1. The Walk to Emmaus

2. Luke 24:13-35 First Easter afternoon
Risen Christ appeared to two disciples on road from Jerusalem to Emmaus
Prevented from seeing God's redemptive purpose
Recognized Jesus when he "took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them"
What is the meaning behind the name "Walk to Emmaus?"The Walk to Emmaus® gets its name from the story in Luke 24:13-35, which provides the central image for the three-day experience and follow-up. Luke tells the story of that first Easter afternoon when the risen Christ appeared to the two disciples who were walking together along the road from Jerusalem to Emmaus. Like Christians and churches who are blinded by preoccupation with their own immediate difficulties, these two disciples' sadness and hopelessness seemed to prevent them from seeing God's redemptive purpose in things that had happened.
And yet, the risen Christ "came near and went with them," opening the disciples' eyes to his presence and lighting the fire of God's love in their hearts. As they walked to Emmaus, Jesus explained to them the meaning of all the scriptures concerning himself. When they arrived in Emmaus, Jesus "took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them," and their eyes were opened. They recognized him as Jesus, the risen Lord, and they remembered how their hearts had burned within them as they talked with him on the road. Within the hour, the two disciples left Emmaus and returned immediately to their friends in Jerusalem. As they told stories about their encounters with the risen Lord, Jesus visited them again with a fresh awareness of his living presence.
However, the story of Jesus' resurrection does not conclude with the disciples' personal spiritual experiences. Jesus ascended to the Father, and the disciples became the body of the risen Christ through the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. The disciples were sent forth by the Spirit to bear witness to the good news of God in Jesus Christ. They learned to walk in the spirit of Jesus, to proclaim the gospel to a disbelieving world, and to persevere in grace through spiritual companionship with one another.
The Walk to Emmaus offers today's disciples a parallel opportunity to rediscover Christ's presence in their lives, to gain fresh understanding of God's transforming grace, and to form friendships that foster faith and support spiritual maturity. While Emmaus provides a pathway to the mountaintop of God's love, it also supports pilgrims' return to the world in the power of the Spirit to share the love they have received with a hurtful and hurting world.            
—from What Is Emmaus? Copyright The Upper Room.  

3. What is Emmaus? Spiritual renewal program
Develop Christian disciples
Strengthen the local church
Meet Jesus Christ in a new way
72-hour short course in Christianity
Thursday evening through Sunday evening
Ongoing accountability groups
What is the Walk to Emmaus?
The walk to Emmaus is an experience of Christian spiritual renewal and formation
It is an opportunity to meet Jesus Christ in a new way as God’s grace and love is revealed to you through other believers.
The walk begins with a three-day short course in Christianity, an experience of New Testament Christianity as a lifestyle.
Following the three-day experience, participants are joined in small groups to support each other in their ongoing walk with Christ.
 Through the formational process of accountable discipleship in small groups and participation in the Emmaus community, each participant’s individual gifts and servant-leadership skills are developed for use in the local church and its mission.  Participants are encouraged to find ways to live out their individual call to discipleship in their home, church, and community. 

4. Objectives Inspire, challenge, equip Christian action
Grace-filled lives to be lived and shared with others
The objectives of Emmaus are to inspire, challenge, and equip local church members for Christian action in their homes, churches, communities and places of work.  Emmaus lifts up a way for our grace-filled lives to be lived and shared with others.

5. Who should go to Emmaus? Christians who:
Have a desire to strengthen their spiritual lives
May have unanswered questions about their faith
Understand that being a Christian involves responsibility
Are willing to dedicate their everyday lives to God
Who should go to Emmaus?
Emmaus is open to members of any Christian denomination.
Emmaus is for the development of Christian disciples and leaders who:
Are members of a local church
Have a desire to strengthen their spiritual lives
May have unanswered questions about their faith
Understand that being a Christian involves responsibility
Are willing to dedicate their everyday lives to God in an ongoing manner

6. Format Worshipful yet fun atmosphere
Fifteen talks by lay and clergy speakers
God's grace, disciplines of Christian discipleship, what it means to be the church
Daily Holy Communion
What happens on the Emmaus Weekend?
You will enjoy three days of singing, learning, laughing, worshiping, reflecting, praying and participating in small groups. 
Discussions center around fifteen talks given by laity and clergy.  These talks present the theme of God’s grace, how that grace comes alive in the Christian community and how it is expressed in the world. 
You will have the opportunity to participate in the daily celebration of Holy Communion and to understand more fully the body of Christ. 

7. Learn and experience Live and share grace
Experience prayers and service
Experience Christian love
During the weekend:
You’ll also discover how grace is real in your life, how you live a life of grace, and how you bring that grace to others. 
You will experience God’s grace through the prayers and acts of anonymous service offered by the Emmaus community. 
You will leave with an experience of Christian love in action that will equip you for new levels of grace-filled service and leadership.

8. Requirements Sponsor Application Willing heart
Fee (scholarships available)
Willing heart
Set aside distractions
Live in community
Give up control
The Walk to Emmaus experience begins with the prayerful discernment and invitation from a sponsor. 
If you are interested in attending and need a sponsor, please let me know.
Complete and return an application.  There is a fee for the weekend, but some scholarships are available for those who need them.
The Emmaus leaders prayerfully consider each applicant and in God’s time, the person is invited to attend a three-day experience of New Testament Christianity as a lifestyle.
To make the most of your Emmaus experience and the experience of others attending with you, you must be able to:
Set aside distractions for the weekend. Be willing to give up your cell phone and not talk to family members during the weekend.
Live in community with other Christians. You will be assigned to a table group and will have discussions with them throughout the weekend. You will eat with the community and will share sleeping quarters with one or more other attendees. You will have some breaks where you can have some solitude if needed.
Give up your need to be in control. Relax and don’t worry about what time it is or what is happening next. Allow the weekend leaders to guide you through the activities of the weekend.

9. After the Walk “Fourth Days”
Small groups support each other in ongoing walk with Christ
Individual gifts and servant-leadership skills developed for use in local church and its mission
Live out individual call to discipleship in home, church, community
What Happens After the Emmaus Weekend?
You are invited to have a closer walk with Christ for the rest of your life; this is called the Fourth Day. 
Those who attend a Walk to Emmaus are encouraged to:
Expand their own spiritual lives through worship, study and active participation in their local church,  Through the formational process of accountable discipleship in small groups and participation in the Emmaus community, each participant’s individual gifts and servant-leadership skills are developed for use in the local church and its mission.
Become more active disciples of Christ in service to the world.   Participants are encouraged to find ways to live out their individual call to discipleship in their home, church, and community. 

10. My Emmaus experience
Speaker shares about their own Emmaus experience and the impact it has had in their life.

11. Questions or more information
Contact:
Local church Emmaus contact
Provide the names of contacts at the local church.
More information and upcoming walk schedules can also be found on the Dallas Emmaus web site.