GAT Events have been developed by Alpha International to equip and empower people who run and love Alpha courses to train church leaders 

• In their town or city
• Across their country
• With mission partners in other countries, or
• Where ever there is a training need around the world

What makes a GAT event different?
GAT is different from any other conference or training event you have previously run or taken part in: 

• The training is delivered by volunteers from churches who run and love Alpha
• It's interactive, including sketches and illustrations to assist with explanations and giving delegates the opportunity to experience and practise elements of the course

Nicky Gumbel has a vision that through the use of GAT 100 million people worldwide will hear the Gospel at an Alpha course in the coming ten years. The GAT concept was tested in India in 2007; 1,500 new Alpha courses have provided follow up to the work of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. The leaders of these courses were trained by teams from abroad, including Canada.

For GAT activity abroad, there are parallels with short term missions. Teams of 4 - 6 Alpha leaders teach pastors and leaders how to run Alpha courses and conferences in 2 - 4 day GAT events (4 day is best). There are already more countries asking for GAT than there are Alpha teams set up to supply the need. Hence we are seeking teams to attend GAT Training Days to equip them for missions. There was a GAT Training Day in Toronto on 21 February 2009, attended by Laurie-Ann and Tony Copple from Ottawa who are therefore now able to answer your immediate questions.

There was a Global Alpha Training day at St. Paul's Anglican Church, Kanata from 9 am - 4 pm on Saturday 6 March 2010. Barrie Davies, Alpha Ontario Director led the training. Barrie recently went with a GAT mission to Kenya. This was the first GAT day to be held in Ottawa, so it was an opportunity not to be missed for Alpha leaders with several courses experience and an interest in short term missions abroad. Ten keen missioners showed up. Attending a GAT Training Day is pre-requisite for joining a GAT team. At 6pm on the evening of the same day the Sierra Leone Dinner took place, as a fundraiser for the GAT mission there by Ottawa Alpha leaders Laurie-Ann & Tony Copple, Dwight McDougall and Richard Gilman. See the 5 minute video of the mission, edited down from a 90 minute DVD.

In the summer of 2012 we encourage churches which send missions abroad and have run Alpha courses for several years to hold a reunion for their Alpha leaders, and team members; perhaps a BBQ, making it a fun event. We would provide a speaker to give a talk about the potential for GAT. If the Holy Spirit does his thing (he always does), we would expect several people to sense a wish within their hearts to join a GAT mission sponsored by the church. Training would be provided locally for all participants.

Does all this strike a chord with you? Do you hear Matthew 28:19 ringing in your ears? If so, please contact me, Tony Copple, in the first instance and we will see where it can take us.

Call me on 613-591-3903
E-mail me via Mailbox

Now check out the real GAT web site

---

Countries requesting GAT missions
Ottawa GAT mission to Sierra Leone April 2010
Alpha Canada
Alpha Ottawa