Personal Retreat

I took a couple days away and man was it productive. It's seems like the past 3 months just flew by. I never felt like I had any free time to allow my mind and spirit to slow down enough to get a clear vision for next years preaching schedule. The past couple of days I took time for prayer, reflection, study, and visioneering for next year. God showed up and with great clarity. I now have next year's preaching schedule finished. Obviously we can change on a dime if the Lord leads us, but I feel God anoints and can speak to us in advance regarding His direction for our church. He has done just that and with confidence, clarity, and anticipation I look forward to a memorable life changing year of experiences with God and growth in His word. I'll clue you in on the 6th regarding some of the things we'll be teaching this year.

This last day of 2007 I just want to thank all ya'll for giving me the privilege of being your friend and pastor. I am committed to the leadership of God and to leading you higher in 2008. Pray for me as I continue to seek God on behalf of emc.

Still in Shock

I still can't believe Bobby was gunned down the way he was. we are just sick. I was suppose to go hunting this weekend but frankly I don't care to hear gun fire this weekend. Our prayers are with his daughters. His middle girl was my Aubrynn's best buddy before we moved to Georgia. I married his oldest and her fiance. Bobby was in the small group I was in. Our kids went to school together. I am just blown away by this horrible act. His funeral is Monday, but there is no way we can get back for it. Our thoughts and prayers are with Bobby's family and our church family in Ohio.

Just Pray

A friend of mine was murdered this morning. Don't have words to express the pain we feel over his death. Bobby was a a gentle and thoughtful guy that will be missed dearly. He leaves behind three daughters one grown and two at home. His youngest was my Aubrynn's best friend until we moved from Ohio. Pray for the Houseman family especially the kids and Bobby's Mom and Dad.

Going Off Line

I will be taking a digital break Wednesday-Friday. I enjoy doing this a few times a year. Nothing but a Bible, a notebook, and maybe a book or two. I always come out of these times full of vision, increased faith, and zeal for God, family, and ministry. A guy in our church is going away for the week so he is letting me use his apartment during these days.

I want to ask you to pray for me over those three very important and needful days. Pray for a clear head and a receptive heart. Pray God blows my mind with the thoughts that He is dreaming over our church and lives.

My next blog will be on Monday Dec. 31st. Wed-Friday I will check messages at 8am & 4pm
I will return e-mails on Monday unless it is an emergency.

Have great time with your families this week!

Sunday Remix 12-23-07

-We had a ton of new people helping with set up/tear down. It was great as one by one mentioned that they didn't realize how much goes into making emc each week. Set up has grown even more extensive so in the new year we will need a handful of new people each week in rotation.

-Charla got sick so our trio (Amie, Mary, & Charla) became a solo because two part harmony didn't sound right. We used a background track which is so not our style, but it did work well to bring fullness to the harmonies. Mary did a great job soloing it.

-The kids were too cute coming out wearing Christmas boxes. I loved Alex Stockdales box with a seperate box covering his head like a mask. It was like El Nacho Libre meets Saint Nick.

-Jared and the band did a great job mixing up Christmas songs and worship concluding with communion.

-I wasn't happy at all with my talk. A few times a year you just feel like you drop an egg instead of hitting a home run. As a preacher you want these to happen on weekends when attendance is down and as few guests are in the room as possible. You definitely don't want it to happen on your "big event days". I felt like I just never found my groove. I do believe that God spoke to people's hearts it's just you hate walking away feeling like you hit anything less than a home run.

-Looking forward to January 6th and to the launch of our new series called "EPIC"
This coming year is going to be off the hook. I am so excited about what God is doing through everybody at the embassy.

Funny Father Son Moment

Last night Amie was practicing with Charla and Mary a song they are singing on Sunday. This left dad with the duty of feeding the kids. In true fatherly style I announced "Hey let's go to Stevie B's" At that moment Dad is king. Almost as cool as when I brought rats home for them a few weeks ago, but that's another story.

Stevie B's is great all the pizza you can eat for the kids and an actually a pretty fresh salad bar for a dieting dad. After supper as I sat sipping coffee the kids went to the play room to waste their money. They know dad's too cheap to let them waste mine. I gave each of them a quarter and said "have at".

