New EMC Invite Card

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.

Great Weekend

This past weekend couldn't have been any better. Amie and my parents were all in for the weekend. They came to see Adalee in the Wizard of Oz and to celebrate Aubrynn's B-day. I can't believe how fast my kids are growing up. Sunday night we had a bunch of Aubie's friends over for her party and when things wound down all of the dads went fishing. Man we tore the lake up. Props go to Bill who possessed some serious fishin' mojo that night. He couldn't keep from catching fish all night. He even caught a snake....crazy.

It was also great meeting Shane the father of one of my daughters friends. He was quite the fisherman too. With my dad being down I got to pilfer his tackle box like old times too. Anytime I can stand on the bank of a lake with my dad is a good time.

I think Sunday night felt so great also because Sunday morning went so well. It's summer and we had great attendance. The past few weeks we have had several new people and families coming to the embassy. This week a guy I invited came and recommitted his life to God. Sunday nights always seem complete when I walk the 75 yards to the lake and throw a line in...this Sunday night just felt even better.

"The Embassy...a church for all people?"

I recently received this e-mail from someone who God loves deeply. How would you have replied? I have changed the name to give the writer anonymity. Following the e-mail is my reply.


E-mail:

Hello,

I recently heard good things about your church. We're currently attending __________ (the name of a church in Atlanta), and feel like we're being led to a church home that is a little closer to our home and somewhere that we can be more involved. However, there's a challange for us, most churches in the area are not welcoming, based on sexual orientation. My partner and I have been together for over seven years, we're laid back, comitted, professionals and most importantly Christians. Is your church a place that's welcoming and understanding?

I totally understand if you think your church might not be the best fit for us.

Thanks so much and I look forward to hearing from you,

John Smith (Name changed)


My Reply:

John,

Great to hear from you and I am glad that the reputation of our church is getting out there. We are a group of people who love God and love people right where they are. I would say that we are accepting of all who come into the doors of the embassy. I like to tell my staff and church that we are to be a redeeming community. Christ shed blood for our lives puts value on us whether we have appropriated it by believing on Him or not. I am not saying that brings salvation to everyone, but that does bring value to everyone, and we endeavor to treat people according to the treasure they are in God's eyes.

I also encourage our staff and leadership that in addition to being a redeeming community we are also to be a sanctifying community. A community that seeks to lead people into a living life changing relationship with Christ that causes us to be more like Jesus and to live a life progressively more like what God's word prescribes for us. God loves us and wants the best for us and out of His desire to bless us He challenges us to lay down our desired will to take up His revealed will. This is difficult for all of us, but God is with us on the journey challenging and empowering us to rise up to His revealed will (The Scriptures). I would say that God's word would reveal to us many things that we are to allow Him to lead us into and other things that God would lead us out of further separating us to Himself for His best to be seen in our lives. Our sexual preferences and physical relationships apart from marriage, eating and drinking out of moderation, gossip and discord are all things that God desires to line up with His word. God loves us for just being and we love everyone coming into the embassy the same way....No hate.....No fear....no bigotry.....just love; but God also loves all of us too much to leave us where we are if where we are is not what He has revealed as what's best. Man, we all have our stuff that God is perfecting us in, but thank God He has our best interests at heart even if it goes against what I want, desire, and find satisfaction in. With that said... I would love to see you at the embassy, sit down with a cup of coffee, and begin a journey with you both, as we all as a body allow God to bring our lives into His best for each of us according to His word.

John, I Hope to meet you soon!


"with you on the journey"


ross wiseman
lead pastor
embassy metro church

VOTE FOR JOSH

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!

Father's Day at the Embassy

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!

Fuel For the Journey

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!

Intern used to help bring fresh appreciation for the embassy

Our intern Micah arrived a little over a week ago. For the past 12 days we have poured into him info regarding the life, focus, and mission of church planting. Going into this I wondered how much he would get from his experience with us. All I can say is it's been incredible downloading info into the hard drive of this guys heart.

We are a 1 1/2 year old church plant and having this guys around has made us revisit a great deal of what it took to get to where we are currently. When you are neck deep in it you forget the journey and all the amazing things that have led you to this point.

