WHO WE ARE
A compassionate community
with hearts open to the mercy of Jesus.
Emmaus Way helps individuals and church communities in Calgary who are longing for freedom in the areas of identity, relationships, and sexuality.
Many people feel stuck. They wrestle with difficult relationships and unwanted cycles of behaviour. Freedom seems a long way off. When we look around, it seems like everyone has a good life except us.
The good news is if you feel stuck in patterns of pain, shame, or brokenness…
You are not alone.
While the church offers many ways for believers to learn and grow, after many years of ministry we noticed that there are few places where people seeking deeper transformation could address their personal struggles and past pain with complete honesty. At Emmaus Way, we want to help churches and individuals encounter the gracious presence of Jesus—the One who can lead them from shame and pain to hope and renewal.
There is hope, healing, and renewal in Jesus.
Our Story
Years ago, I found myself trapped. I was caught in cycles of addiction that kept me from healthy relationships—with my wife, with friends, and most of all with God.
Eventually, I was privileged to come across a community of people where God began to access the deep places in my heart. I learned that I was carrying a great load of unresolved grief, and as I was honest about my life and accepted the care of the people around me, I began to find my heart opening to Jesus.
At Emmaus Way, we have come to believe that many people are suffering in silence with sexual and relational struggles, often isolated by shame and fear. Many are being overcome by lies and loneliness, without a safe setting to find healing. Because of this, our desire grew to offer others the same kind of transformational space we ourselves had experienced.
Now, I have been doing this work for most of my life, and lead Emmaus Way along with my wife, Tanya, and longtime ministry partner, Graeme Lauber. Together, we have been serving men and women in Calgary and abroad for over 20 years in churches, small groups, and non-profit organizations. We have facilitated and taught courses on a variety of topics related to relationships, healing, and restoration and rejoice to bear witness to God’s power and grace.
—Daniel Komori
Community Honesty Compassion Renewal
Leadership
Daniel is Canadian-born Japanese and has been married to Tanya for over 20 years. They have three wonderful kids. Daniel currently serves as the Associate Pastor at Gracepoint Fellowship Church in Calgary, AB. Daniel has a passion for spiritual formation, having led individuals and groups toward wholeness in Jesus for over 20 years. He also loves unveiling the riches of church history and tradition with anyone and everyone. Daniel holds an M.Div from Regent College (2008).
Tanya Komori has worked with youth and families for over 25 years as a teacher, mentor and counselor. She is committed to creating a safe and supportive environment where people can feel heard and understood. She recharges by spending time outdoors, enjoying a hot beverage, and connecting with friends and family. Tanya holds a Master of Arts in Counselling Psychology through Yorkville University.
Graeme Lauber is a ministry worker with a background in corporate communications. He helps Emmaus Way with teaching, writing, and small group leadership. He lives in Calgary, where he serves on staff at Centre Street Church. He enjoys spending time with his family and reading.
At the heart of it all…
We want to see men and women encounter the gracious presence of Jesus bringing cleansing and healing to places of hurt, shame, and brokenness; living from a renewed identity in hope and love.
We lead with vulnerability by sharing our own stories of transformation. As participants see others further along the path of restoration, it helps them to engage their own stories and fully come to Jesus to experience deep spiritual renewal in their places of vulnerability, fear, and shame.
There is profound power and mercy available in Jesus when we engage in community with honesty.
We have seen that Jesus can truly make a practical impact, transforming the deepest places of our wounding and longing.
At the heart of this work is the good news of Jesus Christ: that God longs to enter into the depths of the human condition and bring His light, truth, and love. We won’t offer simple answers to complex problems. We offer a safe, compassionate environment where Christians who are pursuing transformation in Jesus can address areas of their hurt and shame in community.
The name Emmaus Way comes from the story in Luke 24, where Jesus meets two disciples in the midst of their distress and sadness. As they patiently walk together and listen to Jesus’ words, their hearts are ignited with hope, and they come to recognize that Jesus has been present with them all along.
The Emmaus Way icon combines:
A Letter “e”
An Archway
A Fingerprint
A Prayer
Labyrinth
Together, these elements are reminders of God’s invitation to enter into a journey of healing with Him — the One who created us and guides us into freedom.
We hold to the historic teachings of Christian orthodoxy as articulated in the Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting.
Amen.
Statement on Marriage and Sexuality
We believe that God created human beings in his image, male and female, and that our embodied sexuality is part of his good creation. We believe that God designed marriage as a covenantal union between one man and one woman, and that sexual intimacy is intended for marriage. Therefore, we believe Christians are called to faithfulness within marriage and chastity outside of marriage.
We believe that every person, regardless of sexual history, attraction, or experience, possesses inherent dignity as one made in the image of God and should be treated with love, compassion, respect, and grace. We believe that the gospel calls all people to repentance, forgiveness, holiness, and the transforming life found in Jesus Christ.
