The Powers Behind The Alpha Course

E-mail from Bobby Garner to subscriber list
July 20, 2008

I now believe that I have discovered one of the primary paths of New Age influence in the Christian religions. I expect everyone to react differently to this information depending on your views of religion and the New Age Movement. I further believe that this has the capacity to force any fence sitters off the fence. In the biblical view of things, there is no middle ground.

If anyone likes what they read here and see this Alpha influence as a good thing, that's perfectly fine with me, no action is required. On the other hand, if you are shocked by this evidence, and/or recognize its influence in your own church, you may wish to react to that. As I have written before, I believe religion is being destroyed very much in the same manner in which ancient Babylon was destroyed by Cyrus the Great who believed he was doing the bidding of God. Bible prophets had foretold such a thing and Cyrus saw himself in the role of the destroyer and overthrew a world power. You can begin reading about the present overthrow of a world power and its religion at Revelation chapters 17 and 18.

In any case, this will be an interesting study of the stealth in which the New Age Movement has been able to make inroads into the very fabric of society, and you may be better able to recognize its presence in many other areas. Don't expect to find the full implementation of this in any particular religion. In fact, parts of have existed in the churches dating from the early Roman influence. The Methodist Conference for instance has reviewed it and had a mixed reaction, rejecting some objectionable aspects and neglecting to condemn others, pretty much along the lines of what they already believe.

What have I told you about that?

Part 1: The Powerful Message

Although the Alpha Course has been in existence since 1977, the modern version originated in the early nineties through Nicky Gumbel – a curate at Holy Trinity Brompton church (‘HTB’). Gumbel is a qualified barrister, but he apparently attributes his powerful gift for communication to an extraordinary single event in 1982. The following account by Gumbel is lengthy but also very interesting:

"[A] man called John Wimber came to speak at the church … [after the talk] a very nice American came over [to me] and said … "Well, is there anything else that you would like us to pray for?" So I said, "Well, what I would really like to pray for is the power of the Spirit in my life" … After he had been praying for about 30 seconds, all I can say is I felt this incredible power - it was like 10,000 volts … going through my body. In fact, it was so powerful that after a bit I couldn’t take it any more but I think he had only just got onto the ministry team because he only had one prayer and it was "More power, Lord!" And every time he prayed this prayer, the power increased! So after a bit I couldn’t take it any longer and I started praying against him! I started saying, "No more power, Lord!" But he carried on praying, "More power, Lord!" So eventually there was this shouting match going on in the middle of the room. John Wimber … said, "Take that one out!" So they carried me out through the French windows! And as I was being carried out John Wimber said, "God is giving to that man power to tell people about Jesus Christ". And I have often looked back at that as a very significant moment in my life."

As we shall see, this experience did indeed have a substantial and lasting impact on Gumbel. It should be noted that all of his work on the Alpha Course has taken place since that event. Let us now step forward to the early years of his Alpha labours.

Gumbel received what looks a lot like the 'Toronto' spirit more than a decade before Toronto itself did, and he jumped at the chance to promote the ‘Toronto Blessing’ (TB) when it finally arrived on the scene. He immediately modified the Alpha talks to incorporate, among other things, the following well-known testimony of how Eleanor Mumford, of South-West London Vineyard, channeled ‘the Blessing’ to HTB through him:

"Ellie Mumford told us a little bit of what she had seen in Toronto … then she said ‘Now we’ll invite the Holy Spirit to come’ and the moment she said that, one of the people there was thrown, literally, across the room [4] and was lying on the floor, just howling and laughing … making the most incredible noise … I experienced the power of the Spirit in a way I hadn’t experienced for years, like massive electricity going through my body."

[...]

Part 2: The Powerful Men

The meticulously-researched book A Different Gospel, by D.R. McConnell, proves beyond doubt that the spiritual and doctrinal roots of both Hagin and Branham – and hence the movements they inspired – lie firmly in a man called E.W. Kenyon who belonged to the ‘New Thought’ metaphysical movement.