Rehashing things has really giving me an appreciation for all that we have done as a church in our short history. Our emc-ers have worked faithfully to bring about a great environment that is reaching many for Christ. Just this Sunday we had three more people come to Christ and as we asked for a show of hands of those who have come to Christ at emc or their lives were radically changed since coming to emc hands went up everywhere.

Having Micah here has helped us appreciate in a fresh way what God has done with all of us since January 8th, 2006. Not only are we being able to birth a fire in a future church planter, we also are being able to rekindle a freshness in planting as we talk to Micah about the journey God has led us on up to this point.

I recommend highly to any church planter to have an intern for a month just to remind you of how far you have come.

June Series

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!!!

Last week of our marriage series

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.

The Intern Cometh

Last month I received a call from the U.S. Missions department of the Assemblies of God. Evangel University had contacted them looking for a church plant to place one of their students with during the month of July. The student will be doing his practicum with embassy metro church. His name is Micah and will be with us from June 1st through July 8th. He has to have a work project that he is focusing on that church planters organize often so he will be working with us on everything it takes to pull off an event like the July fourth parade and park ministry and the promotion and design of our July series. Everyone make Micah feel welcomed on Sunday June 3rd and if you want to include him in any events you are doing throughout the month just let me know.

Amazing Staff Meeting Tonight

Tonight we put everything on the table nothing was sacred. We laid out every area of Embassy Metro Church and dreamed of how we can take it to the next level. The last couple of months we have all become busy working in the organization, but not necessarily on the organization. This the major reason organizations get stale, stagnant, and eventually atrophy. We refuse to allow stale & stagnant to become adjectives that will ever characterize the embassy.

Tonight we made a giant punch list that goes beyond maintenance and into the realm of fresh vision. Churches or business that only focus on maintenance, or merely working in the organization, will eventually lose the drive and fire they began with and will eventually become caretakers of the status quo. With that in mind as we go into the summer, a time often embraced by status quo churches to just lay back we have decided to charge ahead. The next three months will be an amazing time to be a part of Embassy Metro Church.

Hold on to your seat and get ready....I don't do this very often but I am going to ask you to serve like you have never served before, give like you have never given before, and invest in your friends and invite them to come experiencing what God is doing at the embassy like you have never done before!!!

You know I don't talk about numbers very often. I have never put numeric goals on our church, because I fear we'll focus on people as digits instead of souls desperately in need of a loving God. Well I just want to tell you that we are getting ourselves into a position as a church that we could have 300 people coming to the Embassy by January. That's huge I know, but God is able to do this as we give him our best in service, finances, and connecting with and inviting others.

We launch with such a small handful, but look what you have accomplished in a year and four months. With us moving together with passion and commitment we can double our church body by January. Well why should we do that? I can tell you it's not so we have bragging rights because I have been a major part of a church that grew to nearly 1000 people and if I wanted that I could have just stayed their telling our story for years to come. It's not so we can build our own kingdom frankly because building quasi-spiritual kingdoms for man's glory sucks and stinks in the nostrils of God.

Then Why!!!??? It's so that 100's & 1000's of people in the North Metro Area of North Cobb & Cherokee County can find Christ and find His better way to journey through life through the ministries of Embassy Metro Church.

If you are a Team EMC-er(member)at emc then join with us in the next season of our church and let's endeavor together to make an impact on our region.I think the Devil will fight us, the gates of hell will not relinquish victory easily, but we are going to kick his teeth in through our faithfulness and we are going to see lives changed like never before. Get your addict friends to the embassy, get your neighbor who feels like life is meaningless to the embassy, get your own rear end to the embassy, because God is getting ready to blow our socks off (never quite understood that expression) We will be the ones who can say "we were there being used by God when God blew our minds"

I'm sorry this was a novel, but I feel like God is ready to pour out increase on our church. Get a fresh vision of your role in this explosion and embrace your place at the embassy and watch as our efforts together serve to change the lives of those who are near and dear to you.

