Pastor Rick Hudgens | A Unanimous Agreement

Sunday/Aug/2009 13:41

On Monday evening, August 17, 2009, Dr. Mark Barnes, the district superintendent of the North Carolina District of the Church of the Nazarene met with the local church board of North Raleigh Church of the Nazarene.

The purpose of the meeting was to conduct a pastoral review and ministry evaluation. At the close of the meeting, the members of the church board came to a unanimous decision to extend Pastor Rick’s call for another four years.

Pastor Rick feels there are some other unanimous agreements that need to be made this morning. Our text is Psalm 133, which says:

How good and pleasant it is when brothers live together in unity! It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, running down on Aaron's beard, down upon the collar of his robes. It is as if the dew of Hermon were falling on Mount Zion. For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore.

Is it possible that we could agree on these statements?

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Pastor Rick Hudgens | Is Heaven a Real Place?

Sunday/Aug/2009 13:36

Some years ago, radio evangelist, Charles E. Fuller, announced that he would speak the following Sunday on "Heaven." It was to be broadcast on radio. During that week he received a letter from an elderly gentleman who was very ill. Here is part of that letter:

"Next Sunday you are to talk about 'Heaven.' I am interested in that land because I have held a clear title to a bit of property there for over 55 years. I did not buy it. It was given to me without money and without price. But the donor purchased it for me at a tremendous sacrifice. I am not holding it for speculation since the title is non-transferable. It is not a vacant lot. For more than a half-century I have been sending material out of which the greatest architect and builder of the universe has been
building a home for me, which will never need to be repaired because it will suit me perfectly, individually, and will never grow old. Termites can never undermine its foundation for it rests upon the Rock of Ages. Fire cannot destroy it. Floods cannot wash it away. No locks or bolts will ever be placed upon its doors, for no vicious person can ever enter that land where my dwelling stands, now almost completed and ready for me to enter it and abide in peace eternally without fear of being ejected. There is a valley of deep shadow between the place where I live in California and that to which I shall journey in a very short time.

I cannot reach my home in the City of God without passing through the dark valley of shadows. But I am not afraid, because the best friend that I have ever had went through the same valley alone, a long, long, time ago and drove away all the gloom. He has stuck by me through thick and thin since we first met and became acquainted 55 years ago, and I hold. His promise in printed form, never to forsake nor to leave me alone. He will be with me as I walk through the valley of shadows, and I shall not lose my way when He is with me. I hope to hear your sermon on "Heaven" next Sunday from my home, but I have no assurance that I shall be able to do so. My ticket to heaven has no date marked for the journey...no return coupon...and no permit for baggage. Yes, I am ready to go and may not be here while you are talking next Sunday, but I shall meet you there some day."

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Pastor Rick Hudgens | How Much You Matter to God

Monday/Aug/2009 08:57

Today Pastor Rick celebrates his second anniversary as Lead Pastor of North Raleigh Church of the Nazarene.

The Church of the Nazarene is democratic in its form of government in the calling of a pastor. On July 15, 2007 Pastor Rick was introduced publically to our family for the first time. He preached what is called a “trial sermon”. This was the first opportunity we had to hear Pastor Rick preach. He was presented as a candidate to serve as our pastor and following a vote of the membership, Pastor Rick began his ministry at NRN on August 1, 2007.

In observance of this anniversary Pastor Rick will be presenting once again the first message he preached at NRN. Over the past two years the church has gone through the ReFocus process and today there are many families who are active at the church who were not here in 2007. Rarely will Pastor Rick repeat a message, but today he shares once again a landmark message which reminds us of his heart and philosophy of ministry.

Pastor Rick asks: “What will our church look like two years from now? The question is not how do we get our church to grow; the right question is: What is keeping my church from growing?” Consider these words from Jesus found in John 4:35-37:

“Do you think the work of harvesting will not begin until the summer ends…? Look around you! Vast fields are ripening all around us and are ready now for harvest. The harvesters are paid good wages, and the fruit they harvest is people brought to eternal life. What joy awaits both the planter and the harvester alike!”

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