Alpha News
We are often quoted in books and newspapers. We read one such book recently and recommend it, because it is hard-hitting and extremely well researched. It is 'Alpha, the unofficial guide', published by St Matthew Publishing.
Let me summarise a few of the findings of the authors, who conclude that the Alpha course, its leaders, and its attendees, are all New Age:
1. Concerning other religions (which are, of course, false), Nicky Gumbel is accepting and approving.
2. Alpha defers to, and accepts, Rome's claim to be the true church.
3. Gumbel teaches baptismal regeneration.
4. He undermines Biblical inerrancy.
5. Instead of relying on scripture, Alpha relies on group consensus.
6. Alpha teaches salvation as a process ('process theology') and that men can know God before they are saved.
7. Gumbel makes subtle attacks on Christ and His deity.
8. He uses a Bible version that is New Age in its interpretations.
9. He emphasises visible unity and rejects doctrinal purity.
10. Alpha promotes metaphysical (occult) techniques.
11. Alpha teaches that the Church IS Christ, when Christ teaches that He is the head (ruler) of the Body, not the Body as a whole.
12. Alpha is post-millennial and anti-Israel.
13. Gumbel neglects the Father and concentrates everything on the Spirit.
We have ourselves shown that Alpha is New Age, as is the whole of charismaticism. It is good to read the findings of others who agree with this conclusion.
The researchers also prove that Gumbel teaches and accepts the godless theory of evolution. He rejects the Biblical roles of men and women and, as we have shown, he does not teach scriptural salvation, but a mixture of works and faith. This is, as the Bible tells us, 'no gospel'.
Gumbel hesitates to condemn sin and is therefore 'fudgy' about evils like homosexuality and fornication. And he constantly uses New Age terms when speaking, quoting New Age thinkers with ease and favour!
The authors of the book say that they have been 'overrun' by examples of Gumbel's New Age teachings. In my own study of the main book underlying the Alpha course, I discovered a huge number of heresies. Yet, Christians continue to support the course. Some think they are safe to use the course if they leave out the 'end bit' about the Holy Spirit. The authors warn against this wrong belief, as I do.
They state, categorically, that "if one considers the complete body of Alpha's teaching on any given issue, every single one of its doctrines is significantly slanted towards the New Age position." This is the truth and it also applies to charismatic teaching as a whole.
Gumbel works alongside leading charismatics, as well as with Roman Catholics. That is why I am amazed to find any Christian involvement in the course! How can true Believers support, teach, or attend, a course that is New Age, charismatic and pro-Rome??
Gumbel makes constant allusion to Holman Hunt's painting of Christ standing knocking at the door. He teaches that this refers to Christ knocking at the door of the hearts of the unsaved. As we have shown elsewhere, this painting is based on a text that says the opposite! The text teaches that Christ knocks at the door of Believers - He does not stand patiently outside the door as unbelievers ponder on whether or not to let Him in!! Thus, Gumbel and Alpha, like charismaticism itself, are Arminian heretics.
After receiving many complaints about this, Gumbel changed his talk to say that unbelievers can be a part of the Church!
He usually begins his talks with Biblical quotes, but later he adds unbiblical ideas and quotes, mixing truth with error easily and cleverly. If his host church appears to have more knowledge, he will wrap what he says in carefully constructed terms that go over the heads of the unsaved. And he uses ambiguous wording without bothering to clarify what he means. One big example is his use of 'for Christ' and 'in Christ', where he makes people think that doing things for Christ means they are 'in Christ'.
He also demolishes the criticism of others by using emotive terms, such as 'attacks' and 'squabbling'. On many occasions I receive letters from pro-charismatics that accuse me of 'squabbling' over Biblical issues. I have to spend a lot of time showing that I am not 'squabbling' but teaching what scripture says. To use terms like 'squabbling' is to deflect the spotlight from Gumbel's own errors and to make critics appear to be mere little boys fighting over a toy!
Gumbel redefines scriptural words, making them far less truthful and effective. For example, he says that 'righteousness' means 'right relationship'. He does not speak of the scriptural definition.
As we showed in our own critique of Alpha, Gumbel offers a bare minimum of scriptural truth to win over Christians whose theology is, typically, weak or confused. Once they are 'hooked' he then goes on to add more and more heresy. He tends to use humour and unscriptural anecdotes rather than God's word as it stands.
When speaking on sin, Gumbel rarely ever tells his listeners that God hates sin, or that He will show His wrath against sinners. Rather, he uses home-spun tales to delight and appease, making sin seem far more cosy than God sees it.
The course itself is very confusing - it cannot be said to be clear. This is a well-known technique. Before I threw away my psychiatric theories, if I wanted to bring someone around to my way of thinking I would confuse them deliberately. I would switch my line of reasoning, or even oppose it, with separate and disconnected phrases and topics. As my captive patient floundered, trying to find some kind of link between my various statements, I would guide him toward my own goal. In terms of politics or war, this is known as 'divide and conquer'. In my case I dropped this form of manipulation when I saw it to be wrong. But Gumbel uses this technique all the time.
Gumbel teaches, too, the charismatic heresy of total world domination by Christians, though such a notion is patently unscriptural.
When the Toronto Blessing took the world by storm (and continues to do so under a variety of guises), I was given a prophecy. It was that true Believers would soon be attacked, not by the world, but by those within the churches. Interestingly, the authors of the book have arrived at the same conclusion and point to the antagonism shown by Gumbel toward all Christians who dare to question him.
Gumbel uses words like 'cynics' and 'enemies', 'bigots' and so on…words that are often thrown at myself by charismatics filled with hatred for the true word of God. The authors suggest that the true Church may soon have to go underground if this hatred continues to build (which it will).
Sadly, someone who was once one of my closest friends decided to part from me, because of my stated views on charismaticism and its evils. He did so because his own brother was caught as an elder in a church that brought the Toronto Blessing to our city. Thus, his emotional ties overtook his scriptural knowledge. This will continue to show its effects, as more people see how 'reasonable' charismaticism and Alpha are. They will come to see people like us as 'fanatics' who are out to destroy the Gospel and them.
The book I speak of contains well researched and referenced sources. It is not invented or concocted. Alpha is an evil of huge proportion and it is enveloping the whole world with its lies and deception. Do not touch it for any reason.
A fallacy says we must firstly try something before we condemn it. Would you thrust your hand into a blazing fire to see if it will burn? Would you drink a cup of arsenic to see if it will poison? No! So, why trust and use Alpha, which can destroy souls?
By: K. B. Napier
Bible Theology Ministries February 2003