I honestly don’t remember when I met Alan Alvarez for the first time, but he quickly became one of my favorite leaders (evn though I don’t really have favorites) . And after several years of toil, I recently convinced him to expand his influence by becoming a zone leader. Alan has blessed my life by giving me an outlet for my athletic drive, holding me on belay as I dangle from many a rock face, and encouraging me to pursue Godly passions. Here’s a piece of fun advice if you are ever hanging out with Alan. Offer him a dollar to do something. Anything. Tell him you will give him a dollar if he will do a double flip jump onto a ledge and then leap off. It’s fun. Watch Alan run. Watch Alan jump. Watch Alan earn a buck.
Today, we caught up with Alan to talk about life, ministry, and his favorite spiritual sensei.
How long have you attended NCC?
NCC has been my home church for 5 years.
What brought you to NCC?
Initially, word of mouth reputation and the metro accessibility attracted me to Union Station. Pastor Mark’s relevant messages, a solid community group, and free donuts kept me coming back.
Tell us a little about the small groups that you lead and how that experience has impacted you.
I’ve led a community group in Ballston for about four years. Group members consisted of nuclear engineers, jet fighter pilots, doctors, schoolteachers, a college jeopardy champ, attorneys, etc. They all loved God and God’s worked in them differently. The diversity of experience at NCC is wonderfully enriching and challenging.
Where can you be found on Sunday mornings?
I hear that those on the west side of the Potomac are more spiritual. Therefore, I go to Ballston. Oh yeah, that and it’s only about 2 miles from my house.
When did you start following Christ and what have been some of the spiritual turning points in your life?
I accepted Christ in 1991. Admittedly, it was a relationship of convenience. Once I surrendered my geography and vocation to him in 1999, I truly sought Him and His will.
Tell us a little about your background.
I’m from Tacoma, Washington (35 miles South of Seattle, from which Sea-Tac Airport borrows a quarter of its name). I grew up in a Filipino ghetto where I sold coconuts to other villagers and I had to fight to survive. Okay, I was raised in a middle-income, Navy brat household with a lawn… no coconuts.
What is your favorite Scripture passage?
Matthew 10:9-10
Do not take along any gold or silver or copper in your belts; take no bag for the journey, or extra tunic, or sandals or a staff; for the worker is worth his keep.
We’ve got all that we need. What are you waiting for?
What are your f avorite books?
I’m not a reader. I’m currently reading Friedman’s The World is Flat.
What are your favorite movies?
I’m into clever crime heists, teams, and action. Therefore, Sneakers, Italian Job, Braveheart, and Last of the Mohicans. People pulling together under adversity, overcoming impossible odds and I couldn’t figure out the ending. Who would have thought that Claire would’ve jumped off the cliff at the end of Last of the Mohicans?
What is your favorite fast food?
McDonald’s
What is something that most people at NCC would not know about you?
I shoot right handled, but aim with my left eye.
Tell us a little about your day job.
I’m a bureaucrat. (**Editor’s Note: Alan works at the FBI and apparently does something with top secret stuff that even his friends don’t understand. When we ask Alan what he does, words stream out of his mouth in a seemingly coherent fashion, but they remain incomprehensible to us)
What is your dream job?
Acting with Ernie Reyes Jr.
Who is your hero? (besi des Jesus or any other member of the Trinity)
Bruce Lee. Obviously I don’t subscribe to his spiritual beliefs. I do, however, appreciate his perseverance, raw talent, and pursuit of his passions. The guy had to slow his moves down because the cameras couldn’t keep up. Man that’s fast!
What do you do in your free time?
I social climb: Rocks that is. Though I don’t put enough time to advance my skills, I still enjoy being humbled by the crux of a climbing problem. Belay on?
In NCC:THE MOVIE who would play you? Who would play Pastor Mark?
Ernie Reyes Jr. He’s the only Filipino-American actor that I know. He acted in a lot of low plot, high action karate movies appealing to youth in the 80’s and was recently featured in Disney’s Johnny Tsunami. I don’t think a bronzed Tobey Maguire would do it.
Pastor Mark- Pat Morita. I know he’s departed, but we must pay tribute to him with Pastor Mark’s use of Daniel-sans pedagogical hard labor. As my pastor, Pastor Mark is my spiritual sensei.
What is your favorite Pastor Markism?
“That’s A-mazing”
Alan…your very detailed friend Jill here…glad to hear you really enjoy √¢‚Ǩ≈ìThe Last of the Mohicans,√¢‚Ǩ¬ù but you know me, the ever meticulous detailed one√¢‚Ǩ¬¶it was actually Alice that jumped off the ledge in the end, not Claire! Cora is her sister, the dark haired one. Alice was the one who had the silent but loving relationship with Uncas, who died trying to save her. Ok, there, I am off my Mohican soapbox, I have seen that movie way too many times!
Jill Wyman
March 28th, 2006
So glad you are on the Zone Leader team, Alan!
Sarah O.
March 29th, 2006