It was a wonderful family gathering for Thanksgiving this year in WA thank God. No angry outbursts or pent up frustrations boiling over from anyone. That's gotta come from God believe me amen to that. Don't holidays with the family have the classic potential of starting out well but breaking bad into petty quarrels and hurled insults over un-settled payback? My family has never had an all out drag out showdown but we've had our share of ongoing skirmishes through the years haven't we all?
I have two older sisters and an older brother. Earlier this week I found out my brother was invited to Thanksgiving and that he was actually going to come from out of town. I was excited but also anxious about that. This would be the first time all of us would be together since my wedding in 1999! My son has actually never met his uncle. There's a bit of sad history there. My brother was once married and they had two daughters. However, the marriage failed and their parental fitness was in serious question. (The only court case I ever did in WA was representing my mother in family court in 2004 to get custody of the two granddaughters. Let's just say the devastating ravages of alcohol and drug abuse are pure evil). It severely strained family relations to say the least.
The two estranged daughters were also going to be at Thanksgiving. In addition I hadn't kept in touch with one of my sisters for about 5 years over petty matters I shouldn't have allowed to affect me. My mother's health is an issue plus my other niece is engaged and was going to be bringing her girlfriend/fiancee to Thanksgiving (gulp).
So there are all of these ongoing issues I pray through for reconciliation and forgiveness for myself and for this family. I'm not one to publicly air the family dirty laundry but I believe exposing darkness to light takes away it's power over us. James 4 says "Mock the devil and he will flee from you." So this whole week I had been making snarky remarks in jest about how bad things could get by Thanksgiving. We had a good laugh about that. When we confront our fears we don't allow them to manifest and build up in even unhealthier ways. Why try to ignore or tiptoe around the elephant in the room. This is the one rare instance I think where my sarcastic directness was actually appropriate.
But thank God for answered prayers. My brother and I both broke down in tears when we saw each other but there was joy and relief as brothers and as friends. We were each other's best man at our weddings. But the whole evening was filled with laughter and reminiscing for everyone. So for at least one evening this family was able to set aside our differences and simply enjoy each other's company after so many years apart. That's a start and so I'm very thankful to God for such an unexpected blessing.

From Pastor Mark’s Heart
November 29, 2015

One of the things that our boys miss about Thailand is all the 7-Eleven convenience stores that seem to be at every street corner (and in between as well)! Whenever we were hungry and all the street food stalls were closed, 7-Eleven was always our go-to place for drinks, snacks, and fresh steamed pork buns. You can even pay your water and electric bills there!
So you can imagine Caleb and Caden’s excitement when we shared with them that they were building a new 7-Eleven just right beside the Harris Teeter grocery store near our home here in Clarksburg, MD. (By the way, I have already brought our boys to the grand opening of this 7-Eleven, and they got their fill of free Slurpees and snacks!)
A fun fact is that Thailand ranks as the country with the 3rd most 7-Eleven convenience stores in the world (behind Japan and the United States). There are actually over 8,300 stores spread out across the country, and they are constantly building more! In contrast, Thailand as a whole only has 5,120 churches. In South Thailand, where we serve as missionaries, there are only 411 churches. So that means there are far more 7-Eleven stores than there are evangelical churches in Thailand! Why are there so few churches in Thailand? There may be various reasons, but one of the contributing factors is that Buddhism is so embedded in Thai culture. The saying goes, “To be Thai is to be Buddhist.” And so sometimes it takes a generation to even establish a solid church plant. It’s certainly not quick and easy!
Perhaps a more perceptive question to ask is why 7-Eleven stores are so popular in Thailand. The central underlying values in Thai culture can be summed up in the four S’s: sanook, sabaay, saduak, and suay. Roughly translated, they mean: fun, comfortable, convenient, and beautiful. 7-Eleven stores are so popular in Thailand because they are convenient. Especially on a hot and humid day, you wouldn’t want to walk too far to get your cup of Slurpee and steamed pork buns!
The sad reality is that the four S’s of Thai culture is evident in our churches as well. How many times have we made decisions based on what is fun, comfortable, and convenient for us? How many times do we make an effort to look beautiful on the outside while at the same time hiding the mess that is on the inside? With this type of mentality seeping in like spreading yeast, it is no surprise that the church has become more a consumer church than a missional church.
There is a fantastic diagram that delineates the difference between the consumer church and the missional church. It defines the consumer church “as a dispenser of religious goods and services. People come to church to be ‘fed’, to have their needs met through quality programs, and to have the professionals teach their children about God (i.e. I go to church).” In contrast, the missional church is “a body of people sent on mission who gather in community for worship, community encouragement and teaching from the Word in addition to what they are self-feeding themselves throughout the week (i.e. I am the church).” So which one are we? And which one do we want to be?
Information from Wikipedia, eStar Foundation website, The Emerging Church by Dan Kimball

