Alpha International. Annual Review 2016

Transcription

1 Alpha International Annual Review 2016

2 03 Alpha International 10 Global Impact 28 Global Projects 38 Financial Review Our Mission We equip and serve the church in its mission to help people discover and develop a relationship with Jesus through Alpha Our Vision THE EVANGELISATION OF THE NATIONS THE REVITALISATION OF THE CHURCH THE TRANSFORMATION OF SOCIETY

3 Letter from the Chairman I am not a natural evangelist. Most of my attempts at personal evangelism have been disastrous, swinging between insensitivity and fear. That is why I was so excited to discover Alpha, because Alpha is evangelism for ordinary people. Alpha is for everyone. It offers people like me, who are not natural evangelists, a way to communicate our faith to those outside of the church. Of course, we are not saying that Alpha is the only way of evangelism or even the best way. All we are saying is that we have found in our experience that it is one way of evangelism that seems to be very effective. We have been astonished by the way Alpha has spread through all the different parts of the church, and even more astonished at the way it has spread across cultures and borders worldwide. We launched our Global Alpha Campaign, inviting the next generation to try Alpha on a scale never seen before, and a brand new resource the Alpha Film Series, which is transforming the way Alpha is delivered. Last year our first ever global impact study by the US-based Barna Group found that 95% of Alpha guests say that Alpha has had a positive impact on their lives and 82% of previously non-christian guests say after Alpha they are now followers of Jesus. 82% of previously non-christian guests say after Alpha they are now followers of Jesus I am also delighted to introduce Mathew Neville as our new CEO. Mathew joined us in January of this year after 10 years at World Vision, with extensive global experience in the corporate and Christian charities sectors. We are thrilled to have Mathew as part of the team. Thank you so much for playing your part in Alpha s story. We could not do this without your continued prayers, generosity and support. With very best wishes, Revd Nicky Gumbel Chairman of Alpha International 3

4 Letter from the CEO and President We feel so privileged to be writing to you as President and CEO of Alpha International. We see our roles simply as a quest to help Alpha be more Alpha by which we mean ensuring that, as an organisation, we do all we can to continue to equip and serve the local church in its mission to help people discover and develop a relationship with Jesus. The fundamentals of this mission are so strong and we are blessed to be working with such a talented and committed team. We are amazed by the spirit of multiplication that God has placed on Alpha around the world over the last years and we hope you are as eager and excited as we are to see what God will do next! We will also be conducting an official review as to the most effective ways to demonstrate and report on the impact of Alpha around the world and we look forward to telling you the verified global statistics when that report is published.* It just remains for us to say how much we are looking forward to working with you all in the coming years. It is such a joy to be able to partner with you on this incredible gift from God. Lots of love, In 2017, we will work together to focus on three broad areas: Capacity: increasing our scope and resources to serve the church Capability: building our ability and skills to serve the church Culture: encouraging our desire and motivation to serve the church. Tricia Neill President, Alpha International Mathew Neville CEO, Alpha International *The Research and Development Team at Alpha International functions to ensure the integrity and consistency in certain estimates that Alpha International and all the National Alpha Offices (NAOs) report on and disclose publicly, specifically: the number of churches that run Alpha; the number of courses; and the number of Alpha participants worldwide. The team works closely with NAOs to ensure that they have a consistent and robust research methodology to deliver its estimates; it provides oversight in the NAOs customer surveys to collect data, and drives improvements to our technology platforms to reduce the manual labour required to gather the relevant data. Our research findings are reviewed by the Barna Group, who validates the assumptions behind our estimates and provides us with confirmation that we have used reasonable and conservative assumptions. Where discrepancies arise, a more comprehensive review will be carried out, and in some cases, we may call churches and/or individuals or conduct site visits to verify certain assumptions used to derive our estimates. 4 Alpha International Annual Review 2016

5 What is Alpha? At some point in their life, everyone wrestles with life s big questions. Alpha creates space for authentic conversations about life and faith in an open, relaxed environment. Alpha is a series of interactive sessions exploring the Christian faith, typically run over 11 weeks. Each session includes food, a short talk looking at a different question of faith, and a small group discussion. Part of Alpha s appeal is its simplicity: making it easy and fun to evangelise, congregations are empowered, churches are revitalised, individuals are transformed. Alpha s ethos is to freely give: guests don t pay to attend Alpha, and all the talks, training and tools needed to run it are available online, for free. Alpha International 5

