Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA)
The BGEA is now apparently promoting Alpha Course. Billy Graham himself, inviting Nicky Gumbel to do a workshop on the Alpha Course at Amsterdam 2000 (A2K), is quoted by Alpha News Online as following: Mr Graham wrote, “Your experience and expertise as a leader will be a great asset to the conference, and participants will gain invaluable knowledge and insight from the content of the workshop.” Read the following news story about Amsterdam 2000 (A2K).
ALPHA COURSE WORKSHOP AT AMSTERDAM 2000
THE CALVARY CONTENDER
VOL. XVII NO. 17 Sept. 1, 2000
NEWS & VIEWS, NOTES & QUOTES, TO WARN & INFORM
Jerry Huffman-EditorBilly Graham invited Alpha speaker Nicky Gumbel to present a workshop at the recent Amsterdam 2000 conference (7/27 Wisc. Report). The Alpha course is very ecumenical and comes from an Anglican source (see 5/1 CC). It is compatible with Catholic teaching, and used by Catholic, liberal, charismatic, and other denominations.
Here's the full text of the Alpha News Online story at where Alpha Course was invited to A2K:
http://www.alpha.org.uk/news/00-03/index.htm#BILLY GRAHAM INVITES
Billy Graham Invites Alpha
Alpha News Online, No. 3, March-July 2000Billy Graham has invited Alpha leader Nicky Gumbel to speak at a major conference he is organising in Amsterdam, Netherlands, this July. Mr Gumbel has been asked to speak at a workshop on the Alpha course at the conference, to be attended by 10,000 evangelists from around the world. Mr Graham wrote, “Your experience and expertise as a leader will be a great asset to the conference, and participants will gain invaluable knowledge and insight from the content of the workshop.” The Amsterdam conference is seen as an opportunity for evangelists across the world to come together. Meanwhile, a group of well-known evangelists and church including Luis Palau and Paul Cedar, head of Mission America – have written letters to encourage churches to run Alpha courses and attend training conferences. Their letters have been sent to thousands of Christian leaders all over the country with details of the 25 conferences being held in the year 2000. Evangelist Luis Palau wrote, “I thank God for the way Alpha is turning the focus of churches on evangelistic outreach. Churches that are running Alpha courses have new enthusiasm for evangelism and are leading people to Jesus Christ... The Alpha course is a first rate tool in our day to live out the Christian mission.” Paul Cedar wrote, “I rejoice and give our Lord thanks for the wonderful way He is using the Alpha ministry throughout the United States and around the world. “Inviting friends, family or work colleagues to an Alpha course is an outstanding way to share the love and grace of our Lord Jesus Christ in a non-threatening environment.” George Gallup, Jnr., of the Gallup polling organisation, wrote, “Out of England has come an exciting course that is moving churches around the world from maintenance to mission.
Letters of support: (l to r) Luis Palau, Paul Cedar and George Gallup“Alpha is a well-designed, implementable course that addresses the basic questions of life for the churched and unchurched alike.
“Through Alpha, Jesus Christ is capturing the hearts and minds of an ever-growing number of persons. The course meets the vital test of being both open and faithful – welcoming of all, while presenting the gospel message with clarity and power.”
In an address to 200 Christian clergy and leaders at Wayne Presbyterian Church, in Wayne, Pennsylvania, Mr Gallup said that polls revealed that in the last four years, the percentage of persons seeking ‘spiritual growth’ had risen by 24 points to 82 per cent. “Surveys suggest a dramatic growth in interest in spirituality and hunger for God, a turning away from materialism and the hedonism of our age,” he said. “Alpha is an entry program seeking to get people excited about what Jesus Christ can mean in a person’s life.”
Meanwhile, Pat Robertson, the influential religious broadcaster and former presidential candidate, wrote of his support for Alpha. He said, “Alpha provides a unique teaching tool which brings to the new Christian outstanding integration of Biblical truths with practical applications for everyday life.”
(Emphasis added by DITC)
http://www.crosswalk.com/billygraham/details/1,8128,3055,00.htm
Here are a few examples of the "big names" who spoke at A2K who think Alpha Course is the cat's meow:
"The Alpha course is a most engaging way of passing on the basics of Christianity. It is a tool for evangelism and nurture that I highly recommend." - J.I. Packer, Professor of Theology, Regent College, VancouverBy the way, these men who were major speakers at A2K are in some interesting company in giving their endorsement to Alpha Course, as evidenced below."Alpha seems especially blessed in that the Lord is using it to reach all sorts of people in all sorts of spiritual conditions." - Luis Pilau, Evangelist
"Alpha is ingenious in the way that it brings people into a private setting by invitation. So you are accommodating the 20th Century culture in a very manageable and functional way and I am thrilled with it. I am not surprised to hear of its immediate acceptance and use by hundreds of churches all over the world." - John Wimber, Association of Vineyard ChurchesFor those of you who are uninformed about the unbiblical and heretical teachings of the Alpha Course as well as it's roots in the Third Wave movement out of the Toronto Airport Christian Fellowship (TACF) by way of Anglican churches in England, following are a number of articles you need to read. The fact that Billy Graham and BGEA planned on promoting this dangerous course at a conference geared toward Christian leaders should raise the hairs on the back of your neck! This is yet another indication that the days to support what BGEA is doing are coming to a close. Why? Basically it is due to their obviously ecumenical agenda and their sending of new converts back to the Roman Catholic Church to be discipled. What good does it do to preach the gospel then send people back to be discipled in an apostate church? What good would it be to send a newly former drunk who is on the wagon back to the bar he used to hang out at and tell him he should stay there?"One of the most effective tools of evangelism in the Body of Christ in the United Kingdom is the Alpha course. This new and effective course has exploded, being used by hundreds of churches, resulting in thousands of new believers being integrated into the local church. The enthusiasm is spreading rapidly. I wholeheartedly recommend Nicky Gumbel's excellent leadership. God has blessed the church greatly in raising up Nicky to trumpet the Alpha Course." - Mike Bickle, Metro Vineyard Fellowship, U.S.A.
"Alpha is a soul winning, discipling, multiplying, spiritually dynamic ministry that has already touched the lives of thousands. I believe this vision will continue to expand and truly become an international blessing." - Loren Cunningham, Youth With A Mission International (YWAM)
Here are the links to articles you need to read about Alpha Course:
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/alpha.html
http://www.banner.org.uk/misc/alpha.html
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/youthalpha.html
http://www.pfo.org/alpha-cr.htm
http://www.christian-witness.org/archives/van1997/alpha1_97.html
http://www.christian-witness.org/archives/van1998/alpha2_98.html
http://www.despatch.cth.com.au/Books_D/Alpha_diapraxis.htm
http://www.despatch.cth.com.au/Books_D/alpha_expose.htm
http://www.deceptioninthechurch.com/cell.html
http://www.diakrisis.org/alpha_course.htm
