Christianity: Practices

Everything you need to know

Overview:
Worship and festivals
• Different forms of worship and their significance:
• liturgical, non-liturgical and informal, including the use of the Bible
• private worship.
• Prayer and its significance, including the Lord’s Prayer, set prayers and informal prayer.
• The role and meaning of the sacraments:
• the meaning of sacrament
• the sacrament of baptism and its significance for Christians; infant and believers' baptism;
• different beliefs about infant baptism
• the sacrament of Holy Communion/Eucharist and its significance for Christians, including different ways in
which it is celebrated and different interpretations of its meaning.
• The role and importance of pilgrimage and celebrations including:
• two contrasting examples of Christian pilgrimage: Lourdes and Iona
• the celebrations of Christmas and Easter, including their importance for Christians in Great Britain today.
 
The role of the church in the local and worldwide community
• The role of the Church in the local community, including food banks and street pastors.
• The place of mission, evangelism and Church growth.
• The importance of the worldwide Church including:
• working for reconciliation
• how Christian churches respond to persecution
• the work of one of the following: Catholic Agency For Overseas Development (CAFOD), Christian Aid,
Tearfund.
 Key Term Definition
Catholic (RC) A branch of Christianity based in Rome & led by the Pope.
Protestant Originally called by this name as they were Christians who protested against some RC
  practices.
Church  
Orthodox Church A branch of the Christian Church.
Anglican Churches A worldwide Protestant denomination that includes the Church of England.
Non-Conformist churches An English Protestant who doesn’t conform to the doctrines or practices of the
  established Church of England.
Methodist Church A Protestant Christian group founded by John Wesley in the 18 th century.
Baptist Church Christians that use the ceremony of baptism (full immersion) to welcome a young person
  or adult into the Christian religion.
United Reform Church Christian church that has its roots in the Reformation of the 17th Century, but also
  because it seeks to be continually reforming, to equip itself to be a Church for today.
Community or house churches A label used to describe a group of Christians who regularly gather for worship in private
homes.
Quaker Church The Society of Friends Christian Group; Quakers believe that there is something of God in
  everybody and that each human being is of unique worth.
Pentecostal Church Form of Christianity that emphasises the work of the Holy Spirit and the direct experience
  of the presence of God by the believer.
Worship Acts of religious praise, honour or devotion.
Liturgical worship a church service that follows a set structure or ritual
Non-liturgical Worship a service that does not follow a set text or ritual
Informal Worship a type of non-liturgical worship, sometimes ‘spontaneous’ or ‘charismatic’ in nature
Private Worship When a believer praises or honours God on his or her own.
Prayer Communicating with God, either silently or through words of praise, thanksgiving or
confession, or requests for God’s help or guidance.
Set Prayers Prayers that have been written down and said more than once by more than one person.
Informal prayers Prayer that is made up by an individual using his or he own words
 Key Term Definition
Sacraments Rites and rituals through which the believer receives a special gift of grace; for Catholics, Anglicans and
many Protestants, sacraments are ‘outward signs’ of ‘inward grace’.
Baptism The ritual through which people become members of the Church; baptism involves the use of water as a
symbol of the washing away of sin.
Believers’ Baptism Initiation into the Church, by immersion in water, of people old enough to understand the ceremony/rite
and willing to life a Christian life.
Infant baptism The ritual through which babies and young children become members of the Church, where promises are
taken on their behalf by adults; the infant is freed from sin and introduced to the saving love of God and
the support of the Christian community.
Holy Communion (Eucharist) A service of thanksgiving in which the sacrificial death and resurrection of Jesus are celebrated using
bread and wine; also called Eucharist, Mass, the Lord’s Supper, the Breaking of Bread, and the Divine
Liturgy.
The Eucharist From a Greek word meaning ‘thanksgiving’; a service of thanksgiving in which the sacrificial death &
  resurrection of Jesus are celebrated using bread and wine.
Pilgrimage A journey by a believer to a holy site for religious reasons; pilgrimage is itself am act of worship and
devotion.
Festival A day or period of celebration for religious reasons.
Christmas The day commemorating the Incarnation, the birth of Jesus (25 December in most churches); also, the
season of 12 days ending with the Epiphany (when Christians remember the visit of the wise men)
Easter The religious season celebrating the Resurrection of Jesus from the dead; it starts on Easter Day and
finishes with the feast of Pentecost.
Church 1. The holy people of God, also called the Body of Christ, among whom Christ is present and active; 2. A
building in which Christians worship.
Agape A word used in the Bible that describes selfless, sacrificial, unconditional love.
Mission The vocation or calling of a religious organisation or individual to go out into the world and spread their
faith.
The Great Commission Jesus’ instruction to his followers that they should spread His teachings to all the nations of the world.
Missionary A person sent on a religious mission, especially to promote Christianity in a foreign country through
preaching or charitable work.
Evangelism Spreading the Christian gospel by public preaching or personal witness.
Reconciliation A sacrament in the Catholic Church; also, the restoring of harmony after relationships have broken down.
Persecution Hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of race, or political or religious beliefs.
 Different forms of worship and
their significance
Why do Christians worship?
• To praise and thank God
• To ask for forgiveness
• To seek God’s help for themselves or others
• To deepen their relationship with God &
strengthen their faith
 Different forms of worship and their
significance
Type Importance
Liturgical • Worldwide set order for service that is familiar to everyone.
Worship is a • Ritual passed down through generations gives a sense of
church service tradition.
that follows a • Bible readings follow the Christian calendar and teach
set structure or Christian history and faith.
ritual
But why do these reasons make liturgical worship important?

