October 7, 2024
by Greg Henson, CEO and President, Kairos University
I recently had the opportunity to participate in two Kairos gatherings and a graduation ceremony hosted by Rhineland School of Theology. As a partner in the Kairos community, Rhineland serves students throughout Europe who are pursuing Kairos degrees.
We began with a Kairos gathering in Berlin, facilitated by Rainer Schacke, an affiliate faculty member of Kairos University. As an urban missiologist, Rainer has been joining God’s mission in Berlin for decades. It was a blessing to hear him describe various ministries throughout the city as we walked the streets. Two of those ministries involved Kairos students.
Rebecca, a Doctor of Ministry (DMin) student, works with NeuStart in Berlin, serving women trapped in prostitution through social work rooted in the good news of Jesus Christ. Hearing how she offers hope by meeting people where they are was inspiring.
Tobi, a Master of Arts (MA) student, works with Mosaik Church in Berlin. The group worshipped at their Sunday service and met with Tobi afterward to learn about his role in the church’s discipleship ministry. It was wonderful to hear how Tobi is integrating his studies with his ministry and personal discipleship journey.
When we weren’t witnessing God’s work throughout the city, we saw God’s presence in the DMin projects presented by the Kairos students at the gathering as well as during our daily reflection sessions.
After Berlin, we traveled to Wölmersen, a village near Cologne, Germany, where Rhineland School of Theology’s main office is located. There, we facilitated another Kairos gathering, met with faculty, and participated in a graduation ceremony. Like in Berlin, we heard about God’s work through the DMin projects presented by Kairos students as well as in our daily reflection sessions. I also led two sessions on the topic of faithful leadership.
The graduation ceremony was a remarkable time of celebration, worship, and commissioning the graduates into their next season of ministry. Heather Henson, Kairos affiliate faculty member and adjunct (pastoral ministries and preaching) addressed graduates as part of the celebration. It was a blessing to celebrate the Kairos grads, knowing that Rhineland played a vital role in their journey.
This brings me to an important note: the experience in Germany was a powerful example of kingdom-minded partnership. In an interview, Steffen Schulte, who leads Rhineland School of Theology, emphasized that the kingdom-oriented nature of our partnership is perhaps the most significant aspect of our relationship. I couldn’t agree more. God is doing amazing things in and through Rhineland. The faculty are passionate about walking with Kairos students through their discipleship journeys, and the students are deeply grateful for the opportunity to engage in an educational journey rooted in Christ and informed by their local ministries.
I was grateful for the chance to witness our partners in action. While the gatherings mirrored those we host in North America, they were also entirely unique. The language, context, areas of focus, and traditions shaping the conversations were different. As we have said for many years, standards of excellence are contextually defined, and the Spirit is working uniquely in different parts of the world. It was a beautiful reminder that the whole Body of Christ is needed to participate in God’s one mission.
The Kairos community is blessed to have Steffen and the entire team at Rhineland School of Theology. I’m thankful for the opportunity to witness God’s work in and through Rhineland as we, the Kairos community, continue to listen to and follow the Spirit’s leading.