Meet the Staff- Summer 2025

As our 2024-25 school year came to a close and we celebrated our students’ journey through Emmaus, we also celebrated 3 of our dear friends and fellow staff members, Caleb, Kristi and Jen moving into new seasons of life. While it’s a bittersweet time for us at Emmaus, we are excited to watch what the Lord is going to do in and through their lives as they embark on new adventures!

We also wanted to take a moment to define the new Emmaus Team by recognizing our current staff! Here’s a little something about each Emmaus team member, from what they do at work to what they’re like in the wild!

Executive Director- Morgan Phaneuf, staff since 2019

Morgan has spent most of her life with either sand between her toes or dirt on her hiking boots—thanks to growing up on the beaches and in the mountains of North Carolina. She met her husband, Justin, at UNC Asheville, and in 2016 they traded pine trees for palm trees and headed south to sunny Central Florida. Not long after, she stumbled upon Emmaus, enrolled in the School of Biblical Studies, and promptly fell head over heels for Scripture. (We’re talking full-blown Bible nerd and proud of it.) That passion led her straight onto the Emmaus team, and she’s never looked back.

In 2022, her family leveled up with the adoption of Andres from Colombia, officially bringing the kid count to three: Drake, Tannis, and Andres—plus a small army of furry creatures who think they’re in charge (they kind of are).

When Morgan’s not knee-deep in theology, chauffeuring kids, or tripping over dog toys, she’s probably on a long run, binging a podcast, or wondering what on earth possessed her to go for two master’s degrees at Asbury Theological Seminary—one in Pastoral Counseling and one in Biblical and Theological Foundations (send snacks and prayers).

Want to see the beautiful chaos for yourself? You can follow along at www.phaneufphamily.wordpress.com.

Financial Director- Sarah Phaneuf, staff since 2022

Sarah may have grown up in a small town just south of Charlotte, NC—but don’t let the quiet Southern roots fool you. These days, she’s wrangling spreadsheets, social media captions, and a wildly energetic toddler with equal parts precision and chaos (depending on the caffeine situation). After graduating from UNC-Wilmington with a degree in Criminal Justice, she and her husband Barrett headed to Central Florida in late 2019—where she was introduced to Emmaus by the lovely Morgan Phaneuf (see above) and, well, never left.

What started as attending Zoom classes in the thick of COVID turned into a deep dive into the Narrative Series, and eventually a full-on plunge into the School of Biblical Studies. She graduated in 2022 and has since worn nearly every hat at Emmaus: student, support staff, and now full-time team member overseeing finance, operations, and our little corner of the internet (a.k.a. Instagram and Facebook).

When she’s not color-coding budgets or dreaming up reels, Sarah’s usually chasing around her son Micah—a joyful tornado of a toddler who ensures life is never, ever, ever boring.

Communications Director- Stephen Ray, staff since 2017

Stephen Ray has a passion to advance the Gospel in the hearts of students. After graduating from Oakland University in Rochester, Michigan, Stephen moved to Oviedo to attend the Emmaus School of Biblical Studies, where he fell in love with studying the Bible. Stephen came on staff at Emmaus full-time in 2017. He is married to Lauren and has two daughters, Stevie and Lucy. Stephen is also on the teaching team at Church of the Commons and regularly speaks at retreats and summer camps.  If you would like to learn more about Stephen and his ministry, check out his website: www.stephenray.org

Administrative Director - Dena Sites, staff since 2021

So Cal born and raised, Dena obtained her Bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University and her Juris Doctor degree from Southwestern Law School. She practiced law for six years in California before God called her to leave everything behind to attend Emmaus’ School of Biblical Studies in Florida. As always, God knew what He was doing and Emmaus completely changed her life. At Emmaus, she learned how to inductively study the Bible through the lens of historical background and, for the first time, understood how all of Scripture fit together. This led to a deeper understanding of God’s character and a deep desire to walk alongside new students through their Emmaus journey. Since joining staff, Dena’s responsibilities have included teaching, discipleship, and all things administrative. Dena is currently enrolled in Asbury Theological Seminary for her Master’s in Spiritual Direction and she is unabashedly passionate about seeing the Church become full of mystics (à la John Mark Comer’s definition: “disciples who…experience spiritually what is true of them theologically”). While not at Emmaus, you can find Dena at a farmer’s market, a salt water pool, or cuddling her not-orange cat named Pumpkin.

Discipleship Director - Jacob McRae, staff since 2017

In 2016, Jacob and his wife packed their home into a truck and trailer and drove to Florida from Alaska in order to attend Emmaus’ School of Biblical Studies. Since joining staff, Jacob’s primary roles at Emmaus have been teaching and discipleship, curriculum creation, and designated brewer of coffee. Jacob is currently working on getting his Masters from Asbury Theological Seminary and is taking Biblical Hebrew classes with Kairos Classroom. As his love for teaching has grown, Jacob has become particularly passionate about the Old Testament, studying Biblical Hebrew, and helping others wrestle through difficult passages in the Bible. He is only slightly less passionate about Tolkien, coffee, and queso. You can follow Jacob and Samantha and their (soon to be) four children at JacobAndSamantha.org

While our team has seen a few changes, our heart for the mission hasn’t changed a bit. We’re as committed as ever to teaching people to engage with the Bible and grow as disciples. Looking ahead, we’re full of hope and anticipation for all that’s to come!

