Rush To The Nations

From deep brokenness to a promising ministry: God is a God of miraculous change.

Last April, 2012, while in Port Harcourt, Nigeria, the Lord called Rush Behnke to the nations to become a missionary.  While Rush was in bed experiencing flu-like symptoms, and a thundering torrential downpour was in progress, Rush heard the Holy Spirit say, “Go outside in the rain and be baptized to the Nations.”  When he finally decided to be obedient, he ran out the door looking to the heavens with upstretched arms and was instantly drenched.  All his travel-team companions were outside waiting with some locals for the rain to stop, and witnessed his obedient calling.  As he stood there soaking wet and weeping they smiled and wondered. It was in Nigeria that Rush began to receive the founding visions for a yet to be named Go & Build ministry.   

Rush says, “Before I left for Nigeria God gave me a scriptural reference that was to become my lifetime calling: to promote the fulfillment of Jesus’ prayer for future believers in John 17:20-23.  And when I was asked to speak at a local church, my Spirit-led message of ‘Diversity with Unity’ was perfectly choreographed with all the other messages that day; frankly, for all 10 days I was there.  I came home ever-passionate to serve God with every last breath I had.”

Rush was born in Medford, Oregon, but when his dad died in a plane crash in 1957, his family moved to Portland, Oregon.  He grew up in the Hawthorne District, graduating from Franklin High School in 1971. 

“Mom took us to church every Sunday, and did her best to raise us well.”  Rush left his Assembly of God, Pentecostal heritage in early teens and so did all his brothers.

After returning home from a draft-forced 3-year stint in the Army, the realities of an immature marriage turned towards impending divorce.  Donna was 16 and Rush was 18 when they got married in 1971.  Shawn was born in December of 1974 in Landstuhl, Germany.  He was one-year when Donna and Shawn left him.  Rush fell into a deep depression, medicating daily with marijuana.  After growing up without a father, He cried himself to sleep every night with the thoughts of Shawn not having a two parent home. 

Rush said, “It was in an empty apartment in West Lynn, Oregon in 1978 that I started my search for the “unknown God” of the Universe; in a place I thought I was least likely to find Him---the Bible.”  Rush started reading the Book of Matthew and never made it even halfway through before he was on his knees in tears, giving his life to the Lord Jesus Christ.

He was called to the ministry the very next morning but he never went far over the years that followed in answering that call.  “I always made an excuse that it wasn’t easy without a father to help guide me.” 

Rush continued to walk with the Lord through the years that followed, but life was twisted, difficult, and dark brokenness followed him.  He often said his life was like “the life of Job” in many ways.

Years later with two failed marriages, 4 kids who were running from him and Jesus, a fast-developing deep personal mistrust for organized Christianity, and having to start over financially at 46, Rush was still never giving up on Jesus.

“My favorite God-story occurred shortly after my second marriage ended with a dim and shattered sense of hope. 

I was walking down M Street in Grants Pass, Oregon; it was a late “Indian” summer day.  I passed a very large old apple tree chocked full of large multicolored apples.  On closer inspection, I noticed every apple looked wormy or rotten, thinking, “what a waste”.  Just then I heard this plop, plop, plop, dropping sound as a phantom apple fell from limb to limb.  It finally hit a limb that swept out over the fence.  Rolling down the limb it fell softly into the grass, continuing out onto the road, stopping me but not quite touching my feet!

As I bent down and picked up the apple, closely inspecting it, it looked perfect; no bruises or worm holes.  When I took my first pleasingly crunchy but tentative bite, the perfect blend of slightly tart with extra sweet juiciness flooded my taste buds with pleasure.  I couldn’t ever remember a better apple.  I knew who sent the apple, and why.  As I cried tears of joy walking toward Hwy 199, I praised God, hearing the whispers of His ‘still small voice’ saying, “I love you Rush”.

From what appeared rotten and corrupt came undeniable pleasure, joy, sweetness, healing, faith, hope, love, and promise.  This was a picture of how things would turn out; a window of God’s redemptive and restorative love; a window of hope; a door into deeper relations and a future.  In such a brief, seemingly impossible rich moment, I went from dire circumstances, to God’s miraculous healing power.”

Rush and Tara have been married for 10 happy years, all 4 of his grown children are deeply in love with Jesus, and his ex-wives Carol and Donna both love Jesus too.   “It’s God’s shalom; his woven fabric of shalom.  I would’ve never thought God would/could bring such a great peace, mercy, and grace over seemingly random chaos.” 

Recently, the Lord has opened multiple doors for Go & Build to lead missionary builds.  Some of the Nations are the Philippines, South Africa, Cambodia, Switzerland, and “Afghanistan”.  And there are build opportunities in Southern Oregon and Hawaii as well.  ‘We are building the plane while flying it’.

“This answered calling started to become more apparent while leading a homeless teen shelter build for Hearts with a Mission in 2009.  I have been called time and time again, to lead our community in efforts that bless and meet needs.  Our company Ark Built led the Southern Oregon community efforts as the General Contractor for an Extreme Makeover: Home Edition in September of 2011.  I led 3088 volunteers to build a 2 million dollar, almost 4000 square foot home in 5 ½ days!  I was also in Kona last summer developing a fast-track model at the University of the Nations (YWAM).  It’s called “The Kona Summer Surge”. 

Currently I am developing a fast-track build program for Southern Oregon’s “The Dove”.  It’s a Christian TV, Radio, and internet broadcasting org.”  Being engaged in a miraculous opportunity where God has brought two organizations together to further launch one another’s ministry, is way cool.” 

This is a handoff from Rush’s company Ark Built to Executive director of Go & Build.  Rush says, “This will give us reality TV and promo video to use for speaking engagements, and it helps us in developing a prototype fast-track model to use for future Go & Build projects.  The Dove will own this building, as they have been renting for the last 30 years.  The Dove will have a much-needed, significantly larger, custom renovated facility so they can continue to grow and better reach the world for Jesus.” 

Many Blessings await you as you say “yes” to our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.