "Alpha Initiative." Dr George Carey, the Archbishop of Canterbury commented, "I have been encouraged to see the growth of use of Alpha courses." His support for Alpha has been echoed by many others and church leaders of major denominations, including R T Kendall, Charles Colson, Jack Hayford, J I Packer. International evangelist, Luis Palau, has teamed up with Alpha to provide follow-up programmes for his evangelistic rallies. The British Daily Telegraph in February 1998 remarked, "Alpha courses have been run in Roman Catholic, Methodist and Baptist churches, and many report that it has been a very effective way of drawing young people back into the church." The Guardian (UK) in March 1998 said, "where once there was Billy Graham, now there is Alpha."

The Alpha course has purportedly huge success. It is estimated that 3,000 courses run regularly three times a year. It is widespread not just in UK but also in many parts of the world—USA, Russia, Europe, Africa, and Asia. By 1997, an estimated 500,000 people have attended the course. Its popularity underscores the widespread influence it has on a large segment of the Christian community. The Alpha course has come to Singapore under the auspices of the Chapel of Christ the Redeemer. The course book, Questions of Life and The Alpha Initiative, by Nicky Gumbel, with tapes and videos and other resources, are sold in local bookstores. The book has sold 250,000 copies worldwide.

The foundation of the Alpha course was originally laid in 1977 through the work of Charles Marnham, but Nicky Gumbel popularised it many years later. Nicky Gumbel, the author of the newly revised Alpha course, read law at Cambridge, and theology at Oxford. He is now an ordained minister, and on the staff of Holy Trinity, a notorious charismatic church in Brompton, UK, that supports the Toronto Blessing. Gumbel popularised the Alpha course in 1993 by creating an acronym for Alpha which effectively sums up what Alpha is all about (The Alpha Initiative [Eastbourne: Kingsway Publications, 1999] 51):

Essentially, Alpha is a 10-week course of 15 talks that concludes with a weekend celebration party. The content of the course is deeply charismatic. The course strongly emphasises the manifestations of the Spirit, in signs, wonders, healings, miracles, and tongues-speaking.

So, what are the errors and dangers of the Alpha course?

The Alpha course, though teaching some truths, has introduced error subtly in the name of sharing the gospel. The wooing of people using a superficial and artificial gospel message is a wily method, enticing them into believing a lie that is mixed with half-truths. It seduces with attractive but deceptive videos.

Alpha’s freestyle presentation of the gospel contains no emphasis on repentance whatsoever. It ignores John the Baptist’s call for repentance in Matt 3:8, "Bring forth therefore fruits meet for repentance." Did not the Apostle Peter preach in Acts 2:38-39, "Repent, and be baptised every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the Lord our God shall call"? A gospel without repentance and self-denial is no cross-centred gospel at all. It is a different gospel as Paul puts it in Galatians 1:7-8. The course attempts to take away the gospel’s "offensive elements," giving it a sugar coating so that people might find it easy to "accept." It presents a man-pleasing and man-centred gospel rather than a God-honouring and Christ-centred gospel. Humanistic tactics are used to subtly draw people to Christ without requiring self-denial and repentance.

What must a man do to follow Christ? The Lord Himself says in Luke 9:23, "If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow me." There is a need to make the gospel understandable to ordinary people, but this must not be done at the expense of truth. God forbid that in making the gospel simple for the common folk, a new gospel is concocted in the process.

The Alpha course has a strong predominant charismatic orientation. In his book—The Alpha Initiative—Gumbel dwelt at length on the supernatural display of the power of the Spirit, and taught that as the disciples of old, believers today should also heal the sick, raise the dead and cast out demons. He openly proclaims that he believes that these supernatural sign gifts have not ceased. He wrote, "such signs, wonders and miracles are part of the kingdom which was inaugurated by Jesus Christ and continues to this day. Hence we should expect today to see the supernatural display of the power of the Holy Spirit as part of his kingdom activity and as an authentication of the good news. ... we see the dynamic effect of the coming of the kindgom of God accompanied by conversions, miraculous signs, healings, visions, tongues, prophecy, raising the dead and casting out evil spirits. The same God is at work today among us. Evangelism can still be dynamic and effective."

Gumbel in his book teaches how a person can pray to receive the gift of tongues. This is one of the most important sessions of the whole Alpha course. He wrote, "When praying for people to receive the gift of tongues I have found the greatest barrier is a psychological one—making the first sound. Once a person has made the first sound the rest usually follows quite naturally. In order to help people to get over this barrier, I explain this difficulty … Then I start to speak in tongues slowly so that they can follow. Once they have made the first sound they are usually away praying in their own language. I encourage them to try and concentrate on their relationship with God and try, as far as possible, not to be self-conscious. Rather they should concentrate on praising God with the new language he has given to them." Gumbel went on to report that those who started speaking in "tongues" were so filled with joy that they burst out laughing. Others were so overwhelmed by the Spirit that they found it hard to remain standing, and started falling.

It goes without saying that the doctrine of the Holy Spirit as taught in and practised by Alpha is seriously flawed.

The Alpha course adopts an ecumenical stance that is accepted by liberal, ecumenical, neo-evangelical churches, including the Catholic Church, having been endorsed by the late Cardinal Basil Hume, former Archbishop of York. In the Alpha training manual, section 13, Gumbel teaches that the difference between Protestantism and Catholicism are insignificant compared to things that unite them. He said that it is wonderful that the Spirit always bring churches together and at all cost.

Alpha’s support base is suspect. It finds encouragement from those who oppose the true evangelical faith. Even liberals, Catholics and New Agers, who have abandoned the evangelical faith, find much good in Alpha. Such acceptance of the Alpha course by the enemies of the gospel speaks volumes concerning its questionable contents.

We are living in a confused and deceptive world today. Fakes, counterfeits and charlatans are everywhere. Many gullible friends have fallen prey to them. Many are desperately trying to seek God but find Him in all the wrong places. Others are looking for a convenient Saviour, without the need for repentance and discipleship, and Alpha presents that to them. Others are sincerely misled. Jesus warned in Matthew 7:20-23, "Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity."

Arsenic sweetened by honey is still deadly. A half-true gospel is ten times deadlier than an overtly false one. The Alpha course is thus seductively potent and poisonous. Paul warned in Acts 20:29-30, "For I know this, that after my departing shall grievous wolves enter in among you, not sparing the flock. Also of your own selves shall men arise, speaking perverse things, to draw away disciples after them." Separation from such men, methods, and materials is the key to purity and holiness (2 Cor 6:14-18).