A couple of Sundays ago, I shared the story of Cornelius from the book of Acts and said that it was a very important event in the early church that brought about change to break the cultural barrier in order for the gospel to move from Jews to Gentiles. Most people don’t like change because change is uncomfortable, and it can be hard. Churches are known for resisting changes. Even when people know in their head that the change would be good and pleasing to God, they still resist.
And yet we all know also that responding to change well is critical to our success in everything we do, especially doing God’s work. Jesus rebuked the religious leaders of his day because they couldn’t read the signs of the times and refused to change. And change doesn’t come easy either. With change comes much uncertainty and unsettledness, if it is a major change.
But during the unsettling times, it will help people to keep moving forward if they can focus on what can or might be done, rather than fixating on events over which they have no control because with change new opportunities are created. Of course, with new opportunities you are going to face new challenges. But when you allow your uncomfortableness and turbulence to push you forward, you will be able enter into uncharted territories and gain new experiences in life.
When we were dealing with a major change as a church three years ago, we were faced with much doubt, unknowns, uncomfortableness and unsettledness. But God told us to stay calm and focus on Him alone and later gave us His assurance through His Word as we were going through a transition as a congregation from Isaiah 43:18-19, “Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.” Basically what He said was, “I know what’s going on, and your situation is under My control, and I am going to fix it. You simply watch what I do, and trust and follow My lead.” And God brought many great speakers through our conferences and spoke to us the words that we needed to hear on a timely basis as well. God’s faithfulness was great and amazing.
Also, during this transition time, God challenged every one of us to step up and be involved in the process. He taught us how we should work together as a team rather than depending on a few gifted and capable leaders who are making all decisions and giving directions. He also wanted us to understand that God’s work is not depending all on your gifting, abilities, or intelligence. Rather God wanted everyone to be involved in His work and to give whatever they could give, and work together as a team through acceptance, patience, love and forgiveness. God was making a cultural change in our congregation. And I truly believe you’ve responded well.
I personally want to thank all of you for trusting and believing in our leadership during this transition time, even though none of us were best qualified for doing His work. Our pastoral and support staff worked hard and faithfully, and we functioned well as a team. Our lay leadership was just amazing. They served willingly and sacrificially. But most of all, our God’s been so faithful and gracious to us, and He never let us down.

It’s been an amazing ride. Now the time has come to pass the baton, and God has perfectly orchestrated it. With the new Sr. Pastor expected to come on board, God’s work at NCFC will continue on in even greater measures. I can’t wait to see what God has in store for us as we move forward. Once again, thank you all and God bless!

From Pastor Neil’s Heart
February 14, 2016

I was watching a documentary program on TV which covered a business district in Pusan, Korea where many street stalls were located that sell a variety of popular street food and drinks. A street stall, also called “Po-jang-macha” in Korean, is a popular place to have a snack or drink late into the night. The documentary captured various aspects of what was happening on the street.
As I was watching the program, an interview with a man who was eating and drinking by himself in a street stall vendor caught my attention. When he was asked why he was there alone, he said he’s been coming to this particular street stall for over 20 years since he was in his early thirties, and he began to reminisce about his life. Then he said, “Isn’t life a rental? No matter how much or how little you acquire or accumulate in this world when you leave this world, you must leave everything here because you can’t take anything with you. We own nothing here, and we’re all going back to the same place where we came from…”
King Solomon said in Ecclesiastes 5:15, “Naked a man comes from his mother’s womb, and as he comes so he departs. He takes nothing from his labor that he can carry in his hand.” Solomon was a man who lived his life with no restraints. But, did you know that at the end of the journey of his life, he was a very unhappy man? He starts out by saying in Ecclesiastes 1:2, “’Meaningless! Meaningless! Utterly Meaningless! Everything is meaningless!” He had done and achieved much but his life was empty. He found life to be miserable and hopeless. He left God out of his life and ended up with nothing but emptiness for his life.
Are you living a meaningful and hope-filled life? You can only find a true meaningful and hope-filled life when you are tightly connected with God. Your life will remain empty and meaningless if you continue to seek a meaningful life from this world. People all around us are trying to find the same thing in many different ways, and you can go with the flow. Yes, you can argue that Solomon had and did all he wanted to do in his life, and that’s why he was able to say that. But when Solomon came to the conclusion of his life, he says in Ecclesiastes 12:13-14, “Now all had been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgement, including every hidden thing, whether it is good or evil.”
You know what? You will never have enough in this world. Isn’t that the mark of our society? The insatiable desire for more... When you get a little bit, you will always want a little bit more. We are never satisfied with the money we make. Instead, we desire more money, a better job, and more and more of … We must remember that contentment is not found in more of this world. Contentment can only be found in a relationship with Jesus Christ.
The man at the street stall vendor (Po-jang-macha) in Korea at least recognized the reality of his life. He came to realize that his life was a rental, and knew when he leaves this world; he must leave everything behind here. Now the question is how about you? Do you keep looking to more of this world to find fulfillment in your life or are you trying to find the true meaning of your life through your relationship with Jesus Christ? Our life can only be a rental in this world, but in God’s Kingdom, your life is yours because God gives you a life that is permanent and everlasting through his Son Jesus Christ! That is what Christmas is all about. Jesus came to give you everlasting life which is not a rental but your own. Have a merry Christmas!!