Can't Beat Free Stuff

This week a friend of ours from Ohio had a cosmetic denistry conference to be at in Atlanta. He brought the whole family in an RV and they have used our house as home base all week. It's been great being with old friends and it's been great getting hooked up on some awesome entertainment and grub. Monday we took the kids out of school and they took all of us to here, and tonight we are getting sitters and they are taking Amie and I to here. I guess you could say we've had a "surf & turf" week.

Man I could spit!

Last night we had a great Creative Design Team meeting. So today I took all the info we came up with and began to compile and add to it. With that accomplished a great deal of our June series is now slated.

After 2 hours of work I decided I would turn it into a pdf file and upload it to our CDT google group so we can add more thoughts to it etc. Well somehow I killed the file and all I can get it to say is mumbo jumbo computer talk.

If you are a preacher you know how frustrating this is, because the whole time you are feeling directed in your prep by God and He was adding some great stuff. Then it's all gone and you have to start over, but you know you won't remember everything you had written, so you feel like you're leaving something out. Well anyways that's life. I retrieved my crumpled notes from last nights meeting from the trash (thank God I hadn't thrown them out yet) and it's back to getting everything compiled and added to again.

I'm so frustrated I could spit.

Jerry Falwell August 11, 1933 – May 15, 2007

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.

New Series begins this Sunday

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!

Project Hero makes the Atlanta Journal Constitution

Communities of Faith: Home makeover with heart
Embassy Metro members aid woman

By Candice Hannigan
For the Journal-Constitution
Published on: 05/10/07

There were no network camera crews filming the extreme home makeover near downtown Woodstock last weekend. Buses weren't needed to bring in throngs of volunteers for the job.

Yet members of the Embassy Metro Church hope the work they did on the home will change the life of the woman who lives there.

"This is going to make a big difference in her life. I know she appreciates what this church and these people did to help her get her house and her yard in order," said Sara Blalock, a friend of the woman, who asked not to be identified.

Blalock said the woman is 66 years old and single, with no family nearby to help her. She faces multiple health challenges, including diabetes, and lives on a small monthly income.

About 40 volunteers spent the weekend painting inside and outside her home, installing new flooring, landscaping, repairing appliances, lights and cleaning from floor to ceiling.

Some church members are taking her to lunch, and out for a new hairstyle and a manicure. Her two dogs are even being sent for grooming. And for the next month, church members will keep the woman's refrigerator and freezer stocked with healthy meals suited for a diabetic's needs.

This home improvement project wraps up a Hero series that pastor Ross Wiseman started on Easter Sunday.

Services have featured public safety workers and other "real-life heroes," as well as challenges from Wiseman 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."

Members also raised $1,000 for a firefighter whose son has been undergoing treatment for a brain tumor.

"There's something powerful when people unite together to do something that's bigger than they can do on their own," said Wiseman. "We want to go into the community and let people know they're valuable to God, whether or not they've stepped into the four walls of our church. We want to be a body that's focused more outward than inward."

Embassy Metro Church: Sunday services begin at 10:02 a.m. at Cherokee 16 Cinemas off Towne Lake Parkway in Woodstock. Contact: 678-384-4919 or www.embassymetro.org.

Project Hero Before & Afters

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.

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

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!!!!

Tragedy Strikes Again

What a senseless act of violence and pain. Let's continue to keep the families of those connected with the Students at Virginia Tech in our prayers.

A Couple of Days of Downtime

My family arrived at 3:00 this morning in Mrytle Beach. We are visiting Amie's folks and taking a couple of days to decompress. I have brought couple of books and my cigar box guitar and am just looking at chilling out. One thing I have noticed since becoming a lead pastor is if I don't take a couple of days every few months to decompress I get fuzzy in my head. Just a couple of days is all it takes and I regain clarity and focus.

I even notice this in my regular schedule. If I don't pull away to take a walk by the lake, or sit and look out over Red Top or Kennesaw Mountains I loose a great deal of creativity and direction. The time spent in doing activities focused on nothing opens my mind, heart, and vision to get a "heads up from God".

If you feel like you are hitting a creative wall or lack of vision do like Christ and pull away from the crowd and make some space for your head and watch as God fills that space with His thoughts.This isn't a mind blowing revelation, but too many of us never do this and we find ourselves chasing life instead of leading life.

