Meet the Staff: Kristi Marsh

Kristi Marsh is one of our newest members to the Emmaus staff! Recently Kristi was teaching the Bible at a high school in Tennessee. She left her full time job to become a missionary on our teaching team. Kristi loves teaching about theology and engaging with students one on one. She’s passionate about discipleship and community which means the perfect fit for our staff. What she’s not passionate about, is the summer Florida weather! Let’s take some time to get to know Kristi!

What do you do around here?

As with most ministries we all wear a lot of different hats. I joined the staff in January and I teach in the school and get to disciple students one-on-one. I will be helping to organize some of our community events and facilitating opportunities for students to get to know each other and the staff. I also get to network with different churches and pastors regarding our Narrative Series and Seminars. I will soon start teaching Seminars and will also be a part of our ongoing development of the Seminars. It's an honor for me to spend my week studying and teaching Scripture and connecting with so many people.

What is your favorite part of your Job?

It's hard to say since I really enjoy all of the aspects of my job. I love studying the Word to teach it to others and getting to watch the Scripture come alive for people. I also really love getting to walk alongside of people and disciple them, but I think the most unique part of this job is the privilege of spending every day working and doing life with people who are passionate about God. The authentic spiritual community at Emmaus has been a huge blessing.

When did you know God was calling you to be a part of Emmaus?

I had been praying about leaving education and after taking a Strategic Futuring class last March God made it pretty clear that Emmaus was the next step. The final project of the class was to write a very detailed paper of where we wanted to be in 15 years. It was a very specific assignment and when I called Caleb (my long time friend and Director at Emmaus) he described almost everything I had written in that paper! I had initially been resistant to moving to Florida (it's too hot and too far from home) and becoming a missionary but within 24 hours God completely changed my heart and I made the decision to join the team. It was definitely the right decision.

Which Bible Character would you want to get coffee with?

That's hard, I don't like having to make this choice. I recently saw a drama that showed Peter as a young man and followed him until he was martyred. It was really powerful and connected me to Peter in a new way so if I have to choose, then today, I will choose to get coffee with Peter. Tomorrow I will choose Paul.

What was your favorite Christian Song to Jam out to growing up?

I was, and am, a big Shane and Shane fan. However, you don't really "jam out" to their worship music. So I guess I'll have to go with DC Talk.

Why Emmaus?

My passion is for people to know God and His Word and to grow and be transformed. I think that happens best in the context of consistent relationships and intentionally studying God's Word and applying it to your life. Emmaus is the full package for me. I believe that what we do, and how we do it, provides a space for the Holy Spirit to really transform people. Only the Holy Spirit can change hearts but I think Emmaus creates a meaningful and unique opportunity for the Holy Spirit to do a deep and enduring work. It is a special season of life where someone comes to devote themselves to God and the study of Scripture, and not only are they discipled and equipped with tools for a lifetime but their lives are usually changed in the process. I wish everyone could spend a year of their life at Emmaus.

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Meet the Staff: Jacob McRae

Jacob McRae with his wife Sam McRae

One of the first things people tend to notice about Jacob McRae is his amazing beard! One of the next things that people will notice is his genuine heart for people and for helping them see the Gospel through service. Jacob grew up in Virginia, after his DTS (Discipleship Training School) he moved to Homer Alaska where he meet his wife Samantha. Jacob and Samantha moved to Florida to be students at Emmaus’ School of Biblical Studies before coming on staff 2 years ago. Jacob is on the teaching team, manages student administration/admissions and oversees all of the meals and social gatherings at Emmaus.

What do you do around here?

My role here at Emmaus includes a variety of jobs. Most of my time is spent as a part of our teaching staff. This means that I spend the majority of my weeks studying and preparing to teach books of the Bible for our students, grading, and meeting with students for discipleship one-on-ones. Secondly, I'm in charge of handling admissions for Emmaus, which means processing applications, connecting with potential students, and helping them to prepare for their time here. Finally, my wife and I team up in order to prepare a delicious breakfast for our students every day before class.

What is your favorite part of your Job?

As most of our staff would probably agree, one of the most rewarding aspects of this job is getting to see the Scriptures come alive for our students, it's an incredibly powerful experience! But, being a new, self-proclaimed Bible nerd, I immensely enjoy preparing to teach books. Nothing helps you understand book like preparing to teach it and I’ve very much enjoyed the aspect of getting to really dig deep into the texts. I've definitely come to learn a lot during my time as staff, and it's even more fun to do so in a whole community of other Bible nerds!

When did you know God was calling you to be a part of Emmaus?

