The Transformational Journey: Walking toward Emmaus

As churches (and a presbytery) who seek to grow ever deeper into the mission dei, the mission of God, and who live in an evolving society that finds “no religious affiliation” and “done with church” (the nones and dones) as faster growing segments of the population that “mainline Christian,” we must ask ourselves what it looks like to walk the transformational journey toward the faithfulness, courage and compassion we are called to have for the sake of Jesus Christ. Put another way, what does it look like when, as a congregation (or presbytery), we’re just stuck in the same place? What kind of leadership is required to get unstuck?

Jesus’ walk to Emmaus with Cleopas and the other disciple is an excellent illustration of the kind of leadership required to get unstuck. Jesus takes six leadership actions that help Cleopas and his brother discover a new sense of God’s purpose:

1.      Jesus comes alongside. “As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them…” (Luke 24:15) Leadership is relational, connectional, a contact sport.

2.      Jesus asks questions. “He asked them, "What are you discussing together as you walk along?" (24:17) Leadership is inquisitive, interested in the insights, opinions and input of others.

3.      Jesus listens to their answers. “‘About Jesus of Nazareth,’ they replied. ‘He was a prophet… Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but him they did not see’" (24:19, 24). Leadership is open to others’ stories and experiences; leaders intuit implicitly that transformation begins from a particular time, place and circumstance.

4.      Jesus interprets what is happening. “’Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?’And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself” (24:26-7). Leadership frames our communal conversations, helping guide and direct them without controlling the outcome.

5.      Jesus lets the disciples determine their own future. “As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus acted as if he were going farther. But they urged him strongly, ‘Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.’So he went in to stay with them” (24:28-9). Leadership allows others the freedom to respond in compassion and courage, in faith, in hope and in love.

6.      Jesus reveals to the disciples their shared community. “When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him…” (24:30-31). Leadership cultivates community and caring, the sense that we are all in this together.

Cleopas and the other disciple returned to Jerusalem and ignited a revolution. Can we do the same after our encounters with Jesus? With God’s help, all things are possible. But before we seek to ignite transformation in our congregations (or presbytery), we might do a bit of self-reflection. As leaders, how would we rate ourselves? At which of these six actions are we most like Jesus and least like Jesus? How can we lean into our strengths? How can we invite and enlist those around us to help us minimize the damage we do because of our weaknesses?

Change is not a four-letter word,

Brad Munroe