From Pastor Dave’s Heart
November 15, 2015

The month of November is here and it marks exactly one year since I started at NCFC. Not only that but this past Monday, my wife and I, celebrated our 2 year wedding anniversary. We also celebrated Andrew’s first birthday yesterday. So November will always be a special month for me. How appropriate that Thanksgiving is also in November. So the three things I love most (God, family, food) are all in this month.
I shared this at the Back to School night for VA Timothy in September, but I really felt like a redshirt freshman this past year. In college football, usually the freshmen take the first season to learn instead of play. They study the play book and watch how the other players execute. Then they start to play in their second year. I could relate to them because I was busy trying to learn the NCFC way of doing things and getting to know the people this past year. This is not to say that there was nothing going on. I believe there has been progress for Timothy. We’re moving in the right direction and I’m looking forward to this next year.
I’m also thankful to have such great pastors to learn from. Seeing how they do ministry and handle different situations that come up has really stretched me as a leader. It made me widen my focus so that I can see how the different ministries work together to better the church and give God the glory. God showed me how important it is to see the big picture and take a step back to see the direction that God is leading rather than being so focused at the task at hand.
As a second year husband, I have to admit that there’s room for improvement. I do have a little bit better understanding of what it means to be a godly husband compared to year one. God has been showing me what it means to be the spiritual leader of the household. He’s been showing me what it means to love my wife as Christ loves the church. I thank God every day for giving me a wife who loves and supports me despite my weaknesses and shortcomings.
As a first year father, I can say that I truly love my son; no matter how many surprises he has left for me in his diaper or the countless sleepless nights. It brings me great joy to see him grow and do new things as his brain is developing. Right now he knows to wave good bye when I leave the house. He should be walking soon as he’s been getting good at standing and balancing himself. The time that I cherish most with him is when I’m trying to put him to sleep. There’s something really intimate about being in a quiet dark room as I pace back and forth with him in my arms. He rests his head on my shoulder and drifts off to sleep while I pray for him. Then I lay him down and put the blanket over him. Just seeing how peaceful he looks puts a smile on my face.
As I reflect upon this past year, I am thankful for God’s faithfulness. What an awesome God we serve! I’m reminded of what it says in Deuteronomy 7:9 “Know therefore that the Lord your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commandments.” Getting to this point in my life hasn’t been an easy road. There have been many bumps along the way, but God has been faithful. Each and every bump was used to stretch me and shape me. What a great ride it’s been so far. I look towards year two with great anticipation. I look towards His faithfulness.

From Pastor Eugene’s Heart
November 8, 2015

As Reina is getting older I am often faced with challenging questions that leads to meaningful conversations with her. Reina had a Halloween party scheduled on Friday at her school and we didn’t let her stay for the party because we don’t celebrate Halloween. So on our way back home from picking her up early from school Reina was telling me how the party is not anything scary or weird but just eating yummy treats and having fun. She was definitely disappointed that she was missing a good party. So I had to explain why we don’t celebrate Halloween and that I will make sure that she has more fun and better food at Fall Festival. I’m sure I will have to remind her and make sure that she fully understands as she gets older. For parents who are dealing with same issues, here is helpful information that we used to give out to the congregation.
NCFC does not believe that Christians should participate in the celebration of Halloween due to its origin and practices, which are contrary to the teachings of the Bible.
The custom of Halloween is traced to the Druid festival of the dead around 100 A.D.  Samhain, a Druid god of the dead, was honored at Halloween in Britain, France, and the Celtic countries.  Druids believed that souls of the dead returned to their former homes to be entertained by the living.  Bonfires were built atop hills so they might find their way.  Suitable food and shelter was provided for these spirits(“treat”) or else they would cast spells, cause havoc, destroy crops, or create terror as they haunted the living (“trick”).  Many witches and Satan worshippers gather to continue the traditional practice of worshipping evil spirits on Halloween day even today.
When children dress up and knock on doors and ask for treats, they are mimicking the dead!  The Bible instructs us to have nothing to do with the occult practices, the deeds of darkness (Deuteronomy 18:10-11). Some may say,  “but we only do this for fun...  we don’t practice witchcraft.”  That which represents Satan and his domain cannot be handled or emulated “for fun”.  Such participation places the participant in the forbidden enemy territory.
That is why NCFC insists on having our Fall Festival on Halloween night. We do not just tell our children not to participate in Halloween, but we offer them an exciting alternative to celebrate life and the Giver of Life, not death.  So I hope you brought your entire family to this wonderful family event, and showed your support.  If you missed it this year, make sure to plan ahead so you can attend next year. You will have so much fun, and your children will love you for it!

From Pastor Brian’s Heart
November 1, 2015

Another family reunion for North and South Koreans was held in the DMZ of Korea this past week. 96 families had private reunions with their relatives living in the North. Such a family reunion event began as a result of the first inter-Korean summit in 2000. Twenty face-to-face family reunion events have been held so far.
Nearly 130,000 South Koreans are registered in the government’s database as having family in the North, separated by the 1950-53 Korean War. Half of them have already died, with around 66,000 people on the waiting list. The border between the two Koreas remains tightly closed, with no cross-border travel, phone calls or email exchanges allowed. The two Koreas are technically still in a state of war as the Korean War ended in a ceasefire, not a peace treaty.
The Korean War separated millions of Koreans from family members for a multitude of reasons. What they have in common is shock that South and North Korea remain so bitterly divided after so much time. A mother, 95, reunited with her youngest daughter, who was 2 when she left her and is now 64. She said before meeting her daughter, “I am not sure if I will even be able to recognize her. I don’t even remember how she looked as a baby.” In another reunion, a husband who was separated 65 years ago met his wife. They were separated after 6 months of marriage when the Korean War started. She said that she can't even cry because it has been so long but she missed him a lot. She thought her husband died and has had a ceremony every year for the past 37 years. She gave birth to his son after he disappeared and raised her son alone with hard jobs. These similar stories were commonly shared from everyone who was fortunate enough to be selected to be a part of this reunion.
What a tragedy! The war separated them from being together for such a long time. And there is yet another divde that separates people. Hurt separates! What does hurt do to relationships with other people? It divides. When a person hurts another person, it drives them apart and separates them.
Have you been hurt by someone or have you hurt someone, and as a result, the relationship has been broken? And are you longing to restore that broken relationship again? How can you be close again? Something needs to be done. The hurt has to be forgiven. You may say, “It wasn’t my fault that our relationship broke!” But Romans 5:8 says, “But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Jesus, being blameless, voluntarily offered Himself to be the sacrifice that would overcome our sins against God.
And the Apostle Paul says in Colossians 3:13, “Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” Not only did Jesus bring us close to God, but Jesus also wants us to forgive others and be forgiven from others. Jesus can give us the courage, strength and love that will enable us to forgive. No human can remove the hurt. Only Jesus can. Are you having a hard time forgiving someone even though you’ve been wanting to forgive because your wound is too deep? Ask Jesus to give you the courage, strength and love that will enable you to forgive. Jesus desires to restore our broken relationships with each other. What a tragedy it would be if the relationships remain broken for 50, 60 years or even beyond! You don’t want to wait too long before it becomes a little too late. Our God is a God of union, not of separation.