From Pastor Neil’s Heart
December 20, 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

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

Are You Graduating?

Congratulations to all graduates; you’ve done it! Congratulations on your outstanding achievement! I know it must have been a very proud moment for all of you. Two of my own children, Peter and Grace, graduated from graduate school and college this year. I was proud just watching them as their names were called to receive their diploma. Of course, I couldn’t enjoy the moment peacefully because my wife gave me a mission to take pictures. For a moment, I was reminiscent about their first day of school, as they got on the school bus for the first time in their life. Indeed, the time has passed so quickly. Now they are ready to move out into the world. So… all graduates, are you ready for the next phase of your life?
We all know college graduation is not the end - it's only the beginning! School was never meant to teach you everything you needed to know. It merely equips and prepares you. An education is meant to give you all the necessary tools and skills you will need to dig out the deep treasures of life. Still, you must do the digging. That’s why they call graduation, “commencement.” To commence means “to begin.” Now you must use the tools and skills you’ve acquired to find the richness of life, and it’s going to take much patience and great endurance.
Mark Twain is often quoted for his "insight" on teenagers. He said, "When I was 14, I thought my father was the most ignorant man in the world, but when I was 24, I was amazed how much the old man had learned in ten years." If you have a teenager, hang in there. If you are a teenager, hang in there too. Patience is a virtue. It takes time to learn and grow in life.
So… what do you want to do with your life? There was once a guy who didn’t like what he was doing, so he tried medicine. After four years of that, he tried law. Then he wanted to be a teacher, but he couldn’t stand kids, so he tried theology. But he didn’t like dealing with people’s problems all the time, so he decided to sell cars. Of course, he wasn’t very good at that either… So you’ve got the idea where I’m going with this.
Be sure the area you enter is where God wants you, not where you want to be. Then when you get there, stay there and stick it out. Become excellent at it. Anything is possible when you just believe in God and in yourself. Step into the future with a prayer in your heart and you'll soon reap the fruits of your efforts and hard work! The true meaning of a christian's life is to commit to God in whatever you do and your plans will succeed. 
Jesus said, “Learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls” (Matthew 11:29). Jesus can give you an education that lasts forever.

Continue to study God’s Word to know what His will for your life is. Don’t just know some facts about the Bible, but get to know Him so you can understand Him. Then, step by step God will show you the life path you need to walk on. Proverbs 3:5-6 says, “Trust the Lord with your heart and lean not on your understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight.” God bless and congratulations!