When I was a student at Emmaus, I once accompanied our Director to a men's Bible study that he was teaching that morning. At that time, I still had plans to pursue other passions of mine (in this case woodworking). But I remember sitting in that Bible study and listening to our Director speak about the Bible with such ease and understanding and he did so in such a relevant way that clearly impacted the men at that Bible study. It was in that moment that I found myself thinking, "I want to know my Bible like this guy more than I want anything else!" From then on, the passion to help others know their Bible in a deep and intimate way has continued to grow in me day by day.

Which Bible Character would you want to get coffee with?

First answer would probably be the author of Hebrews....I just want to know who that person is...I mean come on, just sign the letter! My second answer would probably be Daniel. Through the process of teaching for the school, Daniel has become my absolute favorite book of the Bible. Daniel is someone who faced innumerable trials and gut-wrenching situations and still proved to be one of the few Old Testament characters that continually served as a model of righteousness and faithfulness throughout his life. I want to know that guy!

What was your favorite Christian Song to Jam out to growing up?

As any decent 90's youth group kid should answer, my go-to's were anything by Relient K, Five Iron Frenzy, and the O.C. Supertones.

Why Emmaus?

Growing up in an incredibly loving, Christian household/church, I lived my life with the constant notion that my Bible was supposed to mean something to me, but the truth was that it just didn’t! Regardless of how many times I vowed to read through the Bible in a year, I often fell off the wagon somewhere in Exodus. Here was a book that was supposed to lead and define my faith and yet I didn’t know how to read it and found it incredibly intimidating! This shook me to my core, and it sent my wife and I on a path towards Emmaus. After I embarked on my own “Emmaus Road journey,” to encounter God through His Word, I truly did feel my own heart burn within me (Luke 24:32). My wife and I suddenly found strong purpose in the mission of Emmaus Ministries, to help equip others with the Word of God. I want every believer to understand that knowing the Bible in a deep and intimate way is a goal very much within reach, and that it’s never too late to start your own Emmaus Road journey!

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Meet the Staff: Stephen Ray

This week we want to introduce you to Stephen Ray. After Graduating college at Oakland University, Stephen moved from Michigan to be a student at Emmaus. After his student year, Stephen joined the staff. He’s now been a part of the teaching team at Emmaus for 2 years.

All right Stephen, what do you do around here?

I have my dream job here at Emmaus, I am a part of the teaching staff. This means I get to teach entire books of the bible for our school, Biblical Literacy Seminars and even our Biblical Narrative Series. I'm also in charge of the weekly devotions that we do with as a community, grading homework and meeting for one on ones with our students.

What is your favorite part of your Job?

My favorite part of my job is seeing the moment of discovery in the students. Whether it be our part time School of Biblical Studies students or people attending one of our seminars, I love seeing people “Get it!” It could be a specific book of the bible is coming alive or the gospel is getting deeper and deeper into their hearts as they dig into the text.  

When did you know God was calling you to be a part of Emmaus?

When I was a student I remember working on my homework for 2nd Corinthians. I was getting so excited about these New Testament books coming alive to me for what felt like the first time. As I was studying, I thought, “Man i wish i could keep going deeper.” At that moment, I felt like God said to me “You can if you stay”. Not to long after that Tom Phillips (the former director) invited me to be on staff.

Which Bible Character would you want to get coffee with?

I would love to have coffee with Paul. His letters are so theologically dense, and people still debate constantly on what he is trying to say. I would love to have a full, in depth conversation with him to talk through some of his more confusing passages and see what he was trying to say. I would also love to have coffee with the Apostle Peter. In many ways, Peter reminds me of myself and i would love to talk with him over our similarities.

What was your favorite Christian Song to Jam out to growing up?

When i was a kid Switchfoot was just getting big. So I would rock out to “Meant to Live” and “Beautiful Let Down.”

Why Emmaus?

One thing about this ministry that has continually drawn me in is the community. We aren’t just a bunch of intellectuals debating theology, seeking deeper knowledge of scripture. We are community of believers committed to walking with each other through life. It was pretty easy to say yes to Jesus and come on staff because I have always felt such a strong presence of “Home.” I’m genuinely friends with every single person that is on staff. That’s a great gift to have.  

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Meet the Staff: Morgan

This week we would love for you to meet Morgan Phaneuf! Morgan first came to Emmaus as a student during our pilot program. Born and raised in North Carolina, Morgan and her husband Justin moved to Florida with their two kids, Drake and Tannis. Morgan is an excellent student and teacher of the Word.

Morgan, Let’s cut to the chase, what do you do around here?

