Who Will You Invite to Alpha?

 

If you want to invite a friend, family member or neighbour to attend Alpha, whether online or in person, you may wonder how I get them to actually connect. And on a more personal level, What if they say no? What if they ask questions that I’m not prepared to answer? How will my invitation impact our relationship? 

Historically, we know that 80% of Alpha guests have come because someone has invited them. It was a real conversation with a real person that made a real difference. The best invitations are rooted in relationships, but here are five practical tips. 

 

1) Stop before you start. Pause and pray. Ask God who you should invite. We have the opportunity to partner with the Holy Spirit in the conversations that he’s already having with the people around us. 

 

2) Customize the conversation. In the bible, Jesus interacted with different people differently. There was no “one-

size fits all” conversation. Consider what you know about the past experiences, hesitations, frustrations and hopes of the person you are going to invite. By taking the time to understand the individual, you increase the chance they’ll say “yes” to your invitation. 

 

3) Be specific and direct. We often invite people to something without them really knowing it’s an invitation. Consider how many times plans have been made to “hang out sometime” with someone, and it’s never happened. By asking a yes or no question, you will get a yes or no answer. Provide specific details so they can make an informed decision. Rather than having a long, complex conversation that ends in a suggestion, try a series of direct interactions that are clear and concise using the “If I...Would You” framework. “If I sent you the trailer for Alpha, would you watch it and share your thoughts with me?” “If I came to Alpha on Wednesday night at 6:30 pm, would you join me?” 

 

4) Don’t Get Discouraged! If you get a “no,” don’t be afraid to ask why gracefully. No is often used as a protective measure when someone doesn’t have all of the information they need to move forward. If you know the why, you can be a part of the solution. A “no” is not necessarily the end of the opportunity. People may say no for a number of reasons, and most of them will have nothing to do with you as a person! Accept the no with grace and revisit Step 2, considering if there is a different way to approach the individual. Maintaining the relationship is key, so demonstrate that you care more about them than getting a yes from them. 

 

5) Think about “Who do I know?” 

• Sitting near me in church 

• Sitting with me at coffee time 

• Someone in my small group 

• Someone from another group in   

   church 

• Someone who is lonely 

• Someone who started Alpha but 

  dropped out 

• Someone who has been on my heart 

  for some time 

• A neighbour 

• Someone at my Book Club, Tennis 

  Club, Fitness Club etc. 

• A work colleague 

• A family member 

• Someone who is a lapsed church attender 

• Someone who goes to another church with doesn’t offer Alpha 

• A friend of a friend who could use some love

• Someone who wanted to attend Alpha in the past but had a scheduling problem