From Pastor Neil’s Heart
May 31, 2015

According to the journal, Social Indicators Research, Americans appear to be more depressed now than they have been in years.  Researchers examined data from 6.9 million teens and adults in the U.S., and found that contemporary Americans report more symptoms of depression that affect the body, such as trouble sleeping and concentrating, than people typically did in the 1980s.  This study also shows an increase in symptoms most people don't even know are connected to depression, which suggests adolescents and adults really are suffering more.
Today's teenagers are 38 percent more likely to report problems with memory compared with their 1980s counterparts. They are also 74 percent more likely to have trouble sleeping and twice as likely to have seen a specialist for mental health issues. Contemporary college students in the study were 50 percent more likely to admit that they felt overwhelmed, while adults were more likely to say that they were restless sleepers, had a poor appetite and that, on top of that, everything else was an effort. All of these issues are often manifestations of depression.
"Despite all of these symptoms, people are not any more likely to say they are depressed when asked directly, again suggesting that the rise is not based on people being more willing to admit depression," a psychology professor said.
It sounds pretty depressing, doesn’t it? Is there a remedy other than the use of antidepressants which has doubled since the 1980s? The medications may have helped people with the most severe problems, but they have not stopped a rise in depression symptoms.
Well…  According to the survey done by the Barna research Group, there is a remedy other than taking medication.  Those who read the Bible say they feel peaceful (45 percent), encouraged (41 percent), and hopeful (35 percent), according to a phone survey of 1,012 Americans and an online survey of 1,024 Americans conducted by the Barna Research Group.
Are you living a discouraged and depressed Christian life or hope-filled and upbeat, exciting life?  Are you depressed because you don’t know who you are?  Ephesians 1:4-6 says that God chose you and adopted you as His child and made you equal to Jesus.  And He loves you dearly.  Are you depressed because you feel like you’re stuck? Paul said (v. 7) Jesus paid the price with his life to set you free, and He will show you the way out.  Are you depressed because you don’t know the clear purpose of your life?  Jesus gave you a new plan for your life according to God’s will (v. 9), and God wants you to claim it and enjoy it.  Are you depressed because you lack influence or power?  Paul says Jesus gave you the Holy Spirit (v. 13) because you’ve been baptized with the Holy Spirit the moment you came to know Jesus as your Lord and Savior, and this power is guaranteed, and it neither can be revoked nor canceled! (v. 14)  The lists can go on and on.
So why don’t people read the Bible more often?  Does it seem like you’re doing your best, only to have one crisis after another come upon you?  Do you feel like the world is crashing on you, and there’s not much you can do about it?  Do you just want to give in?  God’s Word has plenty to say about discouragement and depression and how to deal with them.  Jesus said (John 15:11), “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.”  Jesus is the only One who can bring you out from your discouragement or depression completely.  The Bible says it so.

From Pastor Neil’s Heart
April 12, 2015

America is a Giving Nation

Charitable giving statistics in the U.S. were reported as follows for 2013:
  - 95.4% of households gave to charity.
  - Americans gave $335.17 billion which is a 4.4% increase from 2011.
  - Corporate giving held steady at $16.76 billion.
  - Foundation giving increased to $50.28 billion--a 5.7% increase from 2011.
  - The largest source of charitable giving came from individuals at $241.32 billion,

     or 72% of total giving; followed by foundations ($50.28 billion/15%), bequests ($26.81 billion/8%),

     and corporations ($16.76 billion/5%).
  - The majority of charitable dollars went to religion (31%), education (16%), human services (12%),

    and grant-making foundations (11%).

Charitable giving dipped a little bit in 2008, but giving is back on track again.  I truly believe our nation is a very generous and giving nation because the nation was founded on biblical principles.  Who said our nation is losing our grip on our faith in God?  Our nation is still staying strong in our faith in God because our giving is strong.
We just finished a series on biblical finance from God’s perspective, and have learned that God loves people who share their wealth with others because God cares about our attitude in giving.  Giving and sharing is very important to God.
One of the ways God evaluates our faith is on the basis of our giving and sharing attitudes. In Matthew 25:34-45, Jesus teaches one of the most exciting and yet sobering truths related to giving. “Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world.  For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink?  When did we see you a stranger and invite you in or needing clothes and clothe you?  When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’”
Giving to the needy was a core part of Jesus’ teaching. Jesus always personally identified himself with the poor.  What it means is that when we share with the needy, we are actually sharing with Jesus, and it becomes an act of worship, an expression of our love to him, and gratitude for his faithful provision.
So how are you doing with your giving and sharing with others?  Are you still waiting until you have enough to give and share?  It’s not about what I could give if I had $10,000 in savings later; rather it’s about what I could give with the $100 I have now.  You can always begin with a small amount.
Jesus wants us to be like him who was that of an unselfish giver.  Giving is one essential way that will enable us to become like Jesus. The more faithful you are in giving and sharing, the deeper the intimacy in your relationship with Jesus. And it doesn’t end there. Also in God’s economy, the benefit of the giver outweighs the receiver’s. The Apostle Paul said in Acts 20:35, “Remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”  You would think you would lose when you give away what is rightly yours for the sake of others; rather, the opposite happens when you give to others. You would actually gain more. That’s the way God’s economy works! Have faith, and try it and see what happens…

