The following is an interview with Wayne Stapleton, NAB’s VP of Emerging Leader Engagement and Cross-Cultural Engagement, and David Williams, President of Taylor Seminary and Kairos Executive Partner, as they discuss both the impact and value of the Year of Equipping. Kairos, one of the most important changes in theological education over the past 10 years, and Year of Equipping are, at times, thought to be incompatible when, in fact, the exact opposite is true. Here is what these two leading NAB voices have to say about how Kairos and Year of Equipping work together.
Gentlemen, thanks for this. I know how important the topic is and am grateful for the fact that you both invested time to paint a picture of the opportunity presented to those in the NAB.
Wayne, let’s start with you. The Year of Equipping originated with you. What is it, and why do we do it in NAB?
Wayne: I wanted to create an initiative that could specifically engage and develop our younger leaders. I believe as a conference that we should put effort into the training and equipping of younger leaders in an ever-changing ministry landscape. We owe it to the future of the church to engage with and encourage younger leaders, and our NAB International Office staff exists to support the local church in doing so. We have established great training around missional initiatives, so it was a great fit to flow from what the Missional Initiatives Team has been doing through Blue Ocean.
Another exciting benefit from Year of Equipping is the development of connections with other emerging leaders from around the US and Canada. I have been so encouraged as I watch each cohort develop authentic relationships with other brothers and sisters in NAB ministry. It is exciting and important for younger leaders in the NAB to experience community with each other.
David, one of the exciting things that has happened in the NAB during my time on staff is the Kairos program. Can you tell us a few things about Kairos and what makes it “work?”
David: Kairos is a missional approach to theological education that centers the educational journey on discipleship in and for the context of the student. We de-center the “institution” in order to center on what God is doing in the life of the student by building a mentor team around the student that stewards the educational journey to flourish in the context to which God has called them. By doing this, we can bring the resources of six educational institutions to support that journey in the way that adapts to how the student learns. We have also been able to reduce the cost of that educational journey dramatically.
Ok, so back to you, Wayne. Year of Equipping is more than just a cohort – it does have some rigorous theological content. Tell us about that.
Wayne: This is discipleship, and these are leaders. Our Year of Equipping conversations are grounded in the theological truths about who God is, how he is working in the world, and the ways we can join him. Therefore, we engage Scripture. Every time we gather, we begin with the Word of God, to settle us and instruct us. We read a book written by a respected theologian for each of the three modules, as well as articles. We discuss together everything we read. Our missional-formational movement is about a renewed theological vision of who God is and what he is up to in and around us so we can ever-more faithfully join him and develop others who can join him as well. We seek to help the emerging leaders discover a God who is at work in their midst, discern how he wants to engage them in his mission, and dive in.
David, how might participation in Year of Equipping work for someone who is currently in Kairos?
David: Because Kairos is focused on the life of the student, anything the student does can be folded into their journey. In particular, in Year of Equipping we focus on a number of things that are directly applicable to the outcomes we want to see formed in our students, such as faithful biblical exegesis, theology, Christian ethics, and leadership. That means everything we do in Year of Equipping can be directly tied to what one needs in their educational journey.
Wayne, back to you. What recommendation might you have to young leaders who are seeking to be equipped to join God on mission in the NAB?
Wayne: My recommendation is to take advantage of what we offer as a conference of churches. There are wonderful people, a depth of backgrounds and perspectives, and important resources that provide excellent equipping. I love the fact that Year of Equipping exposes our younger leaders to NAB resources and colleagues that can truly expand the horizon of perspectives on ministry. Reach out to your pastor about participation in Year of Equipping, and check in with your Regional Minister.
Well said, Wayne. We do have loads of resources. David, two of the resources are Year of Equipping and Kairos, but what if they wanted to do both? How would they go about it?
David: Someone could start their pursuit of a degree prior to, after, or even during their Year of Equipping experience. All they need to do is become a Kairos student, and we can work with them and their mentor team to integrate the things that happen in Year of Equipping into their educational journey.
I think the picture is becoming clear. Let’s end with this final question to you both – David, Wayne, what have been the highlights of Year of Equipping for you so far? What one thing do you want people to see as they look at Kairos or Year of Equipping?
Wayne: I have loved to get to know some amazing younger leaders who love Jesus and are passionate about serving him. Our conversations have been lively, and the learning has gone both ways; I have learned from our Year of Equipping cohort participants as well.
David: For me, the highlight of Year of Equipping and Kairos is to watch for how God is working in and through the folks who participate, to watch for faithful living in our changing context. The Spirit is at work in amazing ways, and we get to come alongside that work in both Year of Equipping and Kairos. Following the Spirit is hard and requires courage because change is hard and we usually resist it as much as possible, but God is at work in making all things new, and nothing is more life-giving than taking part in that.
Thank you both. Let’s continue to pray that many more younger leaders get the chance to participate in both Year of Equipping and Kairos.