vertical journey

Holiday Parade

2006-12-05T18:46:00.000-05:00

We had a great time getting our float together for this year's parade. . We had around thirty people at our house on Wednesday putting the final touches on everything. We built a giant popcorn box and admit one tickets to draw attention to where we meet at on Sundays. During the parade Saturday we handed out over 1000 packets of Microwave popcorn with an invitation to our December events. Thanks to everyone who helped build everything and to those who walked in the parade!

Special Christmas Presentation at the Embassy

2006-12-13T11:04:00.000-05:00

This Sunday at the embassy we will have a special showing of the newly released full length feature film "Nativity" at 10:02am. Come early and enjoy bagels and hot chocolate in the cafe'.

First Year Party

2007-01-03T14:12:00.000-05:00

This Sunday we will be celebrating the first year of embassy metro church. It's going to be a great day with several surprises (No, Jared will not be leading worship in his birthday suit, although that is usually how he spends his personal born day).

The doors will be closed until 10:00 a.m. and then you will want to quickly find a seat. If you get there early get a cup of liquid heaven (coffee) and just hang out in the cafe'. This will be a great day for you to bring guests, or if you are looking at checking us out for the first time, Sunday will provide you a brief look at who we are, where we started, and where we are heading. This is a morning you won't want to miss.

This past year it's been amazing to see how God has used so many dedicated people to make what emc is today. Thanks for continuing to embrace the fact that it's not about us, but it's about God reaching out to those that need Him.

Ain't no Party like an emc party cause an emc party don't stop!

2007-01-09T11:34:00.000-05:00

Our one year anniversary party was everything I hoped for. We had a great time looking back at what God has done and casting vision for where we are headed.

We looked at how God brings a vision and how vision comes to pass. We saw that while living out the dreams of God it's not always easy, but He is with you through it all. I then challenged the people to seek God for the dreams God wants for their lives because they are embassy metro church.

It's not about what God wants to do with emc that thrills me it's what God is doing and will do in their lives that get's me amped. As God leads them to be strong the church becomes strong....as God fulfills His hopes for their relationships....the church becomes healthier....as God causes them to personally grow, the church grows.....they are the church, they are emc.

EMC is just what we all get the priviledge of doing together to reach others and to stir each other to grow as Christ followers. I love being a part of what we are all doing for Jesus!!!

A few things that were great about Sunday:

-I loved having drums and bass on Sunday....the worship band rocked (Thanks Jared for leading the team so effectively). We have been praying for musicians for months and now they are coming out of the woodwork! Having the extra musicians will work great when we go to double services or run a concurrent service in another room with a live band and video simulcast for teaching. It's amazing that we are already having to begin to think about the next step.

-We also had several new people helping with set up...thanks for owning the vision and taking part!

-Thanks for allowing me to get away with stupid stunts like the "Marilyn Monroe bit" Ya'll are a blast to lead.

-The number of 20 somethings that are making emc home...I'm loving that.

-having my wife in service with me and knowing the kid's ministry was in great hands. (Amie has ran our kid's ministry since we launched....thanks Leondra for serving so faithfully so that my wife can be with me more regularly)

2007 is going to be off the hook!

new series

2007-01-18T14:31:00.000-05:00

This past Sunday we launched our first series of the new year. I really thought we would ease into the year, but God is up to something. We came full force challenging ourselves to live our lives in a revolutionary way. I challenged emc with the question, "What sound does your life make when it spins" We launched the service with a DJ mixing Run D.M.C.'s "Walk This Way" up on the turntables ((props to Brantly) Later on he laid down a set scratching over a few songs bringing home the whole revolution theme. We wanted the imagery of a record spinning or revolving to get into our heads. Why?

Like a record spinning on a turntable our lives give off a sound. We need to be conscious of that sound to be sure it sounds like Christ. His way, His heart, His passions reverberating from our lives. We need to find ourselves revolving close to God so that we can live loud and through that people will hear the voice of God resonate in their own ears.

This year commit yourself to the Revolution and Live Loud

New Series

2007-01-31T17:44:00.000-05:00

In February we will take 4 weeks to look at dealing with difficult people. This series will help you with the critical, overly needy, manipulative, and hypocritical people in your life.
The Difficult People series will look at principles in the Bible that will help any relationship you have. We will examine the core of why we do some of the things we do to people and why they do those things to us. Plan to come and bring some friends as we all learn together how to handle and respond to many of the stressers we face in relationships at home, school, and on the job.