From Pastor Neil’s Heart
March 1, 2015

As you probably have heard, we recently added a new family member at our home. She is not a human; rather she is a puppy, named Hazel, now about six months old. We can say she is almost housebroken. She still cannot let us know if she needs to go outside, but she can hold it until we let her outside. So we assumed she was under control.  Well…let’s face it. Every dog owner knows that whenever you say “my dog is housebroken,” in fact it really isn’t. We’re going through that reality with Hazel at home.
A couple of weeks ago, we had the pleasure of having our son Chris visit from Japan. He had come home for his cousin Jonathan’s wedding. I had just come home from church, and as I was passing by the stairs that lead to the basement, I could smell something like the stench of rotting meat. So I asked Chris “Do you smell something?” And he said “No.” But when I looked down the stairs, I could see several chunks (11 to be exact) of dark brownish chopped off sausage like stuff strewn all over the small flat area half way down the stairs. You guessed it right. Those were Hazel’s poop. I usually get really irritated when something like that happens. But this was so out of character, totally unthinkable and unimaginable, my mouth just dropped and my brain literally became frozen. I couldn’t talk. I couldn’t think. I couldn’t get mad either, and instead just started laughing. If you had seen it, you probably would’ve reacted the same way.  I should’ve taken a picture of it before I cleaned it up.
I believe this how our loving God the Father would react whenever we make mistakes in our lives. I am sure that He just smiles and laughs when He sees our mistakes because He knows how incomplete and mistake-prone we are. Then some of you might ask, “Didn’t He say, be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect?” (Matt. 5:48).  But God also said, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” (2 Cor. 12:9). See, we only can be perfect through God’s grace which is in Jesus Christ. So God leaves us room to be human where we can make mistakes. In Jesus, God provides an environment where we can make mistakes so that we can learn from our mistakes and grow. Of course, our puppy Hazel had no clue about what she did and never will.  Will she learn and grow through this experience? I will let you guess…
Often, people can become easily entangled with some absurd notion that people expect them not to make any mistakes. You must give yourself a break or others a break. Mistake-making is actually a part of growing up. Mistakes will happen for people to grow, develop, make changes, and become better and successful. And this is so true in the church all the more. We need to make sure we’re supporting a safe environment in the church that allows a little wiggle room. Growth cannot happen in a place where mistakes cannot be tolerated. If you only reward perfection, people won’t be willing to push beyond anything that’s not “safe,” which can be crippling. Plus, if you are constantly holding back to try to be perfect, you’re going to be under constant stress and there will be no joy in your life.
I believe God wants NCFC to have a safe environment where people can come and make mistakes and not be judged. When we see someone making mistake, we shouldn’t be mad at them or disappointed in them or criticize them harshly or wish God would punish them for their mistakes because our God isn’t like that. God is not mad at you. Sure, His brain may freeze for a moment, but He is always madly in love with you and won’t reject anyone who comes to Him. He is not waiting to punish you. Rather He wants you to come to Him and receive His abundant grace so that you can learn and grow from your mistakes. This is the environment that God wants to create in NCFC so that we can grow as a believing community, and in order to do so, we all need to be more gracious toward one another as our God is gracious to each one of us.

