•    Does God exist?
•    How good do you have to be to get into heaven?
•    Don’t all religions lead eventually to the same God?
•    Does going to church make you a Christian?
•    What about suffering – what sort of God allows that?

These are questions that each of us will have asked ourselves at some time in our life and our personal answer will shape the way we live.

Without God, ‘something bigger than us,’ we are faced with living a life without any understandable purpose. This was brought home to me recently when I attended the funeral of a relative who had rejected any idea of God. She had a humanist funeral and whilst I totally respected her right to make this decision I struggled to find a sense or purpose to her life. Yes, she was a lovely and much loved person who had produced two beautiful children – now in their early 20’s – but was that her purpose, merely to continue the human race? What of those of us who never have children, is our purpose then to live a morally good life? But what does a ‘good’ life look like? Who sets the standards?

Questions of purpose, such as these, were brought along to our Alpha course at All Saints last Autumn by people seeking answers. What issues were discussed and what objections to God were raised!

We had people on the Alpha course from all walks of life, quite literally, as one man had walked from Leeds and slept ‘rough’ as he headed South. We had men from the Baltic States, also homeless, highly educated with degrees. We had professional men and women, comfortable financially. Plus young people who learnt much from the tales told of those who gathered. We shared a meal, watched the Alpha DVD and then talked of all things ‘religious’.

Quite a few of the 18 people ,who attended, had been damaged by the religiosity of church and by enforced religion as children. As the weeks went by our ‘seekers’ came to realise the possibility of having a relationship with the God who made and loves them and they were introduced to the Jesus of the Bible whose life’s purpose was then and is now to reveal God the father.

At the end of the 10 week course, some people said “Thanks” and went on their way still exploring and some made a commitment to the God who says “Come to me all you who are weary and heavy laden and I will give you rest”.

What about you – are you ready to come along and examine the reason why you live? Why not come and “try us out”?  We’re at All Saints’ every Sunday – times are published elsewhere – and we’re planning on running another Alpha course this coming Autumn.

Lynn Large
Alpha Course leader