If you haven’t already, we’d love for you to stay connected with us:

📱 Follow us on social media – Find us on Facebook and Instagram at Emmaus Bible Ministries for updates, encouragement, and upcoming opportunities.

🌐 Visit our website – Head to emmausbibleministries.org to explore our latest classes, events, and resources.

🤝 Partner with us – Your support makes this ministry possible. If you’d like to give to the mission or support a specific staff member, you can make a tax-deductible donation here: emmausbibleministries.org/donate

Thank you for walking with us. We’re so grateful for your support and can’t wait to see what God does in this next season. Let’s keep moving forward together, rooted in His Word and passionate about making disciples.

Exciting Transitions at Emmaus

Hello to all of our Emmaus friends, family & supporters!

The Emmaus team would like to invite you into some new and exciting developments in the life and ministry of Emmaus!

As of June 1st, we are excited to announce that our Executive Director, Caleb Ives and his family will be following the Lord’s call into a new ministry. We hope you will join us in prayer and celebration!

A word from Caleb:

In 2011, my wife and I clearly discerned a call of the Lord to leave our ministry role and life in Michigan to move to North Carolina to study at Emmaus Bible Ministries. What we initially perceived as a one-year call to be a student became a 4-year call as a staff member, and then an 8-year call as the Executive Director. And now, God has once again called our hearts, but this time it is to leave Emmaus in order to join the team of a Church plant in Kentucky.

My nearly fourteen years with Emmaus have been incredibly transformational in my life and my family, and I will forever be grateful. Truly, it is difficult to imagine life outside of Emmaus after so many years and, while we are excited to embrace what God has ahead of us, our hearts ache over our departure from Emmaus and the team that we have been so privileged to serve alongside.

I was blessed to carry on the mission of Emmaus after others had left, and I am excited that the mission of Emmaus will continue forward in new ways in the years ahead. Please join me in praying for the team and for the ministry in this season of transition. And thank you for the part you play in the life of Emmaus!

What’s Next:

As Emmaus steps into this next season, we are pleased to announce that Morgan Phaneuf has accepted the role of Executive Director, effective June 1st.

Throughout the last year, Morgan has played a key leadership role in navigating the transition process alongside Caleb. A dedicated member of the Emmaus community for the past seven years, Morgan is an alumni of our school and has served in both teaching and administrative roles. Along with her husband Justin and their three children, Morgan’s family has experienced the transformative impact of Emmaus ministries. She is excited to work with the team in ensuring the continuation of the mission and impact of Emmaus for years to come.

We’re excited for Caleb and his family as they enter their next season, and we are honored to invite you to join our Emmaus family as we continue the mission in 2025 together.

Is The Old Testament Relevant Today?

The Old Testament: It's Weirder Than You Think (But Still Relevant!)

So, you're one of those folks who's decided to tackle the entire Bible this year. That's awesome! But let's be honest, the Old Testament can feel a bit… daunting. Strange laws, confusing stories, and a whole lot of stuff that seems totally irrelevant to our modern lives.

And let's not even get started on the arguments about whether the Old Testament even matters anymore.

Let's be real, it's weird.

The Old Testament throws us for a loop because it's basically a time capsule. We're reading books written for people who lived in a completely different world. Imagine trying to explain our world – with our phones, our cars, our streaming services – to someone living in, say, ancient Egypt. It would be mind-blowing for them, right?

But here's the thing:

At the heart of it all, the Old Testament tells a simple yet profound story: God's relentless love for his people.

Think about it: The Israelites, God's chosen people, constantly messed things up. They rebelled, they worshipped other gods, and basically, they were a handful. But God? He never gave up on them. He kept pursuing them with love and grace.

Sound familiar?

That's because it's the story of our lives too! We mess up, we make bad choices, and we often feel like God has given up on us. But the Old Testament reminds us that God's love is constant, unwavering, and always there for us.

So, as you dive into the Old Testament this year, try to see it through the eyes of those who first heard these stories. What did they mean to them? And how does that ancient message still speak to us today?

I hope this makes your journey through the Old Testament a bit more enjoyable (and maybe even a little less intimidating)!

Are you looking to get more out of the Old Testament? Check out our classes that explore the Old Testament: Emmausbibleministries.org/discovery.

