Artist in Residence

This week we finished our series entitled Rennaissance: An Awakening. We spent the last few weeks looking at how God desires to bring us out of the dark ages, give us a new life, and how we can creatively express that new life .

No matter how dark your past present or future may seem you can awake to a new day. Arise shine for your light has come and the glory of the Lord rises upon you. God desire to give you the kind of life that only He can give and when we experience that life we should creatively express it through worship.

We discovered that worship isn't just singing a song at a sunday service, but its doing all that we do for the glory of God. You may not be able to paint like Da Vinci or sculpt like Michelangelo, but you are an artist in residence and your greatest purpose in life is to creatively express what God has done for you in a way that is consistent with your gifts, skills, and talents. To me that's worship.

Trying Something New

A few weeks ago I blogged about Ed Young's new book on creative leadership. One thing that he pointed out is that he is a very visual person. Since he is visual, he uses a mind mapping process while preparing for his sermons. After a few revisions this becomes his final draft and the notes he uses to prepare for his delivery. This helps with memorization, flow, and continuity for the overall message.

I have known for a long time that I am a visual learner. I have also known for a long time that I hate the typical outline form of linear sermon preparation we all learned in college and have tried to forget in order to be more effective preachers. This week I jumped in and used a mind map to prepare for my sermon. The mind map I used I'm sure is nowhere as effective as the one's produced using mind map software, but hey it was free. I designed a template on power point and it seemed to work fine. If anyone would want this template just e-mail me and I'll send you the file.

Speaking of just sending a file free of charge; one of my all time favorite church planters is now allowing pastors to download everything he has fo free, that's right I said fo free! Craig Groeschel from Life Church in Oklahoma is freakin' awesome and now another reason to appreciate him. If you need some help jump starting your creativity you can't go wrong checking out Craig's stuff: www.lifechurch.tv

Anyhoo, I think I like the mind map thing and plan to continue using it. If anyone has any tips with mind maps let me know.

a little poetic flava tonight

God of awesome power and might you move me

not with force like a wave moves rock from a sea side cliff,

but like a song that moves feet to dance or a sonnet a heart to sing.

You move me, and as I dance, the tide of time ebbs away from me,

You move me, and as I sing the waves go back to the sea.

With the waves the rocks that make my heart heavy and my feet stumble

are drawn into a sea that conceals and a river that does not remember.

God of awesome power and might you move me.


-God thanks for moving me.

great day at the embassy!

Emc Team you ROCK!!! As I reflect on yesterday's gathering at the embassy my heart grows warmer than the cafe au lait with hazelnut that sits on the table beside me. Why? I knew you would ask. Let me list a few things.

1. we had several new emc-ers that have linked up with the team to help make Sundays possible. You know who your are and thanks!

(People hooking up with the vision of creating an environnment where unchurched, or dechurched people can connect with God and each other gets me jazzed. If you are new to the embassy what are you waiting for, jump in and lets make a huge impact together on woodstock and our surrounding communities!)

2. the media team. Thanks for yesterday. i threw a lot at you and you kept up with a crazy morning of cues for visuals, clips, and lighting. (we're always in need of more techno-freaks)

3. the teaching had a different flavor then usual with nearly 11 minutes of clips interwoven into the teaching. To be honest I worried it would crash and burn, but all I have heard has been great responses. Again thanks tech guys for keeping it fluid.

4. Pastor Jared, Charla, & Katie continue to do an incredible job with leading us into worship and great reports are coming out of our embassy kids ministry. Thanks Amie for all you and your team do to make the kids excited about God and church.

(we are in bad need of a drummer, bassist, & lead guitarist...oh and a kazoo player! If interested e-mail jared@embassymetro.org) "I need more cowbell... I have a fever and the only cure for my fever, is more cow bell."

5. saving the best for last, we had one guy express an interest in begining a relationship with Christ! That's what I'm talking about!


I feel like we have a long way to go to become one of the great churches that God will use to impact our community in a real and significant way, but Sundays like yesterday let me know that we are right on track. Thanks to all who have sacrificed so much to make emc a reality. Proud to be your pastor.

