March-April NEXT: Special Yes & Amen Edition

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/ Spring 2019

Note from

Pastor Mark & Lora When God led me on a 4.7-mile prayer walk around Capitol Hill in 1996, I turned the southeast corner at 8th and M Streets. I had no idea that eighteen years to the day from the day of that prayer circle, we would purchase the Navy Yard Car Barn! The 127-year-old building covers an entire city block, and we will steward it for our church and for our city. We had no category for that $29.3 million miracle, but God’s vision for His church is bigger than ours! With this piece of promised land, we are being called as a church to turn around lives, bless the city, and prototype the next generation of the urban church.

After four years of dreaming, planning, and praying, we’ve begun our three-phase renovation of this historic space. It marks a new season for us as a church, but it’s about so much more than brick and mortar. It’s about those who aren’t here yet. It’s about the third and fourth generation. We are in the middle of a miracle, but it’s going to take all hands on deck! God has said “Yes,” and it’s our turn, our time, to say, “Amen!”

Mark Batterson, Lead Pastor Lora Batterson

THE 1996 PRAYER WALK

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/ Spring 2019

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Contents Generosity & God

by Pastor Heather Zempel...................................................................5 A Church in the Middle of the Marketplace.....................................8-9 The Vision................................................................................................10-11 A Three-Phase Plan...............................................................................12-13 Phase 1: Event Venue............................................................................14-15 The Navy Yard Car Barn: A History....................................................16-17 Phase 2: Child Development Center.................................................18-19 Phase 3: The Marketplace...................................................................20-21 Neighborhood Map...............................................................................22-23 Praying Together....................................................................................24 Giving Together......................................................................................25 How to Cultivate a Spirit of Generosity in Your Family..................26-27 Your Commitment..................................................................................28-29 A Call to Generous Living

by Pastor Mark Batterson.....................................................................30-31

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GOD

T

he generosity of God bursts forth on the first pages of Scripture: a garden brimming with trees and fruit. An explosion of taste, smell, and beauty. God delivered his people from slavery and sent them to a promised land overflowing with grapes, pomegranates, and honey.

Jesus multiplied a small fish dinner to be a feast for 5,000. He restored sight to the blind, hearing to the deaf, and friendship to the outcast.

pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap. For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.”

Our God is a generous God. Sometimes, it manifests itself in financial miracles like the one our church experienced over 20 years ago. Sometimes, the blessing is found in getting a front row seat to observing a life-changing miracle.

Sometimes, it’s the blessing of knowing His single greatest expression of that our investment of time, treasure, and generosity was the giving of himself to talent will reap benefits for generations come be with us, to live beyond us. Generosity with us, to die for us, and is an adventure of faith to walk out of a grave so and discovering new “I TRULY BELIEVE that we can experience a dimensions of God’s THAT WE WILL NOT brand-new way of living. faithfulness.

I truly And when we give our believe that we will REGRET ONE PENNY lives over to God, we step not regret one penny into an abundant and entrusted to the Father ENTRUSTED TO eternal life. and invested in the Kingdom of God. THE FATHER AND You cannot outgive God. Discipleship means INVESTED IN THE It’s one of the first core developing in ourselves values we discovered in the heart of the Father KINGDOM OF GOD.” the early days of National so that we look more Community Church. like him and act more Before we were even self-sustaining, we like him. We look like our Father when felt God direct us to give our first check we give like our Father—with bountiful to missions. Our monthly income was generosity. Our prayer in this season $2,000, and it cost $1,600 to rent the is the same that Paul encouraged in 2 school where we were meeting. That left Corinthians 8:7, “But since you excel in $400 for everything else. In bold faith everything… see that you also excel in and risky obedience, we gave our first $50 this grace of giving.” check to missions in September 1996.

The next month, our income tripled.

