CHURCH LEADERS:

• Do you want to help your church members become more spiritually aware of and in touch with God?
• Are you looking for ways to help change the culture of your congregation so that lives are being changed?

One pattern of how we can recognize God in our midst is to look at the story of the two traveling on the road to Emmaus that first Easter Sunday. Two disciples headed back home to Emmaus after the crucifixion. They had thought Jesus was the Messiah to bring liberation for Israel. They and their hopes were dashed. They did not recognize Jesus when he came up to them on the road and asked what they were talking about. He shared the hope in the Jewish tradition about the Messiah. But their minds were shut, even though their hearts knew. Then there was a dynamic shift:

Stop
The disciples stopped and invited Jesus into their home.

Look
They took a long, loving look. They saw his scarred hands breaking and giving bread.

Listen
They recognized Jesus as they listened to his words. They recognized him in the self-giving love in the broken bread. They changed the way they looked at life, suffering, and self-giving, and immediately joined the others in Jerusalem.

A pastor wrote about a similar change in him and his congregation:

I found myself not only drained physically and mentally, but also spiritually. There was a deep hunger in my soul for spiritual renewal for myself and also the congregation I’d served for many years.

After using the Stop, Look, and Listen process, he wrote:

Visitors have noticed a different spirit as they have come into our worship and ministry—a warm welcome that wasn’t there before. Now we are all trying to pay attention to God’s work and presence in our daily personal and corporate lives.

The following materials can be used at every level, from individuals to leadership groups, from congregations to the world, as a beginning point that leads to other programs.

You can view and download a copy of the entire document:

• Complete Document, Stop, Look and Listen (304)

Or you can view and download the individual sections, below:

• Introduction - They Recognized Him (215)
• Section 2 - What Does this Material Aim to Do? (179)
• Section 3 - An Outline for Learning (191)
• Section 4 - A Very Simple Guide for Beginning (221)
• Section 5 - Additional Hints (183)
• Section 6 - Introducing "Stop, Look and Listen" to Your Church (237)