6 How we got here 1990 Nicky Gumbel takes over the running of Alpha and repositions it for non-churchgoers 1991 Four churches are running Alpha 1993 HTB holds the first national Alpha conference attended by 1,000 church leaders 1994 Tricia Neill, now President of Alpha, joins the team and rolls out an international strategy 1995 First international conferences are held in Africa, Europe and North America 6 Alpha International Annual Review 2016

7 ,000 churches are running Alpha ,000,000 people have experienced Alpha ,000,000 people have experienced Alpha 2013 Alpha is repositioned for the next generation 2016 We estimate that over 29,000,000 people have experienced Alpha globally Alpha International 7

8 Global Impact Study Over 200 churches across 11 countries and all major denominations participated in our first ever global Alpha study in 2016, conducted by the Barna Group, a USbased research company. Countries and churches were selected from across the world to reflect a variety of ethnic, cultural and religious backgrounds that is representative of Alpha s reach. 670 Alpha guests and 278 church and course leaders participated in an online survey. We were hugely encouraged to see the specific, significant impact that Alpha is having worldwide. Church Impact 93% of church leaders will definitely recommend Alpha to another organisation 95% of church leaders say Alpha is an effective tool for evangelisation 96% of church leaders say Alpha is an effective tool for discipleship 99% of church leaders say Alpha has created a safe place for people to come and ask questions about the Christian faith 99% of church leaders say Alpha has been successful at drawing people to Jesus 8 Alpha International Annual Review 2016

9 Guest Impact After Alpha... 82% of non-christians described themselves as followers of Jesus of Christian, non-active church goers became more committed 78% to regularly attending a Christian church service or Mass 91% of Christian, regular church goers have a more intimate relationship with Jesus Although becoming a follower of Jesus does not necessarily equate to conversion to Christianity, a variety of data points demonstrate significant spiritual impact, and even radical life change, among the 82% of non-christians who described themselves as followers of Jesus since doing Alpha. For example, 88% of non-christians became more committed to growing their knowledge of the Bible after Alpha, and 80% became more committed to sharing their faith in Jesus with others. Changes in views after Alpha for guests who described themselves as non-christian before Alpha: Agree Disagree I am not interested in learning about Jesus and exploring his teachings Faith and religion are not very important to me Before 46% 53% Before 56% 44% After 7% 93% After 28% 72% Changes to commitment levels after Alpha for guests who described themselves as non-christian before Alpha: 88% of guests were more committed to having a personal relationship with Jesus Christ 88% of guests were more committed to growing their knowledge of the Bible 80% of guests were more committed to sharing their faith in Jesus with others 69% of guests were more committed to serving in the church Readers should note that the guests who completed the survey were likely those who continued until the end of the course, and therefore the results may not represent those who dropped out. The guest retention rate of Alpha for the churches who took part in this study was 78%, as measured by the number of guests at the last week of Alpha compared to the first week. Alpha International 9

10 Global Impact 2016 We estimate that over 29,000,000 people have experienced Alpha globally 10 Alpha International Annual Review 2016

11 Alpha s Global Presence with 59 National Alpha Offices, staffed by locals Global Impact 11

12 South Africa 38,000 participants Uganda 13,200 participants Ghana 11,000 participants, 35% growth Prisons 11,000 participants in prisons Youth 40,000 participants in a youth context Africa People come to faith on Alpha. Nominal Christians are ignited, community is built, friendships are made and leaders are developed. People develop gifts, ministries start, young people become engaged and integrated, and the church grows. The Holy Spirit is at work in Alpha. Church leader, South Africa Alpha Partnerships Working with partner organisations accelerates the growth of Alpha, extends our impact, and supports other organisations in their work with local communities. This is particularly true in Africa. In Kenya, over 30,000 young people have now experienced Alpha through our partnership with Compassion 10,000 in Success in Kenya has led to the Compassion partnership spreading to Ethiopia, Ghana, Uganda, Togo and Tanzania: In Ghana, the partnership project started in August 2016 with a campstyle course for 2,600 youth. Compassion Togo started their first Alpha, with 450 guests, using the Alpha Youth Film Series. Compassion Tanzania started running Alpha for youth, following Alpha training for Compassion staff in late In Ghana, over 500 young people attended Alpha through our partnership with Operation Mobilsation and over 200 teenagers gave their lives to Jesus. In Liberia, 12 Alphas began in schools through our partnership with Edify. 12 Alpha International Annual Review 2016 In Ghana, Youth For Christ piloted four Alphas for over 200 teenagers. In Assin Nkran, stories of how teenagers in the community were transformed during Alpha became the talk of the town, leading the community elders to personally register their children for the next Alpha.

