BANNOCKBURN, Ill., Oct. 7, 2009 — Bear Grylls, international star of the Discovery Channel program "Man vs. Wild," is going behind bars. No, Grylls hasn't been arrested. Instead, he will bring a message of hope to inmates when he heads to Florida for the 2009 National Alpha Conference.
Grylls will be a featured presenter at the conference, October 20-21, at Northland, A Church Distributed, in Metro Orlando. This gathering will bring together individuals from churches of all denominations across America who share the vision to reach their communities with the good news of Jesus Christ via the Alpha course.
Grylls will also speak at "Bear Grylls LIVE!," a citywide crusade on October 21 at Northland Church on faith and adventure. The following morning, he will travel to Tomoka Correctional Institution in Daytona Beach to share his Christian testimony and encourage the inmates to explore the claims of Christ for themselves. Recording artist Benton Brown will also perform at this outreach event.
While Grylls has braved some of the world's toughest terrains, including his famed climb of Mount Everest in 1998, his greatest adventure has been as a believer in Christ.
"I have learned over the years from numerous expeditions, close calls and hairy moments, that it takes a proud man to say that he never needs any help. And I have yet to meet an atheist in the Death Zone on Everest or in a lifeboat," Grylls explains.
He adds, "Ultimately, you must decide for yourself whether you are going to include a spiritual dimension to your life. But for what it is worth, life becomes a lot wilder and a lot more fun if you do."
In the weeks leading up to his visit, episodes of "Man vs. Wild" are being played in the prison chapel on DVD to help introduce inmates to Grylls who, in turn, will introduce them to Alpha, a 10-week course that explores the Christian faith and life's most difficult questions.
More than 13 million people in 163 countries have attended an Alpha course, with more than 2 million people in the U.S. participating in churches, prisons, military bases, university campuses and other places.
According to Barna Research, more than half of all those who attend the course make decisions for Christ. Grylls cites Alpha's pressure-free approach, where no question is out of bounds, as a key to its success.
"I have seen so many people find a personal relationship with God and a quiet strength in their lives after doing the course – myself included," Grylls explains.
To learn more about Alpha, find an Alpha course near you, or for information on the 2009 National Alpha Conference, visit http://www.alphausa.org. For interviews, contact Janine Longoria at 224-588-8526 or Email.
To register for a free iPod touch, which will be given away to one attendee at "Bear Grylls LIVE!," visit http://www.alphausa.org/bearlive. To register for an opportunity to get up on stage and personally ask Bear Grylls one question at the event, visit http://www.alphausa.org/askbear.
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