Emc-ers take a stand!

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!!!

Shout out from the Mac store

Man the Apple store at the Lenox is crazy tonight. They are in the middle of a remodel that will make it the largest Mac Store in the South. They always do things right and even though they are operating at 1/5 of their previous space they are getting it done. It feels like church when things are just getting crowded and you know big things are coming. I've been there and what's so cool is I can tell the embassy is right on the verge of some crazy stuff!

You want to be at church tomorrow. This week has been muy tough and from hearing from a lot of my pastor friends they've experienced the same thing so tomorrow is going to be one of those days where we dot the Devil's eye!!

I found out this this week that the thing I've been dealing with in my ear according to the doc is not temporary, but apparently permanent hearing loss so for now I'm deaf in that ear and that stinks, but I know God heals, but more importantly I know I am in His hands...... so basically I can't wait until morning to get my preach on and let the advesary who would love to hold me back realize I'm on course, I'm taking my stand, nothings backing me up. I have felt the violence of promoting the kingdom this week....but I know the violent take it by force!!!!!!!

All emc-ers tomorrow you will realize who you are and the force you are becoming. I love ya.....I'm proud of you.....let's do it!!!!!!!

The emc superheroes and eb in the cherokee tribune

Shout out to Noelle & Bobby

Noelle checks me out at target.... I mean she does the cash register thing for me at target. She doesn't check me out because she's married to Bobby and anyways I ain't much to check out in the first place....well anyhoo. They were at the embassy yesterday. It was great seeing you both! Thanks for coming as my guest.

Post Easter Thoughts

Easter is a huge day in the life of a believer and a church. We had a great day celebrating Jesus and enjoyed seeing so many gathered together for this purpose. Below are a few thoughts regarding our Easter at the Embassy.

Team EMC you Rock!!!!!

-The set up crew got there way early and were excited about getting the place ready for the day.
-The props and set design were amazing and for the first time the staff didn't have anything to do with it. Thanks Jeff, James & Katie.
-The egg drop with the fire department was hilarious....the kids loved it and went away with some serious swag (free stuff). I was stoked at which family got the $100 Grand prize.
-The guys from the Woodstock Fire Department did a great job!! Thanks
-The Cafe' team did a great job keeping up with everything on a busy, busy day.
-Our embassy kids team were off the hook. You guys are amazing week after week.
-Pastor Jared led us in an amazing time of worship & celebration.
-The band kicked the day off with the Foo Fighters song ". Hero" Ya'll nailed it!!!!
-My wife was in service with me and not in e-kids (thanks Lela for being such a great assistant to my wife)
-The photographers did a great job with getting the family photos taken (Thanks Jodi & Kimberly)
-Everyone that helped with the Easter egg drop set up were amazing. You guys braved the cold and put together a great event.
-Our superheroes and bunny were a big hit with the kids. Thanks for braving the cold especially in those tights. Oh and thanks for taking a hit for the team on Friday when you were handing invite cards out at the exit. They had the cops called on them, were flown the one finger peace sign four times, and told to do nasty things to themselves once, but people were there Sunday because of your effort. Thanks.
-All the tech guys really did a great job with lights, sound, and video.
-We broke another attendance record!
-I trust a lot of our guests will come back next week.
-I had a blast communicating on the subject of what Easter means in a new way. Jesus is the greatest hero ever!!!
-If Easter & Christmas are the only two sermons you hear a year no wonder you think church isn't for you. There is nothing like coming to a church for a few weeks and realizing how much the Bible talks not just about your hope for heaven and the condition of your soul, but about your relationships, marriage, health, dreams, goals, parenting, sex, and handling all sorts of everyday issues and desires.

I'm sure I missed saying thanks to someone, but what ever your role was yesterday it added into the mix to make one of the best days we have had as a church yet.

When Church is a Turn Off

Mark Twain once said: “A cat who sits on a hot stove will never sit on a hot stove again. He’ll never sit on a cold stove either. From then on, that cat just won’t like stoves.”