Failed Kings and Future Hope: Advent Lesson from Isaiah 11

Historical Context for Isaiah

The year is around 732 B.C, and the unity that would have once described the 12 tribes of Israel is a long distant memory. In response to the impending doom that was the Assyrian war machine, the Northern Kingdom of Israel had formed an alliance with Syria and menacingly came to stand upon the doorstep of King Ahaz of Judah. Ahaz is met with a hopeless situation; Israel and Syria have threatened to kill him if he chooses not to join their anti-Assyrian alliance. But even if he joins with them, the chances of resisting the overwhelming might of Assyria are bleak at best. Ahaz is a practical king, and so in the face of 3 hostile nations and overwhelming military strength, prophets and prayers hold little sway over his heart. And so Ahaz chooses what is wise in the eyes of the world, but unthinkable in the eyes of God--he seeks salvation through bowing the knee to Assyria’s King.

The prophet Isaiah’s response to Ahaz’s faithlessness comes in chs. 8-12, often known as “the book of Immanuel” (perhaps a familiar title during this season of Advent!). What makes this section of Isaiah profound is that Ahaz’s example as the worst possible king is followed by 5 chapters of God promising the best possible king and kingdom--it is here we find our particular passage. When the nation of Israel (and all its promises) are felled like a great tree due to its own sins and the sins of its king, God promises resurrection for the broken and burnt stump through a shoot of new growth. An impossible reality, but one God intended to ultimately bring about through the life and ministry of Jesus. 

The Meaning of Isaiah 11:1-5

The images presented in Isaiah 11 may initially seem foreign and out of place when thinking about Advent--shoot, stump of Jesse, branch, etc.--but looking back at Israel’s story we can see a number of pivotal moments that set us up to understand the full weight of Isaiah’s words. It started in Genesis 3, when Adam and Eve were exiled from Eden with the promise of an “offspring” [literally seed] who would come and crush the head of the deceitful serpent; Gen. 15 where God made a promise to establish Abram’s “offspring” [seed]; and 2 Samuel 7, where God made a covenant with David, promising to establish an everlasting kingdom for David’s “offspring” [seed].

Advent: The Coming Immanuel

Having the benefit of the New Testament, we can see more clearly the hope that Isaiah’s message offered: It is no accident that one of the favorite titles of Jesus that the Gospel writers would use was “Son [offspring] of David” (Matt. 1:1). And when Paul spoke of Jesus as the “offspring [seed] of Abraham” (Gal. 3:16), we can think back upon this promise in Isaiah. Up to this point in the book of Isaiah, Israel had only experienced kings who traded justice and faithfulness for idolatry and oppression. But God had a plan to provide a different kind of king, and this promise went all the way back to the seed that was first promised. This offspring of David, this King, would wear “righteousness” and “faithfulness” as a belt and bring justice to the poor and suffering. He would walk in the way of God's Spirit and offer true salvation. This king would be Jesus.

Are you looking to better understand the Bible? Sign up for our Biblical Narrative Series today.

Interpreting Revelation: The Main Message

The Main Message of Revelation 

When reading the book of Revelation, the modern reader is bombarded with visual images that at first may seem surprising or even terrifying. Beasts emerge from the sea, locusts swarm with the tails of scorpions, the moon turns to blood, and four horsemen are unleashed over all of creation. IS THIS THE APOCALYPSE?!?!!

How could this be holy scripture? 

The modern church often has a “love/hate” relationship with the book of Revelation. On one hand, many people obsess over the book, seeking to understand its many symbols. They may want to interpret the visions as correlating to modern-day events. Reading Revelation in this way would be best accomplished with modern news stations and websites in view so that one can watch for signs of Jesus’ second coming. On the other hand, others are tempted to simply ignore the book entirely, perhaps believing the book is not relevant to our lives today. The reality is both groups are missing out on a very important message God has for his people.

The Central Message of Revelation 

In the 4th chapter, John (the disciple of Jesus, Apostle to the first-century church, and prophet) is given a vision where he is transported into the heavenly throne room of God. In this marvelous vision, we see that all of the created world is worshiping God on his throne. However,  there is also a problem that is introduced. 

In chapter 5, Johns sees God holding a scroll with 7 seals. This scroll likely represents God's redemption plan for human history. It is declared that no one “In heaven, or on earth or under the earth was able to open the scroll”. This is bad news. NO ONE is worthy to enact and bring about God's redemption plan. The people of God would be without hope. John is overcome with dread. Yet, it is in that very moment that he is given hope as he hears the words “Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll.” 

John turns, thinking he will see this victorious lion. Instead, he sees “A lamb standing as though it had been slain.” Jesus, as this slain lamb, is then able to take his seat on the throne and open the scroll. He reveals God's plan for redemption and salvation for his people. 

the central image of the book is the Lamb

For the original readers, all of the images that may catch us by surprise (horseman, locust, blood moons etc.) were normal to the genre of literature being utilized. (learn more about the apocalyptic genre here). The image that would have stood out to them the most was the victorious slain lamb as Jesus, the conquering King. 

The whole book can be summarized in one verse: Revelation 17:14 “They will make war on the lamb, and the lamb will conquer them, for he is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those with him are called chosen and faithful”. Revelation invites Christians into the victory of the Lamb. In reading this verse, one can be assured of two things: Jesus currently stands in victory and he will return in victory at the end of time. 

Looking to learn more about Revelation? Check out our class here.