From Pastor Neil’s Heart
October 12, 2014

Hurry up!  Have these words ever driven your life?   Many parents say it quite often every morning at home for getting their children ready for school.  I often find myself hurrying from one place to the next - always with my eye on the clock – sometimes only to end up behind an old couple leisurely driving 20 miles an hour on a single lane street, and find myself murmuring loudly “Come on, hurry up!”, but more than once I thanked them for saving me from getting ticketed by the police who was waiting at the very next corner of that street.
We’re living in a fast paced world.  The world desires instant response; fast food restaurant, speedy oil change, instant coffee, and etc.  Nowadays with ever growing internet access such as instant messaging, texting, Facebook, and others the world is ever so close to each other.  Information is flowing at lightning speed.
But on the contrary, there are also drawbacks that come with this fast paced lifestyle, and one that really stands out is a lack of patience.  People are definitely becoming less patient these days.  Most of us don’t have much trouble getting ready to meet the urgent needs of life.  But, how many of us are good at waiting?
We often try to look for a short cut in order to get things done quicker.  We, even as believers, get frustrated unless we are constantly moving ahead, and sometimes we try to compromise the way we do God’s ministry for the sake of getting things done.  We just don’t want to wait.
Speaking of being in a hurry, the Israelites felt the same way after they came out of Egypt.  There was no doubt the Israelites wanted to march right into Canaan as quickly as possible. They just experienced incredible power and the wonders of God that devastated the Egyptians, and they walked right through the Red Sea as God parted the sea.  They wanted to go all the way.  Their confidence level was at its highest!  But God wanted them to go slowly. Why? God wanted to teach them that there were other more important things that they needed to learn than just quickly conquering the Promised Land.
You have probably had experiences when God was being silent on your prayer for a lengthy time. You wonder whether God has heard your prayer, and didn’t understand what was going on.  Where are you God?  Well…  God may have wanted you to learn to wait on the Lord and be patient.  Why?  God may have wanted to teach you there were more important things that you needed to know.
James 5:7-8 says, “Be patient, brothers, until the Lord’s coming.  See how farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm.”  God wants you to know who is in control.  God is the one who makes the rain come. God wants to get rid of your self-reliance. You can’t make rain come.  Also, God wants to increase your confidence and faith through more discipline and training, and it takes time.  Your confidence and faith cannot grow overnight.  Also, God doesn’t want anyone to be left behind.  If you go to too fast, not everyone can keep up with you.
God often remains silent because He wants to usher you into a new experience with Him which you have never previously experienced in your life.  Do you really want to experience God’s presence in your life?  Then, learning to wait on the Lord and being patient is a must.  God knows you the best, and He knows exactly what, when and how things need to be done for your life.

From Pastor Neil’s Heart
July 13, 2014

As of yesterday, we completed the season of lent which began on Ash Wednesday, 40 days ago.  Lent is a time to set aside for reflection on Jesus Christ – his suffering and his sacrifice, his life, death, burial and resurrection.
A couple of days ago, on Good Friday, we gathered together in amazement that our Jesus would die on the cross for our sins and took the punishment in our place.  And we come today to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus.  Not merely that he died for our sins, but that he rose again from the dead for our eternal life!!
And the bible says in John 3:16, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”  So those who believe in the name of Jesus live because Jesus is alive!  And we rejoice together!  So Easter is the highest point, the climax of Jesus’ ministry.  And now we’ve reached the highest point, is this the end of the story of Easter?  Far from it!  The truth is that Easter is only the beginning of a real journey on earth for all believers.  The story of Easter continues on. 
Far too many of us have gotten to the cross and the resurrection, but far too few have moved beyond receiving resurrection to live eternally.  See, receiving forgiveness through the blood of Jesus and resurrection of Jesus, which is eternal life, is only half of the story of Easter.  Now Jesus wants us to experience His resurrected life on earth by living it until we go to heaven!
The Apostle Paul says in Romans 12:1 “Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God.”  What he is really saying is, “since you’re been saved, now you must live your life accordingly, that is the resurrected life!”
The resurrection of Jesus brought about amazing transformation in his disciples.  They went from hiding to preaching boldly in public.  They were willing to go through hardships, persecution and even death.  What had happened to them?  They had seen Jesus resurrected.  The disciples and the followers of Jesus were so radically transformed that they affected their culture big time!  The reality of the resurrection of Jesus had a transforming power that changed people’s perspective and lifestyle.
And Jesus wants to continue the same ministry of transformation in this age, and he wants to work with us.  In Luke 15, Jesus was upset over the discussion the religious leaders were having about who matters to God and who doesn’t, and He revealed his heart for the lost through the parable of the lost sheep, the parable of the lost coin, and the parable of the lost son.  The point he was making was that lost people really mattered to Him!  In the same way, lost people should be matter to us as well.
Yes, we ought to rejoice together for the resurrected life we’ve received through Jesus.  We live because Jesus is alive!   However, let us not forget that Jesus doesn’t want us to be content with just ourselves being saved, but he wants us to reach out to our families, friends, neighbors and others by living out our resurrected life!   It’s all because lost people really matter to God, and they too should be matter to us. 

Happy Easter!!