The only explanation is a spiritual principle found in Luke 6:38, “Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure,

Pastor Heather Zempel Discipleship Pastor & Campus Ministries Director

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“ for no matter how many promises god has made, they are ‘yes’ in christ. and so through him the ‘amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of god.”

2 corinthians 1:20

2 corinthians 8:7 “but since you excel in everything in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you - see that you also excel in this grace of giving.�

a vision for churches to meet in movie theaters across the DC metro area

A crack house becomes a coffeehouse, with all profits going to kingdom causes

A historic movie theater is restored to become both a theater and a church

An abandoned apartment building becomes the DC Dream Center

A Church in the Middle of the Marketplace Twenty-three years ago, we started meeting in the movie theater at Union Station. It’s been clear from our beginnings that God is calling us to be a church in the middle of the marketplace.

He gave us a crack house to turn into a coffeehouse. He’s led us to establish church communities and worship together in theaters across DC and northern Virginia.

He gave us a historic theater-turnedchurch—and then equipped us to make it both a theater and a church. Next, it was an abandoned apartment building to turn into a Dream Center.

And now, an exciting new call: He’s given us the historic Navy Yard Car Barn on an entire city block in Southeast DC. He’s called us not just to renovate a 127-yearold building, but to lay the foundation for the next generation of urban churches.

the historic navy yard Car Barn is being transformed into a place where the church and the community can cross paths: an event venue, a child development center, and a marketplace.

with an entire city block?

Because His vision for His church is bigger than ours!

Because He wants us to be a bigger blessing to our city!

We are charged with stewarding every square inch of the Navy Yard Car Barn for NCC, for DC, and for future generations.

We’re not just renovating a 127-year-old car barn as our prototype campus. We’re laying the foundation for the next generation of urban churches.

A place where lives are changed, our city is blessed, and the church is reimagined.

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turn around lives A building that once turned around streetcars will now turn around people, orienting them toward new life in Christ. And we know turnarounds don’t just happen in a worship service: they happen when we’re in the middle of the marketplace, over conversation and a cup of coffee.

• 1,000-seat worship space enables us to impact more people

• Expansive lobby and gathering spaces make room for community to happen • 20,000 square feet of kids ministry space to disciple the next generation • A prototype for other NCC campuses as they continue to grow

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bless the city As we have done with every square foot God has ever given us, we will leverage this property to answer the prophet Jeremiah’s directive: “Seek the peace and prosperity of the city.”

• The kids ministry space provides a desperately-needed child development center for the community Monday – Friday • The marketplace will incubate entrepreneurs and conscientiously create jobs for those who need them most

• An economic engine for doing missions in our city and around the world

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reimagine the church

We know there are ways of doing church no one has thought of yet. This city block enables us to innovate creative ways of preaching and practicing the gospel.

• Our worship space will double as an event venue for the community

• The marketplace model funds kingdom causes

• We will create spaces where church and community cross paths:

• A sustainable, cost-effective solution to the problem of renting

• We will honor the history of the building while making it a hub for community

• Marketplace with retail and restaurants • Ebenezers II • Co-working space

• A prototype for NCC and other urban churches

• An incubator for kingdom entrepreneurs

• A launching pad to plant churches and start kingdom-minded businesses

It’s about the past & it’s about the future. It’s about a new address & it’s about a kingdom that’s coming. It’s about our church family & it’s about the neighborhood. It’s about a group of believers & it’s about those who don’t know Him yet. It’s about our church & the churches yet to be planted. It’s about our dream & the dreams yet to be dreamed.

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a phase plan

NAVY YARD CAR BARN

Phase 1: Event Venue Phase 2: Child Development Center Phase 3: Marketplace

opening soon! • 1,000- seat event venue will generate income and double as worship space, enabling us to impact more people • Our Echostage and Barracks Row-Sunday campuses will be moving into this new space as soon as construction is complete

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Phase 1: Event venue The $9 million Phase 1 has been fully funded.