13 Through Compassion, I had the opportunity to try Alpha. Through Alpha I realised that God loves me and cares about me and my life. I had to give my life to him. I ve gained a new sense of confidence and I ve become a leader in my school. Now I have hope and dreams. Jesus has changed my life. Charles, Kenya Global Impact 13

14 It is amazing that 95% of our Alpha participants stay on and grow with us in church. They are eager to listen and learn the truth together within the church community, which in turn helps them in finding the answers to the issues of life and assures them of their faith. Rev Tan Cheng Huat, General Secretary of the Presbyterian Church in Singapore South Korea 143,000 participants Malaysia 49,300 participants Asia Pacific 136,612 PEOPLE TRIED ALPHA 34 COUNTRIES 42% GROWTH Investing in Young Leaders 42,400 YOUNG PEOPLE 12,600 INMATES 2,099 CHURCHES In January, Alpha Asia Pacific hosted Alpha Katalyst 2016 in Singapore an emerging leaders gathering for 32 handpicked leaders from 13 countries. The conference was designed to identify, inspire, activate, disciple and send out emerging leaders to share the love of Jesus within their context and their community through Alpha. 15 NATIONAL ALPHA OFFICES, STAFFED BY LOCALS In Malaysia in June, over 450 young people attended an Alpha Youth Conference, representing over 80 urban, growing and influential churches in both Malaysia and across Asia Pacific. The conference equipped these young people to share their faith in a simple, accessible way with their peers, using Alpha as a tool to reach their generation with the good news of Jesus. Training Churches In April, 370 senior church leaders and their key staff from 16 countries came to Kuala Lumpur for Experience Alpha, an innovative training experience that immersed church leaders in the culture of Alpha within a thriving Alpha church. The events inspired many church leaders to integrate Alpha into their churches and to reach out to the next generation. I m really inspired! I can t wait to go back to use this concept. Rebeka, Indonesia In November, Alpha Taiwan held an Alpha Conference for Chinese communities from various nations. Over 700 Chinese leaders and pastors came to Truth Lutheran Church from all parts of Taiwan, China, Malaysia, Singapore and as far as the United States. In Taiwan alone, 121 churches and mission organisations were represented. Leaders were envisioned afresh, equipped with the new Alpha Film Series in Chinese, and given the valuable opportunity to work alongside and support others in their region. 14 Alpha International Annual Review 2016

15 I didn t believe God existed. And I thought that Jesus was just a mythical character found in the Bible a book full of myths. But going through Alpha made me experience peace and knowledge I never knew before. Jienn, Malaysia Global Impact 15

16 I met God as someone close, as a friend. I learned to pray, to talk to him, and now I know that I can count on him. Today I take part in organising Alpha for youth because meeting God was the best thing that happened to me and I want more people to experience that. Weronika, Poland 16 Alpha International Annual Review 2016

17 France 42% growth, 33,300 participants Germany 18% growth, 12,300 participants Spain 25% growth, 4,500 participants Russia 14% growth, 8,700 participants Netherlands 21% growth, 21,500 participants Egypt 42% growth, 10,500 participants Ireland 69% of all participants were youth Poland Number of youth doubled, 5,000 participants Europe & Middle East We have experienced huge blessings in the parishes in the years we have been running Alpha. We have seen conversions and growth. We re rethinking how to accommodate so many new people in the parishes. Alpha has really given us a new way of evangelising. It is popular, effective, accessible to parishes and is unlike other tools, which require specialised people to deliver them. Bishop Xavier Novell, Bishop of Solsona, Spain Alpha with Refugees As one arm of the global church s response to the European refugee crisis, churches across Europe have been welcoming refugees and bringing hope in Jesus through Alpha. Over 70 churches across Europe started to run Alpha for refugees in 2016, primarily with Syrian, Afghan and Iraqi communities. In Finland, at least 12 Alphas for refugees ran, with many participants choosing to follow Jesus, get baptised and join local churches. In Germany, over 60 courses ran in both German and Arabic or Farsi, encouraging integration of refugees with the local population and uniting churches of different denominations in a shared mission. Alpha in Egypt After an outreach event in Upper Egypt run by Kasr El Dobara, the largest evangelical church in the Middle East, over 3,000 people were introduced to Alpha, 1,000 of whom requested more information about Jesus. In response to this, the church helped to train five further churches across the city to run Alpha, and courses for these 1,000 people are planned for Global Impact 17

