In August of 1977, with literally no money, no staff, and no facilities – just a lot of God-given determination – Bill and Karen started the Bill Rudge Ministries in the upstairs apartment of Bill's parents' home. Bill used the kitchen table as his desk and Karen kept the ministry records in a file cabinet in their bedroom.

In 1978 Bill & Karen moved to the Highland Apartments. The basement was used for their growing ministry. They also borrowed and rented gyms and other facilities for various outreaches the ministry sponsored. 

In 1979 the Lord strongly led Bill & Karen to rent this house. As well as converting their basement into office and ministry facilities, they received permission to use the large field adjacent to the house for various activities and outreaches. It was this very field that was later donated to them and on which they have built their current ministry facilities. 

In 1981 3.7 acres of prime land appraised at $80,000 was donated to Bill Rudge Ministries. The Lord gave definite direction to build a greatly needed ministry center, but to do so without any loans or interest. As we stepped out on total faith and obedience, God faithfully began to raise up people to support this endeavor through donating labor, materials, and finances.

Then, in 1986 the Lord once again gave leading to build a much needed addition for the expanding ministry. So by 1987, without any loans or interest and with virtually all volunteer labor, the miracle became a reality. 

In spite of apparently impossible circumstances and facing overwhelming obstacles and "giants", God has honored His Word. The ministry center is a reality today because men and women dared to believe God to do the impossible and then stepped out in faith and obedience! 

Bill Rudge Ministries expanded ministry headquarters at:
280 N. Buhl Farm Drive, Hermitage, PA

Special Report:  Sale of the Ministry Center

“To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the
heaven ...” (Ecc. 3:1). 

The following article is intended to explain why we are selling the ministry
center and what we will do once the sale is finalized. Please read it
carefully and prayerfully. 

The ministry center, with all the accompanying miracles, has been a great blessing for the past 19 years. The miraculous way the Lord provided it and what He did here is never to be forgotten.

We love the ministry property and facilities. My children were raised here. Most of the trees and bushes were planted by my father before he died in 1987 after working on the new addition of the ministry center. An area outside the center was provided by money donated in his memory. However, the Lord has a purpose for leading me to sell and I am compelled to obey.

I frequently asked the Lord to make me sensitive and obedient about selling the ministry center and using the funds in getting the Gospel around the world before He returns. I believe that time has come. Because we outsource many of our staff, we can now operate even more effectively from less expensive facilities.

Staff involved in financial records and the distribution of Bill’s books and cassettes will still work at the ministry. All other staff are working out of their own homes and offices.  

His Leading

I began feeling in my heart, around January 1998, that the Lord was leading me to sell the ministry center. I continued to pray and fast for 100 percent certainty.

As I prayed and considered this difficult decision, an impossibility stretched out in front of me –– where to go and how to do it. In the flesh it seemed impossible, but I knew in my heart it was the Lord’s leading. As I shared with Karen what the Lord had led me to do, I told her, “I have no will, but to do His will. He will make the way possible and fulfill what He has led me to do.”

On June 4, 1998, I shared with my family, board, and staff what I knew the Lord was speaking to my heart. I also talked to Mike Dunder, Gordon Urmson, Gene Greathouse, Bob Mild, and others who were instrumental in the building of the ministry center. Their response was that it was built for the Lord and that they had so much respect for my integrity and discernment that they were confident the right decision was being made. 

Double Blessing

After much prayer and fasting –– this was not a quick or easy decision –– I was convinced this building could be a blessing twice. First, it blessed us for 19 years by providing the means for fulfilling the vision the Lord had given us up until that point. Then the sale of it will bless the ministry again by providing greatly needed funds for the continued expansion of our growing international outreach. It will enable us to take advantage of opportunities that 23 years of faithful ministry have opened to us –– providing the potential to impact literally millions of lives for Christ.

It was either keep the facilities and limit our ministry, or sell the facilities and greatly increase the ministry outreach. We are merely downsizing our facilities so we can expand the ministry. We are giving up something we love dearly (the ministry center) for something we love even more –– reaching the world for Christ.

Board member Carolyn Mild stated, “All of us who have invested sacrificially of our time, money, and talents into this ministry will now see God multiply our efforts to impact millions of lives throughout the world.”

With the unanimous support of the Board of Directors, the ministry center is being sold. The funds from the sale of the ministry center will be used for the continued growth of the ministry.  

The Valley Before the Victory

When the Lord led me to sell the ministry center, we faced almost as many “giants” as we did when we built it. All we wanted to do was reach this world for Christ –– and it created unbelievable repercussions from a certain faction. However, the response from the sale of the ministry center has been overwhelmingly favorable. Most have mixed emotions –– sadness that it’s being sold, but excitement about the potential for increased growth. While some local people and churches stopped their support, many others in our area and throughout the country began supporting us because of our expanding outreaches.

It was also during this difficult time that I walked away from almost $1,000 a month in support because of Biblical convictions. However, the Lord used some amazing ways to enable the ministry to continue growing as many individuals, churches, and businesses faithfully supported us and sent special gifts. His ways are not always when or how we expect, but He is always faithful!

The ministry center would have been sold much sooner but I turned down one definite buyer because it would have compromised my Biblical convictions. Several others who wanted to purchase it were unable to get the funds.

