Centuries ago, the people of Israel were let loose into the promised land. Like a pack of school kids when the bell rang, the doors flung open, and the crowd rushed outside screaming, yelling, and cheering.
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Alice Cooper sang it so well, “School’s out for summer! School’s out forever.”

Imagine the teachers, principals, and coaches yelling to the crowd saying, “Behave this summer, we will see you next year.”

In Judges 4-5 a wonderful story is interjected into the history of the school children on a Canaanite playground, monitored by a loving God. Throughout this book Yahweh raises up leaders, known as judges who “save” their people from oppression and maintain peace on the schoolyard. Yet in the midst of these stories two women Deborah (a judge) and Jael (a housewife) deliver the nation from a bully. Deborah, also a poet, shared a song about life on the playground.

5:2 “When leaders let loose in Israel and people willingly offer themselves, Yahweh is blessed by them…”

5:9 “My heart is with Israel’s leaders and with the people who willingly offer themselves, Yahweh is blessed by them…”

Notice the difference in these translations from our English Bibles.

In 5:2 the Hebrew word for leaders is similar to Pharaoh, rather than “princes.” Israel had no king, no royalty, and no princes at this time. No institution of authority but God. The word occurred twice, once as an intensive verb. It means to lead and to let loose (one’s hair figuratively, probably for battle or work). Deborah sang that Israel had leaders who “let loose” against the enemy. In 5:9 the word for “leaders” refers to “those who write decrees,” or “those who make rules.” The Hebrew word meant to cut or to write rules. Deborah indicated that the nation was saved when the leaders, the influential people, and the  lawmakers led their people.
 
Another common phrase mentions the people who “willingly offer themselves” in service. This Hebrew word was used when the people freely gave to build the temple. For Deborah when leaders lead…people join, people serve, and people give themselves in support. As I mentioned in Colombia, we live in a time of “leadership crisis.” People will not support bad leaders.

Deborah’s song of victory honored the people who rose up to do what was right, and those who supported them.

Finally, while our versions may use “Praise Yahweh” (Jud 5:2, 9), the Hebrew word is an intensive form of “to bless” and is “imperative,” or a command. These texts tell us that when leaders are let loose, people follow, and they bless God. To put it another way, God is blessed when leaders lead and people support them.

The challenge today involves leaders, as it always has. The questions are not:

• What will people do next?
• What will happen with our country?
• How will we move forward as a nation?
• Will people feel safe gathering?
• Will people join us?
• Will injustice continue?
• How will we win people back who have left the church/Christianity?
• How will people come to know Jesus?

The questions are:

• Who is willing to lead?
• When will we as leaders “let loose”?
• How will we bless God today?
• Am I willing to let loose and plant a church to bless God?

The text teaches us that when good leaders lead, people follow and ultimately, God is blessed.
Christian leaders…what are you willing to do to lead this nation, our communities, and our churches forward?

This is how we bless God.

​Some of you live in states that, beginning this week, are slowly opening businesses, including church gatherings. While there is much work to be done to guarantee the health and safety of congregants, this also offers us a chance to teach.

Living in Oregon, I wrestle with watching the rest of our country open. While hearing that we will not be ready until June, and some suggest September, I become frustrated. I have already been notified that some of our non-profits and small businesses will close due to the lack of hope for this fall. Yes, I feel we are being “held back from the rest of the country,” however I acknowledge that we need to continue to be a state that has one of the lowest infection rates and death tolls in the US.

I admit…I go through bouts of frustration mixed with realizing it is not about “me.”

It is clear that many of us are frustrated by those in our communities who seem to be insensitive to the health of others, as well as the potential damages that unemployment, poverty, and paying rent and utilities with no income will have on others. We are truly in a quandary…but isn’t that where the church has always been called to minister?

Some of you have shared your concerns with the “insensitivity” of a few people concerning Covid-19, conspiracy theories, and “fake news.” I feel this same way when I wear a mask in the store and witness people who are not, or who blatantly violate personal space, suggest that masks are ridiculous, or make it difficult for employees to do their jobs while staying safe and healthy themselves.

Even more—we are frustrated when we see or hear this behavior from Christians.

However, we have a great opportunity upon re-opening our congregations to address this. We have the chance to teach, encourage our people to reflect on core Christian principles, and prepare for a Spring Surge beginning with Pentecost (the end of May). The Gospel can once again explode throughout the world with more than proclamation and church attendance.