When you set the kids up with mad cash like that it creates a sense of adventure. They look under in and over everything for tokens. They blow my mind how much they will find. At Chuckie Cheese I have seen my brood of "Wiseman" find over 20 tokens over an hours time...I'm so proud of 'em. And it heightens the adventure right?

Well Grant comes out of the play room last night all excited holding a shiny bright yellow gumball as big as his left eye, not that his right eye is any different in size,it's just he had that one closed as he was spying out the existence of germs with microscopic precision using his left eye. His sisters are having a conniption because they just know he'll die for sure the moment he chews this object of discovery.

I felt torn to be honest. I was thrilled my son found most likely a perfectly good gumball and now like daddy enjoying the fruit of his hunt he is ready to devour this discarded delectable. The cacophony of girlish squeals brings me to my senses whereby I say in a rather responsible parental way shaking my head in quandry, "Grant, I wouldn't eat it" and to that he responded simple with, "but I would...I'll blow on it" And so as he blew the ball clean still looking at it with his left eye and now me with his right, I gave him another "have at it". In to his mouth went the gumball, the girls gave one more retort of disgust and Grant smiled from ear to ear eyes closed now as he enjoyed the sugary syrup of fresh chewed gum sliding down his throat.

EMC Family Making a Difference

The Peace on Earth Christmas Offering Update: 708.76 was given for the Safe Haven Children's Home and African Oasis Projects. Thanks for your generosity at this time of year.

In January & February we will be scheduling some work days to go help build out Brad & Diane's basement so that Safe Haven will be better equipped for the four children they have now and the others that will be coming. Amie and I had an amazing time after service Sunday as we had dinner with Brad, Diane and the kids. On Sunday you met "Princess" Kelsie at church. When service was over she along with 3 other children went to eat with us. After the kids warmed up to us, which took all of about 2 minutes and 3 of my stupid magic tricks, they were all over us. These guys hunger for positive interaction, love, and emotional warmth. I am excited about emc's involvement with the children's home during this project and into the future!

Sunday Remix 12-09-07

-18 kids committed their lives to Jesus in Kid's church today!!! Brantley & Hannah have been doing an amazing job with our K-6th graders. They were so excited Sunday that so many made the decision to follow Christ and they should be. They are making an eternal difference in our children's lives when you see them tell them thanks for all they are doing!

-We had the full band back this week and they did a great job with worship and bringing some emc style to a couple Christmas songs. Before I hear it from anyone let me say....yes it is was a little hot on the ears Sunday, but I would rather it be loud than quite. FYI: We are working on keeping the volume consistent and at a good level not to hot not to soft, but just right:)

-I loved the new foyer look. The black backdrops and moving the plasmas into the foyer was a definite improvement. The main theater looked great too with the Christmas lights and African banners. Thanks to everyone who made that possible.

-Attendance was great Sunday with nearly 160 people at the embassy. If you have been coming to emc and have not got involved with serving once a month we would love for you to be a part of the team. The stories of what God is doing in people's lives keep rolling in and you want to be a part of preparing environments that help people journey through life with God, Purpose, and Friends. E-mail me this week to begin to discover where you can make a difference at emc.

-My folks were in town. It was great seeing them and going to the Civil War and Locomotive Museum with Grant and Dad.

-It was in the 70's all weekend in GA back home in Ohio they were shoveling snow. Keep sending me those photos so I can enjoy the winter scenes. What's nice is I don't have to shovel a picture to enjoy the view. I Love DIXIE!

Merry Christmas

I'm really diggin' our December series logo! Jared did a great job with it!

The Serene Bean Rocks

The Serene Bean holds a special place in our hearts. Our first friends we made in Woodstock own the Bean. They allowed us to hold informational meetings and a few church services there before we launched emc at the theater. Now they along with their CIO and a bunch of their employees are part of the embassy and we love doing life with all of them. I just wanted to give everybody at the Bean a shout out for doing such a great job! They truly provide the best neighborhood cafe' experience in Woodstock. This morning they were featured on My Fox Atlanta our local morning news show. Check it out and if you have never been to the Serene Bean get there ASAP!

My road to health

Just to give a quick update regarding my fitness regimen. #1 I am not on a diet. I am eating a ton of food just the right food and no weird combinations or anything. Basically I eat 6 meals a day meals 1-4 are protein and good carbs. Meals 5&6 are protein and good fibrous vegetables. I drink a ton of water and still drink too much coffee, but hey whaddaya going to do?

