http://alphana.org/
The past couple of weeks the church I attend has been gearing up for "Alpha Course", which is basically a video series that answers some common questions Christians and non-Christians would naturally have during their progression either towards Christianity or away from Christianity.
The format is usually the same every meeting, our group meets on Sundays in the evening, the host family makes a main dish and everyone else in the group contributes a side dish and we gather around talking about our week and how things are going in our lives. I really like that idea because as I can be fairly anti-social at times, I do like the social aspect of it, most of the people are older and I tend to identify with older folks usually (there are a couple of younguns in the group). After a hearty dinner we will be watching a series of dvds that contain a fellow by the name Nicky Gumbel, he tackles some issues such as, "what happens after you die", "Who is Jesus", and "What relevance does the Bible have to our lives today".
Yesterdays dvd was about who Jesus was it was quite interesting, and they stated a bunch of evidence which I've long forgotten (my brain works on repetition surely and once is never enough for my piddley little brain). But they also were talking about how Jesus never claimed to be God, but was God. To be honest with you that confused the heck out of me. How is Jesus, God? Just like the Jews kept saying, isn't that blasphemous? I've always known Jesus as "the son of God". Is this not true? I mean I know Jesus was an immaculate conception, God made Mary pregnant with Jesus. But that doesn't MAKE him God does it?
Another question was raised as we were sitting around looking at each other in uncomfortable silence, "Am I satisfied with the description of Jesus as an incredible teacher of God and morals" or if someone came up to me and explained him to me in that light would I be satisfied. I piped up ( because no one was talking) I thought that was what he was. An incredible teacher of God and Morals. And then came the grumbles, well, I was told, that is the easy explanation and that would be the uneducated description of Jesus. In a way it made me feel bad for even answering. He was a great teacher and a fulfiller of prophets. But to the "Real Christians in the room" that wasn't enough.
It sort of put me off to the whole alpha group thing. Everyone seems so uncomfortable and unwilling to even say anything when questions are asked, but when I pipe up I felt like it was a bit dashed instead of explained.
We will see what next Alpha meeting holds, if it's more of the same, I might just not go. I surely can do research on my own and hash things out with my pastor.
(Ginormous wooden horses and 17,594 miles from home)
(Just some good ol' fashioned Easter fun!)
(WE LOVE THE BEACH!!!!!!!!!!!!)
(This is where the wedding magic will be happening, provided the weather cooperates!)