• Already we have seen the value of digital worship. Many of us are planning to use it alongside our in-person worship services and classes this Fall.
• Research has indicated that many churches experience an increased online attendance during the Covid-19 pandemic.
• In our Monday Zoom sessions many of you are sharing unique and creative ways to do ministry, worship, and outreach. We are excited to hearing more of your ideas as we move forward this summer and fall.
• You are having more discussions to continue using digital worship as you reopen.
• We realize even more than we did before, that church is more than gathering on Sunday mornings. Christianity is world view, a way of life, and practice.

In other words, we want our people to be authentic Christians, even more than we were before. In my younger days the goal was to be “transparent.” We realize that this word did not capture who Jesus called us to be.

• Transparency just meant that people saw who we were, sin and all. You can see when someone’s yard has weeds, junk, and dead sod. No one is impressed with a dirty lawn. Transparency just means you see my dirty yard, but Christianity involves transformation. Allowing you see the sin in my life doesn’t help anyone transform their lives.
• Being Real just meant I was honest with you about my faults. However, Christianity is not about being real—God is real. Christianity is about transformation. Being real only helps people if we are authentically real.
• Authenticity is about being who I am supposed to be. It is truth. Christians are to be who Jesus called us to be. We should live like we ought to live.

Paul offers this core value of authenticity in his letter to the Corinthian Christians. They were a church that struggled to be authentic in a world that was fake, an illusion, and that encouraged people to compete and defeat others to move up the social scale. In 1 Corinthians 8-10 Paul took on a concern that was not only a problem at Corinth, but one that was common in most of the churches he led. In The Better Way: The Church of Agape in Emerging Corinth I make the case that one of the members of the church, Erastus, may have been a wealthy individual who had to host fundraising dinners to support the Isthmian Games that were held at Corinth.

The presence of meat markets, some supplying temples, would have presented a problem to the Jewish Christians. Idolatry had been a problematic event in Jewish history and hosting these dinners with meat offered to idols would have caused the Jewish members to feel uncomfortable, especially if one of their wealthy members was hosting a meal.

Paul explained that, while idols were nothing to the Christians, they were something to those who come from a culture where fleeing idolatry was the normal practice. As you read this section notice how Paul describes the issue:

1. There is knowledge and knowing what we should know (8:1-4). Knowledge with love is the goal of Christianity.
2. Knowledge, personal rights, personal choice and freedom, and lack of concern for others take a back seat to the welfare of other people (in the church and outside the church).
3. Sacrificing for others is a core Christian value (1 Cor 10:31-11:1; Romans 14; Galatians 6:1-10; Philippians 2; 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12).
4. Paul modeled this behavior…and he called us to the same behavior (1 Cor 11:1)

What does this mean for the churches where you minister? How can we encourage our people to model this Core Value of Authentic Christianity? How can we exclaim as Paul claimed…”Be imitators of me…?”

Visit this link to view the planter discussion on ideas to encourage Authentic Christianity in your community.

God bless you this season.
Ron Clark 
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The Feast of Weeks was a Jewish holiday celebrated 7 weeks after Passover. Later this became known as Pentecost (the 50th day after Passover). This was the day that Jesus asked his disciples to wait for the promise of the Father. Jesus prepared his disciples for this day by spending 40 days with them. Jesus prepared them by breathing the Spirit upon them (John 20:21-23), helping them understand the Jewish Bible (Luke 24:44-49), and hanging out with them (Acts 1:2-6). The resurrection happened with or with out the Apostles. Pentecost, however, was a prepared event.
 
Pentecost 2020 will occur at the end of May. Not only would this have been the time that the Spirit of Jesus was poured out on the Apostles, it is the time that many predict Americans will be given permission to return to work (on a small scale). Small groups will begin to gather, people will slowly connect, and businesses will try to recover.

 
In the Hebrew Bible God claimed that pouring out the Spirit brought healing, life, and hope to a nation struggling in Babylonian/Persian captivity. A people who were also quarantined, were slowly released to rebuild their city, their faith, and their lives. Seventy years of exile had ended, but the faith would not be the same.
 
The Jewish nation also felt a different captivity. While this captivity was not geographical, it was social. With Caesar claiming to be Lord and all Jewish currency retaining his image, the people of God once again felt isolated, trapped, and spiritually captive. Yet Jesus came to free these social exiles. On the day of Pentecost the Spirit was once again poured out to show that God welcomes captives and provides relationship, hope, and healing to those under a burden of fear.
 
What will happen when we emerge this summer? Will the surge focus on businesses, reviving our economy, money, or will it be a time to connect with Jesus?
 