2007-03-19T12:02:00.000-04:00

This Sunday was our second week in our three week series entitled "Supernatural". Over the last year we have looked a a great deal at living the principles of God's word, but I have dealt little just on the power and presence of God. Last week we looked at our "Conversation with God". I built on the theme of Jesus giving us access into the presence of God. We looked at the Tabernacle with the Holy of Holies and the veil that separated man from God in the Old Testament and how Jesus' work on the Cross gives us access through the veil to the living presence of God (Hebrews 9 &10)

Jesus didn't do all that He did for us to just...."Now I lay me down to sleep I pray the Lord my soul...." He did what we did so we would have access into the presence of God. This experience with God is more than a time for an information dump, but it's a time of intimacy. Basically the most Supernatual thing we can experience is to come into His presence. (breaking into the presence of God)

This week we looked at "miracles". Which are basically the by product of God breaking into our lives with his power and presence affecting change to the areas of our lives that are in need. To illustrate this I had a giant box on stage that I stayed in until the time for the teaching. I began to cut my way out of the box as I told various stories of Jesus doing miracles. Finally I step from the box making the statement that it is foolish for your pastor to preach his sermon from inside a box, but equally misguided is putting God in a box. We looked at three boxes that we put God in #1 God doesn't do things like that anymore. #2 God has to move when I say jump. #3 If He does still do miracles I don't think He will for me.

These are all boxes that we use to limit the supernatural in our lives. Jesus is still the same yesterday today and forever and Sunday we just set our hearts to believe that God can do what He says he can do and we invited Him to do what He desires to do in us.

Our final week of the series we will look at the "struggle behind the struggle". If God has given us access and if God can move into the areas of our lives in powerful ways don't you think there will be opposition to our souls trying to keep us from this? Next week we will examine this opposition.

Experience Easter at the Embassy

2007-03-19T12:38:00.000-04:00

I can't wait for Easter this year. Start inviting your friends now because it is going to be off the hook! We are launching a new series on Easter Sunday called "Heroes". That morning we will celebrate the greatest, but most unlikely Hero who ever lived, Jesus! The creative team is building an amazing set for the main auditorium and the foyer. Does it take all this...I don't know, but it sure is fun. I heard someone say that the greatest message deserves the greatest means to convey it and what Jesus did for all of us truly is the greatest thing that ever happened.

Easter Sunday we will have Woodstock's first ever Easter Egg drop for the kids. Our local heroes from the Woodstock fire department will drop plastic eggs from the ladder of their fire truck. We will do two different age specific drops. After they gather their eggs they will be able to redeem them for candy and prizes. This is going to be wild! And the kids are going to go nuts. We will also have Team EMC Super Heroes and the Easter Bunny encouraging the kids.

One other thing we are offering is complimentary Easter photos in the lobby. See the above card for the times of these Easter events.

Woodstock be looking out for the Team EMC Superheroes and the Easter bunny in the cape as they're out on the streets the two Saturdays before Easter inviting people to come experience Easter this year at the Embassy.

Following Easter the "Heroes" series will continue throughout the month of April. Embassy will also be doing two community projects during this series as we strive together to be heroes to our community allowing people to see the heroic love of Jesus through His people. I'll have more info on that later this week.

Just a few more days until Easter

2007-04-04T16:14:00.000-04:00

I can't wait until Sunday. Last year at this time we were all freakin' out because the staff and small core of help that we had was still doing everything to make Sundays happen. This year the embassy is 2 and 1/2 times larger than this time last year and we have a ton of talented people. You guys rock. It's weird not having to build anything, paint anything, or stuff, fold, or lick anything and we still have a few days until Easter. Thanks to everyone for set design, egg hunt preparation, getting the complimentary photo areas lined up, and 100 other things I am forgetting.

Don't miss getting there early for photos and the egg drop/hunt at 9:30. Last year we opened the day at 10:02 with Bono & B.B. King's "When love came to town" (This was before we had a full band so we just played the cd) This year our band is rockin' a Foo Fighter's song to launch the service and our "Heroes" series. I am so proud of these guys and ladies who lead us in worship week after week.

Invite your friends and family for what will be a great day of celebrating the greatest hero who ever lived.

"My Time"

2007-04-04T17:05:00.000-04:00

For me relaxing is chillin' on the back porch playing some blues on my fat body (that's my guitar....not my belly) and my harmonica. Amie says I look ridiculous, but all I gotsta say about dat is ridiculous never looked so cool. Another thing Amie says is that I am not good at just creating or doing something just for me. So last week I took a couple of hours and built me a cigar box guitar. It is too cool and I sound like Bo Diddley on it. These pics are from my camera phone so they are a little small.