‘New Thought Metaphysics’ also spawned Mary Baker Eddy’s ‘First Church of Christ, Scientist’. (Oddly, Nicky now sells Alpha books on the basis that they teach “metaphysics”.)  Sadly, ‘New Thought Metaphysics’ is based squarely on the occultist, psychical practices of ‘Theosophy’ (essentially an early name for the modern New Age movement).  Indeed, an associate of Baker Eddy was also the co-founder of the Theosophical Society alongside the ‘queen’ of Theosophy, Helena Blavatsky, who confirmed that Theosophy is Luciferian – i.e. Satanic.

(In truth, ALL of the movements cited above have seen unbiblical manifestations just as Alpha does.  But this should not shock us.  Like all the links in this chain from Toronto down, Alpha too prefers to interpret the Bible in the light of its experiences rather than the other way around.  Among the other similarities between these groups, our book demonstrates that: Alpha too is Dominionist and ecumenical; Alpha too demotes Christ and deifies man; and Alpha too encourages psychical practices like visualization and positive confession.  (See our book for details of these, and other, parallels.)  Each of these movements also leans substantially toward the false belief that the Lord Jesus is ‘the Way Shower’ rather than ‘the Way’ period.  These things are all New Age.)

Despite the above paragraph, some readers may feel that the provenance we have described amounts to nothing more than ‘guilt by association’.  It should be noted, however, that the people involved have all admitted that they were indeed influenced by the linked groups or individuals, and they have not repented of these things.  Is this a sign of wisdom and spiritual maturity?  Why is HTB endorsing RHB when he still supports Hagin?  What is HTB doing when it calls Cain “a true servant of God” even though he has not repented of his relationship with Branham?  Why does HTB continue to work with Toronto Airport when it still promotes Benny Hinn?

There is an additional point to make here... in at least four separate ways, just one step from Nicky to Helena Blavatsky herself.

TOUCH NOT

Nicky is understandably keen to hide the trail of his “virus”.   He ingeniously says: “I have not had the opportunity of meeting any of the people who are supposed to be the roots. We are praying not for the spirit of ‘X’ to fill people, but for the Holy Spirit to fill them. I think it is irrelevant that so-and-so is linked with so-and-so, who once met so-and-so, who was into something that wasn’t very good”. But let us take his three sentences in turn:

(1) If the TB/Alpha spirit acts like a virus then it is completely immaterial whether or not Nicky has personally met someone more than one step back down the chain, let alone at the “roots”.  (Besides, between them, HTB’s ‘staff members’ have indeed met a number of the key players over the years.)

(2) Nicky prefers not to pray “for” the Holy Spirit, but “to” the Holy Spirit, thus rebelling against the clear ordinance of Scripture.  (This issue is covered properly in our book.)  Attempting to approach or invoke God in ways other than those which He has commanded in Scripture is something He curses, rather than blesses with His Spirit (see Lev. 10:1-2; 1 Sam. 28,31; 1 Chr. 13 & 15 etc).

As for Nicky’s teaching that Alpha participants are safe just because those praying for them use the words ‘Holy Spirit’, this is incredibly unwise talk for someone who claims to know about the New Age movement.  New Ager’s admit that: “the name you give to it [i.e. this spiritual power] is irrelevant”.  The most crucial thing is the door you go up to, not just the name you call out.

(3) Apart from the fact that it is an appalling understatement to call Theosophy “something that wasn’t very good”, Nicky thinks it does not remotely matter who lays hands on him.  But, again, this is totally at odds with Scripture.  People receive the Holy Spirit when they are living holy lives (Acts 5:32; John 14:15-16), not when they happen to have hands laid upon them by the right person.  A man cannot transfer holiness to someone else, but he can certainly transfer uncleanness.  That is the precise message of Haggai 2:11-14.  (Of course Nicky does not deny that the TB/Alpha spirit is ‘catching’, else he would surely not have agreed to be listed as a speaker at Arnott’s Catch the Fire conference!)
[...]

The above parts have been posted in the last two updates to my Blog where links to the source are available.
Or, it can all be accessed directly from HERE if you prefer.

Bobby Garner is a researcher on the phenomenon of One-Worldism with an emphasis on the methods and techniques employed in it's attendant deception. He may be reached via E-mail from his Website at www.congregator.net. He welcomes your comments. This article may be posted in it's entirety on any website provided this statement remains attached.