From Pastor Neil’s Heart 
April 20, 2014

We’re in the midst of studying through the book of Nehemiah on Sundays.  I’m really enjoying it immensely because I sense that God is speaking to our congregation through this book.  God knows well what we’ve been through as a church, what condition we are in, and to where He wants to take us.  Someone asked me the other day, “What is our vision as a church now as we move forward?”  I simply replied that the vision that God had given to NCFC from the beginning still remains the same, “Make disciples of all nations and glorify God.”  No matter who’s at NCFC, the original vision that was given by God to NCFC should continue on because the head of NCFC is always Jesus Christ.  People change but Jesus never changes.
Yes, we’ve been experiencing some glitches recently, and some portions of walls and gates have been broken down in the city of NCFC.  But God says He will restore the broken down walls and gates of NCFC.  Then, how does He want to do it?  I truly believe that God is revealing to us how He wants to restore us through the book of Nehemiah.  It’s almost like He is giving us a manual which provides step by step procedures which we can follow to resolve problems.
What really fascinates me is that Nehemiah was a layperson like you who lead the task of rebuilding the broken wall of Jerusalem which seemed to be an insurmountable task.  How was he able to do it as a layperson?  Nehemiah caught God’s vision because his heart was focused on God’s heart.  And he cared so much about the wellbeing of Jerusalem that he was weeping and praying for the restoration of Jerusalem.  His heart was so focused on it. 
Do you see the broken walls and gates of NCFC?  Can we do the same as Nehemiah has done?  I would really like to invite all of you to come out to our Saturday morning prayer and monthly praise and prayer meetings to come together and cry out and pray to our God for the restoration of our church.  As Nehemiah began to cry out to God, He began to move and opened the door.  Do you know our prayer can move God?  Prayer moves God because it is partnership with God.  It is not an act of forcing God to do what is against His will.  But as we ask for what He wants to carry out, He begins to move.  Does God want to restore NCFC?  Is it His will?  I have no doubt it’s indeed His will.  Then, let us cry out together and reach out to Him.
God also mobilized everyone to do the work of restoration through Nehemiah.  God knows one person cannot do the restoration alone.  Can you imagine Nehemiah and a few others trying to do all the repairs of the broken walls and gates of Jerusalem?   God wanted everyone to come and work together.  Everyone needs to be involved.  I talked about “divide and conquer” last week.  Everyone gets an assignment.  It’s much easier and faster to do it together.
When we work together, everyone feels they played a part in the restoration and contributed to make a difference.  Also, God’s blessings and rewards are shared.  God wants to bless as many people as He can.   And in fact, if one or a few people do everything, those few may end up taking God’s blessing away from others.  In the parable of the workers in the vineyard (Matthew 20:1-7) describes God’s desire to bless as many people as He can.  A landowner went out again and again to hire workers for his vineyard from early in the morning until the late afternoon.  Verses 6-7 say, ‘“And about five o’clock that afternoon he went out and found others standing around, and he said to them, “Why are you standing here all day without work?”  They said to him, “no one has hired us.”  He said to them, “You go and work in the vineyard too.”” 
How about you?  Are you still standing without work because no one asked you?  The vineyard at NCFC is in need of many workers who are willing to come and work.  The harvest is plentiful, and workers are few.   Come and let us work together!

