What's in a word?

Some churches have cottoned on to the idea of running 'courses' or seminars to introduce people to Christian faith or to develop their faith further.

Good idea.

But for the intro to Christian faith lot, name choice seems to put the brake on take-up.

Here are a couple of examples: 

LIFE - Living the best one.. 

Hope Explored

Alpha

Here are my comments:

Think about the reaction to someone who goes to the office, bar, footy and lets it drop they are doing  any of these courses.

Life: "Pal are you seeing a psychotherapist?"

Hope Explored: "Things getting you down are they?"

Alpha: "Only for Alpha-males or can anyone go?"

If your event has a name with the implication of inadequacy, you'll either attract the wrong crowd, or no one.

Alpha, while one might disagree with the Alpha Course, has a title acceptable in public conversation. It attracts at worst "is this a self help course for losers", to perhaps '"course in what, ancient Greek?' or perhaps, "what's it about?" It contains no self-deprecating signals, at least to my mind. 

Here's the lesson: think of market impact of the name of your course, and play to people's strengths with positive implications! 

LIFE: Loving Intense Fun and Excitement? Nup, still sounds like a game for losers.

Happily the follow-on course for Alpha could be 'Alpha +', then 'Alpha ++' then 'Alpha Uber'. All positive.

So, some course names: 

Uber

Plus

The Resolution of Discontent (maybe).