• If everybody is doing the same thing it is familiar to more

people.
• It emphasises a sense of community.
 Different forms of worship and their
significance
Type Importance
Non-liturgical • Services can be planned and ordered to suit a certain theme.
Worship is a • Christians can share personal interpretations of the Bible.
service that does • Non-Conformist churches place an emphasis on the word of God in
not follow a set the Bible.
text or ritual • People can take an active part by praying aloud or speaking without
formal training.

But why do these reasons make non-liturgical worship important?

• It is more adaptable than liturgical worship.

• It encourages believers to take charge of their worship which will
subsequently have a positive impact on their faith.
 Different forms of worship and their
significance
Type Importance
Informal Worship is • Style is similar to that of early Christians.
a type of non- • People can play a much more active role.
liturgical worship, • May have an emotional impact, with a feeling of personal revelation from
sometimes God.
‘spontaneous’ or But why do these reasons make informal worship important?
‘charismatic’ in • Could have a greater impact given that it is more personal.
nature • If it is similar to the early Christians, believers might think that they are doing
something that is more closely aligned to what the disciples of Jesus did. They
might see this as more worthwhile.

Private Worship is • Style is similar to that of early Christians.

when a believer • People can play a much more active role.
praises or honours • May have an emotional impact, with a feeling of personal revelation from
God on his or her God.
own But why do these reasons make informal worship important?
• Most flexible and adaptable form of worship.
• All above
 Prayer and its significance
Why do Christians pray?
• Communicate with God
• Ask for guidance or help – gives
Christians strength in times of trouble
• Helps Christians to be humble and
kind to all
• Give thanks to God
• Pray for others
• To say sorry for committing sins
• Helps Christians to accept God’s will
even if it means suffering
 Set Prayer and Informal Prayer
• Christians may use set prayers that have been
written down and said more than once by more than
one person. An example is the Lord’s Prayer, which is
the prayer Jesus taught to his disciples when they
asked him how they should pray.
• Christians may also use an informal prayer that is
made up by an individual using his or her own words
to communicate with God. A reason why some prefer
it is that they find it easier to express themselves to
God through their own words.
 ‘The best way for Christians to reach an
understanding of God is by practising prayer.’
Arguments in support:
• Set prayer, such as the Lord’s prayer, demonstrates exactly
who or what God is and informs Christians on what God wants
them to do so that ultimately they can be in heaven with God.
• Informal prayer is direct contact between the individual and
God, so their understanding of God is personal to them and
not based on other people’s ideas which could be wrong.
• God is beyond description (transcendent/impersonal) because
the words get their meaning from the human and natural
world around us/so God cannot be understood by reading
about him or hearing other people talk about him.
 ‘The best way for Christians to reach an
understanding of God is by practising prayer.’
Arguments against:
• Not everyone can have this kind of prayer experience so they do
not feel the presence of God through prayer.
• Following the teachings of Jesus, the Son of God, is the only way
to fully understand God as God the Father spoke through His Son.
• The Bible as the inspired word of God is his presentation of
himself to human beings, so an understanding of God can come
from reading what he says about himself e.g. Genesis creation
story shows that God is omnipotent and the creator of the world.
• The study of nature (general revelation) can also lead to an
understanding of God, because it is God’s creation and God
expresses himself through it.
 The Sacraments
• Rites and rituals through which the believer
receives a special gift of grace; for Catholics,
Anglicans and many Protestants, sacraments
are ‘outward signs’ of ‘inward grace’.
 Why are the Sacraments important?

