Upcoming Series

Those who go to embassy metro church or follow this blog know that we usually preach in series. I have found that it is the best way for us to focus in on a subject and really do some discipleship with the subject over the period of 3-4 weeks. At times I pull an audible after God's leading and change everything up. Like with our June "Dive In" series and this months "Crossroads" series. For the most part we stick with what God has directed us to do months in advance.

In June at our creative design meeting we decided to bump our God at the Movies series from July to August which will be a better fit for the series anyway. One great thing that came from this is that it has allowed us to work two full months ahead on series design. We have our series laid out through the end of the year, but work for a particular series usually never began until the month and weeks leading up to a series launch. It has been great being able to design our series so far in advance. In August the series is designed to make outsiders insiders when it comes to their relationship with God. You don't want to miss a week of the "God at the Movies" series Aug. 12th, 19th, & 26th. Invest in and invite like crazy your unchurched friends, neighbors, and workmates. Take part during the month of August in changing somebody's life by inviting them to hear teaching regarding "Reel Spirituality" during our God at the Movies series . August will be followed up by our September series dealing with teh subject of sex. We have been referring to this series since our Marriage series in May.

The next two months at the embassy will be life changing as we seek to reach people for Christ through our "God at the Movies" series and then as we cover a subject that each of us face in someway or another daily and uncover the lies of the Devil concerning sexuality and his corruption of it, and discover the truth in God's Word regarding the gift of sex that God has given to man.


*does anybody have a blackboard we could use during our series in September...and no it isn't for diagrams. That's not what the series is about.

As your pastor I want to say thanks to you in advance. You do want emc to be a place that tackles the tough subjects and you do want me to be a pastor who is willing to risk in order to reach. EMC-ers ya'll are great. Keep doing what you are doing and just watch the continued impact you will make in the lives of people in this area.

Ear Report

I went to have my left ear tested again today. They don't expect it to improve, but I know God is able. The doctor had me do testing with the audiologist. I found out today that they can do a type of hearing aid that will not make my left ear hear, but the sound going from my left will be transmitted to my right and some how the brain figures it all out. It means wearing hearing aids in both ears, but they said it will be a dramatic improvement in social environments. That's exciting! weird to be 34 and have hearing aids in both ears, but you know I'm a pastor and pastors aren't vain....so it's no big deal ha ha yeah right.

The cheaper CROS (Contralateral Rerouting of Offside Signal) unit had both aids going over the ear and then a wire that connects the two being my head. All I could think of when she said that was that one kid on Barney years ago. So quickly I asked is there is another option for the mildly vain. There is! An aid in each ear that sends the signal wirelessly. They cost a little more and you might pick up mexican radio stations but it's better than looking like you are wired for sound. So that's where I stand on the whole ear thing. Soon I'll be functioning normal again in groups until then don't sneak up to me from behind on my left side cause I might punch you in the throat...just kiddin'...no really.

Sunday lived up to my anticipation

I enjoyed telling the story of the woman who poured out oil from an alabaster box upon the feet of Jesus as an act of worship and devotion. Charla did a great job with the song "alabaster box". We looked at the model that this woman set for us in worship. She came as an outsider and left as an insider. God welcomes us into this relationship with Him and something powerful takes place as we respond to Him in worship. Her action revealed to us four aspects of a heart full of worship for our God. She came to him in reverence, submission, adoration, and with a sacrifice she poured out all she was in response to all that He is. It is said of her story that it would be spoken of as a memorial wherever the message of Christ was told. That's amazing she would be known for all time because of her worship to God. I challenged emc to respond to God with everything they have asking them will we be known as a people that loves God extravagantly, worships him expressively, and serves Him explicitly. Then we need to be people who reverence, submit, adore and sacrifice.

We saw three come to Christ on Sunday. We don't have people come to the altar after giving their lives to Jesus, but we do have people fill out a connection card so we can follow up with them later. It's great when people have been coming for a while checking things out and then they take the step of faith and place their lives in God's hand. All three of these people have been at the embassy for more than a month. One person has been coming for over a year. Thanks church for doing what it takes to show Christ to people week after week. It does make a difference.

FYI (we talked about this on Sunday here's some details):

Since June our set-up crew has been kickin' and the physical preparation for Sunday morning has been getting finished by 9:00am. The tech/band stuff still is being finished right up until service time, but the rest of the areas of ministry are complete between 9:00-9:15. I told the church that we are going to make space available for prayer from 9:00-9:40 for those who would like to pray before service. Between that time come and go as you like. There won't be too much structure to it other than at 9:30 we will all pray together for the morning service. Bring your Bible and find a corner to be quiet in, walk around and pray by yourself, gather with a few friends and pray together. This might be just what you need to decompress from the week in the presence of the Lord. I know it is what we need to see God do what He desires with emc. Remember if you come to pray and it is your week to serve on a ministry team you need to be at your area immediately following our prayer for the service at 9:30 in order to receive guests.

God is getting ready to blow our socks off and it will take spiritual preparation to be ready for what He desires to do in and through us.