Join us Monday, April 20, 10am PST as we discuss the Restoration of Pentecost. We want to hear what you are doing, and learn what Jesus is doing in all of us to prepare for June.

One of the disadvantages of waiting until March 1 to be fully on board with Kairos is that it puts me behind in preparations for Easter Sunday. As you may know, this is one of the largest attendance days for any church. Some churches use this to an advantage and try to connect with new people, those seeking to return to Jesus, and others who may desire a relationship with God. After preaching for established churches for 20 years, I did not notice how well this day could bless a congregation until we planted Agape Church of Christ. Easter took on a different dimension as we planned, strategized, prepared, and invited as many people to 
church as we could during the Spring. Easter also provided a powerful boost to “snapping out of the February Funk” that we so often experienced.

Last year we followed the Spring Surge program with Kairos and saw an increase in our attendance along with two baptisms. While we were not prepared enough to offer Spring Surge again this year, I would like to encourage you to develop your own Easter plan. I will also point you  to free or low cost resources for you and your congregation. Three simple steps can help you plan to make Easter a convenient way to reach new people for Jesus while energizing members to break out of their comfort zones and invite others.

Decide that Easter Sunday will be a special focus Sunday. Whether your group will meet on Easter Sunday in one location, or you are moving to small groups due to the Covid-19 Virus regulations, you can decide that Easter Sunday will be a special day of worship. Easter is a time that people think about the resurrection, so remind people to be aware of this.

Develop a plan to connect with people who attend. Try something creative: prepare a lesson that addresses resurrection themes, encourage the group to share how God is putting people in their lives in preparation for Easter. You will find resources for your Social Media, Website, and
Worship program through these website/online companies.
 Proclaim and Faithlife
 Dan Stevers
 Outreach and Prochurchmedia.com
 Do you know of others?

Dedicate extra time to not only recognize your guests, but follow up with them. Give them a gift
for coming. Get them to fill out an information card and encourage them to follow the ministry. I know that we have heard individuals suggest that guests don’t want to be bothered, or that people flee churches that encourage members to be friendly. I am sure these people exist. However, after 13 years as a church planter and 35 years in ministry I can tell countless stories of people who came to church high, hungover, hurting, feeling alone, and needing hope who have testified later that someone in our church greeted them, sat by them, or even talked extensively with them—and that changed their life. Let God’s people encourage your guests—that is their ministry!

Bruce Bates, our lab leader, reflected on the week with these words: "It's inspiring what we do. Lifting up leaders, letting God build their platform and then letting them fly. Sometimes we truly have the best job in the world."

The work of discovery is both invigorating and exhausting. Interviews and observations are interspersed with personal stories and worship. Nights are short and days are long. Above, one of our candidate couples leads us in a time of praise.

By Joe Carr

A couple of days before the new year, I got a call from a local ministry friend. He told me that a minister he knows in California had met a young man in need of help. The young man (we'll call him, "Seth") had grown up in New Hampshire but had been living on the street after losing his job and all of his money due to his addictions. Seth had recently had something of a mystical experience where he felt as if he was suddenly awakened by someone while sleeping alone in an abandoned warehouse. This experience also seemed to awaken a desire in him for getting sober and putting his life back together. And so Seth went searching for help, and that is when he ran into this man that knows my friend. It was Christmas day. He and this minister met over lunch at Burger King. After hearing his story, this man offered to buy Seth a plane ticket home if he thought there would be someone there to see him get the help he needed. 

 Purposeful apprenticeships are one of the best ways to raise up new leaders for the future of the church. But having an apprentice at your church as a go-fer or a warm body can lead quickly to boredom, frustration, and stagnation. Below are some ideas to help engage apprentices in your church's work and prepare them for ministry beyond their time with you.

1. Appoint a Director
The adage "If it's everybody's responsibility, it's nobody's responsibility" is certainly true for apprentices. You can't assume that an apprentice will find his or her own way around and will figure out how to spend time. Having an intern with no director can easily lead to one of two extremes: someone who ends up sitting around with nothing to do or a someone who ends up inundated with all the tasks no one else wants to do. One extreme leads to stagnation and the other leads to resentment and burnout.

In order to make the apprenticeship a positive experience for everyone, your apprentice should have a director or supervisor. The director should establish expectations and schedule regular meeting times. Consider setting up a weekly one hour meeting just before or after your regular staff meetings to go over the past week and set goals for the coming one.

