Living Water Church is kicking off the new year with the launch of the Alpha Program. This internationally recognized course explores the fundamentals of the Christian faith in a welcoming, discussion-oriented setting.
The program began worldwide at Holy Trinity Brompton in London in 1977 and was later championed by former lawyer-turned-pastor Nicky Gumbel in 1990. Since then, Alpha has spread across denominations and countries, offering a safe space for anyone curious about Christianity to ask big questions, without pressure or judgment.
“It’s just a basic Christianity information program meant to be a super safe place for people to talk and discuss and even disagree if they want,” says Living Water Church member Neil Wear, who will run the course.
Wear’s enthusiasm for Alpha stems from previous experience hosting the program at another church and a desire to meet a growing need for spiritual exploration in the qathet region.
According to Wear, Living Water Church has seen a surge in attendance post-pandemic, prompting a move from one to three services—at 9 am, 11 am, and 7 pm—on Sundays.
Many newcomers are young people who are “just looking for answers,” and Wear says some are exploring faith for the first time, while others are “coming back to faith” after years away from a church community.
“There’s a little bit of a revival going on,” explains Wear. “Not major or crazy, but many people are asking questions. Some have had faith before, and some are completely new, looking for something that works for them.”
Alpha is designed to address those questions head-on. Beginning in January and running through late April—with a brief break for spring holidays—course participants will meet every Tuesday evening at Living Water Church for a shared meal, a 20-minute video exploring a foundational Christian topic (e.g., “Who Is Jesus?”), and small-group discussions. The entire course is free of charge and dinner is provided by volunteers, something Wear hopes will foster connection and camaraderie.
“It’s more about building relationships than anything else,” says Wear. “We try to seat people with group leaders they already know, hoping that offers a sense of safety when sharing doubts and experiences.”
He notes that while it’s helpful to attend every session, it’s not strictly mandatory. If participants miss a week or two, they can still jump back in since all are welcome at any point.
Wear also sees this as an opportunity to cultivate deeper community ties within the church and the broader region.
“We’re just praying and hoping for a good turnout,” he says. “You never know who will show up; maybe it’s 10 people, maybe it’s a hundred. But we want to be prepared either way.”
For Wear, the goals of this local Alpha course are straightforward.
“We want to share the good news of Jesus Christ and create a community where people feel free to explore faith on their own terms.”
Whether attendees are lifelong believers, returning after a hiatus, or simply spiritual seekers, Living Water Church hopes to provide a warm welcome.
The Alpha Program will begin this month and continue on Tuesday evenings through late April at the church at 4640 Manson Avenue. For more information or to sign up, go to livingwaterpr.com, contact the church office at 604.485.6116, or email [email protected].
All are welcome and there is no cost to attend.