• The lobby space will be larger than the entire Miracle Theatre, creating plenty of space for gathering and community • 6,000 square feet of temporary kids ministry space is included in this phase. Kids will meet there until Phase 2 is complete • We now own a facility in which to do ministry and outreach 24/7 • This is our prototype for the future of the urban church and for the next phase of growth for NCC campuses nationalcommunity.com

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a history of the

navy yard car barn

1862

1962

The Washington and Georgetown Railroad was founded, and they ran two streetcar lines through Washington, D.C. When the cars first started operation, they ran on tracks, but were pulled by horses.

At 4:45 am January 28, 1962, the last streetcar making its last run on Route 54 pulled into the Navy Yard Car Barn.

The 1918 vintage car, Car No. 766, wore a funeral wreath over its lone headlight. It was the end of an era as the city switched to bus service for mass transit.

1891 The Sunday Herald announced that a building permit had been granted for the Washington and Georgetown Car House to be built at what is now 770 M Street in Southeast DC. The paper noted that the building would be “the finest structure in the vicinity.”

Architect Walter C. Root designed the Washington and Georgetown Car House in the Romanesque Revival style, and the structure quickly became known as the Navy Yard Car Barn.

1909 An addition was built onto the Car Barn, expanding its facilities to an entire city block.

1894 Rock Creek Railway bought the Washington and Georgetown Railroad and formed the Capital Traction Company.

1891 -1965 For over 70 years, the Navy Yard Car Barn was the last stop on the line­­­—the turnaround. Navy Yard Car Barn mechanics got the city where it needed to go. They cleaned cars, made routine repairs, and rerouted streetcars all across the city. Thousands of streetcar drivers and mechanics are the unsung heroes of the hundred-year history of streetcars in Washington.

1964

2019

The Car Barn serves as temporary headquarters for the US Department of Labor.

The Civil Rights Act of 1964 was signed during this period.

1988

Anticipated opening of Phase 1, the event venue.

2018 NCC begins renovation and restoration of the Navy Yard Car Barn.

The Navy Yard Car Barn was purchased by PSI, a mental health services provider. It was then painted blue and earned its nickname, the Blue Castle.

2014

1996

2006

God led Pastor Mark Batterson on a 4.7-mile prayer walk around the perimeter of Capitol Hill. The southeast corner of that prayer walk was the Navy Yard Car Barn.

Says Pastor Mark, “I was not praying for property, but for people—for God’s kingdom to come and his will to be done.”

The Navy Yard Car Barn, the last building standing in D.C. that relates to the cable car era, is added to the National Register of Historic Places.

The iconic Car Barn is purchased by National Community Church for $29.3 million—eighteen years to the day from Pastor Mark’s prayer walk.

our neighbors

PHASE 2: Child Development Center $5 Million • Targeted opening: January 2020

A 20,000-square-foot state-of-the-art kids ministry space will serve as a child development center during the week. • Kids Ministry Space Located just off the main auditorium, kids will have their own multimedia worship space and plenty of classrooms for ageappropriate breakout groups. We will now have space to accommodate families for events throughout the week.

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The Vision for the Child Development Center There is a desperate shortage of child care providers in the DC Metro area. Our center is one of the key ways NCC is being called to make a difference for generations. We will be able to minister to families by meeting one of their most pressing needs: trustworthy and accessible care for their children. Programs and curricula for the children will emphasize hope, joy, and character development. The Center will serve kids ages 6 weeks 5 years old.

Trusted Experts We are partnering with Phase Family Centers, an innovative organization bringing together churches, families, and communities. The Phase Family Center approach blends high-quality early childhood care and education with proactive family life programs to connect parents in enriching relationships with other families in their community. This distinctive approach promotes academic as well as character development for every child.

A Dream-Come-True Space for Families The kids space will be 20,000 square feet—about half a football field! It will include an indoor playground space and themed enrichment rooms designed to support interactive teaching and learning.

Top-Notch Care for Our Kids; Employment for Our Neighbors The center will serve approximately 200 children and employ about 40 child care professionals.

