{{Short description|Assemblies of God church}} {{Infobox church | name = National Community Church | image = Ebenezer's Coffee House on Capitol Hill.jpg | image_size = 250px | caption = Ebenezers Coffeehouse and headquarters of the National Community Church in Washington, D.C. | location = | address = Washington, D.C.<br> Springfield, Virginia | denomination = Pentecostal | churchmanship = | website = {{URL|https://national.cc}} | former_name = | founded = 1996 }}
'''National Community Church''' (NCC) is a Pentecostal multi-site megachurch based in Washington, D.C., pastored by Mark Batterson. It is affiliated with the Assemblies of God USA.
==History== [[File:Washington and Georgetown Railroad Car House - 2.jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|NCC's primary campus in the Navy Yard area of Washington, D.C., is the former Washington and Georgetown Railroad Car House.]] National Community Church held its first Sunday service on January 7, 1996. During the first nine months of 1996, average attendance at Sunday services was between 20 and 25 people. At the time, all meetings were at the Joshua R. Giddings school in southeast Washington, DC, but the school was closed due to fire code violations.<ref name="circlemaker">{{cite book |last1=Batterson |first1=Mark |title=The Circle Maker |date=2011 |publisher=Zondervan |isbn=9780310318293 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4MXvAwAAQBAJ |language=en}}</ref><ref name="700club">{{cite news |title=Mark Batterson: The Circle Maker |url=http://www1.cbn.com/700club/mark-batterson-circle-maker |work=700 Club |publisher=Christian Broadcasting Network |date=May 2012}}</ref>
NCC found a new home in the AMC Theatres at Union Station, holding its first services there on November 17, 1996.<ref name="700club"/> A second Sunday service was added in February 2001 when the church grew to 275 weekly attendees.<ref name="wapo2001">{{cite news |last1=Murphy |first1=Caryle |title=Young Audience Redefines Church |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/politics/2001/08/12/young-audience-redefines-church/abc2fec2-452c-45e8-89a7-721767afcc31/ |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=August 12, 2001}}</ref> In an August 2001 article in the ''Washington Post,'' the congregation was described as "young" and "casually dressed," and Batterson remarked that the church was "right in the middle of the marketplace."<ref name="wapo2001"/> In five years, the congregation at Union Station grew to over 500.<ref name="wapo2012">{{cite news |last1=Boorstein |first1=Michelle |title=From a movie theater church, pastor Mark Batterson blends orthodoxy and innovation |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/from-a-movie-theater-church-pastor-mark-batterson-blends-orthodoxy-and-innovation/2012/02/23/gIQArYBxZR_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=February 25, 2012}}</ref> NCC launched its second location in the Regal Entertainment Group theaters at Ballston Common Mall in Arlington, Virginia in 2003, using a pre-recorded video to present sermons in both locations on Sundays.<ref name="700club"/><ref name="charisma">{{cite news |last1=Walker |first1=Ken |title=Lost in Space? |url=https://ministrytodaymag.com/outreach/innovation/13678-lost-in-space |work=Charisma Leader |date=September 1, 2006}}</ref>
In 2005, NCC began making its sermons available online via podcast.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Ralli |first1=Tania |title=Missed Church? Download It to Your IPod. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/29/technology/missed-church-download-it-to-your-ipod.html |work=The New York Times |date=August 29, 2005}}</ref>
In March 2006, after investing a few million dollars to renovate an abandoned building a few blocks from Union Station, NCC opened Ebenezer's, a coffeehouse serving fair trade and organic coffee, with church offices located on the top floor and an event space in the basement.<ref name="circlemaker"/><ref name="rollcall">{{cite news |title=Church Makes Its Home in Local Coffee Shop |url=https://www.rollcall.com/news/-202102-1.html |work=Roll Call |date=Jan 5, 2011}}</ref> Ebenezer's has been recognized as one of the best coffeehouses in DC.<ref>{{cite web |title=City's Best: Washington, DC - coffee |url=http://citysbest.aol.com/washington-dc/best-dining/coffee/ |publisher=AOL |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080907110222/http://citysbest.aol.com/washington-dc/best-dining/coffee/ |archive-date=7 September 2008 |date=September 2008 |quote=After decades of neglect, National Community Church transformed this run-down onetime diner into a not-so-shabby neighborhood coffeehouse.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Altaleb |first1=Omama |title=11 D.C.-area coffeehouses every coffee lover should visit |url=https://wtop.com/food-restaurant/2016/02/11-d-c-area-coffeehouses-every-coffee-lover-should-visit/ |work=WTOP News |date=24 February 2016 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Gale |first1=Rebecca |title=The 12 Best Covert Coffee Spots in D.C. |url=https://dc.eater.com/maps/essential-secret-coffee-meeting-dc |website=Eater DC |language=en |date=24 April 2017}}</ref> The basement of Ebenezer's became the regular venue for a Saturday worship service and the live taping of weekly sermons.<ref name="charisma"/>
The church expanded to movie theaters in Georgetown and Kingstowne, Virginia, and Sunday services were held at Ebenezer's when the movie theater at Union Station abruptly closed in October 2009.<ref name="circlemaker"/><ref name="wapo2009">{{cite news |last1=Wan |first1=William |title=Movie-theater church loses spot at Union Station |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/10/19/AR2009101903306.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=October 20, 2009}}</ref> In 2010, NCC began a Sunday evening service at the GALA Hispanic Theatre in Columbia Heights, Washington, D.C. and a regular Sunday service in Potomac Yard in Virginia.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Seed |first1=Amy |title=DC-area church unveils new location inside theater |url=https://www.washingtonexaminer.com/dc-area-church-unveils-new-location-inside-theater |work=Washington Examiner |date=March 26, 2010}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Parks |first1=Kurtis |title=Life as a Campus Pastor |url=http://thekurtisparks.blogspot.com/2010/10/life-as-campus-pastor.html |website=Blogger |date=October 14, 2010}}</ref>