You begin to talk to be people about God and quickly you’ll find out their feelings about the “Church”. Although they may be spiritual and interested in matters of faith their negative concept of what church is like is often deeply ingrained. That’s rough because church can be one of the most incredible things in a person’s life. A place for community, a place that challenges you, a center for joining your arts and gifts to better each other and the world we live in. So often church becomes so much of what it never was intended to be and there’s the rub.

People begin to see it as a place that is internally focused where people whose heads are buried in the sand gather to decree the sky is falling, and while we wait for the sky to fall let’s try to work on making each other look like each other because isn’t that what Christ died for in the first place. So that you can look just like pastor “bob” and his wife and all the smiley people in the halls and foyers. I guess to me I thought we were supposed to look like Christ.

This is the week that Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. A week that reveals Jesus not as the one out leading the masses with charisma and flair, but the one praying so hard by himself that blood like drops of sweat poured from Him. The one who was beaten beyond recognition, the one who was nailed to a cross naked before women, men, and children.

He did all of this for you and for me. He did all of this so that He could gather people together so that they could be better than they ever could be on their own. The Bible refers to Christ followers as sheep, as The Bride, but it also refers to them as “The Church”.

The word church in the Greek is “ecclesia” and it means a group that’s been summoned or called out for a specific purpose. How amazing that God calls us to come together for His purposes. Maybe that’s where we miss it? We gather for our purposes and not His purposes. Obviously this week reveals Christ main purpose to reach others with His love and to see lives changed forever.

We are emphatic at the Embassy that we want to be a place that celebrates and embraces the best that church can be while pushing from us the things that often make church a “hot stove” to those seeking a living God. Have we arrived? No way, but each week we endeavor to push down pride, arrogance, selfishness, self-righteousness so that we don’t block people from seeing the best of Jesus because of the worst of the church. There is nothing like being a part of a healthy church and to remain healthy you have to check yourself before you wreak yourself. Let’s always strive to embrace what Christ embraced the most and that’s people… good people bad people, well people sick people, strong people weak people can all find their place under the steeple. (OK we don’t have a steeple, but I couldn’t resist the rhyme)

-end of rant

EMC Super Heroes & EB

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.

"My Time"

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.

Palm Sunday

This past Sunday was one of the most meaningful days we have experienced at the embassy.
We know that on Easter Sunday we are going to rock and roll baby...high energy....high octane...as we celebrate Christ's resurrection. So we thought the week before we would go the exact opposite.

We took the day and focused in on Christ's death. We can't fully celebrate His ressurection without fully embracing His death. I told those gathered that as humans we want to get to the end of the story. We're quick to get to the resolve of an uncomfortable story line. If we jump to the end of a story, to the resolve, we miss the full impact of the story. I wanted us to be fully impacted by Jesus' death and sacrifice. In doing so it left us a little heavy of heart and feeling a little undone, but I think this week it has made me slow down and think of Christ's pain on my behalf.

At the conclusion of the service we lit one candle that represented Christ and while Jared led us in the song Wonderous Cross five people came and lit candles. They then lit the person beside them in their row and each person helped the next get their candle started. When everyone was lit (There candle that is....) Each of the five read a verse that led up to the crucifixion. When they finished reading that row extinguished their candles then the next reader and row did the same thing until only the Christ candle was still burning. I then read the passage that says "It is finished" and Christ gave up His spirit. I then extinguished that candle. The room was completely dark and as people felt ready to leave everyone left in complete silence. "It was very simple, moving, and powerful" said a guest that we had.

It was something so different than what we normally do that it had great impact. The last part of the service is what is known in liturgical churches as a Tenebrae service. Which means "shadows".

The day couldn't have went any better. we really thought that with spring break our attendance would be down. Last year we were 40% off from our average attendance at that time so we expected a lot less. We were only down 6%. Sorry we ran out of donuts and didn't have enough candles for everyone we just didn't see that coming!!! It makes me think that Easter is going to be crazy. We are planning for a crowd so bring everybody you can think of!

Just a few more days until Easter

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.