Blessing the City to the Third and Fourth Generation One of our biggest dreams for the Center is to provide quality child care for those who need it most and can’t otherwise afford it. We are proactively working with our partner and with the DC city government to strategize the most effective way to do this.

Visit phasefamilylearningcenter.com to sign up for the latest updates.

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Phase 3: the marketplace inspiration The Marketplace will be an adaptive reuse of a historic space in a strategic location. Some of our inspiration is coming from spaces like Armature Works, Tampa; Anaheim Packing House, LA; and Chelsea Market, New York City.

an incubator for businesses Businesses can thrive as they provide jobs and services to the neighborhood. We also hope to provide ample co-working space and other amenities to serve as an incubator for entrepreneurs and creatives.

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a hub for the community The Marketplace will be an inviting “third space� to work, eat, and play.

an economic engine for the neighborhood It’s our desire to incentivize businesses to provide jobs to as many in the neighborhood as possible, with a special emphasis on providing jobs for returning citizens and others in need of sustainable employment.

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3rd St SW

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M e Av SW

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At the intersection of Capitol Hill, Capitol Riverfront, and navy yard

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As we settle into the Car Barn, we’ll be moving into a complex intersection of well-established communities and new construction. Through our partnership with the Washington Interfaith Network (WIN), we work alongside other churches and city ministries to know our neighbors and seek the welfare of our city so that all people can flourish.

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Just as the 11th Street Bridge Project, Washington, D.C.’s first elevated public park, will be perched over the Anacostia River to physically bridge two neighborhoods, we want to be at the crossroads of community and church so we can get to know and bless all of our neighbors.

Over 266,000 people live within three miles of the Car Barn. Diverse residential areas include historic DC neighborhoods established by formerly enslaved African Americans; neighborhoods undergoing complex transition; and nineteen new residential buildings under construction.

As people of faith, we work to understand the complex history of each of these communities.

We’re called to work against oppression and segregation as well as celebrating and fostering joy and a sense of home. We’ll do that by continuing to engage in conversations and partner with our neighbors to seek the peace and prosperity of the city.

Learn more: ncc.re/vision 22

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Navy Yard Car Barn 11th Street Bridge Project Poplar Point DC Dream Center Frederick Douglass House Greenleaf Public Housing Hopkins Public Housing Little Lights Urban Ministry Marine Barracks

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10. Miracle Theatre 11. Nationals Park 12. Potomac Gardens Public Housing

13. Unity Health Care Clinic-

Southwest Health Center

14. Washington Navy Yard 15. Callisto - new residential 16. The Bixby - new residential

17. Navy Yard Metro 18. Christ City Church of Capitol Hill

19. St Teresa of Avila Church 20. The Big Chair 21. Audi Field 22. Virginia Avenue Property

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praying together NCC leaders praying together in the “old garage” at the Navy Yard Car Barn

Pray for the project construction and process • For favor with historical preservation and city officials in the permitting process.

• For the architects, construction workers, designers, and other partners who will be a part of the project. May this be an opportunity for them to encounter the love of a creative God through their participation.

• For creative imagination as we conscientiously recreate this block.

• For financial resources. May this project be the product of generosity.

Pray for the future vision of the project • For every person who walks across the threshold of this building.

May it be a turnaround.

• For the generations of kids who will be cared for, discipled, and loved in the child care center during the week and on the weekends.

• For the stewardship of every space, every dollar, every decision, and every partnership. May God be glorified.

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giving together Your participation enables us to 1

turn around lives

2

bless the city

3

reimagine the church

Primary goal: 100% participation

Secondary goal: Fully funding Phase 2: $5 million

A group of NCC leaders has taken the first step and funded Phase 1.

Now we are asking each NCCer to prayerfully determine how you can participate.

