Highlighting the victory of Christ on the cross is just one of the goals of the Road to Emmaus, a new DVD that portrays the discussion that Jesus could have had with the two disciples after his resurrection.

“Here in a simple 30-minute movie is an expla-nation of what the whole Bible is about—zeroing down to the core of what Christ has done for us and our mission,” says Pastor Dave Kehl, administrator of Adult Discipleship.

According to Kehl, the idea came about after the Publication Coordinating Commission, a group of representatives from Northwestern Publishing House and WELS areas of ministry, decided it needed to focus its publishing efforts on a central message—Christ’s victory on the cross and how we’re involved in his mission to reveal that to the world.

Kehl, Pastor John Braun from Northwestern Publishing House, and Pastor Paul Hartman from Multi-Language Publications then came up with an idea to use the Emmaus story. “Here are two confused disciples going on the road to Emmaus,” says Kehl. “Jesus comes and, beginning with Moses and the prophets, tells how the stories and the events of the Bible clarify why he had to suffer and die before he entered his glory.”

According to Kehl, the movie is simple enough to use with those who have never heard of Christ but meaty enough for lifelong Christians. “This tool helps congregations grow so they can understand the context of the stories they’ve been learning,” he says. “They can be thrilled at who they are because of what Christ has done. Then they can start seeing why they’re here.”

Plans are in place to offer versions of the movie in different languages for use in mission fields. The movie is already available in English and Spanish, so it can be used in U.S. cross-cultural fields.

Kehl says that other church bodies have also shown an interest, something he is excited about because of the film’s Lutheran perspective. “It is Lutheran from start to finish in the key concern to clarify how Scripture unfolds what it means to be saved by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone,” says Kehl.

Although no other additional material is available at this time, the DVD is hoped to be the first of many pieces that will follow this theme. Other pieces discussed include a 20-minute discussion piece on our mission as Christians to use following the movie, a Lenten series, a drama skit, a Bible story picture book, and a Bible information class.

The movie as well as the companion pieces are made possible from grants from the Publication Coordinating Commission, Thrivent Financial for Lutherans, and WELS Kingdom Workers.