• They make visible for believers a special gift of

grace (a free gift of God’s love)
• Believe that sacraments are special rituals
which help to strengthen their relationship
with God by making him a part of their life.
• Some Catholics see sacraments as rites of
passage, as they move from one stage of life
to the next.
 Catholic and Protestant Christians Quaker Christians
Orthodox Christians
What sacraments do Baptism Baptism
they follow? Confirmation Holy Communion
Holy Communion
Marriage
Holy Orders
Reconciliation
Anointing of the Sick

Why do they follow Believe all seven They only follow two They reject all
or not follow these sacraments are as they believe that sacraments as they
sacraments? implied by the these were the only claim there is no
ministry of Jesus as two that Jesus reference to them in
recorded in the instructed his the Bible. They also
Gospels and early followers to do. believe Jesus did not
Christians practiced intend his words to
these as described in become rituals. They
the New Testament believe there is no
need for a ‘go-
between’ – Holy
Spirit
 The Sacrament of Baptism
What is baptism?
• The person is formally acknowledged as a child of God and
receives God’s saving grace through the Holy Spirit.
Through this their sins are forgiven.
• They become a part of the Christian community, the
church - ‘You are all sons of God through faith in Christ
Jesus. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male
or female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.’ (Galatians
3:26-27)
• John the Baptist baptised Jesus in the Jordan River. This set
an example for Jesus’ followers.
 Different forms of Baptism