#2 I do weight training with Debbie the trainer lady 3 times a week and 40-50 minutes of cardio 5 times a week. In three weeks I have dropped 11 pounds by the time I am where I need to be I will have lost a fifth grader. Ha ha! I already feel great and I can't keep Amie off me. Seriously she is flirting with me right now...what did you say Amie, "Oh I know...I'm the Man. Now leave me alone so I can finish this blog."

While being in a vein of vanity I guess I'll make a comment about my recent haircut. Is 35 to old for an emo hair cut? OK it really isn't that bad. Actually it looks good but it's kind of mohawk-ish. If I go light on the goop it actually looks my age I swear.

Alright that's about all I can handle in regards to talking about personal appearance.

My first hero slips from this mortal sphere

This weekend Evel Knievel died. I think looking back to the mid-70's Evel was possibly my very first hero. My first bike was an EK white bike with a red white and blue fake gas tank. At five years old I took it to the top of our stairs and road it right down into the hall pass the dining room, the bathroom, and into my bedroom at the end of the hall. Mom and Dad freaked out and wouldn't let me do it again, but boy they sure have loved telling that story throughout the years. Thanks Evel for all the memories I'll see you on the landing ramp of life.

Sunday Remix

-Emc went unplugged as the Wild West Series came to an end.

-It was great hearing all the stories of what God has been doing in people's lives over the past few months. Everything from God giving direction to a young guy's life to God giving sobriety and a call to ministry to another young guy. A couple testimonies of God's faithfulness on the backside of a commitment to tithing. We even had one guy who is in the small group Amie and I go to. He received a phone call from a new employer less than 30 seconds after our small group prayed for him to get a job. Too amazing.... Amie said Amen and a few seconds later the phone rings. That was Wednesday he started his Job on Friday.

-I am looking forward to being back to rocking the place out next week when the band is back in full form.

-The environment that the creative design team has planned for emc for the next few weeks is going to be amazing.

-I can't wait for everybody to see the changes in the foyer for next week.

-People always talk about the real reason for the season I am amped to show you what God has placed in my heart for the next two weeks. Don't miss the next two Sundays for anything!

-Mitch's new Jeep is off the hook (OK that was random, but what a jeep)When do we get to go off-roading? :)

-Attendance was back up from the Cherokee County school break.

-God's work in the lives of the people that make up emc is simply.....beautiful. Bravo God! I Chronicles 16

Woodstock Christmas Parade

Everybody had a blast getting things ready for the parade. Most the fun was just getting to hang out with a bunch of fellow emc-ers for the day. You guys are great! By the way the girl in the box that's my Amie. The boxes were made for the children to wear, but I think we had a few ladies who must be kids at heart. Ha!

My Little Picasso

I know it's probably just a father thing, but I love the drawing my eight year old recently created. The picture captures Aubrynn's quirkiness.

Successful Hunt

I had a great couple of days hunting deer on a 600 acre lease in Waynesboro. For some reason I had a bad case of the jitters the whole time and missed 3 out of four shots. I did bag a nice 2 1/2 year old mature doe that should put 35-40 pounds of meat in my freezer. I was hoping for two, but blew that.

I have never got a buck before. Two minutes after bleating and grunting on some calls in walks a four pointer and a really nice eight pointer. They couldn't have been 30 yards from me. So close I could have shot is with a bow. I got so jumpy, I couldn't settle...buck fever beat me and beat me good. I somehow shot right over it's back. The 30-30 I was shooting was hitting a target within an inch of the bulls eye at 100 yards and here I am missing a 30 yard shot. Jeff said "pastor, I know you can shoot and shoot great now we just got to teach you how to kill deer" It is a different ball game shooting on a range from hunting. Well I guess that's what keeps you coming back for more. That was the fifth doe I have harvested so far I am definitely getting the itch to take a buck. We'll see.

Pray for Rein.........Deer that is

Jeff from our worship team and myself are leaving tomorrow to play and slay baby. We plan to fill our freezers full of venison. MMMMM it's delectable. There is just something about taking meat from the woods to the table that makes you feel like standing up and saying to the fam.... "Who's your daddy" OOOOOHHHHH Yeaaaaahhhhh I am.