From Pastor Neil’s Heart
October 25, 2015

I had the privilege of attending the Catalyst Conference in Atlanta, GA last Wednesday to Friday. This is a conference for all Christian leaders so you can imagine how many pastors were there along with small group leaders, Sunday school teachers, Elders, Deacons, and etc. The last time I went to this conference was back in 2009 when I was living in Raleigh, NC. I chose not to fly but rather drive 10 hours down. Unlike a lot of people, I enjoy long road trips. I love being in a car and on the road (unless there’s traffic) and just take in the sights along the way. Since I chose to drive down, I had the chance to visit the church I served at in Raleigh and meet up with some of my former youth who are now in college. It was really nice to see how much they’ve grown spiritually. I also had the chance to visit my parent’s house and have dinner with them. I think it’s been around 5 years (?) since I’ve been “home.” I have to say that my mom’s mandoo is still the best in the world.
When I finally arrived at the conference, I was deeply challenged and inspired by the opening session. The speaker was Andy Stanley, who is one of my favorite pastors. In fact, when I was there in 2009, I actually got a chance to talk with him as he signed the book that I bought. It was one of the coolest moments of my life. In the opening session, he was talking about how we as leaders need to stir and disturb the imaginations of the people we lead and awaken the wonder within them.
How many ideas have been shot down not just at church but anywhere because it was “new” and unfamiliar? At times, it’s easy for leaders to say no to an idea because we don’t understand it, but sticking with only what’s familiar is how we become stagnant. If you think about it, stirring up and disturbing the imaginations of the people is exactly what Jesus did. Isn’t that why the Pharisees hated him so much? He did not fit into their religious box. Isn’t that why so many people were following him? No one had met someone like Jesus, who taught the way Jesus did. They were amazed at his teaching. He awakened the wonder of the people.
 Maybe a reason why we try to stay clear from new ideas, is that wonder can be as threatening and disruptive as it can be inspiring. New ideas mean disrupting the norm or the tradition of doing things. We use phrases like “it’s always been this way.” New ideas can be scary because it pulls us away from our comfort zone and puts us in unfamiliar territory. As leaders, we should embrace the unknown. We should encourage new ideas. New ideas have the potential to inspire people and to awaken the wonder within us. Think of all the innovation that is around us. I just read the other day that Japan has now invented a train that goes 1 mile in 10 seconds! It floats on magnets so it has frictionless motion. This allows the train to go really fast reaching speeds up to 374 mph. To put things into perspective, it can go from NY to DC in about 35 minutes.
Ideas like this came to fruition because of thinking outside the box; by thinking outside of “how it’s always been done.” Imagine what can be done if we think outside the box and step into the unknown at church. Let’s not get stuck on doing things the same way just because that’s how it’s always been done. Let’s open ourselves to new ideas and see how God leads us. As a church, let’s start to be a people of wonder.

From Pastor Eugene’s Heart
October 18, 2015

A wise, modern-day philosopher once said in a song “thirty is the new twenty”.  I’ve heard people say that our age is like wine, the older we get the “finer” we are.  I turned thirty a week ago and I hate these two statements.  Thirty is the new twenty?  Really?  I get tired, cold, angry, and gain weight a lot quicker now than a decade ago.  Fine wine?  Mm well, I have more wrinkles, white hairs, creaky bones, and more injury prone than I was a decade ago.  Wrong again.  All things point to the fact that things become worse as you age.  But at the end of the day, I am not depressed or hopeless, I promise!  In fact, despite the physical decay of my body, on my 30th birthday, there was an extra skip to my spiritual step and hopeful expectation as I thought of the near and far future.  Here is why.
A few months approaching my third decade of life, I found myself incredibly introspective.  I began to analyze (probably over-analyze) everything about me.  Self-awareness has always been my strength.  Ask my friends, I’d be the first to admit my weaknesses.  But something about this birthday made me delve even further to me studying me.  At first, it was admittedly depressing.  For the first time in a while, I could FEEL my age.  I also recalled my hopes/dreams as an 18 year old and realized that more than half the things I wanted to accomplish were still on my to-do list.   But one moment, or weekend, changed everything.
Last weekend, a few guys and I took a weekend trip to New York to celebrate my birthday.  During a dinner, eight of us sat around a table at a traditional Italian restaurant in West Village and caught up on married life (or lack thereof), sports, and everything in between.  As the appetizers were placed on our table, we asked the eldest of the table to bless the meal.  As he prayed, tears began to well in my eyes as I looked at the faces of the men around me.  These were my brothers, life-long friends whom I could call upon at any moment in times of need (as long as their kids were not sick or wives not angry with them=D).  These brothers would pray for me, speak truth in love, laugh, cry, be couch potatoes…. anything with me.  What I experienced at that moment was overwhelming gratitude and I knew it was the Holy Spirit.  What became tangibly real at that moment is something that I often talk and preach about; it’s all about relationships.  It really is, isn’t it?  I believe with my whole heart that God gave us brothers and sisters in Christ, wives, husbands, children, friends, co-workers, whatever relationship you have in your life, to point to a God who is always with us and will never leave us nor forsake us.  Sitting around that table, it didn’t matter how old I was or what I’ve accomplished in life.  It was a gentle-whisper reminder that my Father in heaven always has my back.  If these sinful man can lead me to this conclusion, how much more the promise of a perfect God to be with you and who will never fail.  I pray that you have people in your life that lead you to higher, wider, and deeper praise to the Lord who is worthy of it all.
It was an amazing time that filled me with joy and hope.  Just if you were wondering, I didn’t cry nor do I ever because I’m a thirty-year-old man.  Now stop reading and pay attention to my sermon.