Creative Design Team

When we began the Embassy we decided to maintain a strong commitment to presenting timeless truths to modern minds in such a way that they would embrace and live out the principles of God's Word in every area of their life. The work of putting together all our creatives has usually fallen to the staff and this has worked well for a year, but if we are going to excel and broaden our creative elements then it is going to happen by broadening our team. So we put together a creative design team made up of artists, musicians, builders, thinkers and even a couple of pastors (Jared & Me) who are all passionate about reaching people for Christ and changing their lives forever. Our Easter experience & the series that follows is a result of this process.

We meet on the first Monday night of the month for dinner & design and the ideas just flow....I love it! We also have a google group that serves as an online studio for the exchange of ideas and progress between our monthly meeting. During our CDT meeting we have some structure as I lay out our up coming series title and take away. We also look at individual weeks for creative elements that God will use to ingrain the teaching into people's hearts. This is the form we work off of. I usually have the series title and weekly sermon subject ideas before we meet and I put them on the form below:

Series Development Needs

Series Title:

Target Audience/Goal (Take Away):

1. Weekly Sermon Topics:

Wk 1
Wk 2
Wk 3
Wk 4

2. Sermon Branding:

-Series Theme

-imagery

-series logo/icon

-title slide ideas


3. Set-design:


4. Illustrations:


5. Marketing:

-invite cards

-evite cards

-mag/sign adv.


Does it take all this today to do ministry? Sometimes I wonder, but what I don't wonder about is the fact that people's lives are being changed every week at the embassy and we're never going to back down from allowing God to resource his truths with the creativity He has laid within those who attend EMC. To keep us on track we are playing around with creating some core values for the CDT.

Creative Team Core Values

1. We are more creative together than anyone of us alone.

2. Our creativity stems from seeking the creator in prayer, devotion, and spiritual awareness to
the world around.

3. We hold to a deep commitment to create a relevant presentation of Jesus teachings and
Biblical principles.

4. Since God is the Creator the church should be the most creative place on the planet.

5. The greatest message deserves the greatest means to convey it.

6. We will use anything except sin to draw people to Jesus and the truths of His word.

Experience Easter at the Embassy

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.

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.

Great weekend at the embassy!

This past weekend was absolutely amazing. We partnered with our city and the YMCA and helped with the 24 hour adventure race on Saturday and no I didn't participate in the race. It's 80 miles of running, biking, and canoing and the participants were crazy in shape. Maybe next year we'll enter Team EMC Extreme. When I say we... I mean you...any volunteers? Everyone that served during this event has been at the embassy for less than a few months. So it was neat seeing new people jumping in and doing their part to show people that they matter to God. One family we met Saturday visited Sunday and they loved it. Thanks team for taking part in this event that in someway will make a difference in this family's life forever.

On Sunday we dedicated 8 children to the Lord. One family e-mailed this about what emc meant to them that day..."You really given my husband and I the drive to start again with the Lord and continue our journey." Team emc thanks for all you do creating the environment God uses to reach people every week! That's what it is about let's never forget that. By the way we also had record breaking attendance on Sunday. We say it's not about the numbers and it's not, but it sure is about people and having 8 kids dedicated and a room well on it's way to becoming full touches me powerfully. Why because people's lives are coming into contact with God, His Word, and His people and their future and heritages are being impacted for ever!!!

Final thing Monday night was our creative design team night. These folks were off the hizzy fo shizzy my peeps. No really we were looking at our Easter experience and the series for the month of April. And it is going to be the biggest thing we have ever done. Frankly we could use some extra finances to make it happen so if you feel led to help us help people "embrace the hero within" so that they can see their lives, homes, and communities change by the power of the Ultimate Hero. Just let me know.

Back From the Frigid North

We got back from Ohio on Saturday and as soon as the van door opened and the warm Georgia air hit my face I new I was home. We had a great time seeing family. It was a short visit so we spent two days with my folks and two with Amie's. One afternoon we took our kids sled riding. It was the first time for Grant and he was as wild as I thought he would be. I was glad the city park commission had placed hay bales in front of the trees at the bottom of the hill. If not Grant would have broke his neck a few times. Some guy had the great idea to use a hay bale to build a ramp on the steepest hill. My nephew Austin and I decided we needed to conquer the jump. So with over 350lbs in our sled we flew down the hill together and launched 4ft. of the ground. We were airborne for 3 seconds and when we hit all heck broke loose...after we collected ourselves and the sled Austin says. "Chunkle Ross let's do it again" Yeah that's what my nieces and nephews call me....stop laughing....it's not that funny, well I gave thought to trying it again, but reminded myself that I had to be back home on Sunday setting up with the team and preaching so I didn't risk another go at the super jump.

