Kairos History

The original Kairos Founders, lovingly known as the “Nine Old Men”, developed an appropriate prison version of the 4th Day program. The Kairos program was inspired by a Cursillo Weekend held in an Iowa correctional institution. In 1976 the first 3½‐day Weekend was held, and in 1979, the name “Kairos” was adopted and the ministry became an independent, non‐profit, Christian organization based on the Cursillo movement.  “Kairos” is a New Testament Greek term that means “God’s Special Time” often expressed in scripture as “in the fullness of time”.

As a ministry, Kairos embraces a diverse group of volunteers working together to fulfill Christ's call to action in Matthew 25:36. Kairos is a ministry of the church ... a ministry of the apostles whom Jesus, the Christ, has called into community and sent forth into the environment of the correctional institution. Kairos has been called the best example of the early church in existence today.

The Kairos program incorporates curriculum designed to build and encourage pro-social character and behavior. Society spends over $60 billion/yr. to keep 2.3 million inmates incarcerated, whereas the Kairos program is offered at no cost to State and Federal Institutions. It's been said that "it cost the government $1 million to keep "me" locked but a privately funded program from Kairos set "me" free".

Memorial Kairos is part of Kairos Prison Ministry International (KPMI), a 501(C)(3) not-for-profit corporation chartered in the State of Florida.

Kairos Prison Ministry International (KPMI) is active in nine international countries – Australia, Canada, Peru, Costa Rica, Honduras, Nicaragua, Dominican Republic, South Africa, the United Kingdom, and 37 states within the U.S. Each year, approximately 25,000 men, women, and youth are introduced to a Kairos program through roughly 30,000 active volunteers.