From Pastor Keeyoung’s Heart
October 11, 2015

The news about the Kentucky county clerk who, despite the recent landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling permitting gay marriage,  refused to issue marriage licenses to gay couples has garnered much attention across the entire political and religious spectrum.  I normally prefer to avoid the political/religious rhetoric but my Bible reading of 1 Peter this week touched upon this very topic of Christians submitting to every authority instituted among men whether king or governor, so I felt it was more than just coincidence. There is an important distinction between one’s personal religious beliefs and our government. The county clerk in Kentucky held fast to her deep Christian conviction against gay marriage despite being held in contempt of court for defying a federal court order to comply with the law of the land. She chose to go to jail rather than betray her conscience and she was praised in many Christian circles as a hero because of it (this Protestant even had a private meeting with the Pope last week!). For that she may very well be in good standing before God on that big Judgment Day. But from a legal standpoint her actions were misguided to have crossed over from the personal into the public political arena.
She has absolutely every right to her personal religious beliefs and the government cannot infringe upon that right whatsoever. However, as county clerk she took an oath of office to “ . . . faithfully execute the duties of my office without favor, affection or partiality so help me God.”And so therefore as a public servant she gave her word to follow the law of the land. If she no longer can do so her option is to resign from office rather than renege on her oath. There are many examples of public servants who forego their personal beliefs while serving in office. For example, capitol punishment is still carried out in some states despite the respective governors’ personal objection to death penalty laws. Indeed, the federal judge who ordered this county clerk to be jailed for defying his court order to issue marriage licenses  is apparently a devout Christian. But he even stated at her contempt hearing that his personal opinion is not relevant and to allow it to supersede his judicial authority would set a dangerous precedent.
Similarly, all of the U.S. Supreme Court members who rendered the gay marriage decision are either Christian or Jewish. My point about this is that Christians are constitutionally protected from government infringing upon their right to worship Christ Jesus and conversely they need not attempt to implement their freedom of religion within government with such short-sighted methods. I’m not sure what this county clerk thought she hoped to achieve ignoring proper channels and acting outside of the law. She certainly drew a lot of attention to herself but she won’t have succeeded in overturning the U.S. Supreme Court decision. No one would’ve imagined gay marriage even five or ten years ago and yet here we are in a secular world that not even the framers of our constitution would ever have contemplated. But personally I’m not threatened by a society and government or a hostile world in general no matter how turned around it appears.  No contemporary trending social mores will ever cause me to feel otherwise. Isn’t this what we’re warned about in Scripture to begin with?

From Pastor Mark’s Heart
October 4, 2015

*Note: many portions of this column are tongue in cheek.  Especially the title.  I love teleworking.  Mostly because I don’t do any real work but shhh…
I don’t know about you guys, but frankly, I love when the pope visits DC.  I got to work from home for three days this week!  Thanks to the Holy See!  (What the heck is a See anyway.  If I were the pope, I’d have people refer to me by a much better nickname like the AllFather or the Super Robe or the White Wizard.  I’ve been reading too many comic books.)
The reason I got to work from home was because of the potential traffic gridlock caused by blocked off streets and massive amounts of tourists that was anticipated, so my employer decided to allow employees to telework if they needed to.  I heard some people were planning on sleeping at work or going in at noon and staying past midnight just to avoid traffic.  Because let’s be honest, driving in traffic in this area makes one really appreciate gun control laws.  But ironically, for those that did have to commute, it didn’t really turn out to be that bad.
Maybe it was because of the amount of employers approving telework in anticipation of the traffic or people changing their commuting schedules to avoid any issues.  Maybe it was divine providence because the pope really does have a landline upstairs.  Whatever the reason, those that did brave the outside during the pope’s visit probably had a much easier commute than expected.  For a region that prides itself on having only 1 road between Maryland and Virginia, that’s pretty good!  (In other news, seriously, get it together Maryland and Virginia.  Build a bridge or something.  It’s not that hard.)
Often times, we’re so much more afraid of what the consequences we imagine could be than what reality actually turns out to be.  In matters of faith, this is probably a concept many of us church-going Christians are all too familiar with.  “But if I commit to an oikos group, my Saturdays will never be free.”  “But if I tell people I’m a Christian, they might expect me to be good all the time.”  “But if I go to a missions trip, I might have to… do stuff... and not be able to shower.”  Yes, these are all very true potential consequences, except the showering part – this is purely optional but highly recommended for the sake of your teammates as well as the gospel.
But, in Christianity, there is no such thing as teleworking.  Jesus’ Great Commission is not a message to a select few super Christians.  The Bible is not a book to be read only by Christian nerds.  Our faith is not meant to be a lamp hidden under a bowl.  We are supposed to live what we believe no matter what the consequences.
And the truth is, the consequences are never really as horrible as they seem.  On a personal level, some of my greatest experiences of true vulnerability and community have been within an oikos context.  Telling people I’m a Christian at work has allowed me to share my faith with those I might never have spoken to about Jesus.  And every missions trip I’ve been on, not only have I showered (except that 1 time when I wanted to see how black my scalp could get), but I’ve seen God move incredibly in the lives of others as much as myself.  I also know for a fact that many others in our church have had similar if not even greater outcomes.
So, church, let’s step out in faith and say yes to the Lord in things both big and small.  No doubt, there is potential for some traffic on the 495 of our souls (my old English professor just threw up).  But the truth could be so much sweeter than what we fear.