EMC Super Heroes & EB

2007-04-04T18:34:00.000-04:00

These guys were out and about on Friday during drive time and Saturday from 10-2. They'll be out this weekend too. If your an emc-er honk your horn and shown 'em some love. They're out there waving saying hey and handing out invite cards. This weekend they'll be on Town Lake. For the kids they'll be at church on Easter Sunday.

The emc superheroes and eb in the cherokee tribune

2007-04-10T12:15:00.000-04:00

Emc-ers take a stand!

2007-04-16T20:22:00.000-04:00

This past Sunday was our second week in the "Heroes" series. Our take away was "If you're going to be a hero you have to take a stand." We looked at some of the men that fought for King David and how they would do anything to stand for this man who had accepted them when they were at their worse. Specifically we looked at Shammah who positioned himself in a field and didn't back down from anything. This guy was a freak.

I encouraged the emc-ers who make it happen week in and week out by saying that they are freaks....mutants....not normal because they have a passion that drives them to make an impact in people's lives. People all over the theater raised their hands to say that the Jesus had radically changed their lives through the passion and work of these freaks who ever week take a stand!!!!!!

Woodstock doesn't need another church that sits.....it needs more churches that stand. Your families don't need another daddy who sits, but one who stands. Your school doens't need students who sit, but students who stand........

We need to position ourselves, and stand for something that's worth standing for. Our families, our integrity, the lives of those who are lost in our communities, those things that are right and good. We need to be heroes in our communities and you can't be a hero if you don't take a stand!!!!

The service ended with people placing on the stage an anonymous "take a stand" card that was their commitment to see a difference in a particular area of their lives. It really was an awesome day as we embraced what I called "aggressive salvation and vicious faith" in order to see become the heroes God wants us to be.

I am loving this series and I'm loving seeing emc-ers become the heroes I know they can be!!!

EMC-ers become a hero to a young boy in need

2007-04-24T16:47:00.000-04:00

Last week in service we looked at the birth of a hero. Each of us have the potential to be heroic. Heroism always is the result of a moment of crisis. There's always a crisis before a breakthrough…An obstacle before an opportunity…A challenge before a discovery…and a fight before a victory.

A hero is born when a crisis is handled in a way that honors God. The massacre at Virgina Tech brought many heroic actions by individuals. One person in particular was Liviu Librescu. Sunday we looked at three lessons from Librescu. Lesson #1 Heroes run into crisis. Lesson #2 Heroes run in to give other's a chance. And Lesson #3 Heroes are never numb to the pain around them.

With all of this in our hearts on Sunday we encouraged the people to give to make a difference in a family going through a difficult situation. Andrew West is a six year old little boy that was diagnosed on January 1st with a brain tumor. It has since been removed and he is now going through a series of chemo that will extend over the next 9 months. His dad Shane and Mom Natalee have faced the worst of all crisis, but together the family is getting through it heroically. We as a church felt that the West family needed a boost in morale so we took up an offering on Sunday for them.

I challenged the people to run into this crisis and make a difference. To do something that would give the West's a chance to get relief. And to not be numb to the pain of a little guy and his family going though hell on earth.

EMC-ers ya'll came through and today Amie, Grant, & I were able to go to the hospital to give them $1,000.00 on behalf of you along with a couple superhero comic books (remember Dru loves Batman). They were very appreciative and so gracious to us. I'm hoping in a few weeks for them to come over to the house and let Dru have a chance at catching a few bass with his new rocket fishing pole Shane got him last week!

Thanks guys for being a hero in this family's life, but more important thank you for showing them the heart of the greatest Hero who ever lived and who lives in you today....Jesus!

Get ready to be a hero again on the weekend of May 4th-6th as we adopt a home in Woodstock to make a difference in. We will be cleaning, painting, doing yard work, preparing a 30 days worth of ready made meals, and other things to show Miss Ann the love of Christ.

Embassy Metro Church I love ya'll you truly are making a difference. Keep being the heroes your families, schools, businesses, and communities need!!!!

2007-05-05T07:55:00.001-04:00

Most of you know that we are doing an extreme makeover on a ladies home in Woodstock this weekend. She has been through a great deal of hardship and health issues. Those of you who were not at the embassy this weekend didn't hear the announcement that we are canceling church Sunday to go be the church. Actually the entire weekend will be full of opportunity to love like Christ and be a hero to Miss Ann. This is going to be an amazing weekend for our church, our community, Miss Ann, and our God!!!!! Is it going to be tough OH Yeah, but we can do it! Yesterday was the first day of cleaning and removing flooring. Everyone blew my mind on how hard they worked. I'll throw some pictures up and tell the story Sunday night when we are finished.