Baptism The ritual through which people become members of the Church;
baptism involves the use of water as a symbol of the washing away of
sin.
Believers’ Initiation into the Church, by immersion in water, of people old
Baptism enough to understand the ceremony/rite and willing to life a
Christian life.
Infant baptism The ritual through which babies and young children become
members of the Church, where promises are taken on their behalf by
adults; the infant is freed from sin and introduced to the saving love
of God and the support of the Christian community.
 Infant Baptism Believers’ baptism
• Catholic, Orthodox, Anglican, Methodist • Baptist and Pentecostal churches only
and United Reformed Christians practise practices believers’ baptism which is for
Infant Baptism. teenagers and adults.
• Removes original sin. • Believe that baptism itself doesn’t save a
• Uses blessed water and the Trinitarian person but it signifies someone’s conversion
formula – a phrase "in the name of the to living a life dedicated to Jesus and His
Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy teachings.
Spirit", or words to that refer to the three • Uses blessed water and the Trinitarian
persons of the Trinity. formula – a phrase "in the name of the
• Catholic and Anglican use a font, pouring Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy
the water three times over the baby’s head. Spirit", or words to that refer to the three
• Orthodox Church the naked baby is persons of the Trinity.
completely immersed in the font. • Doesn't take place in a font as it requires
total immersion.
Other features:
• Bible readings and prayers Key elements:
• Promises by parents/godparents on behalf • White clothes are often worn as a sign of
of the child to reject evil, repent of sins, the new life that is about to begin.
follow Jesus and accept the Church’s faith • Declaration of penitence – of being truly
as set out in the Apostles Creed. sorry for their sin
• Declaration of their faith in Jesus Christ as
their saviour and dedication to a lifelong
service to the Christian community.
 “Infant baptism is not as
important as believers’ baptism.”
AGREE DISAGREE
Baptism is meant to wash away a person’s Everyone has Original Sin as all humans
sins and Infants are too young to have descend from Adam and so everyone
sins so the ritual of infant baptism is less inherits Adam’s sin so this sin needs to be
important than the informed consent of removed as soon as possible by the
believers’ baptism. actions of the Church in baptising infants.
Baptism should be a personal decision to Baptism brings the infant into the Church
become a member of the Christian Church as early as possible so the child has the
and infants are not capable of taking support of the entire Christian community
personal decisions . to avoid sinning.
Jesus was an adult when baptised so The gifts of the Holy Spirit allow an infant
Christians have no obvious obligation to to grow up in God’s love, etc.
be baptised as infants, etc.
 The Sacrament of Holy
Communion (The Eucharist)
Holy Communion A service of thanksgiving in which the sacrificial death and
(Eucharist) resurrection of Jesus are celebrated using bread and wine; also
called Eucharist, Mass, the Lord’s Supper, the Breaking of
Bread, and the Divine Liturgy.
The Eucharist From a Greek word meaning ‘thanksgiving’; a service of
  thanksgiving in which the sacrificial death & resurrection of
Jesus are celebrated using bread and wine.
 The Sacrament of Holy
Communion (The Eucharist)
Why is it important?
• Holy Communion or the Eucharist remembers
what Jesus taught during the Last Supper (the
last meal he had with his disciples before He
was crucified.)
• Jesus linked the bread and wine to his death
making a new covenant (conditional promise)
between His believers and God.
• By performing this sacrament Christians give
thanks to Jesus for his sacrifice on the cross
and to God for giving humans this chance of
redemption in heaven via their resurrection.
 Holy Communion – 1 Corinthians
11:23 - 26
‘The Lord Jesus, on the night he was betrayed, took bread,
and when he had given thanks, he broke it and said, ‘This is
my body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of me.’ In
the same way after supper he took the cup, saying, ‘This cup
is the new covenant in my bloody; do this, whenever you
drink it, in remembrance of me.’ For whenever you eat this
bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until
he comes.’ 1 Corinthians 11:23 – 26

• The bread of Holy Communion represents Jesus’ body as

he died on the cross for humankind’s salvation.
• The wine of Holy Communion represents Jesus’ blood that
he split for us on the cross for humankind’s salvation.
• By eating and drinking these two items Christians are
outwardly thanking God for His sacrifice of the inward gift
of grace/salvation.
 Different interpretations
• Roman Catholics believe the bread and wine
become the actual body and blood of Christ
(transubstantiation).
• Roman Catholics, Orthodox and Anglican traditions
understand the sacrament to be an outward sign of
inwardly receiving God’s saving grace.
• Protestants and Methodists believe the bread and
wine are symbols to remind Christians of Jesus’
sacrifice.
• Protestants understand the sacrament to be an
expression of their faith in Jesus and their obedience
to Jesus’ teachings.
 Impact of the Holy Communion on
Christians
• Becoming present in the death and resurrection of Jesus
• Strengthens their faith in and commitment to Christianity
• Bringing the community together
• To love others in the way Jesus loves them i.e. Christians
echo Jesus’ act of selfless love on the cross by putting this
into practice in their everyday lives
• To believe in equality – this is a shared meal for everyone.
• Reminds them that others in the world do not have food
and so influences them to work for social justice and
collect money for those who are vulnerable.
The role and importance of pilgrimages