From Pastor David’s Heart
September 27, 2015

Where is home? That was the question that Caleb, our oldest son, asked when we were packing up and preparing to return to the U.S. He was five-years-old and his younger brother, Caden, was three-years-old at the time we had left the U.S. for Thailand, our mission field and home for the last four years.
But before I answer the question of where is home, let me take a moment to introduce ourselves for the benefit of those who don’t know us. Though I was born in Taiwan, I grew up in Saudi Arabia from age one to seven. It was not until my family immigrated to the U.S. that we came to know the Lord through a Chinese church in the southern Bible belt state of Alabama. Lila on the other hand was born in the Midwest state of Illinois, and grew up in a Christian home with Korean parents. It was not until her parents divorced and her dad remarried that she relocated to Maryland. She started attending NCFC in 1992, and gave her life to the Lord in 8th grade at a church retreat.
Fast forward a few years, and the Lord brought us together as husband and wife in 2005 with a passion to glorify Him through our mutual call to cross-cultural missions work. Both of us received a clear calling from the Lord. And so after I worked seven years as a civil engineer and Lila worked eight years as an elementary school teacher, we decided to quit our jobs to attend seminary in preparation for vocational ministry. Eventually, I graduated from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in 2009 with a Master of Divinity and joined the pastoral staff of NCFC briefly on a part-time basis. Lila returned to teaching in the public elementary school sector, while we continued to prepare for the mission field. At some point, we had two little boys, Caleb and Caden, along the way!
Currently, we are serving as full-time missionaries in Thailand with OMF International. We have just completed our first term of four years church-planting in South Thailand. We were involved with language and culture studies, relational evangelism, English teaching outreach, and partnership with an existing OMF church plant. Our youngest, Corban, was born in South Thailand, and we joke that he is half Thai!
And so that brings us back to the question of where is home? I must admit that at first I did not quite know how to answer that question. I have had my own personal struggles with answering that question myself because of my own cross-cultural childhood experience. Everywhere seems to be home, and nowhere seems to be home as well. But the best answer I could give Caleb was that home is where our family is together at the time. And so if we are in Thailand together, that is our home. And if we are in the U.S. together, that is our home. We also thank God for you, our church family, because you have warmly welcomed us and made the transition back to the States so much easier. And for that, we are grateful.
Ultimately, I am learning to teach my boys that home is where heaven is as well because, as believers, we are all on a journey towards that direction, and Scripture reminds us that “our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Phil. 3:20). Even with the reverse culture shock that comes with adjusting back to the U.S., we are learning to be comfortable with the uncomfortable and reminded to always be gazing heavenward.

From Pastor Dave’s Heart
September 20, 2015

In September, we have three people getting baptized from the EC side in VA campus. I am truly so excited and happy about their baptisms. I don’t think there is a greater joy than seeing someone come to Christ and being baptized. There is no greater joy in heaven as well. We are told in the Bible that many angels rejoice when one person comes to Christ. How awesome it is that we can be a child of God!
We had our baptism class last Sunday, and their conversion stories reminded me of mine. They had all grown up in the church like me. They had come to God while going to church and they had been waiting for the right time to be baptized. I came to know Christ because of Pastor Roger. I don’t know if many of you remember him, and if you do, I know I just took you way back into NCFC history. I remember he shared the gospel during his message on Sunday and that’s when I came to know Christ. That was when I was in seventh grade. Hearing their testimonies during the class just brought back all those memories.
It reminded me of all that NCFC had done for me in my spiritual walk. I came to know Christ because of NCFC. I grew in my faith through all the different discipleship classes I took while in Timothy (does anyone still remember XD?). I believe that NCFC played a big part in me becoming a pastor. God used this church to groom me in preparation for the day I went to seminary and started doing youth ministry. I had the privilege of having great pastors like Roger Kim, Tom Youn, Young Kim, and Alvin Chun, who are still doing great things for God’s kingdom today. My hope is that I can have a similar impact on our current Timothy students like these pastors had on me back in my days as a Timothy student.
It’s great to see that NCFC is still being used to bring people to Christ. It lets me know that our church is alive and well. There have been a lot of hard times in the recent past, but we are still bringing people to Christ and baptizing them. In the end, isn’t that what really matters? The ultimate purpose of the church is to be salt and light for its community, and that’s what NCFC has become for MD and VA. God is using our church to accomplish His purpose and His plan. What a privilege it is that we get to participate in that. I know that God has even greater things in store for this church. Things that we cannot even imagine. May we continue to spread the good news of the gospel and bring people to Christ. May we continue to raise up men and women who are so in love with God.
So, as we baptize these three believers this month, may you be as joyful as I am! Every time we have baptism, it is a time for celebration. There truly is no greater joy! With the NFL season starting next week, I can honestly say that when the Cowboys win the Super Bowl this year, it won’t bring me greater joy than the baptism we have this month. The day that my wife has her paintings exhibited in the National Art Gallery in D.C., it won’t bring me greater joy. The day that Andrew gets a full ride to Harvard, it won’t bring me greater joy. The day that I finally bowl a perfect 300, it won’t bring me greater joy. When we look at things in the eternal perspective, the good things in this physical world pales in comparison. What is greater than a lost soul coming to know the love of the Father? Truly nothing.

