Then you will know the truth,
and the truth will set you free.
-John 8:32
Kairos-Allred began its Christian prison ministry activity inside the Allred Unit back in 2001 and since then has conducted numerous successful Kairos Weekends, hundreds of Prayer & Share services, and touched the lives of thousands of Allred inmates, many of whom have never officially taken part in actual Kairos ministry functions. Such is the scope and meaning of this ministry and its labor of love inside the high security Allred Unit.
Here then is a quick tour of the basic elements of the Kairos-Allred ministry. For a list of all that goes into this grand mosaic effort to spread the good news of Jesus Christ to the Allred Unit inmates, please visit our Something for Everyone! page, while the list below will give you a brief overview of our ministry activity.
Kairos Weekend - Twice a year a diverse group of forty-two inmates is selected by the warden in consultation with the chaplain's office. These active and willing participants are then allowed to attend the weekend activities which begin on Thursday evening and conclude at a closing ceremony on Sunday afternoon. They willingly come for many different reasons - curiosity, conviction, cookies! - but they are treated for three days with Christian care and intellectual respect. Nothing is forced, nothing is contrived, nothing is manipulated. To accomplish this takes a true group effort and the team members, both those going inside the Unit as well as the outside support team, join together for several training sessions prior to the Weekend to prepare their hearts and minds, unified in Christ. Kairos Weekends are a straightforward presentation of the love of Jesus Christ for all men and a clear announcement of the salvation that is freely offered to all sinners. They offer music, food, fellowship, and the opportunity for all participants to reflect on their past and make meaningful changes for their future!
Kairos Instructional - Those weekend participants who accept the open invitation will gather the first Saturday after the weekend to be instructed in the basic format of the Prayer & Share services which are available weekly. These services include all previous Kairos Weekend attendees, including those who were weekend participants at other prison units.
Kairos Prayer & Share - These weekly services are truly the heart of Kairos. It is in the Prayer & Share gatherings that the inmates themselves will renew their understanding of Christ's salvation and grow their faith with one another's prayers and support. They will learn leadership and discipleship skills and how to function in faith as a part of the larger body of Christ. Kairos Reunion - These are the Prayer & Share gatherings on the third Saturday of the month which include the Kairos free world volunteers so they can attend the services to offer fellowship and encouragement to the ongoing ministry of all the Kairos participants inside Allred Unit.
Kairos Retreat - Twice a year the Kairos volunteers conduct one day retreats as "refresher courses" on the basics of living a life for Jesus Christ. Like retreats conducted in Christian churches everywhere, these seminars give the participants the chance to reflect on their progress, areas requiring improvement, and a deeper understanding of the Christian life experience.
STATEMENT OF FAITH
The people of Kairos are called by God to share the love of Christ with those impacted by incarceration. Kairos encourages believers from a variety of Christian traditions to be volunteers in this Christ-filled ministry. Kairos programs offer to prison residents, their families, and those who work with them, the opportunity to receive God’s forgiveness through faith in Jesus Christ, and to grow in their faith and servanthood in Christian community. We stand on the common ground of the following elements of faith: We in Kairos believe: The Bible is God’s authoritative and inspired word for our faith and our lives; In the Trinity of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit; in the deity, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ; friendship with God is a free gift, for God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son so that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. The love of Jesus Christ motivates His followers to provide food for the hungry, drink to the thirsty, welcome to the stranger, clothes for the naked, and visits to the sick and those in prison. We share the love and forgiveness of Jesus Christ with all incarcerated individuals, their families and to those who work with them inside and outside the correctional institution.