Pilgrimage – A journey by a believer to a holy site for

religious reasons; pilgrimage is itself an act of worship and
devotion.
 Impact of going on a pilgrimage
• Gives Christians a better understanding of their
faith.
• Renews their enthusiasm for living a Christian
life.
• Helps Christians feel cleansed of sin.
• Helps Christians feel more connected to the
Christian community.
• Gives Christians a good feeling about helping
other pilgrims who are disabled or ill.
 Places of Christian Pilgrimage
Place Significance Activities
Lourdes • Where Mary is said to have appeared • Pilgrims go to Lourdes to bathe
(a town in in a number of visions to a young girl in the waters of the spring, or to
France) called Bernadette. help other pilgrims who are ill
• Mary told Bernadette to dig in the or disabled to bathe in the
ground, and when she did a spring of waters.
water appeared. • Pilgrims also pray for
• The water is believed to have healing healing/forgiveness.
properties, and a number of healing • They may recite the rosary
miracles are claimed to have taken together.
place here.
Iona • Where St Columba established a • Because it is quiet, peaceful and
(an island monastic community in the 6th century a place of natural beauty
off the AD. pilgrims can spend time
coast of • The community now has an praying, reading the Bible or
Scotland) ecumenical centre where pilgrims can reflecting/meditating.
stay. • Attend services in the abbey
church, take part in workshops
and visit the holy sites.
 ‘To be a Christian you do not need
to go on a pilgrimage.’
For Against
It is often costly and shows poor It offers an opportunity for spiritual
stewardship, as the money could be put growth. They have time to pray and
to better use. meditate.
It is not necessary, as spiritual Visiting places associated with Jesus or
development, can be gained through the great holy men and women of the
regular attendance at church and through past gives inspiration and encouragement
daily Bible reading and prayer. to them to lead lives that more closely
reflect the values of Christianity.
Reading about Jesus and about the great It gives them an opportunity to praise and
Christians of the past gives the same give thanks to God i.e. a sick person going
insights as pilgrimage. to Lourdes is healed.
A pilgrimage is temporary and so the They meet Christians from very different
effects will not have a long term impact backgrounds and cultures. This deepens
on a believers’ life. their faith as they gain new insights.
 The role and importance of
Christmas
• Christmas commemorates the incarnation and
the birth of Jesus.
• Celebrations begin on the 25th of December
and last 12 days, ending with Epiphany (which
recalls the visit of the wise men).
 How does Christmas reflect Christians
beliefs and teachings?
Part of Christmas What it reflects?
Festival
Lights That Jesus is the Son of God that represents God’s
benevolence (light) coming into the world (sin = darkness)
Nativity Scenes Reflects that Jesus was born into poverty and reminds
Christians that material wealth will not lead to salvation
Carol Services Accompanied with Bible readings reminds Christians God’s
promise of a saviour (Incarnation/Crucifixion/Resurrection)
Midnight Mass Reflects the holiness of the night and joy Christians feel at
Jesus’ birth
Christmas cards and Reflect the wise men’s gifts to Jesus. This emphasises Jesus’
gifts Golden Rule – treat others how you would like to be treated
Giving to charity It is seen as a time of peace and goodwill and so Christians
should mirror the goodwill God showed humanity via the
incarnation
 ‘Christmas is no longer a religious
festival.’
For Against
Christmas is highly commercialised now Christmas is still a religious holiday in
and is seen as a time of year to buy and Britain.
give presents, not to commemorate the
incarnation and birth of Jesus.
Few people attend church on Christmas Many more people attend church during
Day. This is unsurprising given a decline in the Christmas period than at any other
church attendance with a 2015 Faith time of the year. For example 2017’s
Survey showing that only 4.7% of England Statistics for Mission report showed that
attend church regularly. 2.68 million people in the UK attended
church during the Christmas period.
Some think that in a multicultural Britain Schools have nativity plays about Jesus’
celebrating Christmas as a religious birth and often collect presents to give to
festival might be seen as disrespectful. children who are less fortunate. This
reflects Jesus’ teaching of selfless love.
The role and importance of Easter
• Easter is seen as one of the most important Christian
festivals as it celebrates Jesus’ rising from the dead.
• This in turn reminds Christians of Jesus’ act of
atonement and that they too will live on after they
have died.
• ‘Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down by
death, and upon those in the tombs bestowing life.’
Traditional Orthodox hymn at the Easter Divine
Liturgy
 Holy Week and Easter
Day Why is this event important to How do Christians celebrate it?
Christians?
Palm Sunday • Palms laid for Jesus represent the • Christians are given palm
idea of red carpet put out for a crosses at church to take home
king identifying JC to be the Son of to keep until the start of Lent
God. next year.
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Maundy Remind Christians of the teachings of • Go to churches to celebrate the
Thursday the Last Supper and the importance teachings of the Last Supper.
of keeping faith (Peter’s denial and
Judas betrayal)
Good • Reminds Christians of
Friday the suffering JC went • Remember JC’s suffering by following
through, and so will a someone carrying a heavy cross through town
Christian go through and erect it in the town square to remind all of
times of suffering. the message of Good Friday.
• Reminds Christian of • Often eat fish rather than red meat so as to
God’s love for all via His not dwell on the ‘blood’ of JC.
sacrifice.
• Called ‘Good’ Friday to
remind Christians of all
the good JC’s sacrifice
gave human kind.
Saturday
Easter • Resurrection proves JC RC and Anglican Churches the Easter Vigil is held:
Sunday to be the Son of God. • Service of light – Paschal candle (symbol of
• Given His teachings Christ the Light) is lit and the Easter hymn is
about his own death and sung/recited. Both celebrate the concept of
resurrection came true, salvation, remembering Exodus from Egypt to
his other teachings can JC dying on the cross
be trusted. • Liturgy of the Word – Scripture is read with the
• No need to fear death. inclusion of OT readings i.e. Exodus
• Message: victory of good • Liturgy of initiation – people are baptised or
over evil. confirmed.
• Liturgy of the Eucharist
 ‘Easter is more important to a Christian than Christmas.’