The short answer is, I enjoy myself WAY too much! If you're talking specifics, I'm the instagrammer on staff. Instagram is a "look in" at our daily life here and I love that part of my job is sneaking around taking candid photos! I also get to use my "nice camera" to take photos as a way to document everything from our community events, to photos for blogs/support raising needs, and just our ministry and school life. I taught my first two books this Spring and I am looking forward to adding to my repertoire in the Fall (starting with the Book of Joshua). As with most ministries, we all do a little bit of everything as needs arise.

What is your favorite part of your job?

Is it cliche' to say all the parts? It's probably cliche' but I am going to say it anyway. All the parts! My job is to be in my Bible all the time, talk to people about the Bible all the time, and be in community with people who love the Bible and want to talk about it all the time! I love my coworkers as well, they are a pretty great part of the job. I legitimately miss the people I work with on the weekends and I look forward to Mondays when I get to go back to work! If I had to narrow it down to just one thing though, it would have to be watching the way studying the Bible captivates people and changes them. God's word is living and active and it messes with the people that really spend time in it. Having the opportunity to watch that in all its incarnations is beautiful and wonderful!

When did you know God was calling you to be a part of Emmaus?

I think I knew that God was calling me to Emmaus to be on staff in the same way that I knew He was calling me to be a student, it just kept coming up! During my time as a student, I experienced life and heart change beyond what I thought imaginable. I spent a lot of time bewildered and overwhelmed. However, during that same time I also started teaching in my Neighborhood Group. I hadn’t even been inclined to speak up in discussions in group prior to that but, suddenly, I couldn’t help but share what I was learning in class! I wanted people to know what I was discovering. I couldn't stop talking about the Bible!  I tried to find any way I could to tell people about Emmaus. On occasion, people would say "You should teach the Bible" or "Your passion for this is infectious, you were made for this!" Those comments made me embarrassed and awkward, but they also made me think. Fast forward to coming into the end of my student year and I was absolutely unsure of what was next. What I was sure of was that I was completely bereft at the thought of leaving Emmaus for good. I would have never anticipated that being on staff at a ministry where I stood in front of people and gave lectures was in God's plan for me, but, here I am!

Which Bible Character would you want to get coffee with?

Jesus of course! Shouldn't everyone say Jesus? Everyone probably says Jesus right? Well, if Jesus is a given, I would say my second choice would probably be Mary, the mother of Jesus. If you think about her life, what she was told, what happened to her, what she saw through the eyes of a mother, her story is just incredible! I would love to pick her brain about seeing Jesus through the eyes of both a mother and a disciple! I imagine some of it would be heart wrenching, like the crucifixion. However, I think some of it would also be humorous. I mean, what was Jesus like as a kid? I’m a parent, I have some great stories about the things my kids have said and done! I also cannot imagine hearing the sweet, soft pride that only a mother can feel as she spoke of watching her son grow as a Rabbi and take his ministry forward.

What was your favorite Christian Song to Jam out to growing up?

Well, I didn't grow up listening to Christian music often as I didn't have what you would call the "traditional" faith history. I mostly jammed out to The Beatles, Harry Belafonte, Jimmy Buffett, show tunes, 60’s rock and some of whatever was popular. However, my best friend (the person responsible for dragging me to youth group and church kicking and screaming, if you’re reading this Melissa, I love you!) only listened to Christian music in her car. I rode to school with her in the morning and she had a few songs she would put on blast and repeat until we joined in her joyful 7am worship sessions (yes, there was dancing). I really enjoyed "The Devil is Bad" by The Ws. That's a fun one to sing with 6 people stuffed into a Mustang!

Why Emmaus?

I’m not sure I have a concise answer for this question. I simply feel like this is what God made me to do. I know, I know, that sounds like such a “this is my calling” super spiritual type answer. It’s true though. Once I graduated college, I would tell people “I don’t know what I want to be when I grow up.” As my transcripts can attest, I certainly didn’t know when I was still in school! (Four schools and I think 5ish majors?) During my student year at Emmaus, even when the workload was hard and balancing life with class was demanding, I always felt sadness knowing that one day it would end. I would have to graduate and leave Emmaus. Often, I’d demand an “Emmaus 200 level” course catalogue or I would threaten to just camp out and blatantly refuse leave! Emmaus has been such a gift, not just to me, but my family, my friends and my faith community. I am who I am because I have allowed the Bible to mess with me. I am a different person than I was prior to January 2018. I cannot believe that now I really do get stay at Emmaus! It’s not just that. I get the honor and the incredibly humbling privilege of watching students while the Bible messes with them too. All that to say, “Why Emmaus?” is really more a “What else but Emmaus?” question to me. There’s nothing in the world I can imagine that I want to be involved with more than this ministry with these people!

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