No, I’m not talking about the New York Football Giants. They’re not going anywhere (sorry P. David! I feel you though as a Cowboys fan). I’m talking about the Timothy group. This past week we had our Timothy winter retreat and the theme was “Giants Are Birthed From The Intimate Places.” On the last night, Pastor Chris really challenged all of us to rise up as giants for the Lord. He shared with us his vision and dream that he had 11 years ago. In this dream, he saw a lion roaring and behind the lion were 10,000 youth marching into battle in the DMV area.
It’s no secret that the DMV, along with the rest of America, needs revival. We, as a country, have strayed too far from God. This was a Christian nation, but I don’t think that can be said any more. We are in need of revival and it will come from the next generation. We have a hungry generation who are waiting to rise up for the Lord. They are not just little kids who are up to no good. These are young men and women. They are capable of doing so many things. In fact, I don’t like it when people call the Timothy students kids. They are not kids. If we call them kids and think of them as kids, then that’s what they’ll amount to be.
Let’s think of them as young men and women, and challenge them. We have no idea what they’re capable of when we encourage them and look at them as young men and women. Did you know the youngest person to sail around the world solo was a 16 year old girl named Lauren Dekker in 2012? A sophomore in high school invented a pancreatic cancer detection tool. An 18 year old girl invented a gadget that can fully charge your phone in 20 to 30 seconds. (How many of us would really like one of those?)
The point I’m trying to make is that these teenagers are capable of doing great things and we need to help them discover their potential. If we were to turn to the Bible, David was believed to only be 12 to 14 years old when he killed Goliath. Daniel was 16 when he was taken captive and thrown into the lion’s den. Joseph was also a young man who God used to save His people. We see that God uses young people to do His work.
As we end 2015 and enter 2016, my hope and prayer is that our Timothy students will become giants for their generation. That they will be willing to stand up and fight for their faith. That they would give their lives to the advancement of the gospel. That they would allow God to use them in whatever way He pleases. Our Timothy group is hungry for God. I was so blessed and encouraged by the response on the last day to become giants. I believe almost everyone came forward to give their lives to God.
So the next time you see a Timothy student doing something stupid (we know this happens fairly often), instead of dismissing it as them being kids, please take the time to teach them. Take the time and invest into the lives of these young people. Take the time to challenge them and show them what it means to follow Christ. It’s great that we have so many college and young adults who invest into these teenagers, but older adults (40+) they need you too. You’re not “too old” for these students. You have a ton of wisdom and experience to offer to these young people. Let’s be a church that’s dedicated to turning our young people into giants. Giants who will love the Lord and live for Him. Keep watch. Here come the giants! Amen!

From Pastor Eugene’s Heart
January 3, 2016

Timothy is leaving for the retreat today. We have not had our own youth group retreat since last winter retreat. So many kids and counselors are looking forward to spending the next three days at the Skycroft Retreat Center. We have a total of 116 kids, 29 counselors, 3 parent volunteers and 3 pastors signed up. These numbers are so special because we have been praying for God to move the hearts of many students to attend the retreat.  Thank God for answering our prayers! Praise the Lord!
One of the first questions I like to ask students and counselors at the first small group is about their expectation of the retreat. Many come with an expectation to be challenged and renewed but we always have a few who reluctantly gave in their parents’ request. To me, I really don’t mind whether the students came willingly or reluctantly because I know that God has a special plan for each student and He will do amazing work that I can’t even imagine of with my limited human mind. There is just something about the retreat atmosphere that makes it very hard for people to resist God. So I trust in God that He will accomplish His good plan that He has in stored for this retreat.   
Our theme this year is “Giants are birthed out of Intimate Places”. There is no short-cut or an easy  way when it comes to becoming a Giant for the Kingdom of God. It’s not the talent or the “gift” that a person has that make him/her a giant. Giants are made through a process of life through personal and intimate places, and many times through difficult trials. Joseph went through so many trials as a young man however, he remained faithful to God and God used him to save many people’s lives. David was trained at a young age to tend his sheep not knowing that he was gonna be a king one day. When he was faithful to carry out his daily duties of life as a young shepherd boy, God anointed and used him to shepherd His people.
I believe God is going to raise up many young men and women of NCFC to become heroes of faith who will impact the world with the power and the love of Jesus Christ. Someone once said it takes a village to raise up a leader. I wholeheartedly agree with that statement. As parents, friends, mentors, brothers and sisters we need to respond to God’s calling to intercede and jump in this together!  So I ask you, the church, to join me in praying for the Timothy and the counselors. Please pray that both youth and the young adults will encounter God in a very personal and special way. Pray also that their hearts will be stirred up to rediscover their love for Jesus!
Lastly, I want to give an important tip to the visitors. We always welcome visitors to come and pray for us, but we LOVE visitors who bring things to make our tummies feel good. Just saying…=)

From Pastor Brian’s Heart
December 27, 2015