Mentorship is the most important job in Emmaus
Good Mentorship is vital to the integrity of Emmaus. Many communities take Mentorship for granted; they assume that everyone knows the how and why of Mentorship.
It is more than just “signing up people”. The quality of Mentorship influences the pilgrim, the health of the Emmaus Movement, and the church affected by the movement.
First, good Mentorship is your first act of agape before a Walk ever begins; the experience of the Walk for a pilgrim really starts with how we handle Mentorship.
Second, good Mentorship undergirds the whole weekend with sacrificial love on behalf of each pilgrim. Mentors use discernment in recruiting pilgrims, embody the personal commitment of the community to each pilgrim, and provide personal acts of agape during the three days for the pilgrims. These acts of agape include the Mentor’s personal preparations for the weekend, presence at Send off, Candlelight and Closing, follow-up after the weekend, and prayer during the entire process.
Third, good Mentorship is the foundation for a healthy, effective Emmaus movement that is fulfilling its true purpose – the development of Christian leaders and the renewal of the church in ministry. The strength of any Emmaus community is a direct result of its recruiting practices. If the community is committed to recruiting strong church leaders for the purpose of strengthening the local church, then the community will be a strong, vital force in the renewal movement. If, on the other hand, the Walk to Emmaus is looked upon as a hospital where every human ill can be cured, it will have a weakening effect on the entire community.
WHY DO WE Mentor?
The aim of a Mentor should not be to “get all my friends to go”, to fill up the weekend, to fix people’s problems, or to reproduce one’s own religious experience in others. Rather, the aim of the Mentor is to bring spiritual revitalization to Christians who, in turn, will bring new life and vision to the work of the church in the congregation, home, workplace, and community. The aim of Mentorship is to build up the Body of Christ.
WHOM DO WE Mentor?
One’s awareness of and commitment to the purpose of Emmaus influences who is Mentored and how they are Mentored. Emmaus is for active Christians and members of churches whose own renewal will mean new energy, commitment, and vision in the church and everyday environments for Christ’s sake. There are several qualities a prospective pilgrim should possess.
First, the person should already be on a pilgrimage, willing to grow and move forward in their journey of faith.
Second, the person should have a Christian passion. The pilgrim knows God can make and has made a difference in their life.
Third, the person isn’t so consumed by life’s circumstances that they are unable to give full attention to the message and experience of Emmaus.
Those Mentored could include the following:
- church leaders (pastors and laypersons) who will bring new vision, commitment, and understanding back to their congregations and who need the renewal and grace Emmaus channels;
- dependable church members who are the quiet backbone of the church;
- less active members who need their awareness of grace rekindled and their commitments renewed;
- Christians who are hungry for “something more” and who want to grow spiritually;
- Respected laypersons and clergypersons whose participation, support, and leadership will encourage others to attend the Walk and will build a sound, balanced leadership base for the movement in the community; and
- members of diverse congregations, denominations, and ethnic groups.
Emmaus is right for many people – but not for everyone. The religious background or emotional condition of some people may make Emmaus an improper discipleship tool for them. Others may be unsuitable for Mentorship because of the negative effect they might have on an Emmaus weekend or the divisive influence they might bring to the church. Mentorship requires sensitivity to these factors.
Some examples of questionable Mentorship are as follows:
- Non-Christians;
- Christians whose theology and/or practice is notably different or incompatible with the traditional theology and practice represented by The Walk to Emmaus;
- persons undergoing an emotional crisis (for example, family breakup, job loss, severe grief) or who are psychologically unstable;
- “church-hoppers” – those who always have an axe to grind against the church; persons who will use Emmaus as a tool to divide the body, to further their own theological agendas, or who will create an “Emmaus church”
- persons who are always looking for another spiritual high or another experience to help them “arrive”.
- persons who decide not to attend a Walk after being presented the opportunity. A potential Mentor need not feel like a failure if a prospect says no. Perhaps the timing is not right. Perhaps God will renew the person in another way. Remember, The Walk to Emmaus is not the way to renewal for every Christian.