Big Church Kid's Ministry on a New Church Budget

When we were preparing to launch the Embassy we new that a large part of our demographic included young married's with children from birth to 6th grade. We wanted to create a fun and planned environment where children could learn character development, Biblical understanding and grow up loving God, themselves, others and church. I refuse to have children grow up hating church or feeling like God isn't relevant to them on my watch.

Well this put us into a great dilemma seeing how we began this endeavor with only eight people including our children. Through our development stage we tried to figure ways we could provide quality children's ministry, but it always came down to our lack of resources; both finances, and personnel.

This fall we came across and incredible find at the Drive Conference. A ministry named Kidmo was in the ministry resource area. Lil' K (pre-school) and Kidmo (K-6th) provide a video base presentation for kids that includes pre-service music, worship, games, and weekly lessons. This looked like something we could do. So long story short when we launched on January 8th with an emcee (my wife, Amie) and a few helpers we were able to offer an amazing and engaging ministry for kids.

We have gained several families already because their children love the kid's ministry. It's so cool to see the kids get to the theater and run ahead of their parents on the way to embassy kids. Kidmo we love you!!!!!!!! If your looking for a great environment for your children I think you'll be pleased with embassy kids. If you are a church planter or in a ministry that doesn't have the resources to provide the quality of ministry children need than check out Kidmo. I know you will be pleased. www.kidmo.com

what'll ya have!

That's the famous line you'll hear when you go to eat at the world's largest drive-in. The Varsity is in downtown Atlanta on more than two acres and can accommodate 600 cars and over 800 people inside. "On days when the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets are playing a home game, over 30,000 people visit The Varsity." www.thevarsity.com

Last night we took our team to the Varsity just to get out of the house. Every Monday night we have our team meeting and since we don't have offices yet there isn't much separation between work and family life. That's the same reason I'm at the Serene Bean this morning instead of locked in my office at the house. Well anyhoo, the Varsity is amazing and we had a great time. My favorite Varsity greasy fix starts with a small order of wings, a chili dog with mustard (don't say coney or they'll know you're a "d--n yankee") a coke to wash it down (don't say pop or they'll really know you're a "d--n yankee") and finally a frosted orange which is a chunk of heaven frozen with citrus and served with a straw. Oh how I love Atlanta. Let me count the ways.....1.the Varsity.....2.Chic-fil-A....3.Waffle House....mmmm good.

What can you learn by going to the Varsity. They do a few things well. There products are few, but their presentations vary enough to meet the needs of those who come through their doors (except maybe non-grease loving vegitarians). Because of that the Varsity has become the World's Largest drive-in.

Often churches try to do too much and because of it they fail to become the great movements that they could have become. I hope our team can continue to discern between what's good and what's best, and from what's just busy from what's beneficial. I'm not a big numbers guy and those of you who know me know that, but is it possible that someday 30,000 people could come through the many campuses of embassy metro church on a given Sunday? I don't know, but the future looks good! Oh, did I mention the Varisty has onion rings? This Sunday there will be onion rings instead of doughnuts in the cafe' at the embassy! See ya then. I keed.

I'm a rambler, I'm a gambler

O.K. so I'm not so much a rambler, nor am I a gambler, but over the past 6 months I have become quite the Dylan fan. It started with my rather ecletic taste for music. Last October I came across the audio book of Dylan's autobiography Chronicles: Volume 1. In this amazing set Bob Dylan shares his thoughts on hundreds of songs, artists, poets, and philosphers. To hear about the experiences, artists, and everyday joes that made Dylan who he is, was a great discovery.

