Adam Rutherford refers to the issue of attenders of Alpha Course already having a Christian background in his first article on the Alpha Course - where nominal Christians are described as ‘dechurched’ (or more accurately, those who once attended a church but have since ceased to do so). There are more of these than ‘unchurched’ on the course - those who have had no contact at all with a church. Also there is a couple attending the course for the second time. Rutherford raises the question of whether the overall figures for attendance at Alpha Courses take account of repeat attendances.