Military Ministry Lets Rudge Serve Country
By Joe Pinchot
Herald Staff Writer
Bill Rudge was ready to join the Marines ––all he had to do was sign on the dotted line—when he got derailed by a girl.
Once that girl became his wife, the 18-year-old was still interested in military service, but he was accepted to Mount Vernon Bible College.
That was it. Rudge’s life went in another direction and he never did do one push-up in basic training.
But, in the last dozen years, Rudge’s ministry has taken on a camouflage hue. The Hermitage man has been a frequent speaker at military bases in the United States and overseas, and the visits have become an important part of his ministry.
“In a roundabout way, I’m paying back my military service,” said Rudge, an ordained minister with the Alliance of Biblical Pentecostals.
Rudge was invited to speak to the military for the first time by then-1st Lt. Doug Mastriano, the son-in-law of Ellis “Bub” Stewart, a former staff member at Bill Rudge Ministries, Hermitage.
Mastriano, who is now a lieutenant colonel, thought Rudge’s messages of courage, determination and self-control would go over big with soldiers.
“We’ve had a tremendous response,” said Rudge, who described his ministry as challenging people to reach their maximum potential in Christ––physically, mentally and spiritually. “The response was so good that everywhere he has been stationed he has brought me in.”
“Every time that he has lectured on base, I am astounded by the wonderful response from the military and family members,” Mastriano said. “He is a definite plus to ministry endeavors and a complement to military outreach.”
Rudge’s wife, Karen, frequently accompanies him on his military base visits and speaks to female military personnel and wives of male soldiers.
Rudge, a 1970 Sharon High School graduate, mixes personal stories of his rebellious teenage years and mission trips around the world with biblical examples to talk about peer pressure––which he said is very strong in the military–– temper, anger, loneliness, physical and internal strength and sexual morality.
Military personnel are often far from home, which puts a strain on marriages and family relationships
.“There are a lot of people with life issues” in the military, he said.
What makes the military unique is personnel also face the possibility of dying in the normal course of doing their jobs. Not all of them were motivated to enlist in the military with the thought that they might die, he said. Some joined for educational reasons, the physical training or because they didn’t know what else to do with their lives, he said.
“They’re more likely to ponder the issues of life and death,” he said.
Rudge, who has spoken 75 times on military bases in the United States, Germany and Korea, always sets aside time after he speaks to talk to, pray with and counsel attendees.
“After many speaking engagements, I am there for hours afterward to talk and answer questions,” he said.
Men will ask him for help with marital and family problems and other issues they face. He has gotten letters and e-mails from soldiers thanking him for his help.
“We’ve been able to see some great victories,” said Rudge, who spent two weeks last month speaking to troops in Heidelberg, Germany.
Rudge called his base visits “one of the single-most fulfilling things I do” because of the esteem in which he holds soldiers.
He prepares for each trip by fasting and praying. He lives on base when speaking and often works out in the gym with the soldiers.
Details are being worked out so he can speak to Belgian and Ukrainian soldiers, and more U.S. military base visits are in the offing.
Rudge said he has been approached about speaking in Iraq, but doesn’t think that will be allowed because of security concerns.
Rudge pledged to continue ministering to the military in any way he can.
“They’re defending our country and our country’s freedoms,” he said. “I respect them for making that sacrifice.”
