Points & Attitudes to Remember During Sponsorship

1) Make sure that you sponsor pilgrims for the right reasons and at the right time. Sponsor only those people who are truly seeking to expand their own relationship with the living Lord, and to grow in their faith. Carefully pray for your pilgrim, asking God for guidance. Are you truly seeking to meet the needs of your prospective pilgrim, or are you seeking to meet your own needs. Are you trying to "fix" someone, or are you seeking to help them grow spiritually. Is this the right time in their life for them to go on an Emmaus Walk (God's time or your time)? Someone suffering from a serious physical or emotional problem will probably not be able to focus on the walk experience. They need a different kind of love, support, and healing before they will be ready for the Emmaus experience.

2) Make sure that you explain the structure and atmosphere of the Walk to your prospective pilgrim. Make sure that they know that the Walk is an intensive, highly structured, short course in Christianity, not a relaxing retreat designed for quiet meditation and study. Share with your pilgrims the sections "What Happens During the Three-Day Emmaus Experience", "What Should I Know Before Attending?", "What Kind of Experience Can I Expect to Have?", and "What Will Be Expected of Me?" from the booklet "What Is Emmaus".

3) Do not talk about what Emmaus has done for you. Talk about how God has touched you on your walk, or what God has shown you on your walk, or what new insight or strength God has given you through your Emmaus Walk. Always remember it is God we serve, not Emmaus.

4) No one else will have your walk experience; it is yours alone, between you and God. Your prospective pilgrim's walk will be uniquely their own, and will depend upon where they are in their own journey with Christ, and how well you have prepared them for what they might expect to receive.

5) Emmaus is not secretive. We do have surprises, but no secrets. Answer all questions from your prospective pilgrim honestly. Do not hide anything from them. Do not turn your prospect into a suspect. Treat the surprises as you would a Christmas or Birthday gift. If they ask, its OK to tell them that something's coming, but you shouldn't try to go into details beyond what is asked.

6) Emmaus is not a cult or clique, we are Christ-centered, not self-centered. Again remember that we seek to meet the needs of the prospective pilgrim and serve the Lord, not ourselves and not Emmaus. There is no church of Emmaus; Emmaus is not our god.
Through wise and effective sponsorship, you should seek to make the Emmaus experience an act of sacrificial love and service (a true act of agape) from beginning to end.