One day we went into the offices of our old church and were able to see our pastor, some staff guys, support staff, and even some of the finance committee. It was great seeing some of our old friends in the office. We hated that this trip we were not able to make the rounds to see friends like we usually do, but it was a quick trip and we really needed our time with the family this time.

Being back this time made me realize how much my heart longs for the people of Woodstock and the surrounding area to find Christ and to see His principles lived out in their lives. This is truly the mission field God has called me to and being back this time made me realize althugh my heart misses friends and family back home, it beats for the community I am in here in Georgia. Did I mention it's warm here too!

Have I lost my Mind?

It is February and in two days I will be on my way to see family in Ohio. Yes, Ohio....I must be crazy! This morning it was 2 degrees with winds blowing at 18 miles an hour. That puts the wind chill at something like..."my Lord it's cold and I can't feel my feet" and I am choosing to go there with out being hog tied and thrown in a trunk, which should be the only reason why anybody heads that far north in the middle of winter. Does that make me certifiable?

Well anyhoo, we'll make the best of it. It will be nice seeing my family and gettin' some of momma's homemade collard greens, pinto beans (Yeah I might be from the north but my mother's Kentucky roots run deep) and some cone pone. That's corn bread if ya'll didn't know! I may be freezin' next week on the outside, but momma's cooking will have me warm on the inside clean down to my toes!!!

Speaking of going back to Ohio I just want to put it out there for the record....I love Georgia...and more specifically I love Woodstock. My hometown in Ohio, church, and friends will always be special to me, but It feels great to be right where God has called us to be. I feel like we are just starting to find our groove and the next five years is going to blow our minds. I love what God is doing in the lives of my fellow emc-ers, I love that we are seeing people come to Christ almost weekly, and I love that you can sense God is up to something. I love that I am already worried about our Easter Sunday's attendance...not because of trying to fill the place, but figuring out what to do if we overfill it!!! It's going to be nice to get away, from Sunday night to next Friday, but I'm glad I'm not missing the following Sunday. And I'll be itching to get back to the harvest field God has called me and the team at emc to. Invite some friends out as we look over the next 3 weeks at the rest of our series "dealing with difficult people" This Sunday, dealing with the overly needy people in our lives. Then on the 25th we'll look at dealing with manipulative people and finally on March 4th we'll cover the subject of hypocritical people in our lives.
I can't wait until Sundays each week! I look forward to seeing you and watching God make a difference in your life and the lives of your friends that you are investing in and inviting to the embassy. Love ya guys!!! Thanks for letting me pastor such a great church full of people passionate about changing their world. Viva la Revolution!!!

New series will start next Sunday

We were going to start our difficult people series yesterday, but I was sicker than a dog. It takes a lot to make me give up my pulpit (music stand...we're portable). Over the weekend I think I coughed my spine loose, is that possible? Any ways my voice sounded like a cross between a mobster and a drag queen who sucked down too many Marlboros. So I opted out. I had a missionary friend in town whose sister goes to my church and he came to perform her wedding. He was planning on a 5 minute missions window during our service yesterday so I called him up and asked him to "help a brother out" and go ahead and teach. Damien was our first missionary to speak since we launched and he did a great job explaining his ministry, but also challenged us to be angry about what angers God; poverty,Africa's aids/hiv epedimic,slavery, & injustice. So next week we will begin our Difficult People series.

New Series

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.

What a Start!

This past month has been incredible. The revolution series pulled no punches, but people really embraced the challenge to live loud for God in 2007. Over the past 6 weeks we have grown 25% and have seen a lot of new people serving God through the various ministries at emc. It's been great to see people realize how amazing it is to have a relationship with Jesus that is real and a place to celebrate that relationship that connects with people right where they are.