From Pastor Neil’s Heart
March 16, 2014

This week, most of us will gather with families, relatives and friends to celebrate Thanksgiving Day.  We will have a lavish dinner with roasted turkey, fried chicken instead if you don’t like turkey like I don’t, pies, and a just little bit of fruits and vegetables (I don’t like too much fruits and vegetables…).  You will enjoy a great meal with people that you want be with and spend intimate time of fellowship with lots of laughing and fun in your cozy and warm home.  For those family members, relatives and friends who haven’t seen each other for some time, this is a wonderful time to catch up on lost time and reconnect with each other.
What does Thanksgiving Day mean to you?  How are you planning on spending your Thanksgiving Day?  The true meaning of Thanksgiving Day has certainly changed over the years as people enjoy more prosperity and comfort.  The entire Thanksgiving Day is filled with having good times, such as watching football games and shopping for bargains more than ever before.  Some stores will be opening at 6:00 am on Thanksgiving Day to lure people into a buying spree.
Nothing is wrong with finding great bargains and watching football games.  However, when it comes to Thanksgiving Day, this is only one day out of the year that families, distant relatives and old friends can come together to share meals and spend meaningful time together.  Are we going to let great bargain shopping invade into our Thanksgiving Day and take away the time we can spend more meaningfully?  It seems that slowly a careless and a thoughtless lifestyle is stripping away the true value and meaning from Thanksgiving Day.
Of course, thanksgiving should not be limited to one day a year, and it should be a daily occurrence.  But especially on Thanksgiving Day, let us not forget to give thanks to God who is always so generous and full of love, and make God be the center of our gathering.  We are too often focusing on ourselves on Thanksgiving Day rather than focusing on how blessed we are for having our God who loves us unconditionally and provides us abundantly with all good things.
This year, many people who are affected by the Super Typhoon Haiyan in Leyte and Samar, Philippines will face a very sad and grim Thanksgiving Day.  It is reported that about 5,600 people have died or are missing after Haiyan tore a path of destruction across the country, and many of them lost their loved ones and countless of people lost all of their belongings and homes.  The devastation is really horrific, and it’s a great human tragedy.  We all need to keep them in our prayers for God’s comfort, provision and speedy recovery, and they also need more than a prayer.  James 2:15-17 says, “Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food.  If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed.” But does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it?  In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead.”  So let us not only keep them in our prayers, but also we need to share what we have with them and give our helping hands to meet their needs.
I pray that all of you would have a great Thanksgiving gathering with your families, relatives and friends, and enjoy delicious meals and spend intimate time together.  

Have a wonderful and a happy Thanksgiving!

From Pastor Neil’s Heart
November 24, 2013

Many major retailers such as Target, Walmart, Toy R Us and others will be opening their stores on Thanksgiving Day evening, alluring people to buy those Black Friday bargains in lieu of having Thanksgiving dinner at home. Some stores plan to be open much of the day Thursday. Someone jokingly said, “They might as well start serving turkey dinner in the stores.”
Now Black Friday is slowly invading Thanksgiving Day, and who knows, in the near future, Black Friday might take over Thanksgiving Day completely? Retailers are all about responding to customers' needs and wants, and apparently that demand is growing every year. But Thanksgiving Day becoming the new Black Friday doesn't sit well with us believers.
How are you planning on spending your Thanksgiving Day this year? Thanksgiving Day is a family celebration marked as a sense of gratitude people feel for all the good things in life that God has done. This is done by offering prayers, sharing meals and spending time together. Family members and relatives who haven’t seen each other for some time come together and catch up on lost times and reconnect.
I have nothing against shopping smart and finding bargains, and spending our money wisely. But I think there are things that are more important in life than just shopping smart and finding bargains. In this day and age, we live a very busy life. It’s not just at work that we are busy. Our children are busy with activities around school and with other after school activities. If we add church programs and activities, there is hardly any time left for even family to spend an evening together. Nevertheless we still can manage to set aside some time for family since there are many days in a week. If not, in a month. However, when it comes to Thanksgiving Day, there is only one day out of the year that families and relatives can come together to share a meal and spend meaningful time together. Are we going to let Black Friday creep into Thanksgiving Day and take away the time we can spend more meaningfully?`
Also there is a more important reason that we shouldn’t let Black Friday invade Thanksgiving Day. Our Forefathers proclaimed National Days of Thanksgiving to Almighty God since 1777. George Washington, our first president, wrote his National Thanksgiving Proclamation, in which he said, “It is our duty as a people, with devote reverence and affectionate gratitude, to acknowledge our many and great obligation to Almighty God, and to implore Him to continue and confirm the blessings we experienced….”
Let us not forget to give thanks to God for his amazing love and grace. We often focus on negative things in life, and we worry, get angry and complain. Thanksgiving Day is the day we can change our focus on how blessed we are for our God who loves us unconditionally and cares about everything that concerns us.
This year will be the first year our family will have one family member missing when we come together for Thanksgiving Day. Our son, Chris, left for Okinawa, Japan for his military assignment a few weeks ago and will not be with us on Thanksgiving Day this year. It will not feel the same without him, and we will miss him very much. We’re going to have to settle with FaceTime if he is not flying. How about you? I hope all of you will not miss anyone when you get together with your family on Thanksgiving Day and enjoy wonderful meals and spend a lot of time together.  And most of all count your blessings and give thanks to God for His goodness and faithfulness. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

From Pastor Neil’s Heart
November 18, 2012