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Frequently Asked Questions

Emmaus Ministries exists because God’s grace transforms lives—and people need accessible ways to encounter that grace in authentic Christian community. Thank you for being part of this ongoing journey.

What is Emmaus?

Emmaus Ministries creates transformative environments of grace-filled Christian community where people encounter God, deepen their faith, and are equipped to live lives of love and service in the world.

Emmaus is rooted in:

  • grace,
  • spiritual companionship,
  • shared practices,
  • servant leadership,
  • and ongoing discipleship lived in everyday life.

While many people first experience Emmaus through a Walk, Emmaus is ultimately an ongoing pathway of spiritual formation and community.

Read What is Emmaus? by Stephen D. Bryant to learn more.

Why are some systems and processes changing?

Emmaus Ministries is currently engaged in a season of prayerful renewal and discernment.
This work includes:

  • strengthening local leadership
  • improving accessibility
  • simplifying administrative systems
  • expanding opportunities for spiritual formation
  • and updating Ministry Manager to be more user-friendly.

As we move through this transition, some processes and systems may continue to evolve. We appreciate your patience, flexibility, and partnership as we build a more sustainable and accessible future for Emmaus Ministries worldwide.

What is the structure and organization of Emmaus Ministries?

The Emmaus family of ministries is grounded theologically and institutionally in The Upper Room, a ministry unit of Discipleship Ministries of The United Methodist Church.

The Upper Room, including the Emmaus family of ministries, is ecumenical. Emmaus programs invite and involve the participation of Christians of many denominations. Emmaus is ecumenical not only because members of many denominations participate, but because Emmaus seeks to foster Christian unity and to reinforce the whole Christian community. This is one of the great strengths and joys of the Emmaus movement.

The fact that Emmaus is ecumenical does not mean it is theologically indifferent. On the contrary, The Walk to Emmaus is designed to communicate with confidence and depth the essentials of the Christian life, while accentuating those features that Christians have traditionally held in common.

The Upper Room Walk to Emmaus is a tightly designed event that is conducted with discipline according to a manual that is universally standard. Emmaus is offered only with the permission and under the guidelines of The Upper Room. This ensures a proven format and a common experience that should be trustworthy from weekend to weekend wherever Emmaus is being offered.

Each community is administered locally through its local Board of Directors. The program is administered globally through the International Emmaus office in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.

— from What Is Emmaus?
Copyright The Upper Room.

How can I attend an Emmaus or Chrysalis weekend?

To get involved in Emmaus, use the Emmaus Community Finder to locate an Emmaus community in your area. You may search for an Emmaus community by name or location. Once you have found a nearby community, contact one of the community's representatives and ask them to help you consider attending Emmaus and finding a sponsor.

Getting Help

Who should I contact first?

Contact your Area Communicator or Regional Leader for:

  • Covenant questions
  • Event preparation
  • Community leadership support
  • Sponsorship questions
  • Team formation guidance
  • Agape support
  • Local concerns or discernment questions
  • General Emmaus guidance

Contact Ministry Manager Support for:

  • Login problems
  • Password reset questions
  • Technical glitches
  • Access issues
  • Event setup assistance
  • Payment Portal questions

Contact The Upper Room Special Services for:

  • Resource orders
  • Billing questions
  • Shipping issues
  • Community account purchasing support

Contact the International Emmaus Ministries Office for:

  • Escalated concerns
  • Policy interpretation
  • Covenant/account status questions
  • International partnerships
  • Matters not resolved locally

Ministry Manager

Before contacting Ministry Manager Support, please try:

  • Resetting your password
  • Checking your spam/junk folder
  • Reviewing the FAQ tutorials
  • Logging out and back in
  • Trying a different browser
  • Contacting your local leadership team
  • Reaching out to your Area Communicator or Regional Leader

How do I reset my password?

  • Go to the Ministry Manager login page.
  • Click "Log In" (not "Sign Up").
  • Enter your email address.
  • Click "Forgot Password".
  • Follow the instructions sent to your email.
  • Please check your spam or junk folder if you do not receive the email.

What information should I include in a support request?

Please include:

  • Your Name
  • Your Community Name
  • A description of the issue
  • Screenshots (if possible)
  • Exact error messages
  • The device/browser you are using

Providing this information helps us resolve issues more quickly.

Covenants & Community Support

Why do Communities sign a Covenant?

The Covenant Agreement helps maintain connection, accountability, and shared alignment across Emmaus Ministries worldwide.

