Reflections on the Day Our Ministry Became Debt Free

Monday, August 14, 2017 Bryan Hudson 1 Comments

Today, I made the final mortgage payment on our church facility one year ahead of schedule! Today, New Covenant Church became a debt free ministry.

This is obviously a great blessing, a result of the grace of God, and a testament to the faithfulness of our New Covenant Church family and the friends who support us. This day holds special significance for many other reasons because of the challenges and victories we have faced along the way.

I reflect on 35 years of pastoral service and the present smaller size of our congregation, but I also see our significant impact and influence on other ministries, nations, and people who have been served, especially our precious church family, youth, and children. We have empowered hundreds of youth in media arts through 19 years of media camps and we provided an academic and spiritual foundation for hundreds of children during the 15 years we operated Willowbrook Academy preschool. Untold numbers of people have been born again through our various ministries. A great volume of Gospel and inspirational books, ebooks, blogs, and digital media have inspired and helped people around the world. The annual Christmas outreach founded by my late mother, Gaynell Hudson, continues to share the Gospel and help families for the past 26 years.

I reflect upon having been sent by the Lord half way around the world to Africa on five occasions to do missions work, strengthen pastors, and provide them with resources.

I am always careful to keep everything in proper perspective, recognizing that there are many great ministries in our city doing great, and greater, works than ourselves. We have been honored to have supported and inspired many of those ministries as friends and partners. In fact, I am very thankful that size is not the final measure of the effectiveness of a ministry!

I reflect on God as our unlimited Source who provides resources…sometimes in ways that defy comprehension.

I reflect upon hardships and victories during times of zoning denial, winning a lawsuit to overturn the negative zoning vote, expected and unexpected change, contraction of resources after a season of expansion, the economic crash of 2008 which affected a scheduled re-finance, and the departure of some church members for various reasons including job opportunities in different cities.

I reflect upon the words of the Apostle Paul in Philippians 4, “Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (vv. 11-13)

I reflect upon Paul’s acknowledgement of the faithfulness of the faithful Philippian believers (whom I compare to our New Covenant Church believers), “Indeed I have all and abound. I am full, having received from Epaphroditus the things sent from you, a sweet-smelling aroma, an acceptable sacrifice, well pleasing to God. And my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus. ” (Phil 4:18-20)

I reflect upon our Vision for 2017, which we began with a declaration: “Debt Free, Worry Free, Free to be Empowered and Empower Others.”

I reflect upon my precious wife and partner of 38 years, Patricia Hudson, who has labored with me, worked in the ministry, been a public school educator for our whole marriage, and continues to inspire and care for me. I also thank God for our children, whom He has blessed in marvelous ways, and for our youngest son, Jonathan, who has been able to work with us in ministry. On a teachers' and pastors' income we were able to put four children through private school and college, by the grace of God!

I reflect upon my father, Horace Hudson, who is, by far, the greatest man I’ve ever known and who at 80 years of age continues to do amazing things for the Lord’s kingdom and for New Covenant Church. I remember my late mother Gaynell Hudson, who was a foundation and pillar in my life and ministry.

I reflect upon this Scripture for 2017, “Being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ.” (Philippians 1:6)

Through it all, God has been faithful and His faithful people have been steadfast.