Tuesday, January 01, 2008

The Pastor Rudy Experience: Unconventional PastorTouches the Masses

RUDY RASMUS: UNCONVENTIONAL PASTOR REACHES THE MASSES
IN HIS UNIVERSAL MESSAGE OF LOVE AND VALUE OF THE TOUCH

By Carmen Woodruff, MMS Newswire reporter

Rudy Rasmusis not your typical, run-of-the-mill type of guy. He met his wife Juanita at afuneral; he hugs at least one homeless person a week. And he used to run a“borderline bordello” brothel-type business where ladies of the night wouldcontract their services to men. His salt and pepper beard is separated intothree braids, which meet with brightly colored beads that probably collide and“click” when he’s walking fast, wearing all of his hats as a husband, a father,founder of Bread of Life ministries. Rasmuscurrently pastors one of the most unique churches in the nation: St. John’sUnited Methodist Church in Houston. At St. John’s, “Pastor Rudy” wears his baseball cap for Sunday service.

After discussions with his mentor and friend, Dr. Kirbyjohn Caldwell, Rudy andJuanita decided to explore the inner city Windsor Village United MethodistChurch “plant” facility. They drove through the declining area, parked theircar and carefully made their way to the door to greet the nine members who weremostly Caucasian and senior in age.

“We got to the property and literally had to step over people to get throughthe door…There were homeless people everywhere. I said ‘baby, this is theplace.’ To know in a moment that your entire life has evolved for this purpose,that’s what I knew. As I looked around initially, I felt that I was there toreally work through my redemption process. All of the people there were victimsof the same societal ills I promoted through most of my business life.”

The Rasmus family never looked back andimmediately made a commitment to St. John’s and the surrounding neighborhoods.They planned to rebuild the church and awaken the spirits of street dwellerswho were otherwise forgotten, jobless, impoverished and addicted. Instead ofshunning them away, Rudy and Juanita invited them inside, offering them a safehaven and a place of refuge. Many who suffered from mental illness, drugaddictions and AIDS were offered hot showers andnourishing meals.

“The biggest misconception many people have about homeless people is thatthey’re lazy…There is no way you can be lazy and survive the streets. (Thestreets are) harsh, cold and brutal. Imagine this: You don’t have any money;you don’t have any resources; everything you own is with you and you’reliterally moving your apartment every day. That is not a lazy person’spractice. A lazy person is a person who has resources and doesn’t use them.”

The downtrodden, once mistakenly identified as lollygaggers, found a friend in“Pastor Rudy” as he opened his heart and mind to them, listening attentively totheir stories. He and Juanita soon founded Bread of Life, Inc., which currentlyfeeds 7,000 men and women monthly. They eventually added Daybreak CommunityHealth Facility, which provides rehabilitation for drug addicts and AIDSpatients. St. John’s Academy for the inner city’s at-risk children and Touch 1followed suit.

Today, the church’s congregation size totals 9,000 members. One third of thosemembers are currently homeless or were homeless at one point. St. John’scontinues to fit Rasmus like a glove. He greets his congregation in jeans on Sundays, baptizes new members in their streetclothes and embraces people of all socioeconomic backgrounds, races and sexualorientations, just as Jesus once did. Congregation members often call andrespond to each other, “I love you and there’s nothing you can do about it!”

On any given Sunday, a wealthy African American real estate professional maysit in between a Caucasian homeless person and an Asian college student. Orsomeone just might sit next to Beyonce Knowles, amusic phenomenon who holds a special place in her heart for St. John’s. She andher parents are avid supporters and have funded the St. John’s Academy as wellas housing developments for neighbors working to make their way back into theworkforce.

“Beyonce has been extremely instrumental in ustaking ‘Touch 1’ from the block we serve in downtown Houston to corners allover the world. We’ve reached millions of people with the information of food,insufficiency and hunger through her very extensive fan base.”

Rasmus joined Beyonce on her U.S. tour to addressfans in Houston, Atlanta,Washington, Chicago and Los Angeles. He led food drives and took center stagefor at least 15 minutes between the opening act and Beyonce.Many audiences totaled 17,000.

“As a result of that success, she allowed us to extend our reach on her globaltour. We visited Ethiopia, Istanbul and India global tour…We’re currently reaching out to 1,300students from 20 African countries at African University in Zimbabwe. We (want to make sure) those students areempowered.”

The support from Beyonce and her family helped tokick off the “Touch 1” to fight the ongoing plagues of hunger, poverty andinjustice. The powerful campaign spurred a Music World Entertainmentcompilation album and most recently the release of Rasmus’ highly anticipatedbook, Touch: Pressing Against the Wounds of a Broken World.

“It confronts our tendency to judge. It puts all of the subtle categories ofhuman kind.”

The book details Rasmus’ transformation from a former “borderline bordello”co-owner to life today as a strong believer in Christ and His teachings. Italso profiles his life story and those who’ve inspired him along the way,including Pastor Kirbyjohn Caldwell, his wife of 23 years, his business-savvyfather and his “Auntie May May”, who taught him how to love at all times.Readers can expect to walk away from the book enriched, enlightened andmotivated to start a ministry of their own. Touch was created for use as aworkbook and small group study tool. Journaling space, a chapter by chapterreading guide and a homeless ministry birthing checklist can be found throughoutthe pages of Touch.

“Touch encourages people to touch people where they are in the same fashionJesus did... He loved a person until they loved themselves.”

Sixteen years after the rebirth of St. John’sUnited Methodist Church, Rasmus is reaching into his closet for another hat asthe subject of a new reality television show set to air in 2008. Producers willdocument his daily life in the office and on the streets as the man who relatesto folks from all walks of life.

“When we extend beyond our own fears, boundaries and preconceptions to risk andlove the people in front of us, we have done what Jesus has done and is doing2000 years later.”

For more information go to: www.pastorrudy.net