FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Media Contact: Veronica Pellini
veronica@grafmartin.com or 519-342-3703 x104
Gen Z Ready for LIFE ON PURPOSE
Alpha Canada releases new series to equip students to share life, faith, and Jesus, February 17th
Waterloo – February 17, 2022 – Christian GenZ appears ready to live out their faith – and share it – one personal relationship at a time. But, while they’re willing, Barna research released in 2021 revealed that only 16% of these same Canadian teens felt they had been equipped to share their faith. In response, Alpha Canada is releasing LIFE ON PURPOSE, a brand-new 4-video series that invites students to explore what it means to live life on mission for Jesus. The series includes a leader guide and discussion guide to equip students to share life, faith, and Jesus with their peers.
Deeply informed by insights from Alpha Canada and Barna’s research with 1,200 Canadian GenZ, LIFE ON PURPOSE equips and inspires students to engage in conversations about faith with their friends leveraging their commitments to active listening, mutual understanding, and a passion for a living faith. LIFE ON PURPOSE features a range of experts and contributors from across Canada, with each episode guiding youth groups in mission and evangelism.
“Since the launch of the Alpha Youth Series in 2013, our team at Alpha Canada has had a strong conviction that empowering Christian youth for peer-to-peer evangelism is critical to reaching the next generation and crucial to spiritual formation,” shares Shaila Visser, Alpha Canada National Director. “In equipping students to engage in mission and conversations about life and faith with their friends and peers, we believe in a transformational movement across Canada,” adds Tim Gonsalves, National Youth Director for Alpha Canada. “This generation astounds us with their boldness and creativity in finding ways to share the Gospel.”
Starting February 17th, youth pastors, youth leaders, and youth workers can equip their students using the 4-video series, available at no charge, here. The leader guide and discussion guide, along with promotional materials, serve to make the series accessible and doable for any sized church or youth group.
Preview LIFE ON PURPOSE here. Tim Gonsalves and Shaila Visser are available for interviews.
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About Alpha
ALPHA equips and serves the Church in its mission to help people discover and develop a relationship with Jesus. For more than 30 years, Alpha has worked effectively across every major denomination, culture, and context worldwide. Churches offer Alpha as an 8-to 11-week course that creates a friendly, judgment-free environment for people to hear the gospel, ask questions about faith, and process through their doubts. Over 1 million people in Canada have experienced Alpha, and millions more have taken Alpha in over 100 countries and over 100 languages around the globe.
About Tim Gonsalves
Tim works as the National Youth Director for Alpha Canada and is passionate about empowering youth workers and students to share the good news of Jesus everywhere they go. He has been serving in the ministry for over 15 years. He lives in Langley BC where along with his family he seeks to see his neighborhood transformed with the love of Jesus. He’s married to his incredible wife Chanel and together they have three beautiful and energetic daughters. He’s passionate about Jesus, golf, cycling, good coffee, and joining Jesus in the renewal of all things.
About Shaila Visser
Shaila is the National Director of Alpha Canada, Global Senior Vice-President for Alpha International, and Executive Producer of both The Alpha Youth Film Series (2013) and The Alpha Film Series (2016). Prior to her work with Alpha, she was on staff with Power to Change in Canada. Shaila is passionate about evangelism and the evangelistic responses in non-profits and the Church.
She has a heart for people coming to know Jesus, developing young leaders, and helping the local church flourish. Known for her strategic leadership and her ability to bring people together, Shaila has been committed to evangelism in Canada for over 20 years.
Shaila lives in Vancouver, BC with her husband Ryan, a K9 Unit Police Officer, and two four-legged family members, Benny and Talon.
Media Contact: Shannon Mischuk: shannon@grafmartin.com or 519-342-3703