Day after day as the building sat unsold and I would pray and fast, the Lord would speak to my heart: “Trust Me. Persevere. I will be faithful.” So we continued to diligently work on various books and other projects for which we needed the ministry center facilities.

The delay resulted in many people seeing our resolve to obey God’s will in spite of great difficulties and apparently hopeless circumstances.

My sister gave me a T-shirt that was most appropriate for my circumstances the past two-and-a-half years. On the front in bold letters are the words, "Wait Training," and underneath in smaller type, "The Ultimate in Strength Conditioning,” and then the verse Isaiah 40:31, "They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength." 

Dividing the Land

During fasting and prayer on Sunday, July 16, 2000, the Lord clearly spoke to my heart. After two years of silence and waiting, and many times of fasting and speculating where we would move once the ministry center was sold, He spoke to my heart to subdivide the property, sell the ministry center, and renovate our house for both ministry and living purposes.

Selling the current ministry center and renovating the house (which is on commercial property) will maximize funds and facility usage and take us into the next phase of our ministry –– the distribution of my books and cassettes throughout the world. The Board unanimously approved our stepping out in faith to begin construction in spite of apparently impossible circumstances.  

A few of the many overwhelming obstacles we were facing:

•  No buyer for the building

•  No money –– we were barely meeting monthly expenses
    –– let alone starting extensive renovation projects before
         the building was sold

•  Had to have subdivision of land done and approved
    before selling the ministry center

•  Had to separate and redo electric and phone lines to
    building –– but no funds to do so

•  Design and complete the house renovation for both
    ministry operation and living space

On August 24, 2000, during prayer and fasting, the Lord clearly spoke to my heart that He is my source, not the building. I must look to Him to meet my needs, not depend on the funds from the sale of the building.

We started renovation and construction projects on the house in September with literally no money, no buyer for the building and the property subdivision was not yet approved. Randy Carino, Gordon Urmson and their helpers focused on converting  the garage on the west side of the house into offices and built a new garage. Mike and Rick Dunder headed up a team and worked on the east side adding on several rooms. Mike Dunder also headed up another team who renovated inside the existing house.

It was a most challenging time considering three construction projects occurred simultaneously while we continued to operate a growing ministry and tried to maintain some normalcy in our home and lives. The Lord enabled us to persevere and come through it victoriously. What the Lord led me to do in July seemed totally impossible, but in January it is a reality.

Over 100 businesses, churches, and individuals –– both locally and throughout the country –– provided finances, materials, and/or labor to help fulfill this tremendous faith venture. Some have sacrificed so much. We hope our ministry friends who have not supported us for a while will sacrifice “a little” as we still need additional support to cover the remaining expenses –– but know the Lord will speak to the hearts of His people to meet these needs too.

For two-and-a-half years God allowed me to face extremely difficult and seemingly hopeless circumstances, so when it was fulfilled, all would know I couldn’t bring it about –– He did. He also took us to a new level of faith and trust in Him.  

The Ministry Continues to Grow

From the calls and letters we are receiving from those hearing my messages and reading my books, we believe that we have a message that the body of Christ and world desperately need and for which they hunger. Because of an increasing demand, I felt compelled to focus more of my time and energy in writing, speaking, and responding to correspondence and less time on administration and overseeing a large ministry complex. Savings from reduced expenses for utilities and maintenance will also help this growing international outreach to maximize funds.

Even before the ministry center was sold, we moved ahead on faith and printed new books, produced many new cassettes, went on several missionary outreaches, and fulfilled requests from around the world for thousands of books and cassettes. There was no human explanation, but somehow the Lord kept meeting the needs.

Outsourcing our publications, cassette production, and radio programming to freelance staff is saving us valuable time and money because we do not need such a large facility nor do we have to deal with so many equipment problems. This is something we have spent the last two-and-a-half years implementing –– while the building sat unsold. We have designed something that we believe will become a necessary pattern for many ministries. We had no previous design to follow but just did it one step at a time through prayer and fasting. 

God’s Faithfulness

Everything the Lord has ever led me to do has been fulfilled. In spite of this, many doubted and some withheld support. I didn’t think we could survive 90 days after I announced our ministry center was for sale, but as the building sat unsold the Lord continued to meet every need. He reaffirmed that we were not selling it because we had to, but because we chose to in obedience to Him. He always meets the needs and fulfills what He leads to do –– but in His time and way.

As this growing international outreach ministry remains faithful to proclaiming Biblical Christianity, we thank God that doors of opportunity continue to open. Our burning desire is to impact this world for Christ. We need your support now as much as ever before for even greater ministry opportunities. The Lord’s faithfulness and your prayer and financial support make all we do possible. Thanks for standing with us! 

Bill Rudge Ministries has completed the expansion and Consolidation of living quarters and ministry headquarters, located at 280 North Buhl Farm Drive, Hermitage, just west of the former ministry building. The new building will house all aspects of the ministry and replaces the former ministry center.

The ministry continues to grow and expand its services, while keeping down overhead. This is made possible because much of its work is outsourced to numerous freelance staff, who work from their own homes or offices throughout the country.

Bill Rudge Ministries continues to serve and reach out on a local, national and international level.

Since its inception in 1977, the non-profit interdenominational organization has grown into an international outreach. The ministry uses radio broadcasts, speaking engagements, books, pamphlets, cassettes, newsletters and missionary outreaches to spread the message of the ministry. It relies primarily on volunteer help and the financial assistance of ministry friends and supporters.