Discovery or Alpha: How do I choose?
Any tool is going to depend greatly on how it's used by the handyman.
But how can we choose which of these two options is right for us? And right for our community? Here are some considerations to take into account.
Who is your audience?
Discovery and Alpha are both kerygmatic resources, meaning they both share the core Gospel message in a way that introduces people to the person of Christ and invites people to consider becoming a disciple of Jesus.
They can both be used with people who are at different places in relation to God—practicing Christians, lapsed Catholics, members of other faith traditions, agnostics, atheists, etc.
Alpha presumes no faith in the audience, starting with the question “Is there more to this life?”
Discovery, on the other hand, presumes some awareness of God and possible history with faith, starting with a proclamation of God’s love and encouraging the group members to consider where they may have experienced God’s love, right off the bat in lesson one.
If your audience has no faith background vs. some faith background, this may impact your choice.
It might be helpful to ask these questions too: Are the people you’re inviting seeking answers? Or are they just curious? Do they trust the content? Or do they have deep reservations about Jesus, Christianity, the Church?
If someone is far afield of the faith, I would tend toward Alpha. Alpha asks very open ended questions and makes room for objections and opposition. It invites people to apply the concepts to their own experiences.
For me, when I was a 24-year old university student who had just experienced a recent conversion but still trying to figure things out with the Church, Discovery was a great blessing to me. It helped me encounter the Gospel message, clear and simple. It got right to the heart of what I needed to hear and helped me with my image of who God is and how much he loves each of us, individually.
Are there any time constraints?
Alpha typically runs as a 10-12 week experience, meeting once a week for usually about two hours. Discovery, on the other hand, takes 6 weeks if you run it once per week and typically each session runs for about an hour.
If someone accepted an invitation to my evangelization initiative and it was mid-November, I would probably choose a 6 week course so I could finish it before Christmas. Discovery has that advantage.
However, some people will break up an Alpha so that it can be run in 2 chunks—the first 6 sessions and a retreat day, followed by the rest of the course after a break.
Are there any space constraints or limitations?
You can run a Discovery almost anywhere, including homes, coffee shops, small meetings rooms at the parish, a stalled elevator maybe (hey, who knows!), etc.
You can also run a small Alpha almost anywhere, but you need enough space to gather around a video screen (or a laptop) and hear clearly without disturbing other people. You need a space where food is permitted, and it helps if it is a warm and inviting space as Alpha really emphasizes the hospitality element.
That’s not to say it can’t be done, but there is a bit of an advantage to Discovery if space constraints are an issue. Take that into account when planning your next group.
Can I offer food?
One of the essential elements of an Alpha experience is food. Whether a full course meal or soup and sandwiches, all Alphas all have this in common.
A Discovery study could include food, but it wouldn’t be an essential ingredient (so to speak). As mentioned previously, the sessions are shorter and people getting hungry may not be as much of a concern.
The food portion of Alpha can take many shapes and rely on other members than the host, like agreeing on potluck style. But consider whether you are comfortable at least coordinating some offering of food to your guests. If not, Discovery is an easy choice.
Do I want to collaborate on running my group?
Discovery can easily be led by one person. Alpha can also be hosted by one person, but typically there are a few roles taken. Ideally, an Alpha small group will have both a host (the person asking the questions) and a helper (helping people feel comfortable, modelling not always having to speak, and praying for the group).
So if you’re a married couple hosting in your home, or hosting something with a friend from your parish, Alpha fits well for that. If you want to try taking the lead solo, Discovery works well.
These are the questions I would consider as a starting point in planning my evangelization initiative in Proclaim. If you’re still on the fence, it’s a great time to take the concept to prayer and see if the Holy Spirit elevates one resource over the other in your mind.
If you are still curious about how these resources work, you can learn more about Alpha here and Discovery here.
Ultimately, you can run one series for this round and then try the other next time and see what felt right!