First picture on your phone of an Alpha event in 2025?

This photo is from my very first day on the job! We kicked off the year at the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland’s annual Diaconia Day – a gathering of thousands of church ministers, deacons, and youth workers from across the country. I set up a stand and had the privilege of talking with youth ministers eager to hear more about Alpha Youth and how the new series could work in their context. Many couldn’t believe the material is completely free!

What is the vision for youth in your country or region?

I’m grateful to be one of three youth coordinators hired this year to pioneer Alpha Youth in Finland. Our vision is to help churches renew their youth ministries and create safe, exciting spaces for young people to explore life’s big questions – and ultimately meet Jesus. Our dream is to reach 200,000 young people with Alpha Youth over the next eight years.

Highlight of 2025 so far?

A major highlight has been partnering with The Send Finland. At their events, we’ve had a front row seat seeing young people on fire for the gospel. We’ve been able to come alongside them in conversation and offer practical tools like Alpha Youth to help their friends encounter Jesus. After our first event with The Send we had 60+ young people sign up to hear more about Alpha Youth and how to get started.

We also hosted our first-ever webinar for youth pastors and young leaders. Nearly 30 signed up from all over Finland and various denominations. We had inspiring discussions about young people’s growing interest in Christianity and how we can nurture it together. We ended by introducing the new Alpha Youth series – and many signed up for our first training on April 22nd.

Unlikely place you visited?

I was invited to Finland’s top Christian radio station to talk about Easter, the growing curiosity of young people toward Jesus, and to share about Alpha Youth. The morning show reaches over 100,000 listeners – what a privilege!

When and where were you inspired recently?

There’s a youth revival happening here in Finland. Recent research shows 60% of young men now believe in the risen Christ (up from 39% in 2019), and belief among young women has grown by 11% since 2023 (Porkka & Tervo-Niemelä, 2024). For many the question is changing from, “How do we get young people to church?” to “How do we best serve this growing interest?”

One friend – a youth pastor in Eastern Finland – called me before we had even made Alpha Youth public. He’d already heard about it and was eager to know everything: upcoming events, trainings, how to use the new series. He’d even started spreading the word to other youth pastors.

What excites you about 2025?

I’m thrilled for our official AYS3 launch in June. We’re teaming up with The Send Finland during the Pentecostal World Conference in Helsinki to host a Friday night launch event with food, community, and a preview of the first episode. We’re expecting 300+ young people, youth leaders, and ministers. It’s also been fun to launch our Instagram account and to start building an online presence and community with young people and youth workers.

I’m also excited about upcoming trainings and connecting with more youth pastors to build a strong support network. Especially exciting is the opportunity to bring Alpha Youth into confirmation camps, since 73% of Finnish 15-year-olds attend them every year.

Current favourite Alpha product?

Definitely the new Alpha Youth Series! Being involved in translating the subtitles into Finnish, I’ve grown even more convinced that this is something from God’s heart for this generation. I wish something like this had existed when I was a youth pastor. I’m beyond excited to share it with youth ministries across Finland.

What’s Next?

In April and May, we’ll be at five Christian events across Finland with our Alpha Youth stand, meeting young people and youth workers. Our big launch is on June 6th in Helsinki, followed by summer festivals where we’ll host watch parties and connect with leaders around the country.

Prayer Point

At our recent webinar, a young man shared powerful stories of his friends coming to know Jesus – right at home or on the streets. He asked for prayer over the young people in

Finland: for guidance, for good pastors, and for the older generation to step in and support young people who are now either finding faith or stepping into ministry.

Take me back

Anna-Loviisa Neste