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"...the whole reason for The Walk to Emmaus is to make you a more faithful disciple [of Jesus Christ] and [a more] active member in your church" (Bob Wood, Day Four).
Continuing the Journey...
Symbolically, the Fourth Day occurs as pilgrims leave their first Walk to Emmaus experience behind and head out to begin a deeper walk with Christ. Realistically, all Christians are continually going through a "fourth day" experience. The Walk to Emmaus provides us with the resources and guidance to more successfully take up that walk.
The Fourth Day experience is actually at the very heart of the Emmaus experience. What is your fourth day? The answer, of course, varies from person to person, but it hopefully involves getting active in your local church and participating in some way with an Emmaus Fourth Day group.**
Fourth Day groups may range in size from many people (i.e., dozens) to two people. The size obviously has much to do with the purpose of the group. While Christian fellowship is very important and enjoyable, you may wish to focus your own Fourth Day experience on the kind accountability found in a smaller group.
Fourth Day groups are safe places to share and grow in your Christian faith. They provide an environment of encouragement for the renewing of your soul, the strenghtening your faith, and practicing of Christ's love.
On page 48 of your purple Walk to Emmaus booklet (this is the same information found in your Emmaus Service Sheet), the Order of the Reunion is given:
Begin with the Prayer to the Holy Spirit
1. Review Your Service Sheet:
Spirituality, Study, Action.
2. Closest to Christ
At what moment this past week did you feel closest to Christ?
3. Call to Discipleship
At what moment during this week did you feel you were responding to God's call to be a disciple? Where did you participate in being the church this week?
4. Discipleship Denied
When was your faith tested this week through failure?
5. Your Plan
What is your plan for spirituality, study, and action for the week to come?
6. Reunion Group Activities
7. Prayers for Special Needs
Pray for those who may not have attended.
8. Prayer of Thanksgiving
Your Day Four booklet contains great information on Fourth Day Reunion groups on pages 38–45. On these pages you'll find the criteria for forming a group and the characteristics of an effective group.
A list of Fourth Day groups associated with the Dakotas' Walk to Emmaus is available on this site.
A two-person (accountability) model for a Fourth Day experience:
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Decide on a time to meet weekly with a set limit on your meeting time. Example: Sunday mornings, 7:45AM, one hour. (When you get more than three people on a consistant basis, it's time to multiply your accountability group and reach out to others.)
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Pick something to study and/or meditate on throughout the week. Example: A Guide to Prayer for All God's People, which is a nice daily devotional. It's highly portable, thematic, follows the lectionary, provides challenging readings from great Christian thinkers, and has short prayers to focus your thought. Click here to order one.
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Pray! Pray when you begin, pray when you depart, and then pray for each other throughout the week.
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Review your Emmaus Service Sheet or follow a Wesleyan model to review your past week:
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Where did you experience God this week?
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What insights did you gain from your reading (Bible or otherwise) and prayer this week?
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Who did you serve this week? In what way? What did you learn?
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What do you need to confess? Where is God challenging you?
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What do you need from God? Where do you need his help?
Click here for more accountability questions.
**If there isn't a Fourth Day group near you, start one! It only takes two people. Remember: "For where two or three have gathered together in My name, I am there in their midst" (Matthew 18:20). |