From Pastor Eugene’s Heart
September 6, 2015

It’s that time of the year again!
I hope everyone took advantage of the tax free week to get ready for the new school year. I usually don’t enjoy this time of year because of so many back to schools meetings I have to attend. As a pastor I should enjoy meeting and getting to know new people but I honestly don’t enjoy it that much due to my personality as an introvert. So whenever I attend my kids’ school events or go to their friends’ b’day parties, I usually sit in the corner and stare at my phone the whole time. However, when it comes to ministry I can’t hide my face and sit in the corner anymore because I need to actively reach out to parents and students. I really enjoy ministry but meeting new people is always a big challenge for me. Pray for me! ^^
Promiseland and Timothy ministries will have our back to school meeting today after service. We are going through so many changes as a church so make sure to come to be informed of those changes and meet our new ministry partners. Although changes are not always welcomed by many, I think they bring freshness to the ministry and also push us to get out of our comfort zones. The Children’s ministry is going through a time of transition under the new leadership of P. Jae. He’s been working hard to get to know the people and to learn the NCFC culture of doing ministry for the past couple months. At the same time P. Jae is bringing new perspective into the ministry as well. One thing I love about him is his heart for the children. I can’t stop laughing whenever he preaches to the kids because this big guy with an intimidating look puts on a cheesy smile and gets down to their level. The best part is that he does that wearing a suit and a tie. Don’t get me wrong, I am not making fun of him. I am truly inspired by a man who broke my stereotype of what a children’s minister should look like. I’m so glad that God sent us such a great pastor with a clear conviction and passion to love the children. Please get involved and partner with P. Jae in Promiseland ministry as they are still in need of more volunteers!
Timothy is also starting a new chapter of history today by having our own service. It’s been such an honor and blessing to worship together with EC families for so many years but now God is taking Timothy into a different direction. Many kids have been spectators of an adult worship but now God is challenging our youth to rise up to take more ownership of their service and become worshippers instead of watching other people worship. We will definitely miss the presence of EC family and leaders who set examples for our youth to follow. However, I believe God will use this new opportunity to raise up a new generation of leaders who will not only influence fellow youths, but the whole church in the years to come. God is already moving the hearts of many parents and other adults to partner with us. We have teachers and parents who are ready and excited to embark in this new journey together. It’s going to be a great year! Yes, I believe! Please pray and partner with us!
See you at Back to School.

From Pastor Brian’s Heart
August 30, 2015

I’ve been thinking about heaven a lot lately. Maybe it’s because that was one of the Bible lessons during VBS which VA campus just finished up last week. It’s always been fun to think about what heaven would be like. We do get a glimpse of what it looks like in Revelation, but a lot is left to the imagination. Jesus said that he would be preparing a room for us in heaven. I wonder sometimes what my room would look like. What would be in it? Would all our favorite things be there? I shared this with the VBS kids, but I hope I have a bowling alley in my room. Since we’ll be perfect in heaven, I would be averaging 300. I think that would be great!
Maybe I’ve been thinking about heaven lately because of the recently discovered earth 2.0 AKA Kepler-452b. It is apparently very similar to earth. It orbits around a G-2 star like our sun. Its orbit is a little longer than ours though at 385 days. Its distance from the sun is similar to earth. It is bigger than earth and it has more land than it does water. It is also older than the earth. When I read about this, immediately I said to my wife “What if this is the ‘new’ earth that God had in mind when he told us that there would be a new heaven and a new earth?” And my wife looked at me and sarcastically said “Yeah, and we were able to discover it.” She found it hard to believe that we could discover something like that since God is God and we’re only human. But I said to her “Yes, we discovered it but its 1,400 light years away so it’s impossible for us to reach it anyways.” This is just my thought of course. There is no validity to what I said. However, how funny would it be IF it was true? God works outside of time so he could have already created this “new” earth while he created everything else, and it would still be “new” to us.
We had a pastoral staff retreat this past Monday and Tuesday and we were going through the book of Acts together. In Acts 14:22, we see Paul and Barnabas encouraging and strengthening the disciples. They say this “We must go through many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God.” I asked myself why do we have to go through hardships? And I was reminded that it’s because this land here is not our home. We are only immigrants while we’re living here on earth. Our citizenship is in heaven. Many of us come from immigrant families and know what a challenge that is compared to friends of ours whose parents were born here in the USA. We go through hard times here because our parents are citizens of South Korea. It’s always difficult to live in a land that is not your own.
Maybe that’s really why I think of heaven. While here on earth, we will endure lots of hardships, but we all know that heaven is a perfect place. It has no disease. No tears. No pain. What an awesome place! As I read that verse in Acts, it really comforted me and reminded me that this is not my home. I should expect lots of hardship living in a foreign land. No one knows exactly what heaven will be like and we will have to wait to find out, but we do know it’s going to be a wonderful place.
Whenever you are going through hardship here on earth, just think about heaven. Think about spending all of eternity in a perfect place just worshiping God all day long. Remember that we are only immigrants here on earth while we wait for our time to go back home.

