Our Name

Our church name, "Emmaus Road" is taken from a passage in Luke 24:13-35. The third day after Jesus had been crucified, two men were leaving the city of the crucifixion to go to a small village named Emmaus. While the two men were journeying on the road to Emmaus, they discussed all of the events surrounding Jesus' death. Providentially, another traveler joined them who, unbeknownst to them, was the resurrected Jesus. The two men spoke with the new traveler about what had happened in Jerusalem and of their discouragement because they had hoped Jesus would reign as a King over Israel.


Jesus responded to the men and corrected their perception of what scripture said the Messiah was and is to be. The men, intrigued by what Jesus was saying, asked him to join them for dinner. It was around the table as Jesus broke the bread and gave them wine that their eyes were opened to see the resurrected Christ. After Jesus had left, these two men commented about how their ’hearts burned’ when being around him and hearing him talk through the scripture. Immediately, they got up and left for Jerusalem to be around the disciples and together they exclaimed “It is True” — Christ had indeed risen from the dead.

The narrative of the Emmaus Road echoes the experience of many of us who live in the Fox Cites. Like us, the two men on their journey are familiar with stories of Jesus’ life, death, and even rumors of his resurrection. However, we too have preconceived notions of what Jesus should do and be: someone who grants wishes, stays neatly compartmentalized to Sunday mornings, gives us what we want, gives us morals, etc. Plus, when things are discouraging, life doesn’t go our way, or other activities take our time, we muddle the story of Jesus and lose sight of Him being King of this World. Like the men on this road, we are quick to forget who Jesus is and what impact he is to have upon our life, our community, and our world. 


The name "Emmaus Road"is fitting for our church because we desire to be like Jesus on this road: we are a church that goes to the scriptures, walks with people in their questions, and breaks bread together. As sinners saved by grace, we admit we are like these two men; we easily forget and fail to believe that Jesus is our salvation and hope. Nevertheless, Jesus walks with us, reveals himself in the Scripture, and through the bread and wine shows forth his sacrifice for us. When we encounter this grace we exclaim “It is True”, and we go out to love a broken world. Join us on this road of Grace. At Emmaus Road Church we are a people reconciled by grace and by grace reconciling what is broken.