Funding the Child Development Center will enable us to minister to hundreds of families in our city each year by meeting one of their most pressing needs: trustworthy and accessible care for their children.

the miracle is in the house. /

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how to cultivate a spirit of gratitude generosity in your family

A

ll parents dream of raising grateful, generous kids. But the reality is that most of us spend the majority of our days exasperated as they refuse to share with their siblings or exclaim that their life is just so terrible!

Modeling a grateful and generous heart is hard. Truthfully, even as adults, keeping a grateful heart and staying generous toward others is just not easy. We can all admit that sometimes we want to fuss about the job that isn’t fun or force our way into the parking spot that technically was a tie.

We can tend to put too much stock in the lessons we “teach” when the truth is a generous spirit is caught, not taught! And before you become discouraged, here are a few ideas to help you tune up your own heart and cultivate a spirit of gratitude and generosity as a family: • Examine your attitude towards giving. Take a second to see where your heart is on giving to those in need. What message are you sending, whether through words or actions, to your family? When you are generous, find ways to talk about it with your kids. They will appreciate learning what motivates you to give to others.

• Identify and explain a true need.

It can be extremely hard for kids to see needs outside of themselves or their worldview. Sometimes they can’t understand the difference between

Each child will receive a gratitude journal in NCC Kids. Make time to work through it together as a family.

Download more copies at ncc.re/vision.

a need and a want. Spend some time listing different things you have.

Which ones are needs and which ones fall into the category of want?

• Share ownership. As a family, brainstorm and discuss how you all can help others. Let the kids be part of the process. Pick one thing you can give up for a short time in order to have extra to give to someone else.

• Praise them when they get it right.

It is not in our nature to share or be generous. Jesus teaches that our generosity should be done in secret, but when kids are learning and practicing kindness, make sure you let them know when they do a great job.

Giving helps create a heart of gratitude. And the opposite is also true. Overindulgence obliterates gratitude. Let’s give more and teach our kids to do the same. Let’s encourage each other and invite other families into giving opportunities. Together, let’s raise the next generation of grateful and generous hearts.

From NCC Family Ministry

your commitment

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prayerfully consider “Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.� 2 Cor. 9:7

What part does God want me to play in this vision?

What sacrifice can I make?

What will stretch my faith and help me grow in the grace of giving?

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make your two-year commitment Take some time to pray and plan for your commitment.

Then go to

ncc.re/yes to make your confidential commitment. You’ll be able to track your generosity journey under the “Pledges” tab of your online giving account in NCC Central.

You can fulfill your pledge under the “Giving” tab on your account in NCC Central.

ncc.re/central

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a call to

generous living But since you excel in everything—in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness and in the love we have kindled in you—see that you also excel in this grace of giving. 2 CORINTHIANS 8:7

W

hat is the grace of giving?

Simply put, it’s generosity.

It starts with an understanding that everything we have is a gift from God and for God. Generosity is giving above and beyond what is expected. It’s giving selflessly and sacrificially. No matter where you are in your journey of generosity, here are some practical steps that will help you grow in the grace of giving.

The first level of generosity is giving spontaneously.

You may catch a vision or sense a need, and you feel compelled to do something about it. Spontaneous generosity is stepping up and stepping in with a gift of time, talent or treasure. There may

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not be a rhythm to your giving, but there is a rhyme. You give as the Spirit leads, and that’s where generosity begins.

Paul spotlights the generosity of the Macedonians this way: “This was totally spontaneous, entirely their own idea, and caught us completely off guard.”

The second level of generosity is giving consistently.

If you are going to grow in any area of your life, consistency is key. And that’s certainly true of generosity. This is how the rhyme turns into a rhythm, and we have the added advantage of automatic withdrawal. Like any spiritual discipline, we’ve got to be careful that it doesn’t turn into rote routine or empty ritual.

The idea of a weekly offering traces its origins back to I Corinthians 16:2: “On the first day of the week, each of you should set aside a sum of money in keeping with your income.” One way Lora and I practice consistent generosity is via recurring giving at NCC.RE/ GIVING. It turns consistent generosity

into clockwork. Of course, we continue to give spontaneously to a wide variety of kingdom causes as the Lord leads us.