Then my interest was peaked in December when I came across a podcast of the Martin Scorsese documentary of Dylan's early musical career. I must have listened to the whole thing five times. Dude this guy influenced everybody from the Beatles to CCR, to Johnny Cash. A couple of days ago I purchased the soundtrack to the documentary, "No Direction Home." Man I have loved every phrase that has been turned and every note that has been bent by his famous vocal style. Notes that slide around the melody over and under, but always into your heart. All I've got to say, if you are looking for a good 2 CD collection of Dylan's early never before released recordings then the answer my friend is blowing in the wind the answer is blowing in the wind. You can't go wrong with this set.

being creative is hard.....gosh

Last week I picked up a copy of Ed Young's lastest book - The Creative Leader: Unleashing the Power of Your Creative Potential. Throughout my ministry the past 14 years I have always pushed to be creative. With each creative attempt to connect modern earth dwellers to ancient truths I find myself hitting a wall that compels me to quit trying so hard. You know it would be easier to just write a nice neat little sermon with three points and a poem, and we'll all just grin and bear it and get on to the next week with more of the same. Heck, I can't do that so I strive everytime to push the wall down and on the other side I find the creativity necessary to relate God's Word to the bi-peds in my pews (I mean theater seating).
For years I thought maybe I am not that creative because it rarely comes without effort, but reading the first few chapters of Ed's book I've found that this is part of the normal process. If you are like me and you can't stand for mediocre presentations of the greatest message ever told, but also you find yourself hitting the wall, know this we're normal. Ed says the push to be creative is the hardest thing he has experienced in his life. What's the alternative? Do we back down and fail to express the creativity of our creative God. No, for people's sakes no! We face the wall and through prayer, teamwork, and intense effort we find new ways to help people grasp all that God is and all that God has for them.



Below you'll find the Publisher's Book Synopsis:

Unleashing the power of your creative potential

Why should we implement creativity in leadership?

God invented creativity.
Jesus modeled it.
The Holy Spirit empowers it.
And people desperately need it.
Creativity is not an option for the church; it is a biblical mandate that flows from the very character of the Creator. If church leaders are going to live out the challenging mission that God has laid out for the local church, we must unleash the creative potential available to us.
This book is the definitive answer for the question Ed Young hears over and over again…What have you done at Fellowship Church to remain creative and continue growing? Think of it as a field manual for doing church differently. Packed with details, this book covers the full spectrum of church leadership all in one place, including:


Things they didn’t teach me in seminary
A step-by-step look at message development
Crafting effective illustrations
Implementing team creativity
How to keep your audience engaged
Building a creative staff
Overcoming obstacles to innovation
Integrating multiple senses into your service
Tips to keep the ideas flowing and avoid burnout
A big-picture rundown for your weekend service
With practical case studies of proven creative leaders and candid Q&A sessions at the end of each section, this book offers concrete help and hope to those who need a jump-start in their creative planning.

If you’re looking for a resource to help you maintain the status quo, this is not it. But if you’re looking for a book that can help bring a sense of vitality and excitement to both your life and your organization, this book is for you.

life is good

Amie and I are sitting on the porch over looking the lake while our kids are playing in the dirt (sand)...dirty sand. The church is growing every week and I actually like the people God is sending our way. If you would have told me 9 months ago that we would have the staff that we have I wouldn't have believed you, oh and my wife is finer than a frog's hair split three ways. Life is good! God is good.

a new friend

This morning I got to spend a little time with a church planter from Canton. Gary Lamb launched Ridge Stone Church almost two years ago. The church is currently meeting in a theater about 14 miles from Cherokee 16 Theatre where we recently launched. It was great spending time with a guy that has journeyed down the same path that we are now heading. I love how God is raising up leadership that is real. Like Gary said "what you see is what you get." I really enjoyed the time spent and felt like Gary was open to helping a new guy out with ideas and warnings. If you are reading this Gary....you are falling into my trap as I befriend you and then steal all your ideas.....Ha! Ha! Ha!

No really, it was such a good time getting to know Gary. I am proud to be reaching people through church plants in the same county as guys like Gary Lamb, Eddie Johnson, & Chuck Angel. I trust we'll all be faithful to what God has called each of us to and collectively reach many for Christ in Cherokee County.

One other thought....I was told that my blog sucks because I wait to long between entries I'm not going to say who told me that, but.....Gary you're right. Thanks for breakfast my new friend (that sounds so corny)