From Pastor Eugene’s Heart 
August 23, 2015

I remember reading a leadership/management book or article somewhere to keep a precise hourly record of your daily schedule for a week.  I actually never took that challenge to heart but I did a brief exercise on my own this week and recalled my schedule each day of this week to write down everything I did and how long I did it for.  Among a few other surprises, what I was most surprised about was the percentage of time I spent in literal “quiet time” with the Lord – this did not include any pastoral day-to-day job requirements, church events, or Christian book reading.  I defined “quiet time” as set aside time in communication (prayer) with God, nothing in front of me except for a bible, journal and a pen.  Out of a week that consists of 168 hours only 4% of my time (roughly an hour/day) was spent in personal, intimate, alone, quiet time with God.  In comparison, 8% of that week was spent watching tv/movies, and over 10% spent with friends hanging out – over DOUBLE the amount that I spent with the Lord.  I know many of us reading this have heard of statistics and comparisons like this before, but taking personal inventory of where my time was spent was eye opening for me.  If the saying “time is money” is true of how we view the 24 hours of our day, I was only giving the Lord only 4 cents of my dollar… A WEEK. Furthermore, if we apply time spent with the Lord to the traditional 10% of tithing, we should be spending 16.8 hours a week (10% of 168 hours in a week), about 2 hours and 24 minutes per day with the Lord.  But I’m busy… right?  We’re all busy with daily essentials with work, family, and friends, aren’t we?
In Luke 5, Luke’s account of the calling of the first disciples and healing of the man with leprosy, verse 16 subtly mentions that in the midst of all the healing and teaching that Jesus did, “he often withdrew to lonely places and prayed.”  Now scripture isn’t clear on why he withdrew, but one thing is very clear, because of busy-ness, Jesus withdrew to pray often.  His prayer was not the time spent in our cars while driving to work or while cooking a meal or waiting for our children as they finish sports, Kumon, or violin lessons.  Jesus’ prayer times were withdrawn from the craziness of life in “lonely” or “deserted” (void of people!) places.  How are you all doing with that?  How is your time spent with Jesus?  In what ways have you compromised or made excuses to avoid spending time with the Lord?  Martin Luther, responsible for the Reformation, is often quoted saying “I have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”  He deeply understood the value of close connection and communication with the Lord.  Friends, let’s get our priorities straight.  Let’s commit to withdraw from the day-to-day busyness and give the King, who gave His all for us, the most precious commodity in our lives, our time.

From Pastor Keeyoung’s Heart
August 16, 2015

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

Last Sunday, I had the privilege of witnessing and participating in P. Eugene Cha’s ordination service. Many people including P. Eugene’s family and relatives were there to celebrate this very special occasion.
What really touched my heart the most was watching P. Eugene’s dad, who is also a pastor and currently pastoring a church in Charlotte, North Carolina, give the word of encouragement to his own son. His dad was ordained as a pastor at NCFC 15 years ago and served many years for our church. So P. Eugene grew up watching his dad serving as a pastor in the church. Now he is following in his dad’s footsteps and carrying on a legacy of faith which he inherited from his dad.
Most of the time when you think of passing on a legacy you think about the ways you can leave some tangible things to your children—wealth, fame, reputation. But there is a more valuable thing you can leave to your children than all of these. It is the legacy of faith.
In Deuteronomy 6:6-9, Moses instructs the Israelites, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
It is very important for parents to be involved in their children’s spiritual teaching and growth. It’s important for fathers to spend time with their children and teach them what it is to be a man of God. Mothers also should spend time with them to teach them what it is to be a woman of God. 
Nothing in life, as Christian parents, is more important than how we raise our children in a godly way. Yet many believers spend more time planning their activities than how they are going to raise their children in a godly way. How important is teaching God’s words and prayer in the upbringing of your children? It is impossible to pass on your faith in your own strength and wisdom. It will not happen.
Our children do not belong to us—they are God’s children. Our children have been entrusted to us as gifts to pass on our legacy of faith. So we, as parents, have great responsibilities of raising our children in a godly way. They say there are no grandchildren in God’s Kingdom because when you fail to raise your children in a godly way, your children will not able to pass on the legacy of faith to their children. So we just can’t afford to fail at this.
So what legacy do you want to leave behind? What kind of life lessons will your children have when we are gone from this world? What will they have to look back on in their lives and say, “that was something that I inherited from my dad or mom?” What will they remember about you is the big question.
In response, P. Eugene shared that this was a very special moment of his life. He had several opportunities to get ordained in the past, but God had a better plan and had saved it for the best. He said he was so grateful that he got ordained at the church where he grew up and with his dad’s blessing for his ordination.  Who knows? There is a possibility that his son Andrew might one day find himself in the same situation. Wouldn’t that be awesome if that is the case?
So how are you going to pass on your legacy of faith to your children?  As a parent, you must live out your faith in your own life. It is impossible to give away something you don't have. When your children see you finding ways to "be a blessing," it will become a way of life for them too, and that is the best way to pass your legacy of faith onto your children.