My nieces and nephews

One thing I miss about being in Ohio is seeing these guys grow up. I am so proud of them. Brian is twenty and is the worship leader at a church plant in Lexington, OH. Ain't he Crowder-ish. Austin is an amazing drummer and is only 14 years old. Rhema is quite the athlete and Ricky can do anything. I really hate not getting to see them excel in their interests but they know "Chuncle Ross" loves them. Isn't that a horrible nickname they've given me? I love it! Miss you guys.

I'm thankful for......

...Amie and my children. They mean everything to me and are a reminder everyday that God is better to me than I ever thought possible.

...my embassy metro church family. I am so proud of all that you are becoming in Christ and for Christ.

...a father who decided to follow Christ and was submissive enough to allow God to change him. Pop I am so proud of the man you are and the man you have challenged me to become.

...a mother who in her eyes I can do no wrong. We all need someone of radical grace in our lives and my mother is that for me.

...weekly talks with my sister and brother in law.

...hearing my Grand Dad say he loves me. He just started that since I moved to GA. Pretty cool for an Army Staff Sargent on Guadalcanal South Pacific.

...friends and family that are in our corner. You know who you are.

...Amie is so freakin' hot. (ha ha sorry that one just slipped)

...this is so carnal: my 4 door dodge pick-up. Man I love my truck

...not that they come after the truck but.... the guys on my leadership team and their wives.

...a trip to deer hunt coming up Sunday-Tuesday. Run Bambi Run!

...My Pastor and Mom Blair for everything they have meant to us through the years.

...the increase in my health and outlook on fitness.

...most importantly that I have Jesus in my life and all though at times our relationship has had ups and downs I am finding myself the past few months extremely captivated by His love and presence.

Brother Crow...a new friend

A few weeks ago when we launched our Wild West Series we placed "www.jesusisyourhuckleberry.com" signs around the city. They have caused a bit of a stir and we have seen a dozen or so people come and one person come to Christ after coming because the sign peaked their interest.

I had one particularly challenging e-mail from an agnostic who was a pastor for 25 years.

He Writes: Jesus is your huckleberry? That is a new low! Taking "Tombstone" as your sermon idea generator? Embarrassing.

I am a local agnostic, and would love to debate your religion. Your website is flashy...but come on, is that the best you can do? Your pictures look like you are funny and fun people, but I am Crow and I see through that.

I have a high level of despite for exploitive faith communities like yours. I was a pastor once. Do you think your faith and religion can stand up to the blistering impact of a person like me? I challenge you to some debate. You up for it...huckleberry?


Now before you pick up your stone slow down and read on. Don't see this e-mail as a negative because frankly the man has become in one afternoon a person I will consider a friend for I believe long into the future. Upon reading his e-mail I didn't think this guy was really trying to bust my chops so much as he was seeing just trying to see where my heart lies.

I wrote him back and told him I would love to sit and have a cup of coffee with him. I wanted to hear the tale of a man who obviously has journeyed so far. No judgment just an exchange of life stories. Well yesterday I had that opportunity and experienced one of the most pleasant and interesting hours this month.

I was surprised to find out that we had similar backgrounds and experiences. We had a like mindedness regarding radical grace and the feeling that Christians after a season of "maturing" begin to miss the real meaning of Christianity. Where we differed and it breaks my heart (as my mother would say) is that I still believe in the Bible's claims of Christ even if at times I am disfranchised with the modern church. Brother Crowhas come to espouse that the Christ story is pure mythology even doubting the histrocity of Jesus.

What was so troubling was seeing a man who has become "de-converted" but is still moved by much of the story of Christ and the "proposed" Holy Spirit's interaction with man. He knows he senses something when faced with elements of the Christian faith, but has reconciled that "something" as anthropological reactions to stories of fancy and myth; much like a heart warms at the thought of Santa and his sleigh.

This is not the guy that claims atheism/agnosticism as an excuse to disengage spiritual dialog. This man has served as a pastor and at one time was second in command to one of the finest pastors and leaders in our nation. To maintain his anonymity I will say no more but was impressed by his past and present. I genuinely like this guy and hope to "convert him back from the darkside" If you're reading this BC I'm just playing with you.

That I am sure will not be the last cup of coffee shared with my new favorite agnostic.