The bands been cranking and the place has just been full of energy. Embassy has become the church I would go to even if I wasn't the pastor. Thanks to everyone who week after week prepare such a great environment for people to connect with God, their purpose, and to others on the journey.

Our average attendance for the month of January was 125. What a start to a great year. I feel like God is putting everything together to absolutely blow our minds this year.
On Sunday I was saying how many had came to Christ this year, but how it was one less than I wish. How many marriages were made strong, but still one less than I wished. How many lives bound to life controlling issue, but again still one less than I wished. That's why we have to keep doing what we're doing because they're many more that God wants to reach through your efforts at emc. We've had a great start so let it motivate you to continue doing every week to make a difference in the community you live in.

Thanks for letting me lead the kind of church I would go to even if I wasn't the pastor. You guys are risk taking adventurous fools for God and I love ya for it!

new series

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

EMC Birthday Wish from..."Oh my Gosh they can't be serious"

Perry Noble from New Spring Church writes:

"The church is called to grow!!! We are not called to form “holy huddles” that criticize the churches that are growing. (And for what it is worth…we get that…AND we ignore it. Why? Simple–I would not ask a fat person for advice on how to take care of my body. I would not ask a person who has declared bankruptcy three times for advice on personal finances. And I would NOT ask someone who has had the same 50 people in their church for the past 20 years HOW to do church…it really is that simple. And that is NOT being cocky…it’s being smart.)

One of the chief critics of churches like NewSpring is the whole “emergent” church movement. I just love that–here you have 15-20 people…usually guys, who sit in rooms smoking cigars and drinking beer, debating theology while the world around them goes to hell…and somehow they think they’ve “got it!” In my opinion the only thing that needs to “emerge” from the emerging church is their head out of their rear ends so that they can better listen to God and fulfill the Great Commission."

Check this out for the whole post

My thoughts:
When it comes down to it You can miss being what God wants you to be on two fronts. One, you can be a church that has embraced the culture of the church so tightly that you can't embrace people where they are, in essence declaring "go to hell" to all who don't fit into your ecclesiastical club.

Or two, you have embraced something that is barely different from what drives those who do not profess faith in the Christ. Basically saying to those searching for something real that we are on our way to heaven, but really there's not much difference between the life of the believer and the unbeliever. I say if their isn't much different than maybe you don't have the vibrant relationship with Christ that John 10:10 speaks of. One that leads to a life that is full. Not a life full of rules and regulations, but a life full of contentment and direction. It seems to me often those who are pushing the "emergent thing" are bitter, angry, and counter productive to people's faith. I know many of the well know emergent leaders are amazing and have brought a much needed balance to the church. For some reason though many who express allegiance to this vein seem to be more focused on pressing their "cause".... I guess I thought our "cause" is Christ and our heartbeat is introducing people to Him, not our kooky thoughts on church sociology and function. Man I don't have time for that. I would rather surround myself with practitioners than theorists any day.

Well I guess my rants over.

The South has risen again

Being and OSU fan I have only a few words to say today: "I don't want to talk about it"

Mad props to the gators and the SEC from a die hard Big 10 buckeye fan.... you definitely got it done.

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

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!

So high, so low, so what!

You know a couple of posts ago I was saying that my truck is like Count Dracula to the blood supply of my wallet, but why focus on the negative. Last year was amazing so who cares!!! I think I have developed a case of negativitis. The desire to scratch at the quarter sized spot of what's wrong in my life has kept me distracted at times from seeing all that's right.

My kids blow me away with their personalities and growing abilities, my wife can't keep her hands off of me (I'm serious, Ha! HA!), my understanding of walking through life dependent on God and seeing Him come through over and over again. Life really is good.

So this year I am committing myself to look more at the positive than the negative, at what's right than what's wrong, at what is than what isn't. This year I will discipline my speech and thoughts to filter everything through eyes of faith, hope, and love.

I guess I just made a resolution....darn I wasn't going to make one of those this year...so what! Now I need to live it.

First Year Party

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.