Kairos Prison Ministry Collaboration

Be sure to understand our ordination requirements, expectations, and doctrinal alignment before applying for ordination with us.

We Support Kairos!

As an "Association of Churches" serving protestant, biblical, evangelical Christian believers, our ordained chaplains and pastors are recognized as "Clergy" to serve in Kairos. Often, this amazing ministry has difficulty finding enough recognized clergy to have an effective program.

We encourage our ordained members to serve Kairos, and we have more than 100 of them who do so! This is a blessing for us to support Kairos in this way.

Kairos Volunteers May Consider Becoming Ordained

If you meet the qualifications for ordination with our ministry and you feel called to ordination, feel free to start an application found below. This will begin a several month process of discernment to confirm God's call on your life to this type of ministry, verify shared beliefs, confirm collaboration with your church, and assess if our ministry is the right fit for you, and you would be a good fit for us. If you qualify, and the call is confirmed, we would love to add you to our team of ordained chaplains or pastors.

This is not a program sponsored or offered by Kairos in any way. Our collaboration with Kairos simply acknowledges our Chaplains as Clergy to serve on Kairos Weekends. It is the same for any church, denomination, or association of churches who may supply their clergy to serve Kairos. It's just that we are very proactive at serving Kairos because we love what you are doing! But ordination with us requires alignment, which is true of any ordaining body.

Are we a fit for your beliefs? Does your church agree with our Statement of Faith? Does your denomination (if there is one) align with our beliefs? If there are any published positions that conflict with our statement of faith, you should not apply for membership and ordination.

Chaplain Defined

A chaplain is a member of the clergy, a religious ministry professional in a legal sense. A Chaplain is ordained and licensed to work outside the church in a secular setting. There are similarities in the work a Chaplain and Pastor does, but Chaplains do not hold an office of authority within the church, as does a Pastor. Chaplains bring the sacred to the secular environment. Chaplains have authority to represent the church for such things as ritual, worship, ordinances, pastoral care, and weddings. Our chaplains are motivated first and foremost by the love of Christ and filled with a desire to serve those outside the church as the hands and feet of Jesus. Because we believe that Jesus is God the Son who came into the world to save sinners from death and permanent separation from God, we make Him the heart of our mission. We are "Ambassadors of Christ" and work to proclaim the love, forgiveness, reconciliation, and changed life that can only come to those who are won by Christ's love which we carry into the world in which we serve. We desire to share that truth with the people to whom we are sent. 

Becoming an ordained Chaplain is a big deal. It should not be taken lightly. You must be called to this by God and completely aligned with our beliefs.

How We Work

How do we do this? By loving people as they are, accepting them without judgment or condemnation. We do not force our faith upon them. We wait patiently for them to be drawn to Him through their friendship with us. We listen and love, we help and serve. We are interested in their stories and we ask seriously curious questions while listening to understand rather than to respond. We are keepers of "The Sacred Presence" to people who are hurting and in need.  

MANY BRANCHES OF CHAPLAIN MINISTRY

Our Logo features the Southern Live Oak Tree. Like the Live Oak, Chaplaincy has deep roots and many branches of opportunity to serve people with the love of Christ. At the core of our ministry, the root that gives us life is the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Our work is rooted in trusting Him to do what we cannot. Our Chaplains learn to serve together with a community of believers, like a family, on mission for Jesus to a particular people group.

Our Chaplains are dedicated, mature and growing believers who follow the call of God on their lives to reach out to people in need. The many branches of ministry performed by our Chaplains include, for example:

  • Community Chaplaincy
  • Recovery from addictions
  • Jail, prison, and those recently released or on parole
  • Disabled and special needs
  • Troubled teens
  • Sex trafficking victims
  • Hospital
  • Nursing home/assisted living
  • English as a second language
  • PTSD
  • Emergency, crisis, and critical incidents
  • Marriage and family care
  • Military and veterans
  • Police and fire
  • Urban ministry
  • Office and workplace environment
  • Motorcycle ministry
  • Hospice Care
  • Other

Ordained Chaplain of Christian Chaplains & Coaching

A Biblical, Evangelical, Protestant Christian

Our Chaplains are ordained clergy, a religious ministry professional. To qualify you must meet each of the following requirements. For vocational endorsement you must meet additional education and credential requirements depending on the position:

  • Must have a minimum of a High School Diploma or GED with reading and comprehension at a twelfth grade or higher, with a deep commitment to continue your learning through continuing education, certifications, and even higher education.
  • Must be a member in good standing of an Evangelical Biblical Protestant Christian Church. Your church must be doctrinally conservative, committed to scripture, and in full agreement with our Statement of Faith.
  • As an Association of Churches, your church must agree to associate with us as your sending church who agrees that we will provide your training, ordination, and endorsement as a Chaplain. This forms a sort of partnership between your church and our ministry.
  • If your church is part of a denomination, the stated beliefs of the denomination must be in agreement with our Statement of Faith. Candidates who are members of a church or denomination that has beliefs contrary to ours should not apply for ordination.
  • Must be recommended by your pastor.
  • Must be recommended by a personal reference who has known you at least 3 years.
  • Must submit to a background check.
  • Must agree completely with our Statement of Faith
  • Must agree with our Vision and Mission statements.
  • Must complete “The Basics of Chaplaincy” and "Christian Counseling for Grief" courses at The Chaplains Academy.
  • Must complete our ten step process which will include an initial interview with a member of our Ordination Council for approval to move forward. After all course work and assignments are completed, you will then have a final ordination interview. There is no guarantee you will be ordained.
  • If approved for ordination, must sign a chaplain agreement and adhere to our Code of Conduct and Ethics.
  • Must obtain 25 hours of continuing education from courses approved on our website. You must be serious about maintaining church membership, continuous learning, certifications, and ongoing education. We hope you will obtain 100 or more hours per year, with at least 25 coming from our approved sources.
  • Every year you will complete a renewal form to verify your church membership, continuing education, personal information, share your ministry accomplishments, and adherence to Code of Conduct. 

NOTE: If you are one of our Ordained Chaplains and wish to serve as Clergy with Kairos, an additional requirement is to complete the course "Christian Ministry to the Incarcerated." This is a certification course requested by Kairos for our chaplains if they wish to serve as Clergy. 


Application and Costs

For candidates wishing to be considered for ordination and to serve Kairos as clergy, the costs are as follows:

  • Start with the application with a non-refundable fee of $135.
  • If approved to continue to the course work you will take "The Basics of Chaplaincy" and "Christian Counseling for Grief" for $250 (A discount of $50).
  • If approved for ordination you will take the course "Prison and Jail Ministry" within 6 months to serve as clergy for Kairos for cost of $150.
  • Once ordained, you will pay prorated dues for the current year and annual dues thereafter of $130 per year.

Total cost: $535 (Plus prorated dues)

Total time: 3 to 6 months.

TO CONTINUE - START THE APPLICATION BELOW WHICH IDENTIFIES YOU AS KAIROS CLERGY CANDIDATE