2. Expose Your Apprentice to a Variety of Ministries
Your apprentice should be exposed to as many ministries as possible. This might take the form of a weekly rotation (Mondays in the preschool, Tuesday at Alpha, etc.) or could be set on the calendar according to the church's cycle of busy seasons. The children's minister will need help planning VBS. The youth group can always use a chaperone on summer mission trips. And there's always room for someone to take responsibility during busy holiday seasons like Christmas and Easter.

3. Assign Your Apprentice Quality Reading Material
There are so many great books on developing leadership. We highly recommend "Strengthening the Soul of Your Leadership" by Ruth Haley Barton. A couple other books to consider are "The Hero Maker" by Dave Ferguson (this one is for the director, too!) and "Evangelism as Exiles" by Elliot Clark on sharing faith in a culture that no longer welcomes Jesus.

4. Give Your Apprentice Opportunities To Meet Your Congregation
The first chunk of time can be spent getting to know your church and its culture. Get your apprentice a stack of index cards to write down the names of the people they meet, what their life situation is, and any other snippets of personal story each person offers. Have them visit your various Bible classes, small groups, and other regular activities to get an overview of what your church is about and who your people are.

5. Ramp Up the Responsibility
Your apprentice might start out just getting to know people, but as time goes on, responsibilities should increase. Move your apprentice from basic faith conversations to leading classes or groups. Not sure how to do that? Consider working through the Emerging Leadership Training Course on Sharing Faith. It gives regular assignments that will increase your apprentice's involvement and level of responsibility.

6. Teach Your Apprentice How to Have Spiritual Conversations
One of the skills covered in the Sharing Faith ELT is how to have 3 question conversations that move you from asking polite questions to interest questions to caring questions. Give your apprentice opportunities to speak with strangers and move them from small talk to real talk. During your weekly debrief, ask about these conversations. What went right? What went wrong? What will he do differently next time?

7. Expect Your Apprentice to Establish Regular Spiritual Rhythms
Of course, you can't expect to form a new habit in someone you're training if you don't practice it yourself.  Encourage your apprentice to establish a daily office of prayer and study, weekly rhythms of prayer, and regularly scheduled chunks of time spent in silence, stillness, and solitude.

8. Help Your Apprentice Figure Out "What's Next"
​As you get to know your apprentice, you'll start to see giftings, strengths, and weaknesses. Pay attention to these and encourage him or her to seek out the next step that will play to their strengths, but also have room for growth in areas of weakness or inexperience.

Last year was a busy year in the Kairos network--but what year isn't? A new church born, another closed. Planters assessed. Apprentices trained. A new staff member. And more forward movement for the future of God's kingdom across America.

​We hope you enjoy the slideshow that gives a quick visual of what Kairos Church Planting is all about.

​A disturbing prospect looms before us as the fact of our decline of Churches of Christ (CoC) has moved from unbelievable to undeniable. The question we must answer is no longer, “How are we doing;” our question is now, “What shall we do about it?”

I've written articles for The Great Commission Journal and in collaboration with Tim Woodroof addressing the urgent need to plan for the future of Churches of Christ before it's too late. In my most recent article at wineskins.org, I offer 3 of the biggest challenges facing the Churches of Christ and 3 strategies to meet those challenges.

If God has invested heavily in this branch of the tree of Christianity, can't we do the same?

In the olden days of a decade or more ago, the internet was the Wild, Wild West. Everyone “needed” a website, but didn’t know what to put on it. So, they included everything. At Kairos, we over cluttered our website with the best of them. But web audiences have changed and tastes have become more refined. If you want your church website to work for you, here are a few tips for clean and effective design.

Color
Your Website should have, at most, 3 colors—one primary, one secondary, and one for accent or Pop! If you don’t know how to find a trio of colors that matches, coolors.co can help you pick out a great, contemporary color palette.

Fonts
Fonts, like colors, can work for you or against you. Limit yourself to three fonts. More than that is just too visually confusing. Just like with colors, there is a great website to help you out. FontPair.co has all the latest fonts already paired up for you to use.

Platform
Running a website can be super complicated, where you hire a designer or a developer and any time you want to make changes, you have to run them through that person. If I may be so bold, just stop it! We want to be 21st -century churches, so let’s use 21st -century technology. Two companies that I think are great for a church are SquareSpace and Wix. Both of these companies provide hosting and have great looking templates for your site. They are basically a one stop shop and are very reasonable prices. If you just really want more flexibility you can use Wordpress.
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You can get go a lot more in depth on website design, logo design, and choosing a theme or template, but these basics will get you started. Use your website as a way to delegate and develop leaders. And use it to give potential guests a first glance of what visiting church might look like.