18 Over 73,000 participants 69% growth over % of all participants were youth Mexico 22,500 participants, 67% growth, Colombia 18,400 participants, double the number in 2015 Latin America Through Alpha we have been able to experience the richness of diversity in the church; to discover, as we work together with others, the beauty of unity in diversity. Alpha makes us feel part of a global family, as it connects us with Christians across the globe who share the sole objective of lifting and glorifying the name of Jesus. Gerardo Muniello, Senior Pastor, St Andrew s Presbyterian Church, Buenos Aires, Argentina Alpha in the Workplace In Guatemala, Alphas running in the workplace have expanded to include entire police patrols. As a result of a two-day training event for 100 police chaplains of the National Civil Police of Guatemala, 25 Alphas took place within the Guatemalan Police Force. In one session of one Alpha alone, running at the Police Headquarters in the capital, eight police chiefs gave their lives to Jesus. Alpha is a providential tool because it precisely tries to reach out to those who are far from the Church, who are indifferent to the faith. By means of a very simple and gentle tool based on fraternity and friendship, Christ is introduced to them and enters little by little into their hearts. Archbishop Octavio Ruiz, Colombia Secretary for the Pontifical Council for Promoting the New Evangelisation 18 Alpha International Annual Review 2016

19 Alpha offered me an opportunity to explore the unknown. It gave me the chance and forum to discuss things people never normally talk about. I came to know God and see his work, guidance, provision and peace in every situation. He made me whole and satisfied my curiosity. Dario, Argentina Global Impact 19

20 I came to the realisation that I will always be loved by God and that I will never be, and was never, alone. My faith was established and set on fire through Alpha and it will never be extinguished. I now talk to every single person that sits in my barber chair about Jesus. Richard, California 20 Alpha International Annual Review 2016

21 USA 315,000 participants 101,000 participants in a Catholic context, 173% growth Canada 76,000 participants 54% of Alphas in Canada were run using the Alpha Film Series USA & Canada Alpha Youth Alpha Youth ran across North America in a skate park, a juvenile detention center, a teen pregnancy center, churches, homes, and schools, and has even been used as an outreach to girls caught in sex trafficking. Church Partnerships The growing need for a tool like Alpha in North America means it is poised for rapid expansion in the US and Canada. We see early signs that this is true as some of the largest churches in America and Canada adopt Alpha as their core church strategy. Partnering with these strategic, influential churches will accelerate Alpha s growth across North America, as they become Alpha advocates with huge reach and support other churches to run their own courses. Alpha has been a multi-dimensional gift to our local church. We have seen hostile people encounter Jesus and their lives dramatically changed by him. We have also experienced an increase in the confidence of our church for sharing the gospel or engaging in faith conversations in their workplace and neighbourhoods. We have seen leaders step up and a culture of prayer and deep dependency of the Holy Spirit develop among our people. Alpha has become a vehicle for shaping the culture of our church and we are so grateful for the generous accessibility to the resources as well as their quality and applicability to our urban secular context. Pastor David Louw, Trinity Grace Church, New York Global Impact 21

22 Alpha turned the questions I had about whether God exists into a belief that God cares about me. I have changed from a violent, loveless drug addict to a man who is happily married and full of love. I m now running Alphas for all types of people, from gangs to grannies, and I m seeing their lives changed. Dez, Scotland 22 Alpha International Annual Review 2016

