| abstract |
Weaving together exegetical analysis of the Lukan account of the Road to Emmaus with the contextual history of White Bluff Presbyterian Church and the Asset Based Community Development model, this study presents a practical and accessible pattern for church renewal, community connection and mutual vitality. From the departure point of personal background and church framework, the author invites readers onto a journey of discovery and revelation. Considerations of race, identity, relationships and physical place are brought into conversation with lessons from Asset Based ways of thinking to carve out a forward way in a post-COVID world.
Through engaging in intentional partnerships, learning history's lessons, drawing from denominational insights and being open to both self-development and organizational reforms, the local congregation is able to rediscover its relevance. An example of the groundwork for engaging the broader community in co-creative endeavors is included, along with measurable outcomes. The study concludes with three contextualized lesson plans for a new members' class, that focus on place, identity and testimony. These lessons, informed by lessons from the Emmaus Road, historical inquiry and reflection, are adaptable for a wide range of congregations.
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