I went to the zoo this past week with my family. Nobody told me it was going to be the hottest day of the year. And nobody told me that they

decided to build the zoo on a hill. That was a really smart idea. Also, why is food at the zoo so expensive? Are these burgers made out of real

pandas?
Although I have a lot of complaints (which is kind of my thing – ask my wife Mina), it was worth it because my kids had such a good time.  We

were there for 5 hours and neither wanted to leave.  After a few temper tantrums, threats of abandoning them in the lion’s cage, and good old

fashioned physical dragging through the parking lot, we finally managed to corral our kids into the car, where they promptly passed out for the

entire ride home, only to wake up full of rage and energy as soon as we opened the garage door.  Being a parent is fun.
But despite all the fun we had as a family, going to the zoo is always kind of depressing for me.  Seeing these animals caged behind walls, subject

to the stares, jeers, and pounding on the glass (that would be my son’s favorite way to try to engage the animals) was really a sad sight to see. 

Many of the animals we saw had their backs turned or were hidden strategically, almost as if they knew that people were trying to stare at them

and they didn’t want to engage them.  Especially during meal times, which I guess makes sense – nobody likes someone staring at their face while

they’re chewing; it’s extremely uncomfortable.
And that’s why I don’t like going to the zoo.  Regardless of whether or not the animals were born in captivity or the wild, they have an innate

sense that they do not belong in a cage.  And it’s sad to see animals who should be roaming their own territories in total freedom locked up to

serve as entertainment for ogling sweaty strangers.  It’s almost as if they know their lives are limited – when you make eye contact with them, you

can almost tell how oppressed they feel.
In reality, people are in the same position as these zoo animals.  We live most of our lives caged within the confines of this world, living our lives

within the boundaries of what the world tells us we can or cannot do, how we should live, what’s expected of us, what’s appropriate, etc.  And we

believe that we are resigned to certain fates, certain destinies, and we cannot change them.  But as Christians, there is so much more for us.  Jesus

came to give us “life and life abundantly,” to set us free from the world we live in to allow us to step out in absolute freedom, joy, and grace into

a new life that is so much greater than the one we had.  But for many of us Christians, even after we have been saved, we still live our lives the

same way we did before we met Christ.  We don’t realize that there is so much more for us, not only in the next world to come, but in this very

world today.  And that is a tragedy.
If the zoo animals could, they would all escape and return to their lives in the wild the first chance they get.  Jesus has come to give us such an

opportunity to be set free from our mundane, worldly lives and wildly pursue a greater life with him in reckless abandonment.  Will we choose

what is greater?  Or will we stay in our own cages?

 
From Pastor David’s Heart
August 2, 2015

Two weeks ago, I had the honor and privilege of being ordained at NCFC VA campus. It was such a special moment to be ordained at the church I grew up in from 6th grade to a college graduate. It was special because my father was also ordained at NCFC back when we were worshiping at Watkins Mill. What made it really meaningful was my father’s message to me during the ordination service.
The first words he said to me was “Be a nobody.” My first thought was “thanks?” But then he began to explain that the world always tells us to go be somebody. Go and make a name for yourself. Live the American dream. That’s why we study hard and get into a good school and find a good major. By good major we mean one where there’s money to be made. Not something like sociology (my major). The world is preoccupied with trying to be somebody.
In high school, I had a Chinese friend who was so obsessed with his grades. Depending on his grades, he would be either “building up the Zhou dynasty” or “destroying the Zhou dynasty.” Zhou was his last name. I remember I would crack jokes about how ridiculous he was acting, but I think we all do that. We may not say his exact words, but in the back of our minds we want to make sure we’re building our name. We want to build up our “dynasty.”
That’s the opposite of what the Bible tells us. Jesus said things like “the last will be first, and the first will be last” and “whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant.” John the Baptist said “He must become greater; I must become less.” As Christians, it’s easy for us to follow the mindset of the world. It’s inevitable because we live in this world. So we want our kids to be the best. We want them to be successful. That’s why we don’t see bumper stickers that say “My kid is a so-so student at (insert school name here).” Also as parents, we want to leave behind some kind of legacy to our kids.
Perhaps, the best “legacy” that we can leave for our children is teaching them how to be a nobody. Being an example by reading God’s word and following it and teaching them that it’s not about what you become but who you are in Christ. As we lower ourselves and humble ourselves, that’s when God can be glorified through us. If you think about it, all the characters we find in the Bible were nobodies. God used people who were too old or too young or uneducated or Christ-haters or had speech impediments to do His work.
We’re in the book of Judges according to the M’Cheyne reading, and we find the story of Gideon. God calls him a “mighty warrior” before he’s done anything. If you look at Gideon, there’s nothing “mighty” or “warrior” about him. In fact, he needed multiple signs before obeying God’s command. It’s safe to say that Gideon wasn’t called a “mighty warrior” because of anything he had done. God calls him a mighty warrior because of what He planned to do through Gideon.
It’s great being a nobody. When we become a nobody that’s when God can be a somebody in us. As a Christian, it’s not about making our name known, but it’s about making God’s name known to everyone around us. As a pastor, my hope is to be a nobody. I’m fine with not being remembered and not being known as long as God is being known through me. I hope that NCFC would be full of nobodies. When newcomers visit, they won’t really remember the people they met, but they would remember how they met God through us during worship that day.

From Pastor Eugene’s Heart
July 26, 2015