23 Over 300,000 participants 12% growth over ,500 churches, schools and prisons ran Alpha United Kingdom Alpha in Schools Alpha in Churches Alpha is running in more churches than ever before across the UK, following the launch of the Alpha Film Series, the Global Alpha Campaign, and thanks to innovative national, local and online training experiences. Leaders have been equipped to run effective Alphas and Alpha is thriving across the UK as a result. In February, 600 leaders from across the UK and Europe came to HTB Church for Run Alpha 16 two days of worship, ministry and training. The conference modelled our vision to see the next generation taking Alpha forward. Young leaders running Alpha in a variety of contexts shared their experience and stories, those who had come to faith on Alpha many who are now running Alpha themselves gave their testimonies, and delegates spent time together collaborating on how to improve their Alphas. Following this national conference, five further local training events ran across the country. The Alpha Youth Film Series is being increasingly used within the UK Religious Studies curriculum. Through a number of networks, including The Association of Christian Teachers, school staff have been resourced across the country to include parts of Alpha in their lessons. In 2016, over 125 teachers explored Alpha in their school, with over 20 schools running Alpha in some form as a result. In one school in Surrey, in the South East of England, over 800 young people have now experienced Alpha through their school curriculum. Alpha is an incredible tool for school Religious Education provision, useful to not only spark discussion in the classroom but to teach pupils about the Christian faith in a relevant and effective way. I would recommend this resource wholeheartedly and fully promote the work of Alpha within schools. Shaun, Headteacher Religion is a sensitive subject, but now we ve done Alpha, my friends and I talk about our faith and beliefs openly. Alpha was one of the best learning experiences I ve had. I would encourage everyone to do Alpha! Cara, Student Global Impact 23

24 Prisoners find purpose and fulfilment in Jesus Churches are revitalised as they become missional Communities are rebuilt with individuals who have been restored and made whole Alpha Prisons I had been in prison for four years when the chaplain invited me to Alpha. At Alpha I realised that the life I was leading was going to cause problems. I started to take responsibility for my mistakes and wanted to lead a better life. Alpha changed my life. Reading the Bible and praying have now become really important to me. I gave my body, heart and soul to Jesus. Leandro, Spain Many people in prison feel a desperate sense of loss and have a deep hunger to find meaning in life. Alpha provides answers introducing prisoners to Jesus, transforming lives and bringing hope where there was none. Alpha Prisons links local churches with local prisons and empowers, trains and strengthens them to share their faith within the prison context. 45,000 participants globally 17% growth over Alpha International Annual Review 2016

25 Through Alpha I felt like I was experiencing the fullness of life like I hadn t known before. I had never felt so loved. I had a revelation of Jesus, felt his suffering for me, and understood how much he loved me. I cried and cried. My heart felt like it was being restored. God met me where I was and I encountered him in a way that was really specific to me. Ben, Nigeria Alpha in a Catholic Context The same Alpha content is run all over the world, by Christians of all traditions. In the Catholic Church, Alpha is increasingly seen as an effective tool to introduce people to the good news of Jesus Christ, known as the kerygma. Alpha helps parishes to develop a missionorientated focus, offering priests and lay leaders the training and resources they need to effectively reach those outside of the church. 220,000 participants globally 88% growth over 2015 Alpha has shown itself powerful in bringing faith alive in all kinds of people. Its focus is on Jesus, its method is simple and its appeal is wide-ranging. It is also well adapted for use in Catholic communities looking to provide the kind of ignition we need if we are to become a more missionary Church. Archbishop Mark Coleridge, Archbishop of Brisbane Global Impact 25

26 1.5 million participants to date 75,000 in countries The Marriage Courses At Alpha, we want to see society transformed. A strong society is built on strong families and strong families are built on strong marriages. Today we are facing a global crisis of family breakdown. Marriages are under more pressure than ever, yet building a healthy, lasting marriage remains an aspiration for young people. Over the last 30 years The Marriage Course and The Marriage Preparation Course have provided practical support to strengthen marriages around the world. Our aim is to see every couple given a renewed vision for a loving, lifelong marriage and the tools to build this for themselves. We seek to resource the local church to reach a younger generation with a message of hope and support for their relationships. In this way, The Marriage Courses play a central part in supporting Alpha s vision. Alpha and The Marriage Courses have had phenomenal global success because of their effectiveness as tools for introducing people to Jesus Christ and for transforming relationships. The Marriage Courses have been endorsed by all major denominations including senior leaders within the Catholic Church, with much positive press in the secular media. The uniqueness of The Marriage Courses lies in the fact that, while they are based on a Christian understanding of love and serve to support and strengthen marriages within the church, they are accessible to all couples from any cultural or faith background. 26 Alpha International Annual Review 2016