Arguments in support:
• Easter reminds Christians of the suffering Jesus went through and God’s
love for all via His sacrifice.
• Easter reminds Christians that Jesus resurrected and that so will they.
• Easter reminds Christians of the teachings of the Last Supper and the
importance of keeping faith (Peter’s denial and Judas betrayal).

Arguments against:
• Christmas reminds Christians of the Incarnation which enables our
salvation.
• Christmas reminds Christians of God’s benevolence - ‘He so loved the
world He gave His one and only Son.’
• Christmas has a greater focus on following the teachings of Jesus i.e.
giving gifts/giving to charity.
 The role of the Church
What does the Church do?
• Individual churches educate people about Christianity (e.g.
Bible study groups)
• Individual churches are meeting places for prayer and worship
• Individual churches provide activities for younger people (e.g.
youth clubs)
• Individual churches are places where Christians can socialise
and obtain spiritual guidance
• The Church supports local projects such as food banks
• The Church provides social services such as schooling and
medical care
• The Church helps those in need
• The Church campaigns for social justice
The role of the Church
Why do Christians help?
 The role of the Church in the local community:
Food Banks
The Trussell Trust The Oasis Project
• A charity running over 400 food banks • A community hub run by Plymouth
in the UK. Methodist Mission Circuit.
• These provide emergency food, help • Provides an internet café, creative
and support to people in crisis in the courses, a job club, training
UK. opportunities, a meeting place and a
• Non-perishable food is donated by food bank.
churches, supermarkets, schools, • Spiritual and practical help is given to
businesses and individuals. those in need because of ill health,
• Doctors, health visitors and social learning disabilities, domestic violence,
workers identify people in crisis and substance abuse, low income and
issue them with a food voucher. housing problems.
• Their aim is to bring religious and non-
religious people together to help end
poverty and hunger.
 The role of the Church in the local community:
Street Pastors
Street Pastors Parish Nursing Ministries UK
• An initiative started in London in 2003 by • This Christian charity supports whole-
the Christian charity the Ascension Trust. person healthcare through the local
• Adult volunteers are trained to patrol church.
the streets in urban areas. • They provide churches with registered
• The main aim originally was to challenge parish nurses, who promote well-being
gang culture and knife crime in London. in body, mind and spirit among the local
• The focus then widened to responding community.
to drunkenness, anti-social behaviour • The nurses help to provide early
and crime. diagnosis of health problems.
• Street Pastors work closely with police • They train and coordinate volunteers to
and local councils. help combat loneliness or provide
• They listen to people’s problems, advise support during times of crisis.
on where they might get help and • They give additional help to the NHS.
discourage anti-social behaviour. • They encourage people to exercise and
• A similar group called School Pastors was have a good diet.
set up in 2011 to discourage illegal drug • They focus on the whole person,
use, bullying and anti-social behaviour in including listening to people and praying
schools. with them if asked.
Mission, Evangelism and Church
Growth in Christianity
 The Great Commission
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them
in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit,
and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you.”
Matthew 28:19 - 20

• What do you think Jesus was asking His disciples to do?