Wise Mentorship is purposeful and prayerful; unwise Mentorship is haphazard and non-discerning. Wise Mentorship eventually will produce a balanced, theologically centered movement of the Holy Spirit.
Unwise Mentorship eventually will produce a harvest that becomes more of a burden than a blessing for the church.
WHAT SHOULD I TELL MY PILGRIM?
While a pilgrim may not know what questions to ask, you do not need to tell them everything that will occur during the three days. However, keep in mind there are no secrets! Saying to a pilgrim that you can’t tell them anything about the Walk potentially creates unnecessary suspicion and anxiety. And for clergy and staff leadership, this posture often builds a wall of division that results in an “us vs. them” mentality against the Emmaus community. There is no reason to shroud the event in secrecy. This practice has probably done more harm to the movement than people realize. You can share many things about Emmaus without revealing some of the unique and meaningful experiences. Here are some suggested items to cover with a pilgrim.
- There are fifteen presentations (five each day) dealing with subjects like setting priorities, serving God in everyday situations, how to be a disciple, and how to persevere in faith. Encourage note taking.
- There is time spent in discussing these presentations.
- Time is spent in the chapel meditating and praying.
- Communion is emphasized.
- There is plenty of good food and fellowship.
- Discuss sleeping and showering arrangements with your pilgrim. A list of suggested items to bring is included with the pilgrim’s assignment letter.
- Tell how each weekend is unique, but each person seems to find exactly what God wants that person to experience. Don’t try to prejudge what a person’s needs are or what someone will get out of the Walk to Emmaus. Simply tell your own story. There are no expected results other than experiencing God’s love.
WHO CAN Mentor?
Any persons who have participated in Emmaus can Mentor another person to Emmaus so long as they understand the aim and responsibilities of Mentorship and can fulfill them for the person they would Mentor. Persons who have participated in Chrysalis can also Mentor adults to Emmaus under the same conditions.
Mentors should not serve as team members on Walks with persons they are Mentoring. If you decide to serve on the team, you should find another person to serve as Mentor. Mentors must be able to fulfill the responsibilities of Mentorship as a priority over serving on the team. Combining the roles of team member and Mentor in one’s relationship with a pilgrim diminishes the value of both roles.
HOW DO WE Mentor?
- Pray for the person’s openness to God’s call to discipleship, not for how to get him or her to go on a Walk.
- Extend an invitation. Invite the person to attend for the sake of a more vital relationship with Jesus Christ, not just an event to go to. Share your faith; explain the basic elements of the Walk, its purpose, and follow-up dimensions, which help us live in grace for the rest of our lives. Take the attitude that you are offering the person a wonderful gift rather than that they need to go.
- Ask the person to make a commitment by filling out the registration form. All parts of the application must be completed and signed.
- Continue to pray for your prospective pilgrim. Once the pilgrim has been assigned to a Walk, begin your preparations and enlist the support of their pastor. Please make sure that all preparations for your pilgrim’s weekend are properly taken care of. Be sure you understand what forms of agape are appropriate for the weekend.
- Support the Walk through your participation in the 72-Hour Prayer Vigil and your presence at Sendoff, Candlelight and Closing. Support the pilgrim’s family by house-sitting, baby-sitting, feeding pets, watering plants, or just checking in with a spouse to see if any help is needed. For this reason it is best not to Mentor more than one pilgrim or couple at a time.
- Encourage the pilgrim in his or her Fourth Day involvement. Talk to them about their weekend experience. Help the pilgrim find or start a reunion group. Take the pilgrim to the first Gathering after their Walk. You could even offer to baby-sit so your pilgrim can attend a Candlelight.
- Help the pilgrim re-enter their church and consider ways to act out new commitment and enthusiasm.
- Inform the pilgrim about ways to serve the Emmaus community on future Walks, creating agape and writing letters to other pilgrims.
- Help the pilgrim understand how to Mentor others.