27 We were deeply impacted by our time on The Marriage Course. We learnt and experienced how to truly love one another through the course. We were able to see into each other s hearts for the first time and it transformed our relationship. At the end of the course, we still had one key question though. We wanted to know the source of this deeper love that they had talked about throughout each session and our course leaders invited us to try Alpha. At Alpha, we met with Jesus for the first time and discovered this true, deep source of love and life. We wanted to share the love we d experienced with others and so have since led The Marriage Course, and have helped on Alpha too. We are now looking forward to training others in our region to run The Marriage Courses so that many other couples across the region can find this same transformation and change in their own lives. Mr and Mrs Tian, China Global Impact 27

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29 From the new Alpha Film Series to the first ever Global Alpha Campaign, 2016 has been a year of big endeavours for Alpha all around the world, and 2017 promises more of the same. Global Projects 29

30 ALPHA FILM SERIES In 2016, we launched the repackaged, reimagined version of Alpha filmed all around the globe. The Alpha Film Series is a new way to engage with the basics of the Christian faith. A truly innovative and visually engaging digital resource featuring global stories and diverse contributors, over 140,000 people have viewed the first episode on YouTube. Already used to run Alpha around the world in many different contexts including churches, homes, schools, prisons and workplaces, we ve received very encouraging feedback from users impressed by the quality and content of the videos, its ease of use and increased accessibility, engagement and relevance. 200 contributors 38 interviews 12 countries 3 presenters 1 new global product Launched April translations completed 26 translations planned 30 Alpha International Annual Review 2016

31 I came to Alpha with great expectations and they were surpassed! The videos were perfect for me, a TV junkie. If it were up to me, I would have watched them all one after another over and over again! The messages were so simple yet poignant! I was profoundly touched to say the least. Uganda, Alpha guest I have been involved in running Alpha for 16 years and the Alpha Film Series has consistently yielded the most in-depth and life-changing small group discussions. It s really simple to use and is a great leveller for guests as it s not anything like what they would expect a church to show. Scotland, Alpha leader Global Projects 31

32 GLOBAL ALPHA CAMPAIGN 32 Alpha International Annual Review 2016

33 Bear Grylls Adventurer Writer Presenter 1.5 billion global fans The Campaign 8 million online views 68 countries 32 languages The Global Alpha Campaign is Alpha s first ever global advertising initiative. In the campaign, world-famous adventurer Bear Grylls tells his story of finding faith and true adventure on Alpha and invites the next generation worldwide to do the same for themselves. Launched in September 2016, the campaign is running for 16 months across the globe, with advertising across social media, TV, cinema, billboards, banners and buses. Global Projects 33

34 BIBLE IN ONE YEAR The Bible in One Year is a free daily Bible reading app with commentary by Nicky and Pippa Gumbel. It forms a key part of our vision for global evangelisation, discipleship and church growth, providing readers around the world with the understanding and ability to read and apply the Bible s teaching to their lives. Our Global Impact Study showed that 88% of non-christians become more committed to growing their knowledge of the Bible through Alpha. The fifth session of Alpha explores the question, Why and how should I read the Bible? and the Bible in One Year is introduced as part of this. Thousands of Alpha guests worldwide, many of whom have never before read the Bible, have already found this to be a simple, practical and inspiring resource to deepen their growing faith. 1.8 million users since 2009 across 194 countries New for 2016 Simplified Chinese translation Audio English commentary New for 2017 Hindi translation Arabic translation Spanish translation Audio English Bible passages 34 Alpha International Annual Review 2016

35 I was hungry for an understanding of the Bible, but however hard I tried to read it, the words just wouldn t sink in. It felt like a foreign language. The Bible in One Year has changed this completely. Words cannot describe the blessing of these daily commentaries. It has deepened my passion to read God s word and has encouraged me to pray so much more. Stella, Australia Global Projects 35