Also let's not make this a "we're the spiritual one's" club. "Oh, I am going to prayer, what are you going to do?...Oh just stand out here in the lobby and talk....tisk, tisk." I'm sorry I had to go there, but I've seen "spiritual people" act like this and make those who don't sense the draw to prayer as much feel like second rate believers. Man that's why it's called the body of Christ we all have different functions so get a grip and realize that this time is an invitation to quiet our hearts before God, seek His heart and will, pray one for another, and ask God to be with our worship experience. It is not a litmus test on who is really spiritual or not. Cool?

One other thing that happened this week we had several first time visitors that came who we saw at the concert in the park we served on Saturday night. One guy even helped us set up in the morning. Another guy I have talked with on several occasions at the Serene Bean came with his wife. We had a lot of emc-ers gone and attendance was still great. I love who God is drawing to the embassy!

Sorry for the length of this entry this morning.

Anticipating Tomorrow

Some weeks more than others I find myself hardly able to wait until Sunday morning. Here's a few things that I'm looking forward to tomorrow:
#1 meeting with God. I know He is always with us, but there is something about worshiping together that brings us experientially close to our creator. God is so going to visit us tomorrow I can't wait!
#2 I really do love digging into God's Word to see what He desires to speak to us and I love teaching His word to a room full of people hungry to know God
#3 I get to see the lights come on as they grab a hold of the teaching for themselves.
#4 I get to be with friends.
#5 I get the privilege of being your pastor. Thanks

And God Said Unto Abraham, "Look I Have Provided a Ram for You in the Thicket"

God provided for Abraham and Issac a ram in a thicket and God provided me a 2002 Dodge Ram 1500 Quad Cab Pick-up Truck!

If you go to the embassy or you live in Woodstock you probably have seen me smoking in my old truck. When I say smoking I don't mean Marlboros, I mean 2-3 quarts of oil a week. My old truck over the past 18 months kept me broke. After putting five grand into repairs I decided it was time to pull the plug. I made up in my mind that I was done putting money into it. Well that decision was made 3 months and 36 quarts of oil ago and the thing keeps chuggin' along.

Here's where the story gets interesting. Over a month ago we had some friends down from Ohio. They took Amie and I to a great restaurant and when dinner was over gave us a sweet letter and slid a check over towards us upside down. They said they had wanted to give us a significant gift for a long time. Man it was huge! We all cried and I spent weeks in disbelief with a fog around my head...wait that was the burn-off out of my truck's exhaust.

Some people from church started asking me if I was going to get another truck and I told them the story about the gift from our friends. To make a long story short someone from our church decided to get involved. He found a truck said he wanted to through some money toward it too. (no way I can't believe this is happening to me)

Last week Amie and I were able to do a large maintenance item on our mini-van, get new tires, and fix it's sliding door. This week with what was left over from our friends in Ohio's giftand with the generosity from our friend at the embassy I was able to pay cash for my truck!!!!!!! Still can't believe it, but my head has definitely come out of the fog.

Thanks to the two families that allowed God to use you to put a Ram in my thicket!

What's amazing is their stories of how God blessed them right back. Our friends in Ohio sold their home, in a very slow market, before they even listed it!
The person from the embassy had a financial deal come to a close this week the day after I got the truck. They were blessed 30X's what I was given by them!!!

I wanted to say all that just to remind you God sees where you are at and He is making a way for you!

13 year Anniversary

July 9th 1994 Amie and I walk down the aisle now 13 years later we have 3 kids, years of serving the Lord together to reflect on, and a future that is sure to be great because we get to spend it with our best friends each other. There was a time that I thought that whole "my wife is my best friend" stuff was a bunch of pink panty wearing psychologist babel, but over the past two years Amie truly has went beyond being my spouse and the mother of my children...she has become my best friend. Well I'll write more about that later. It's late and I need to get a shower and go to bed...." hey Amie where did you put my pink panties...." HA HA!
Amie may be my best friend, but by goodness I still ain't going to relinquish my man card...now where did I put those wool boxers?

(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.

Sunday Recap

-We were a couple people shy on our set up crew, buy the team picked up the pace and was three minutes earlier then schedule.
-Jared and the Worship Team did a great job. Jared's rotation seems to be working well. It's been great seeing new people involved on stage the past month. Ya'll are doing a great job.
-I had a hard sermon to deliver. We challenged people to step up and live life in light of being a Christ follower. That changes everything and when we come to crossroads of decision in our lives we need to take the path laid out by God in His Word. God has a better way to go and if we are going to go where we have never gone than we are going to have to live like we have never lived.
-Sunday night 12 or so guys came over and we caught combined 22 fish in about 2 hours.
-Jammed until late with the guys. We had guitars, bass, home made guitars and a dulcimer, we even passed a mandolin around. This was the first time all of us had jammed together so it was a little crazy everybody doing their thang, but boy it sure was fun. One of the non-musician guys said "man I didn't know we had so many guitarists at the embassy." I LOVE IT.
-Made new friends and had a great day...went to bed tired.
-God's Good.

