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Operation World’s 21st Edition notes the dramatic conversion of Vanuatu cargo people as a result of a Mercy Ship visit (Wycliffe Bible Translators Int., bottom of page 669).
The YWAM book The Man with the Bird on His Head (with forwards by Don Richardson and Loren Cunningham) explains how in May 1993, Rev. John Rush, as director of this Mercy Ship visited the remote island of Tanna in Vanuatu. The island's live volcano is surrounded by a strange cargo cult with predictions that a special messenger named John would one day come from America, on a white ship, bringing free medical help and other cargo. (May '74 National Geographic) The John Frum (John from America) people decided that John Rush was their awaited messenger, and so local pastors brought him to share the gospel with Frum chiefs. The result was a God-given movement of John Frum people to Christ. (Summer '96 New Zealand Evangel)
In the early stages, the New Zealand AOG with missions’ leader Kevin Ahern, encouraged the “Villages for Jesus” program. The partnership of New Zealand and Vanuatu churches worked to deploy missionaries, send ministry teams, and to raise funds to sponsor church and school construction and the training of national leaders. Since then, ministry and education associates, David and Marilyn Bennett and Jack and Kay Rudd, continue in Vanuatu where they have seen the establishment of dozens of schools and churches as well as teacher and administrator training and lecturing at Joy Bible Institute in Port Vila.
After completing a YWAM DTS, Dr. Loren Cunningham encouraged the Rush family to move to New Zealand to help pioneer Mercy Ships in the Pacific. John served as the ship's pastor during the Cunningham's historic trip to Pitcairn Island. (Dec. '91 Charisma) While serving as ship director, John also helped to plant two New Zealand churches, did special speaking and music, ministered to a number of pastors and missionaries, and aired some radio programs.
John and Shari live in Mount Maunganui, New Zealand. Their son John is a doctoral fellow in economics at the East West Center in Hawaii. Their daughter Angela is studying at Seattle Pacific University while Lauren is finishing high school at Tauranga Girls College.
John presently serves as Dean of Ministry and Missions at Faith Bible College in Tauranga where he lectures on church history, missions, Biblical languages and interpretation. They attend a vibrant Presbyterian Church where John assists with preaching as well as teaching in other denominational and special settings.
John was converted in 1972, at age 17, while serving as the outspoken founder of an atheist club at his high school. He excelled at math and science and so immediately became interested in and an advocate of emerging “intelligent design/creationist” movements. He spoke on the topic in high school, college, and church settings.
Shortly after his conversion, the Lord directed him away from family and personal plans to study medicine and to enter the ministry instead. Very soon, he began serving as an associate in the local church, working with youth, preaching the Sunday night services, traveling with a Christian music group, and opening a coffeehouse outreach to youth in the community.
In the next few years, John was married to Shari and together they planted an independent community church and Christian school in Murphys, California. They emphasized small group ministry and the training of lay leaders.
They continued to serve this congregation and staff for 12 years, seeing a number of leaders raised up and sent out into enduring ministries. In that time, they completed their bachelor's degrees from Bethany University, and John began and finished his MA from Fuller Seminary. They saw the church and school incorporated, into its own property and through a major remodeling project. As they were blessed with their third child, they experienced a call to the mission field, and were sent out by the church as their missionaries in 1990.
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