– To spread the message that Jesus was the Son of God.
– To baptise non-Christians.
– To spread the teachings of Jesus Christ i.e. the Golden Rule/agape.
• Why do you think Jesus was asking His disciples to do this?
– According to Christianity Jesus died on the cross to save human kind
(salvation through grace). However this is not enough; humans must also
perform good works which Jesus taught through his teachings i.e. the
Golden Rule/agape.
 Case Study: The Alpha Course
• Alpha is an example of evangelism in Britain.
• It was started in 1977 by a Church of England
curate, Reverend Charles Marnham. At Holy
Trinity, Brompton, London.
• Seeks to introduce the basics of the Christian
faith through a series of talks and discussions.
It is described by its organisers as "an
opportunity to explore the meaning of life".
Evangelism – Spreading the Christian gospel by
public preaching or personal witness.
 How are Alpha sessions run?
• Courses are held in homes, workplaces, universities, prisons and
churches.
• Food – share a meal or drink. Alpha believes this is what brings
people together.
• Talk – the leader of the group gives a 30 minute talk that aims to
explore the big issues around faith and unpack the basics of
Christianity, addressing questions from ‘Who is Jesus?’ to ‘How does
God guide us?’
• Discussion – this occurs after the talk. It gives the opportunity for
members to share thoughts and ideas on the topic discussed. It is
often in a small group and there is no obligation to say anything. The
Alpha Course uses it as an opportunity for people to hear different
viewpoints alongside their own in an honest and open environment.
 ‘Every Christian should be an evangelist.’
For Against
If Christians don’t help to spread the Some Christians live in countries
faith, it might die out. where they are persecuted, so if they
spoke in public about their faith they
would be risking death or
imprisonment.
Evangelism can happen in small ways, Not every Christian should be an
for example Christians can spread evangelist because some people are
their faith to people they meet in just too shy.
everyday life or just give a good
example of loving their neighbours.
All Christians have received the Great Christians who go around evangelising
Commission from Jesus to preach to can annoy people, so it does not help
all nations. their cause.
 Church Growth
• Up to a third of the world’s population are
Christian and around 80,000 people become
Christians each day.
• The Church is growing rapidly in South America,
Africa and Asia but not in the USA, Europe and the
Middle East (where it has faced persecution).
• The Church expects new Christians to help spread
the faith as part of their commitment to Jesus.
 Ways in which Christians can spread the
faith
• Some might serve in Mission, especially in areas where
Christianity is under attack.
• Some might work for the vulnerable and marginalised people
in society / to bring them into the Church.
• Inviting people to Christian meetings, fellowship meals and
social events.
• Advertising and using media to engage people with
Christianity.
• Donating money to their local church so that it can be used to
promote and spread Jesus’ teachings.
• Sharing what God has done for them with others.
• Praying for others to accept God.
 Case Study: Christ for all Nations
• An example of a Christian organisation promoting
evangelism by holding evangelistic meetings
throughout the world, but particularly in Africa.
• Led by evangelists Richard Bonnke and Daniel
Kolenda.
• Often meetings are large open air rallies that have up
to 1.6 million people in attendance.
• Christ for all nations claims that 74 million people
have filled in decision cards to follow Christ at their
meetings.
 Case Study: The Church Army
• Lay (not ordained) Anglican organisation committed to evangelism.
• Evangelists are trained over 4 years and are licensed by the C of E
and Ireland to work in the UK.
• They focus on bringing the teachings of Jesus to the vulnerable
and marginalised in society
• They encourage the church (locally and nationally) to live up to
Jesus’ teachings by:
– Running clubs for children
– Projects for young people such as the Church Army Bus where teenagers
can hang out
– Working with drug addicts to rehabilitate them
– Visiting the elderly and providing luncheon clubs for them
The importance of the worldwide Church:
working for reconciliation
• Reconciliation: the restoring of harmony after relationships have broken
down.
• The Church plays an important role in reconciliation recognising its
importance within Christianity:

