24/02/2026
Rónán and Joanne Johnston, together with their friends in the Emmaus Community, have been instrumental over the years in shaping a deeply authentic expression of creativity and music ministry. What emerged was never simply about musical excellence or giftedness — it was about hearts opened to God and surrendered in love for His people.
In the early days, when the Holy Spirit first stirred something profound within Rónán and Joanne, they were simply a small gathering of four to six people meeting faithfully in Rónán’s home. From those humble beginnings, the Emmaus Community gradually flourished. What followed were remarkable transformations — first in their own lives, and then in the lives of many others who encountered the living God through worship that was wholehearted, vulnerable, and deeply prayerful.
At the centre of their story is an awakening: the discovery that we have immediate access to the love of God — a love that is personal, relational, and transformative. The joy of realising that we are fully known and deeply loved by Him reshaped not only their music, but their mission.
I first encountered Rónán, Joanne, and the Emmaus Community while living in Dublin during the early years of my missionary journey in the 1990s. We were all swept up in what became known as the Charismatic Renewal — a powerful and global movement of the Holy Spirit that, between the 1970s and 1990s, impacted an estimated 90–120 million Christians worldwide. It was a season marked by renewed expectancy, worship, and a rediscovery of the Spirit’s active presence in the Church.
The Emmaus Community gave language to hearts longing for deeper intimacy with God. Their music carried a distinct vulnerability and a prophetic sense of mission — helping many recognise that faith is not distant or abstract, but immediate and personal.
In this conversation, we journey from the mid-1980s to the present day — reflecting on radical encounters with a God who knows us and loves us individually. We explore the beauty and cost of leadership, the challenges faced along the way, and the wisdom that only hindsight can bring.
This is a story of Trust, Surrender & Believing in the enduring faithfulness & love of God.
https://youtu.be/vJU0lKQAPf0?si=YOqRuXrGLr578mem
Rónán and Joanne Johnston, together with their friends in the Emmaus Community, have been instrumental over the years in shaping a deeply authentic expressio...