In 2011, NCC purchased a century-old theater on Barracks Row in Capitol Hill, which was originally known as Meader's Theater and had been home to the People's Church since 1962.<ref name="cpost2011">{{cite news |last1=Phan |first1=Katherine T. |title=D.C.'s Theater Church Expanding on Capitol Hill |url=https://www.christianpost.com/news/dcs-theater-church-expanding-on-capitol-hill.html |work=Christian Post |date=March 29, 2011}}</ref><ref name="wapo-miracle">{{cite news |last1=Jenkins |first1=Mark |title=Century-old movie theater in Capitol Hill to reopen as the Miracle |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/century-old-movie-theater-in-capitol-hill-to-reopen-as-the-miracle/2012/07/02/gJQA5IFBJW_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=July 2, 2012}}</ref> In March 2011, NCC's congregation totaled around 2,000, and the theater became the NCC's central site, hosting multiple Sunday services and the Saturday afternoon taping of the sermon distributed to the other six locations and online.<ref name="cpost2011"/><ref name="wapo2012"/> Over the next several years, the theater was renovated and in May 2016 it opened to the public as a movie theater and performance venue, named the "Miracle Theatre."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Cohen |first1=Matt |title=Small Movie Theater Opens on Barracks Row |url=https://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/arts/blog/20781032/miracle-theater-opens |work=Washington City Paper |date=June 1, 2016}}</ref>
In 2012, NCC entered into a partnership with a community organization, the Southeast White House, to buy an abandoned apartment building in the Hillcrest neighborhood of Washington, D.C. The building was renovated into a community center with a dance studio, basketball court, art center, computer lab, and recording studio, opening in 2017 as the "DC Dream Center."<ref name="dcist2017">{{cite news |last1=Sturdivant |first1=Christina |title=Photos: Mayor Bowser Cuts Ribbon At New Community Center In Southeast |url=https://dcist.com/story/17/08/23/dc-dream-center/ |work=DCist |date=August 23, 2017 |access-date=May 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190507193903/https://dcist.com/story/17/08/23/dc-dream-center/ |archive-date=May 7, 2019 |url-status=live }}</ref>
NCC celebrated Easter 2014 with 800 congregants at the historic Lincoln Theatre on U Street in Washington, D.C., where the church established a new weekly Sunday service.<ref name="wapo2014">{{cite news |last1=Bahrampour |first1=Tara |title=Washington region celebrates Easter |url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/local/washington-region-celebrates-easter/2014/04/20/2ada2cc2-c8a4-11e3-93eb-6c0037dde2ad_story.html |newspaper=The Washington Post |date=April 20, 2014}}</ref> In April 2014, NCC had over 3,000 congregants attending services in seven locations.<ref name=kojo2014>{{cite news |title=Contemporary Religion on Capitol Hill |url=https://thekojonnamdishow.org/shows/2014-04-17/contemporary-religion-capitol-hill |work=The Kojo Nnamdi Show |publisher=WAMU |date=April 17, 2014}}</ref>
In late 2014, NCC purchased the Navy Yard Car Barn, several blocks south of the Miracle Theatre on Barracks Row.<ref>{{cite news|last1=Neibauer|first1=Michael|title=National Community Church to acquire Blue Castle, expand Barracks Row portfolio|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/washington/breaking_ground/2014/11/national-community-church-to-acquire-blue-castle.html?ana=twt|work=Washington Business Journal|date=Nov 4, 2014}}</ref> The building was renovated and renamed Capital Turnaround, re-opening in 2021 with an 850-seat auditorium used for Sunday worship services.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Williams |first1=Elliot C. |title=Capital Turnaround, An 850-Seat Entertainment Venue In Navy Yard, Opens This Summer |url=https://www.npr.org/local/305/2021/07/15/1016410259/capital-turnaround-an-850-seat-entertainment-venue-in-navy-yard-opens-this-summer |work=WAMU |publisher=NPR |date=July 15, 2021}}</ref>
In 2023, NCC led an Easter sunrise service at the Lincoln Memorial, taking over a tradition that was started by Capital Church in 1979.<ref>{{cite news |last1=O’Gorek |first1=Elizabeth |title=National Community Church to Lead 2023 Easter Sunrise Service |url=https://www.hillrag.com/2023/03/31/national-community-church-to-lead-2023-easter-sunrise-service/ |work=HillRag |date=31 March 2023}}</ref>
==Affiliations== National Community Church is affiliated with the Assemblies of God USA and the Willow Creek Association.<ref>{{cite web |title=National Community Church |url=https://ag.org/church?g=bf2e210d-196e-43c9-a732-48b0a9f50c59 |website=Assemblies of God (USA) |access-date=7 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=National Community Church |url=http://www.willowcreek.com/wca_info/find_a_church/ProfileDetail.asp?MP=130630145 |website=Willow Creek Association |access-date=7 May 2019}}</ref>
==References== {{reflist}}
==External links== *[https://national.cc/ National Community Church] *[http://www.markbatterson.com/ Mark Batterson] *[http://ebenezerscoffeehouse.com Ebenezers Coffeehouse] *[http://themiracletheatre.com/ The Miracle Theater] *[https://dcdreamcenter.com/ DC Dream Center]
{{National churches in Washington, D.C.}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:National Community Church}} Category:Assemblies of God churches Category:Pentecostal churches in Washington, D.C. Category:Christian organizations established in 1996 Category:1996 establishments in the United States Category:Pentecostal multisite churches