Project Hero Before & Afters

2007-05-08T15:52:00.000-04:00

New Series begins this Sunday

2007-05-12T09:29:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow is mother's day and we are launching a new series called "Just Married?" I can't wait as we begin to unpack some of the stuff we all deal with in our marriages. We're going to kick it off right as we look at resolving conflict in the home in a teaching called "Fight Right". If you are single you need this series too. See you all in the morning!

Jerry Falwell August 11, 1933 – May 15, 2007

2007-05-15T14:39:00.000-04:00

I admire deeply what Dr. Falwell has accomplished
for Christ through out the years. Welcome Home Dr. Falwell...good and faithful servant enter into your rest.

Last week of our marriage series

2007-05-26T10:27:00.000-04:00

I know it is Memorial Weekend and a lot of families will be gone, but if you are in the area you don't want to miss tomorrow's service. We could have laid back and said let's coast this weekend, but we have a great day plan. My wife Amie will be co-teaching with me which will ensure for an entertaining experience. Actually my wife is the one who gives me the best stuff I put in my talks every week any how.

Also we have a 1st edition video installment from three emc-ers that will have you rollin'. you guys tore me up. With the band kicking, a little Hendrix memorial music, and God showing up in a powerful way we are going to have an amazing Sunday. I can't wait!!!

See you tomorrow. If you can't be there be safe and have a great weekend with your family and remember to take some time to reflect on our service men's sacrifice for our freedom.

June Series

2007-06-02T18:27:00.001-04:00

During the month of June plan to wade out of the shallow end and go deeper each week as we dive into the depths of some of the greatest personalities of the Old Testament.

Like the first time off of the high dive, this series will challenge, inspire, and help you realize "you can do it"

See you in the deep end!!!

Fuel For the Journey

2007-06-12T14:20:00.000-04:00

Podcasting has begun!!!!!! We want to help provide you with resources to propel you on the road of life. We hope that the podcasts can be fuel for your journey. We will be uploading our weekly teachings and getting past series uploaded over the next month.

"Fuel for the Journey" will be a great resource for personal growth and for getting info into the lives of your friends and family all over the country. Through this medium we will be able to reach many times more people than we do in our weekly services at our Woodstock location. E-mail this link to friends and family and they too can experience what you encounter on Sundays at the embassy. Who knows it maybe just what they need to get them coming to check this whole "God Thing" out. You can make a difference pass this info along to others today!

Father's Day at the Embassy

2007-06-13T15:24:00.000-04:00

I think most of us who are father's remember an arcade game in the eighties called Dig Dug. Well this Sunday get your gaming thumb ready because there will be a "Dig Dug" Tourney in the lobby before service. We have a great prize package available that will give you and your child a full day of fun this summer.

From 9:30-10:00 sign up put a minute on the game with your wife and kids cheering you on and see how your high score measures up with the other fathers at emc. I am going to come ready to kick all ya'll's butt!

VOTE FOR JOSH

2007-06-18T15:29:00.001-04:00

Don't forget to go online to South107 to vote for our very own Josh Brown! If his song "Texas Stars" is picked in the Battle of the Bands he will be placed in rotation on the radio with some of your favorite country starts like Montgomery Gentry, Alan Jackson, and Brad Paisley.

EMC-ers Rock the Vote!

New EMC Invite Card

2007-06-27T11:14:00.001-04:00

I think Jared did a great job on this invite card. We plan on passing out 2000 of these attached to microwave popcorn packets during the fourth of July.

2007-07-13T20:10:00.000-04:00

(Robby Nichols: Student Ministries, Jared Hager: Worship/Media, Micah Hildebreth: intern from Evangel University, Ross Wiseman: Lead Pastor)

We had a lightning strike last week and it took out our modem, wireless router, vcr, and playstation. I am finally back online and don't have to go to the Bean in order to use the free wireless.

I can't imagine what ministry was like before laptops, blogs, podcasts, and the net. Actually I have been in ministry over 15 years. I can remember cutting and pasting and blowing up clip art and cutting and pasting and then I would put my creations on transparencies and would use it to help get my messages across in a visual way (Oh yeah even in '92 I was tapping creative elements.

It is so much easier now, but if we're not careful it is also easier to get clogged up with all the technology and miss just being quite before God, hearing His voice, and responding in obedience. Next week i am taking a couple of days to fast from technology. There are 12 acres of land by our house and I just found out it belongs to my landlord. He said I could go on it if I wanted to. Amie, Aubrynn, & Grant are going to go see Amie's parents next week (Adalee will be at kids camp) so I am planning on camping for two nights. No power, no internet, only a book, my bible and my journal.

Having our intern Micah with us for five weeks reminded me of being young and just starting out in ministry. I find myself longing for those simple days.