July 4th Thoughts

-everything went great this year.
-we had over 40 people take part in helping on July 4th. Some helped line up floats for the city, we had a great group that walked with the float, we had two different groups that manned our booth doing face painting, handing out water, and balloons.
-We handed out 2000 invite cards attached to microwave popcorn packets.
-we heard along the parade route..."now that's a great idea"...."hey that's a church"...etc...
-One family that walked in the parade with us this year had received a invite card last year during the parade and the first time they came to emc was the very next Sunday. I hope in the morning we have a bunch of people in the house because of the parade. If you are thinking about coming for the first time in the morning...Just do it! We won't call you out, down, or show up at your house with brownies, but we will guarantee that it will be one of the best hour and 15 minutes of your week.
-We were going to crash the rest of the day, but then we decided to go see the fireworks at a neighborhood called Legacy park in Kennesaw. Amazing show only 15 minutes, but right over your stinkin' head. Jared & Charla's van got covered in debris.
-Robert Warnock made his way deeply into my heart...oh my gosh he made the best guacamole I have ever had. They pulled me from the kitchen counter after I grabbed a turkey baster and was trying to mainline the green goo of glorious gluttony.
-Laying out under the fire works on grass so thick it felt like a mattress with new friends all around and my family at my side and the thoughts of the day that point to a growing and thriving church was truly a great moment.

EMC-ers You Rock

I love the people at the embassy. They always seem ready to jump in and make a difference. From home make overs to showing God's love in practical ways to our community, and from creating an environment week to week that God uses to touch lives in a powerful way introducing people to Christ and helping people journey through life successfully.

Last night I was so proud to pastor this group. We had a work night at Jared's house to get things ready for the parade on the fourth. Upstairs there was a room full of people stapling 2000 invite cards to microwave popcorn packets to hand out along the parade route Wednesday. We even had a lady come to help that Sunday was just her second time at the embassy! How cool!

Downstairs there was a slew of people painting and getting things ready for the float. I was talking to one person who before moving to the area was a part of a church plant. He was amazed at the amount of people we have that get involved. Our percentage of volunteers at the embassy is off the hook. I am so proud that people come and quickly begin to get involved in creating the environments God is using to reach those who desperately need Him.

God is putting together a force not to be messed with. A group of people who are willing to do whatever it takes and give whatever is necessary to reach people for Jesus. I heard a guy say recently that he wants to see the church he pastors dominate their area for God. I feel like God is just beginning that with us. Step up and be a part of the revolution as we endeavor to impact our communities with the message of Christ's love, acceptance, and purpose for life!!!

New Children Church Team Leaders

Most of you know that my wife Amie runs our children's ministry. She has done an amazing job leading Embassy Kids. Although she loves the children she misses interacting with me and others on Sunday in "Big Church" we have had our eyes on a young couple that we could mentor into the leadership of our kids church. Beginning in August Brantley & Hannah Johnson will be leading Embassy Kids church K-6th grade.

They will be in charge of staffing, preparing materials that go with the Kidmo lessons each week, and taking our Kids church to the next level. Amie will still be overseeing all of the children's ministry birth-6th grade, but Brantley and Hannah will serve as Children's Church Team Leaders and will lift the weekly responsibilities from Amie for K-6th graders. These two have tons of energy and a heart for children they are going to kick!!!

To begin with they will run the Kidmo program the first and third weeks of the month and Amie and Lela will fill in the other two weeks of the month. Parents we are working hard to provide a place that is the highlight of your child's week and we believe that Brantley & Hannah will help us achieve our objective in the lives of children to provide a fun and planned environment where children can learn character development, Biblical understanding and grow up loving God, themselves, others and the church.

Thoughts about EMC and Summer so far

-Our Journey groups are on a break starting this week until August. Attendance at the past session of journey groups was great.

-Camping went great with everyone pitching in to make killer meals (thanks Jody and Lawrence for the fresh Halibut), the guys didn't do so well fishing, but we all had a great time tubing. Thanks Jay for bringing the boat. And thanks Kevin for letting me be the last man standing at poker.

-The "Dive In" Series went great. It was a simple series (no video, no props) but something that God used to challenge us to go deeper. I want to be a church that meets people right where they are, but definitely doesn't leave them there. Let's challenge ourselves as Christ followers to live like that changes everything.

-God is bringing more musicians and vocalists our way. I love our worship team you guys are doing great. Others with talents and giftings are making their way to the embassy. it will be awesome to see how Jared mixes Sunday mornings up with some of these new musicians and vocalists.

-For it being summer attendance has been great, but finances have been rough. I guess that's part of summer.

-I am blown away at the percentage of people that serve during the month at emc. We have enough volunteers that most of our areas to serve in are just one time a month. We are still a little weak on week four of the month so if you're not doing anything yet at the embassy let me know and we'll get you hooked up.

-We are all going to miss Micah our intern. He's been a great addition to the team.

-We need to get our signs back out in the community on Friday nights-Sunday nights. If you want to volunteer to place a sign each week just let me know.

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!!!