What is ‘kairos?’

          A fair number of people read this blog (which actually amazes me) and some of them are members of the church I pastor or members of other churches that participate in Kairos of Indiana. The word ‘kairos’ means ‘prison ministry’ to them. Others who read this are familiar with the word in another form of spelling. ‘Chi Rho,’ which was my understanding when I moved here to Indiana. But ‘Chi Rho’ isn’t the same as ‘kairos,’ although they are pronounced the same. The ‘Chi Rho’ is the earliest symbol in Christianity. The word is the abbreviation of two Greek words. The symbol is basically an X with another line in it running straight up and down through the middle of the X. The center line runs a little higher than the two slanted lines of the X and has what looks like the English letter P at the top. The purpose of these early symbols was to show other believers where their brother and sister believers met. Christians were often killed for their faith, so a Chi Rho would be written on a building so that Christians could gather in that building in secret, since the authorities didn’t know the meaning of the symbol. Still others who read this blog have no recognition or understanding of either word. But starting this Thursday, six men from our church and several women in a support effort will be involved with Kairos, the prison ministry. I thought I would just share what the word actually means and what the ministry is, and then I am going to ask you folks to keep all of us in prayer.

          First, I have to say that it has always bothered me when people adopt Biblical words from the original languages to name their ministries or to pepper their speech. First, if you say it wrong, or mispronounce it, you might be saying something completely different than what you intend, especially when using Hebrew words. For instance, the word ‘Hallelujah’ is a common word used all the times in churches. The problem is, if it is pronounced with the ‘H’ sound it is a word you would wash your child’s mouth out with soap if you heard him say it in English. The ‘H’ is silent. Yet, most Christians pronounce it with the ‘H’. “Well,” you say with your American English pride, “that’s how we say it here!” And it is wrong. Along with that, most people who use the word do not know what it means. It means ‘Praise to the Lord.’ Pretty simple, so why not just say it in English so it can be understood? There are many churches in the country that are called ‘Maranatha.’ A perfectly good word, occurring only once in the Bible, it is an Aramaic word meaning ‘Lord, come!’ To people looking for a church, ‘Maranatha Church’ is confusing, but I suppose it sounds better than ‘Come, Lord! Church.’

          Which brings me back to ‘kairos.’ This is a rare occasion that I think using the Greek word is better than using the English. The word literally means "a passing instant when an opening appears which must be driven through with force if success is to be achieved."  Huh? How do you break that down to an English word or two? We might say that we have the perfect time in which to accomplish a task, one that may never come again. But you cannot say that as the name for a ministry. ‘The Perfect Moment for the Perfect Task Prison Ministry.” Better to just say ‘Kairos Prison Ministry.’ And then, if asked, explain it.

          And it is the perfect name! In the prison there are men who are going to be there a long time. They have done wrong things. Some of those things weigh heavy on their minds. Their lives have been violent, in some cases, they feel as though they have lost and are lost, they are in an environment that is alien. It doesn’t matter if the punishment is justified, it hurts and it stifles. Some have been there a long time, some will be there for a long time to come. I had a cousin, Steve. We were the same age. As a kid my family would come to Indiana every summer for a week and Steve would always get me in trouble. We had great fun! He died at IU in Indianapolis this last spring. He was a prisoner at Indiana Correctional. He died of cancer, heavily medicated, unable to communicate with his family because of the morphine. He was handcuffed to his bed. Where was he going to go? Still, the rules say……. Prison is a hopeless place, a mean place. You cannot get around it. That is what these men deal with. Hopelessness.

          Then the prison chaplain selects forty men to participate in a program that is done twice a year. No one ever repeats in this program. The draw is that, for four days, they will have homemade food and cookies and coffee with real cream. (This is where the ladies come in. They are not at the prison, but they are working hard off site and the food and goodies are rushed into the prison.) Everyone wants to be involved with this program. It is a huge break from prison routine. Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, whatever. This year we have a Satanist. Food is a powerful motivator. And all they have to put up with during those four days is to welcome forty Christian men into their realm. These forty Christians who have their agenda, they have their program. The prisoners have dealt with agendas and programs before. For homemade goods, yeah, they can put up with it. But what they don’t really know is that the 40 guys coming in for those four days are coming in with a weapon these prisoners know little about. They are coming in with the love of Jesus Christ. We don’t care if they are pedophiles, rapists, if they have killed someone or whatever it is they have done to get there. We are there to share the saving power of Christ and the sustaining love it brings. So, yes, "a passing instant when an opening appears which must be driven through with force if success is to be achieved." Kairos.

          My primary worry is that something will happen at the church that I need to attend to while I am in there. I am also worried about my health. I have done a lot of things since my surgery in April that I was supposed to wait on and my recovery has been slowed some. Our days will start at 6 AM and end around 9 PM. Can I hold out? The team, made up of men from many churches, are people I have come to know during our training sessions. Many of them are facing medical issues worse than mine. At least I am recovering. Some can recover no further. This is going to be a physical grind. But, right now, we have a passing instant when an opening appears which must be driven through with force if success is to be achieved. The Lord will prevail.

          Also, this is the first team that Brian Chamberlain has led into the prison. He has his own anxieties. As far as I can see, he has done a great job, but there are worries. It is, however, all good.

          Here is the challenge. Pray for the men going in and pray for the men who are already there and needing Christ. Pray for the ladies preparing the food. Their days will start around 3 in the morning and end around 8 in the evening, and it is all physical work. Pray that the Spirit of God moves.

          And we all know, Victory is His!