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Find answers to questions you might have about Start to Stir's resources.

Questions About The Stir Course

Is the Stir Course a way for me to learn about sharing my faith or a programme to use directly with non-Christians?

The Stir Course is a set of sessions for you to use directly with non-Christians to help them get interested in exploring faith. If you would like to learn more about sharing your faith in a way that Stirs, watch The Stir Video Training Series or read The Beginner’s Guide to Stirring Souls.

Is this just for youth?

While The Stir Course has been birthed out of the youth ministry sector, it is written for all ages and can work in a variety of contexts.

How many weeks does The Stir Course run?

The Stir Course has 24 sessions – that’s two terms worth of content. However, it is not necessary to do every session. Follow this link to hear our suggestions on how to run the Stir Course in as little as 12-14 weeks.

Do the Packs work in progression or do you choose the pack that looks most interesting for your group?

We suggest you do the packs in this order:

Pack 1: Discover Your Soul – These longings or desires shows we are spiritual

Pack 2: Connect With God – When we Connect to God, we experience this benefit

Pack 3: Encounter Jesus – Because Jesus was Fully One with God, he…

Pack 4: Live Full Life – An invitation to make Jesus your Leader and Forgiver

How does this fit with Alpha?

Our friends here in the UK will be very familiar with The Alpha Course, our friends in the US, less so. We have called it a ‘pre-Alpha’ course. It will help get people on the path towards exploring Jesus and the Christian faith.

Why should I use this instead of Alpha?

We find that people today who have no history with God or the church are asking different questions. Practical questions. Relevance Questions. Questions like “why think about faith in the first place?” and “what difference would God make in my life?” If you are committed to running Alpha, consider starting with Stir Pack One and Stir Pack Two to help get people ready for the Alpha Course.

Why not just start with Jesus and the gospel? Isn’t that powerful enough?

We do want to get there, however, if people are not yet interested in knowing God, the gospel doesn't really sound like good news yet. It just sounds like information. Read more about this in article 2 of the Beginners Guide to Stirring.

Why do you use the word ’spiritual’? Isn’t that a bit dangerous?

We are careful to define the word 'spiritual' in the very first session. When we use the word 'spiritual' we simply mean every human has a spirit or soul and possesses longings that reveal our soul in action.

What size group do you need to run The Stir Course?

The Stir Course can be run with as few as two or three people or adapted for larger groups such as an assembly or RE class. The optimal group size without having to adapt any of the sessions is somewhere between 5 and 20 people.

Do I need one pack for every person in my group?

Only the leader needs to purchase the Stir Course.

Is The Stir Course available in other languages?

We are working on it! We would love to make The Stir Course available as a download in several other languages. If you would like to help us translate, please get in contact.

I have an idea for how to make The Stir Course better. Are you interested?

Yes we are! Please let us know here.

Questions about Learn to Stir Training

Who is The Stir Video Training Series for?

It’s for Christians who want to get better at sharing their faith.

You can learn on your own or use it as a small group or class.

What makes the Video Training Series different from other evangelism training?

We talk about how to share faith with people you know and see everyday, versus approaching a stranger on the street. Our training is practical and filled with loads of everyday examples.

What outcomes can I expect?

Learners who have completed the series say they found new confidence and new anticipation for sharing faith, instead of feeling guilty for not doing it.

How many weeks does it take?

Most groups take anywhere from 8-14 weeks to complete the video series. Suggestions for how to make an overall plan can be found in the Leader’s Guide once you purchase the series.

How do I play the videos?

Once you purchase the series, you will receive an e-mail with a link to login into MyStir where you can access the videos. You will want to make sure you have a reliable internet connection to play the videos.

If you have purchased access to The Stir Video Training Series and are having trouble accessing the videos, please contact us at [email protected].

Are there workbooks?

At purchase you will receive access to downloadable PDF Leader and Participant Guides that you can share and print.

How do I give access to others in my group or church?

If you have purchased a small group or church-wide license you will be directed to login into MyStir and create a team on the training page (usually your church or organisation's name). By adding the names and e-mail addresses of each person you wish to give access to, our system will send an e-mail invitation into their inbox.

If you, or anyone on your team, are having trouble accessing the videos please let us know at [email protected].

Where can I get more training on how to stir?

We love learners! You can:

Invite us to run an in-person workshop or training session with your church or organisation.

Read and share our Beginner’s Guide to Stirring Souls.

Why are you charging for this training?

It will help us as a non-profit Charity to create new, innovative tools that can help Christians across the world share their faith!

What should we do after we’re finished with the training?

Make plans to run The Stir Course as an outreach to non-Christians.

Or, invite the Stir Team to your church or organisation to think about an overall plan for mission that includes equipping Christians to share faith, outreach programmes and services and running the Stir Course. We can help!