The third level of generosity is giving proportionately.

II Corinthians 8:11 says, “Give in proportion to what you have.” This idea of proportionate generosity traces back to the Old Testament tithe, which literally means ten percent. But it’s not any ten percent, it’s the first ten percent or firstfruits. The tithe isn’t the ultimate goal in the journey of generosity, but it’s a key benchmark. And in my experience, God can do more with 90% than we can do with 100%. Why? Because we cannot out-give God.

were being harassed and oppressed, but he points out that their “extreme poverty welled up in rich generosity.” He says, “They gave as much as they were able, and even beyond their ability.” Radical generosity is giving above and beyond the tithe, above and beyond your ability.

That’s how we stretch our faith, and that’s the goal. Ultimately, Lora and I have a goal of reverse tithing. In other words, we want to live off of ten percent and give ninety percent back to God. That doesn’t mean we don’t save for college or save for retirement. And that kind of generosity doesn’t happen overnight. But if you live to give, you will grow in the grace of giving. And God’s kingdom will advance because of it. In fact, your generosity will turn into someone else’s miracle!

The fourth level of generosity is giving radically.

Dr. Mark Batterson Lead Pastor

The Macedonian church was being tested by severe trials and tribulations. Paul doesn’t detail how those early Christians

For vision updates, prayer points, and more information:

ncc.re/vision

Make your commitment: ncc.re/yes

Track your giving: ncc.re/central

Get Equipped for a Life of Generosity Join Pastor Mark and NCC CFO Christina Borja for a special May Term small group focused on generosity and finances.

Watch for details at ncc.re/now

Weekly gatherings at NCC campuses God created us to support, encourage, and rely on one another. Find community each week at NCC. Worship • Be transformed, inspired, and filled as you come into the presence of God Learn • Grow in faith as we hear teaching from the Bible we can apply to our lives Connect • Develop meaningful relationships and grow in community Go • Get equipped to love and serve each other, our neighborhoods, and around the world

Washington, DC

Virginia

Barracks Row - Saturday

Ballston - Sundays, 9:30am & 11am

Saturday Nights, 5pm

Pastor Jenni Clayville

Pastor Marion Mason theaterchurch.com/barracksrow E-news: ncc.re/enewsBarracksSat Join our Facebook Group:

theaterchurch.com/ballston NCC Kids at 9:30am E-news: ncc.re/enewsBallston Join our Facebook Group:

Barracks Row - Sunday

Gainesville - Sundays, 10am

Sundays, 9am, 10:30am, and noon

Pastor Robb Schmidgall

Pastor Joel Schmidgall

theaterchurch.com/gainesville E-news: ncc.re/gvemail Join our Facebook Group:

Barracks Row Saturday Night NCCers

theaterchurch.com/barracksrow E-news: ncc.re/enewsBarracks Join our Facebook Group:

Ballston NCCers

Gainesville NCCers

Barracks Row NCCers

Echostage - Sundays, 9:30am

Kingstowne

Pastor Marion Mason

Sundays, 9am & 10:30am

theaterchurch.com/echo

Pastor Joshua Symonette

E-news: ncc.re/enewsEcho Join our Facebook Group:

theaterchurch.com/kingstowne E-news: ncc.re/enewsKT Join our Facebook Group:

Echostage NCCers

Kingstowne NCCers

Lincoln Theatre

Potomac Yard - Sundays, 10am

Sundays, 10:30am

Pastor Jon Vaughan

Pastor Dave Schmidgall

theaterchurch.com/potomacyard E-news: ncc.re/enewsPY Join our Facebook Group:

theaterchurch.com/lincoln E-news: ncc.re/enewsLincoln Join our Facebook Group:

Potomac Yard NCCers

Lincoln Theatre NCCers

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