From Pastor Neil’s Heart
July 19, 2015

Last Sunday, I had the privilege of witnessing and participating in P. Eugene Cha’s ordination service. Many people including P. Eugene’s family and relatives were there to celebrate this very special occasion.
What really touched my heart the most was watching P. Eugene’s dad, who is also a pastor and currently pastoring a church in Charlotte, North Carolina, give the word of encouragement to his own son. His dad was ordained as a pastor at NCFC 15 years ago and served many years for our church. So P. Eugene grew up watching his dad serving as a pastor in the church. Now he is following in his dad’s footsteps and carrying on a legacy of faith which he inherited from his dad.
Most of the time when you think of passing on a legacy you think about the ways you can leave some tangible things to your children—wealth, fame, reputation. But there is a more valuable thing you can leave to your children than all of these. It is the legacy of faith.
In Deuteronomy 6:6-9, Moses instructs the Israelites, “These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates.”
It is very important for parents to be involved in their children’s spiritual teaching and growth. It’s important for fathers to spend time with their children and teach them what it is to be a man of God. Mothers also should spend time with them to teach them what it is to be a woman of God. 
Nothing in life, as Christian parents, is more important than how we raise our children in a godly way. Yet many believers spend more time planning their activities than how they are going to raise their children in a godly way. How important is teaching God’s words and prayer in the upbringing of your children? It is impossible to pass on your faith in your own strength and wisdom. It will not happen.
Our children do not belong to us—they are God’s children. Our children have been entrusted to us as gifts to pass on our legacy of faith. So we, as parents, have great responsibilities of raising our children in a godly way. They say there are no grandchildren in God’s Kingdom because when you fail to raise your children in a godly way, your children will not able to pass on the legacy of faith to their children. So we just can’t afford to fail at this.
So what legacy do you want to leave behind? What kind of life lessons will your children have when we are gone from this world? What will they have to look back on in their lives and say, “that was something that I inherited from my dad or mom?” What will they remember about you is the big question.
In response, P. Eugene shared that this was a very special moment of his life. He had several opportunities to get ordained in the past, but God had a better plan and had saved it for the best. He said he was so grateful that he got ordained at the church where he grew up and with his dad’s blessing for his ordination.  Who knows? There is a possibility that his son Andrew might one day find himself in the same situation. Wouldn’t that be awesome if that is the case?
So how are you going to pass on your legacy of faith to your children?  As a parent, you must live out your faith in your own life. It is impossible to give away something you don't have. When your children see you finding ways to "be a blessing," it will become a way of life for them too, and that is the best way to pass your legacy of faith onto your children.

From Pastor Neil’s Heart
July 19, 2015

The Church for All Nations was founded in the fall of 2005.  Since its humble beginnings, however, God has blessed the church tremendously.  In 2010 they managed to purchase the multi-building complex that used to house the Korean Central Presbyterian Church in Vienna, Virginia.  Since then, under the leadership of their passionate Senior Pastor Rev. Hong Won-ki, they have experienced even more growth and were looking forward to celebrating their 10th anniversary.
Then the unthinkable happened!  In mid-June, the Senior Pastor’s wife, Chun Myung-hee Samonim, underwent what was supposed to be a minimally invasive surgery to correct twisted intestines. However, she never walked out of the hospital alive.  From what I heard, she got infected with a deadly virus while at the hospital, which caused her organs to shut down one by one.  After several weeks of agony and suffering, she finally went home to Jesus her Savior last Sunday.
I don’ know the late Chun Samonim personally. I’ve never even met her.  But with advances in electronic communications (such as Kakaotalk, text messages, email,  etc.), literally hundreds and even thousands of people in this area, regardless of their denominations or church affiliations, were kept abreast of her latest condition and interceded fervently for her.  Many fasted and cried out to the Lord to save her. She was only in her mid-50’s,  had two unmarried children, and still had a lot to do as the Senior Pastor’s wife of a large Korean American church.    Nonetheless, God called her home at His appointed time. 
I wasn’t mad at God, but I struggled to understand why God didn’t answer our ‘good, selfless’ prayer request to save her.   So I had to remind myself of God’s absolute goodness through the song lyrics, “God is too wise to be mistaken. God is too good to be unkind. So when you don't understand, when you don't see His plan,  when you can't trace His hand, trust His heart.” 
Then during my Quiet Time, God answered my question through the story of Lazarus.  When Jesus finally came to see Lazarus, his sister Mary fell at His feet and said, “Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died.”   That’s probably true.  But if Jesus had been there earlier, He wouldn’t have had to raise Lazarus from the dead, but just heal him.  They would not have witnessed Jesus’ power to raise the dead, and then John 12:11, “For an account of him (i.e. Lazarus coming back to life) many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and putting their faith in Him,” would not have happened, either.  Jesus allowed Lazarus to die and come back to life so more people could believe in Jesus and be saved.
There was no such miracle in the case of the late Chun Samonim.  However, we witnessed a different kind of a miracle - many churches and believers coming together to cry out to God in such beautiful unity and love.  I believe this marks the beginning of a new era, with numerous Korean American churches in our area joining forces to fight against Satan our common enemy in taking the Gospel to the ends of the earth!  I firmly believe that Chun Samonim’s death will, just as much as Lazarus’ resurrection did, result in many lives being saved!   She indeed is a kernel of wheat that died to bear much fruit. That’s not a tragedy, but a privilege! She is blessed indeed.

From Pastor Sara’s Heart
July 12, 2015