36 Reaching hundreds of thousands of teenagers More global More diverse More relevant We first launched the Alpha Youth Film Series (AYFS) in partnership with Alpha Canada in 2013, as an experiment to see how young people respond to a new, contextualised Alpha format. The AYFS quickly spread beyond Canada, and is today used in 49 countries and in 19 languages, revealing the global need for an Alpha resource contextualised for the youth context. This global need must be met with a truly global resource. In October 2017, we are launching a new and improved Alpha Youth Series that will appeal to teenagers anywhere in the world looking to explore the Christian faith. It will be more global, more diverse and more relevant than ever. This youthful, fun, dynamic cinematic experience will be better tailored to a global year-old audience, increasing the impact and reach of Alpha Youth over the coming years. Episodes will be cut down to minutes, with opportunities for discussion integrated throughout. There will be new younger co-hosts, a variety of animation mediums, and testimonies featuring people from all over the world all aimed to capture the intellect, imagination and hearts of today s youth. 36 Alpha International Annual Review 2016

37 LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE 2017 Developing and deploying effective leaders at every level of Alpha s work is central to achieving our vision. We need to identify, train and retain strong leaders in our 59 National Alpha Offices, as well as excellent lay and church leaders to run dynamic, effective Alphas in their local contexts across the globe. The Leadership Conference (LC17) and the Alpha Global Gathering in May 2017 offer a hugely strategic opportunity to invest in Alpha s global leadership pipeline. LC17 Alpha s seventh Leadership Conference will bring together over 5,000 global leaders for two days, equipping and envisioning them for their local mission. As part of this, influential leaders from every sphere of society will engage with Alpha many for the first time. We expect leaders attending in 2017 to represent the same diversity that we saw in 2015, when over 30 denominations and 100 countries were represented. Leaders come from a range of influential, international businesses, churches and charities, offering a powerful picture of global Christian unity. May ,000+ leaders A uniting force Following LC17, our Alpha Global Gathering will gather over 800 handpicked, strategic leaders from around the world for a day of practical and contextualised Alpha training and envisioning. The Alpha Global Gathering will equip current and prospective local leaders to run effective Alphas, and enable teams to develop effective strategies for Alpha s sustained global growth. Both events will focus particularly on raising up the next generation of leaders a strategy that is critical to the future of Alpha and the church. All delegates, regardless of age or position, will be challenged, inspired and equipped to invest in this next generation of the church. Global Projects 37

38 Financial Review 9.3 million income 8.9 million Donations 0.4 million Revenue 8.8 million expenditure 7 million Ministry 1.8 million Support Putting Alpha into the hands of local leaders worldwide Support costs (including fundraising) 38 Alpha International Annual Review 2016

39 Total Income 9,278,220 Donations from Individuals 66% Donations from Trusts and Foundations 23% Donations from Churches 6% Income from Resource Sales and Conferences 5% UK 34% Donations by Location 8,856,228 North America 31% Asia Pacific 30% Europe 4% Other 1% Total Expenditure 8,776,386 Conferences Other Ministries Alpha Context Development Fundraising & Communications Strategic Leadership UK Development Media and Resources Internaional Development 3% 4% 8% 9% 10% 10% 26% 30% Financial Review 39

40 Statutory Accounts Income TOTAL FUNDS 2016 ( ) TOTAL FUNDS 2015 ( ) DONATIONS Donations under Gift Aid 274, ,370 Other donations 8,582,128 8,758,917 Total donations 8,856,228 9,044,287 Income from resource sales and conferences 1 421,992 1,344,329 TOTAL INCOME 9,278,220 10,388,616 Expenditure Fundraising and Communications (including allocated support costs) 2 777, ,952 CHARITABLE ACTIVITIES (including allocated support costs) 2 Strategic Leadership Global strategy and oversight UK Development UK hub costs Media and Resources Technology and innovation International Development Establishing localised infrastructure and training Alpha Context Development Tailoring Alpha for different contexts Other Ministries The Marriage Courses and Mission Giving Conferences 1 Equipping global leaders 878, , , ,409 2,323,460 1,661,760 2,592,683 2,831, , , , , ,489 1,507,411 Total charitable expenditure 7,998,930 8,606,574 TOTAL EXPENDITURE 8,776,386 9,289,526 NET INCOME 3 501,834 1,099, There was no Leadership Conference in This will reconvene in Support costs make up 13% of total expenditure. 3. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, together with careful cost controls, Alpha International finished 2016 with a surplus. As we have traditionally operated from a very low level of financial reserves, this puts us in a more stable financial position and helps us to manage our cashflow. The figures above are summarised from the charity s accounts, audited by Kingston Smith LLP, for the year ended 31 December A complete set of the accounts is available on request, or can be downloaded from the UK Charity Commission Website: 40 Alpha International Annual Review 2016