The Covenant confirms:

  • active participation in Emmaus Ministries,
  • commitment to shared values and practices,
  • insurance verification,
  • and access to official Emmaus resources and support.

What happens if a Covenant is not completed?

Communities without an active Covenant may lose access to:

  • Community-only resources,
  • Ministry Manager tools,
  • official support systems,
  • and ordering privileges.

If your Community needs assistance completing the Covenant, please contact your Area Communicator or Regional Leader first.

How do I know if my Community’s Covenant is complete?

Your Community leadership team should receive a confirmation email after the Covenant and insurance verification process has been completed. If you are unsure of your status, please contact your Area Communicator or Regional Leader.

Emmaus Community & Formation

What are the core elements of Emmaus?

While formats and systems may continue to evolve, Emmaus remains rooted in:

  • grace-centered Christian community
  • spiritual practices
  • authentic companionship
  • servant leadership
  • ongoing discipleship
  • and lives shaped for love and service in the world.

Emmaus is not only an event, but an ongoing journey of formation and community.

Is Emmaus only a three-day event?

The traditional three-day Walk to Emmaus remains an important expression of Emmaus Ministries. At the same time, Emmaus continues exploring additional ways to support spiritual formation in changing contexts and communities.

Across all expressions, Emmaus remains committed to:

  • Christian community,
  • spiritual practices,
  • grace,
  • discipleship,
  • and ongoing transformation.

What is essential in Emmaus?

The heart of Emmaus includes:

  • belonging through grace,
  • authentic spiritual companionship,
  • shared spiritual practices,
  • lay-driven leadership,
  • servant leadership.
  • and ongoing discipleship in daily life.

While formats, language, and systems may adapt over time, these core guideposts remain central to Emmaus Ministries.

How can Communities prepare for the future of Emmaus Ministries?

Communities can prepare by:

  • strengthening local leadership,
  • training new leaders,
  • simplifying administrative practices,
  • encouraging reunion groups and ongoing formation,
  • supporting accessibility and inclusion,
  • and remaining open to faithful adaptation rooted in the mission of Emmaus.

The future of Emmaus depends not on preserving every procedure, but on faithfully embodying grace-filled Christian community in changing contexts.

Events & Participant Information

How do we pay pilgrim or participant fees?

You can make payments for your Community's pilgrim or participant fees one of two ways:

  • Check
    • Please download and fill out this form fill out this form.
    • Send your check and your completed form to: Emmaus Ministries, PO Box 440347, Nashville, TN 37244
  • Credit Card
    • To generate an invoice and to pay by credit card at the Payment Portal in Ministry Manager, you must create and complete the event. You will find more information about those processes in the Ministry Manager FAQs section.

How do I find my Walk number or table name?

The International Emmaus Office does not maintain local participant records. Please contact the Community that hosted your Walk directly. You can find Community contact information through the Emmaus Community Directory.

How can we request or share agape?

Communities are encouraged to:

  • connect with neighboring Communities,
  • use community networking groups,
  • and participate in the Emmaus Facebook community to share agape requests and resources.

Training & Leadership

How do I become a Community Trainer?

Information about:

  • the Community Trainer role,
  • applications,
  • training expectations,
  • and support materials
  • can be found in the Community Trainer Resources folder.

Where can I find Emmaus resources and manuals?

Official Emmaus resources, manuals, and support materials are available through The Upper Room bookstore here and here.

How do I stay informed about Emmaus updates?

You can stay connected through:

Response Times

How quickly will I receive a response?

We do our best to respond within 48 business hours. Response times may be longer during:

  • peak event seasons,
  • holidays,
  • or system transition periods.

Sending multiple emails about the same issue may delay response times. We appreciate your patience and your ministry.

May we reprint articles from the Emmaus eNews?

You can reprint articles from the Emmaus eNews as needed. We are always glad that you find the articles helpful. Simply acknowledge with this permission line: "Reprinted from the Emmaus eNews, [date of newsletter]. Used with permission."

May we link our Emmaus/Chrysalis community's site to The Upper Room's site?

Communities are welcome and encouraged to link their websites to The Upper Room Emmaus Ministries website. Communities also have permission to download Emmaus and Chrysalis logos for noncommercial use on web pages. Downloadable logo files can be found here: Emmaus Ministries Logo Folder.

May we use the Emmaus/Chrysalis logo in a printed piece?

Yes, however, please remember that the logo is copyrighted and should not be used on products designed for resale. You can download a variety of logo art formats here: Emmaus Ministries Logo Folder.