Alpha courses in the Czech Republic

Alpha courses in the Czech Republic

Alpha courses contain a series of key topics for discussion concerning Christian faith. You can contribute to 4 areas within this fund:

1. Inviting Czechs to dinner

Promotion of Alpha courses, www.kurzyalfa.cz

  • Your donation enables the promotion of Alpha courses, which allow every person to find a safe place to ask questions concerning the meaning of life and Christian faith in a friendly, open, and informal environment.

Donate

2. Inviting Czechs on a date

Promotion of relationship courses, www.manzelskevecery.cz

  • Your donation enables the promotion of Alpha courses, which allow each couple in the Czech Republic to invest in their relationship by using a simple method and get to know that the church cares about other people.

Donate

3. Long-term development of Alpha courses office

Expenses of Czech Alpha courses office: course’s coordination, development, operating.

  • Your donation supports staff commitment, web hosting, training or new materials.

Donate

4. Backoffice for relationship courses

Expenses: course’s coordination, development, running, and development of relationship courses.

  • Your donation supports staff commitment, web hosting, training, distribution of new materials for Marriage evenings, the preparations for marriage, raising a child, or a teenager.

Donate

More about project

www.kurzyalfa.cz

Donate – Alpha courses

  1. Inviting Czechs to dinner: 2400083780 / 2010, Payment reference number 62
  2. Inviting Czechs on a date: 2400083780 / 2010, Payment reference number 64
  3. Long-term development of Alpha courses office: 2400083780 / 2010, Payment reference number 65
  4. Backoffice for relationship courses: 2400083780 / 2010, Payment reference number 63

Impact of this project

Inviting Czechs to dinner

Two hundred fellowships are organizing Alpha courses in the Czech Republic. It is considered as one of the most successful evangelistic tools that we have. Although Christians can organize a new series of lectures, the most difficult part is to find new participants. That is why a new idea was born: a national promotion called Inviting Czechs to dinner. A successful initiative of Alpha courses in Autumn 2013 led to the belief that the realization of Alpha courses will be supported by a national campaign in September 2015 as well. Let’s remind ourselves of this campaign’s result.

Alpha courses

Alpha courses are being organized in the Czech Republic for over 16 years. An Autumn 2013 initiative was preparing to expand its network of 100 places where courses were held. They managed to organize 200 courses. The strategy of communication had two main sections for two different groups. Churches – organizers of Alpha courses and Czech public – participants of courses. Organizers were provided with sufficient information on the website www.kurzyalfa.cz. To engage public, two images were chosen to use: a magnifier in the universe asking the question „Does God exist?“ and an image version specifically chosen for youth courses – a young man with a magnifier (that says „search for more“) in his hand looking for something in a trashcan. Both proposals were used in the past in the United Kingdom, and other countries as well. This campaign should reach especially seeking people. 

Media campaign

In this campaign, 12 billboards and 32 city light display-cases were used. Billboards were placed on a highway and in big cities, where it was planned to carry out more courses.

Public transportation was used as well. Prague subway was provided with posters, there was advertising in public transportation in Pilsen, Most, Pardubice, and Brno.

Alpha courses were presented in radio series Doteky víry, Zaostřeno na církve in Radiožurnál and TV show Snídaně s Novou.

Advertising was held on ZPRÁVY, IDNES.CZ, on the website of TV channel Nova TN.CZ. An article was issued on NOVINKY.CZ, TN.CZ, DOMA.CZ and KRASNA.CZ. An invitation on course through Facebook was realized by a video by a moderator Aleš Juchelka.

Particular churches that were involved in the organization of courses could apply for a grant by F-nadace foundation. 12 churches altogether applied for grants and received a total amount of 108 thousand Czech crowns.

From the world of media

The topic of Christian faith wasn’t particularly popular. It was interesting though to watch the process of negotiations with a company that owns particular spaces for advertisement. They confirmed the booking of these spaces, however after they received a graphic proposal, they declined to cooperate out of fear of losing customers in the shopping center.

The absence of Christianity in digital space is probably determined by a lack of understanding of such fields in Christian circles. We do not expect that people could be effectively influenced by an advertisement. And if we dare to enter such waters, we prefer to design the advertisement according to our preferences. We are reaching ourselves, not those intended in the first place. This only confirms our conviction that an advertisement is not useful. Why everyone still invests in it, remains a mystery.

The experience with local media was much more pleasant. Local magazines aim to inform about the activities in particular cities and thus were informing about Alfa. In 2015, the initiative put a bigger emphasis on local promotion. In cooperation with F-nadace foundation, financial resources were prepared, and local organizers could apply for grants again. The grants supported print expenses, posters, and billboards.

Alpha courses are a stable long-term project, which is why it is meaningful to invest in raising awareness of its existence.

Initiative evaluation:

Since the beginning of Alfa until Spring 2013, altogether 9 thousand people participated in Alpha courses. Autumn 2013 initiative brought more than ¼ increase of growth in participation. Altogether 1 000 people started believing in Christ since the beginning of Alpha courses and initiative 2013 added at least another 300 people.

Alpha is slowly becoming a movement. Central training offices of Alpha are delegating the roles of fellowships, that can organize courses and help other interested subjects to start new courses.

Alpha found its home in 16 Czech denominations and often non-denominational fellowships. For more than 1 500 Christians, mostly laics, Alpha made a positive impact. The change of thinking and experience „it is possible even today“, is helping to be more successful and confident in evangelization. The vision of Alpha „Evangelization of nation and transformation of society“ is a common goal of Christians, and Alpha is a significant helper in reaching this goal in our country.