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"Provided people are evangelizing, provided Jesus is being preached, I think we should be thrilled," says Nicky Gumbel, the Anglican priest who is responsible for the course's format.

Alpha leaders hope the course, which has a charismatic perspective, spreads to 50,000 U.S. churches. Even if it doesn't reach these numbers, that's okay, says George Hunter, dean of the E. Stanley Jones School of World Mission and Evangelism.

"The potential of its long-term effectiveness is that as the church learns to be culturally relevant, invites unchurched people, and develops the laity, Alpha can teach a church ways to be church and do church," Hunter says.

Back in Peoria Heights, Meagher says Alpha is bringing the dramatic results he sought. His church will likely add 40 new members a year starting next year.

"The growth rate—and this is of God-serving, Jesus-loving Christians—has increased literally by 1,000 percent from where it was four years ago," Meagher says. "I have to credit that to Alpha."

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The official site for the Alpha course (America | United Kingdom) explains what Alpha is and details the available courses.

The program was created at Holy Trinity Brompton.

Apologetics Index looks at the intentions of the Alpha course and why some Christians object to it.

In 1998, The New York Times focused on the "crash course in Christianity" winning over churches.

This past summer, the Alpha course was featured in a 10-hour television series in the United Kingdom.

Previous Christianity Today articles on Alpha include:

Prison Alpha Helps Women Recover Their Lost Hopes | Alpha has spread like a crime wave to most of the United Kingdom's 137 prisons, to prisons in 16 foreign countries, and now to inmates in the United States. (Oct. 4, 1999)

The Alpha-Brits Are Coming | A British course for non-Christians aims to transform North American evangelistic outreach. (Feb. 8, 1998)

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November 12 2001, Vol. 45, No. 14