• ‘Leave your gift there before the altar and go. First be reconciled to your
brother, and then come and offer your gift.’ – Matthew 5:24
– Teaches Christians that God wants you to actively reconcile with
others echoing Jesus’ teaching of agape.
• ‘All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and
gave us the ministry of reconciliation that God was reconciling the world
to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them.’ –
Corinthians 5:18-19
– Teaches Christians to follow in the example of Jesus who’s death
enabled humans to be reconciled with God.
Case Study: Community of the Cross of Nails
• After the bombing of Coventry Cathedral in WW2 the head of the cathedral
chalked the words ‘Father Forgive’ onto a wall. In his Christmas broadcast of
1940 he urged Christians to forgive and work for reconciliation.
• In the ruins there were two charred beams that had fallen into a shape of a
cross. These were bound together and later joined by three nails from the
rubble. It was called the Cross of Nails and became a powerful symbol for
reconciliation after WW2.
• After the war Coventry created links with three German cities and gave a
cross of nails to Berlin.
• The cathedral was rebuilt and in 2011 it became a memorial to all civilians
who have been killed or injured by conflict world-wide. Every weekday at
noon, a prayer or reconciliation is said.
• It has become a world centre for reconciliation and an international
community spawned out of it with a network of 170 partners in 35 countries
committed to praying for a working towards peace, justice and reconciliation.
 Persecution against Christians
• Persecution is the hostility towards and ill treatment of a group of
people.
• The international Society for Human Rights estimates that 80% of
all acts of religious discrimination today are aimed at Christians.
• Persecution happens around the world but especially in North
Korea, Somalia, Iraq and Syria.
• It could involve:
– Forced to pay extra tax
– Job discrimination
– Forbidden to build churches
– Attacks on Christian homes, churches, families and sometimes murder.
How Christians respond to persecution
 The Church’s response to world poverty
Why do Christians help those living in poverty?
• ‘If anyone has material possessions and sees a
brother or sister in need but has no pity on them,
how can the love of God be in that person? Dear
children, let us now love with words or speech but
with actions and truth.’ – 1 John 3:17-8
• Jesus taught that you should treat others how you would
like to be treated.
• Jesus act of atonement on the cross demonstrated the
importance of selfless action that will benefit others.
• Christians are taught that salvation is not only taught by
grace but by good works.
 The Church’s response to world poverty
How do Christians help?
• Emergency Aid
– Provide immediate response generally to a disaster.
– Often food and water are given to prevent dehydration, starvation and
water-borne diseases.
– Medical kits are given to help the sick and injured alongside teams of doctors
and nurses.
– Tents, blankets and temporary shelter are given alongside engineers if
needed.
• Long-term Aid
– Given to combat the root cause of the problem so that communities can
become self-sufficient
– Educational programmes
– Well-digging
– Training of medical, health and educational workers
 Case Study: Christian Aid
• Set up after WW2 to respond to the refugee crisis in Europe.
• Gives both emergency and long-term aid.
• Increasingly involved in sustainable long-term development and campaigning for
justice.
• Recently it has focussed on 5 areas to ensure global justice:
– Giving ordinary people political power
– Ensuring essential services, such as water and sanitation, for everyone
– Seeking a fair and sustainable share of the world’s resources for all
– Eliminating discrimination of any form and ensuring equal treatment of all
– Tackling violence and working towards reconciliation and peace.
• Raises money through partnerships with governments and institutions but
individuals can also donate and in May during Christian Aid Week volunteers drop
red envelopes through letterboxes to ask for donations.
• Project in Myanmar (Burma)
– Huge problem with Malaria due to poor sanitation and a lack of governmental resources. It kills 7%
of children under 5 each year.
– Through its partners in the area, Christian Aid is training healthcare workers to detect the signs
earlier using diagnostic kits, distributing insecticide-treated mosquito nets, training villagers in basic
healthcare and hygiene and encouraging them to seek medical help.