41 Alpha International Board of Trustees Nicky Gumbel is Chairman of the AI Board, the pioneer of Alpha, and Vicar of Holy Trinity Brompton (HTB). In 1990, Nicky took over the running of Alpha and repositioned it for those outside the church. Nicky is married to Pippa and they have three children. Tricia Neill is the President of Alpha International. Tricia joined HTB in 1994 from News International, where she headed up News International Exhibitions. Prior to that she worked in the Middle East for Shell. Tricia sits on the boards of numerous Alpha offices worldwide. David Gardner OBE is a co-founder and General Partner of London Venture Partners, a seed fund investing in the Games Sector. He has over 30 years in the industry, previously working as EVP & COO of Electronic Arts Worldwide Studios, and CEO of Atari, SA. Chris Sadler is Global Partnerships Director for AI. He has previously served as Alpha USA National Director and led Alpha s Asia Pacific region for 10 years. Chris has served on a number of corporate boards and has 20 years experience in the investment banking industry. Al Gordon is the Rector of Hackney, East London. Until September 2016, he served as Global Vice-President of Alpha International. Al is the Executive Producer of the Alpha Film Series. He co-founded Worship Central and is a trustee of Charity: Water. David Segel is a financial and media industry investor, and founder of Mako Global, a European leader in options market-making. He is an Executive Partner in Mpower Pictures and the Video Genome Project. He sits on the boards of Trinity Exploration and Production and Alpha USA. Jody Jonsson is an equity portfolio manager and Partner at Capital Group, with an MBA from Stanford University and 27 years of investment experience. Jody serves on the board of Alpha USA and the Stanford Business School Investment Trust. Rebecca Stewart is the founder and CEO of Goldstar Partners, an executive search and consulting service. From 2003 to 2015 she worked at HTB and Alpha International in a variety of roles, including COO, Chief of Staff, and, from 2014, HTB Group CEO. John Mackay is a founding principal of the Strand real estate organisation. He sits on the boards of Alpha USA and Alpha Canada, and has been involved in many charitable organisations. He and his wife Rebecca have three grown children. Michael Timmis was senior partner of Timmis & Inman L.L.P lawfirm, and co-founder and Vice-Chairman of private investment company Talon LLC. Previously Chairman of Prison Fellowship International, Michael now serves on the board of New Canaan Society. Bernard Mensah is a Managing Director and Global co-head of Fixed Income at Bank of America Merrill Lynch. He was previously at Goldman Sachs, where he spent many years in Asia before working as Global Head of the firm s Bank Debt business in London. Hong Yeoh is the Executive Director of Malaysian listed YTL Power International Berhad and Director of both the holding company, Malaysian conglomerate YTL Corporation Berhad, and Wessex Water. Kathleen, Hong s wife, is Chair of the Alpha Asia Pacific Advisory Board. Sandy Millar practised as a barrister before being ordained, becoming Vicar of HTB in He oversaw the growth of HTB to the largest church in the Church of England and was involved in leading Alpha from a local to a global resource. Financial Review 41

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43 Alpha is the most predictably redemptive tool I ve seen in 40 years of ministry. Bill Hybels, Willow Creek Church Alpha is a genius program that has serious results in bringing spiritual formation to all ages, all individuals, from every background. Joel A Bell, Hillsong Church Alpha is for meeting Jesus in a context of simplicity, friendship, closeness and joy. That s what the Christian life is about. I think that s a sign that Alpha works and that it s given from the Lord. Cardinal Christoph Schönborn, Archbishop of Vienna

44 We estimate that over 29 million people have experienced Alpha globally. This is only possible because of friends like you. Your generosity means we can give Alpha away for free to churches and guests. Will you consider making a gift to our global work so that more people around the world can experience Alpha, meet Jesus and see their lives transformed? Give Alpha away for free: alpha.org/give Alpha International is a registered charity in England and Wales ( ) and in Scotland (SC042906) Alpha International, HTB, Brompton Road, London SW7 1JA, England