Good sponsorship is vital to the integrity of Emmaus. Many communities take sponsorship for granted; they assume that everyone knows the how and why of sponsorship. Yet sponsorship is the most important job in Emmaus. It is more than just “signing up people”. The quality of sponsorship influences the pilgrim, the health of the Emmaus Movement, and the church affected by the movement.
First, good sponsorship 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 sponsorship.
Second, good sponsorship undergirds the whole weekend with sacrificial love on behalf of each pilgrim. Sponsors 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 prayer, agape letters, and presence at Send off, Candlelight and Closing, and follow-up.
Third, good sponsorship 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.
The aim of a sponsor 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 sponsor 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 sponsorship is to build up the Body of Christ.
One's awareness of, and commitment to, the purpose of Emmaus influences who is sponsored and how they are sponsored. 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 sponsored could include the following:
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 sponsorship because of the negative effect they might have on an Emmaus weekend or the divisive influence they might bring to the church. Sponsorship requires sensitivity to these factors.
Some examples of questionable sponsorship are as follows:
Wise sponsorship is purposeful and prayerful; unwise sponsorship is haphazard and undiscerning. Wise sponsorship eventually will produce a balanced, theologically centered movement of the Holy Spirit. Unwise sponsorship eventually will produce a harvest that becomes more of a burden than a blessing for the church.
Any persons who have participated in Emmaus can sponsor another person to Emmaus so long as they understand the aim and responsibilities of sponsorship and can fulfill them for the person they would sponsor. Persons who have participated in Chrysalis can also sponsor adults to Emmaus under the same conditions.
Sponsors should not serve as team members on Walks with persons they are sponsoring. If you decide to serve on the team, you should find another person to serve as sponsor. Sponsors must be able to fulfill the responsibilities of sponsorship as a priority over serving on the team. Combining the roles of team member and sponsor in one’s relationship with a pilgrim diminishes the value of both roles.
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 builds a wall of division resulting 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.
Here are some suggested items to cover with a pilgrim.
ALL parts of the application must be completed and signed. Applications should be mailed to the Registrar by the sponsor. All communications with the Registrar should be from the sponsor unless circumstances dictate otherwise. The Pilgrim’s Application and Sponsor’s Form can be found here.