For Derby Evening Telegraph journalist Peter Lindahl, a Christian 'Alpha' course offered a way out of alcoholism. He tells how the course saved his life...

If I hadn't gone on an Alpha course I would be dead by now. I still haven't quite figured out what made me go.

Possibly the discussion I had with some radical Muslims promoting Islam in the centre of Derby some months earlier, their derisive comments about the Bible and the realisation of just how pitiful my knowledge of it was, might have had something to do with it.

l'd also been seeking answers to the meaning of life for many years, taking an interest in Eastern religions, Trancendental Meditation, the paranormal and Jungian psychology. I'd also seen posters outside churches and on the back of buses promoting Alpha courses, describing it as an opportunity to explore the meaning of life.

They had caught my attention a number of times over the years, but I'd never got round to doing anything about it.

In fact, when I did finally decide to see what Alpha was all about, I almost didn't make it to the first meeting. I was strongly tempted to turn around halfway on the road to Breaston thinking to myself: "It's going to be boring. Probably be a bunch of happy-clappy nuts."

Thank God I didn't, for that meeting, at course leader Jean Lupton's house in April 2002, totally changed my life.

After the first meeting, I was hooked. It wasn't just that they served a lovely meal before the meeting began, or that everyone in the small group was nice and friendly.

Following the meal we watched a video of an Anglican churchman, Nicky Gumbel, talking about Christ. He had a very laid-back and convincing manner (I later found out he had trained as a barrister).

By the end of that tape, my belief that Jesus Christ had been no more than a wise, spiritual person had been totally demolished.

Quoting not just from the New Testament, but also referring to the works of Roman historians, such as Tacitus and Suetonius and the Jewish historian Josephus, Nicky presented a case that totally had me, a cynical, sceptical, middle-aged journalist, convinced.

As if presenting the evidence in court he added all the facts together: the evidence of Jesus Christ's existence, the fulfilment of Old Testament prophecy, his unique sermons, the reports of his disciples, the miracles, and his appearance after his death on numerous occasions (on one occasion before a crowd of more than 500).

What particularly impressed me, apart from all the ancient scriptual evidence, was the behaviour of the disciples following the crucifixion when their faith in their Messiah was practically destroyed.

What could have filled them then with such great faith that they would be inspired to tell the world about this man, even though for many it meant hardship, imprisonment, torture and death?

Surely they would not have acted so bravely had Christ died on the cross and that had been the end of it?

But it wasn't just the illuminating video tapes and the lively discussions we'd have afterwards with Jean Lupton that turned me into a born-again Christian.

At my sixth Alpha meeting I revealed to the group that I felt a fraud as a Christian because I had a drink problem. The Bible clearly stated that it was a sin to be a drunk and I was regularly getting totally wiped out.