Russell J. Mills goes to his reward

His wreath says "Alive in Christ"

By Dan Wooding
Founder of ASSIST Ministries


DAYTONA BEACH, FL (ANS) -- During my many years working as a journalist in Great Britain, I got to know a unique and loveable couple called Russell and Betty Lou Mills, who used their musical talents to share the Gospel all over Europe and and also various parts of the world, including India and South Africa.

Russell J. Mills

I would visit them at their home in Eastbourne, on the English south coast, and particularly enjoyed meeting with Russell as, although he was a U.S. citizen, he like myself, had a Birmingham accent, which always mystified me.

Now I have learned of Russell's passing from this earth. His son, Jonathan, wrote about his father's death in an e-mail written at the time in which he said, "This evening (July 28, 2011) at 11.20pm EST, Revd. Russell Mills went to be with his savior, Jesus Christ, who he had so faithfully served all his earthly life. Russell passed away while in the company of his beloved wife, Betty Lou, and his sons, at Halifax Medical Center in Daytona Beach, Florida, just forty minutes short of his 83rd birthday.

"Our family gives thanks and praise for the privilege of having shared in his life on this earth and also in the knowledge that we will surely see him again in eternity. Please hold us up in prayer as we move forward with God's grace and good guidance."

Jonathan later told me, "My father passed away in my arms - a great privilege."

Betty Lou and Russell Mills

On hearing this news of his death, I decided to do some checking to unlock the mystery of Russell's "Brummie" accent and also discover more about his colorful life and now I have found the answers in a fascinating tribute that was put together by his son, Jonathan.

So here's the story: Russell was born in Plymouth Meeting, Pennsylvania, the only son of Elsie and James Mills, his British parents, and then moved to Birmingham, England, where he was "saved" at the age of eight through the efforts of his mother at their local Methodist Church in Birmingham [the city where I was raised].

"The family were frequent transatlantic travelers and Russell found himself stranded in England at the onset of WWII," said the tribute. "Although she had booked passage on a liner to New York, his mother was advised not to send him and that ship was torpedoed.

"Russell returned at the close of war on the first liner to leave England carrying U.S. Citizens back to these shores. Throughout the war he studied violin at Birmingham University's Conservatory of Music. He settled in Philadelphia with his Aunt Gladys Crump, who was a second mother to him.

"Although accepted to Drexel University to study architecture, Russell felt called by The Holy Spirit to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ and began his studies at Philadelphia Bible College, finishing them at The Reformed Episcopal Seminary in Philadelphia."

Russell was an accomplished musician. Here he is at the organ in Bristol, England

Jonathan's story went on to say that Russell was ordained in 1950 by the Evangelical Alliance in Illinois, and he also continued his musical studies and began to fulfill his calling.

"Russell answered the call from Youth For Christ during school and traveled the United States working with many great evangelists and their teams and the kernel of his own ministry was formed with so many lifetime friends. In 1951 he responded to another call from YFC to go to Berlin, navigating the divided city in order to minister to its defeated people.

"He remained there for three years and returned to England where he joined The Eric Hutchings Team -- Hutchings was a well-known British evangelist -- who were about to tour the churches of North America.

"During two weeks of radio broadcasts from Christian Tabernacle in Dayton, Ohio, he met his future wife Betty Lou Terrell who was the soloist in the daily broadcasts and they were subsequently engaged after two weeks. Russell's talent for 'saying it like it is without glossing anything over', struck at the heart of so many thousands who were led to Christ on hearing him speak.

"After their marriage, Russell would preach and perform solo violin and Betty would sing and speak in her own conversational style and they traveled The United States by invitation, constantly in demand to spread His Word."

Members of the Eric Hutchings Team

In 1955 they returned to England and they rejoined Hutchings team, simultaneously growing their own ministry, in Western Europe and South Africa, working always by invitation. Russell had written many worship hymns by the time of the 1966 Hutchings Liverpool Crusade but it was here that he began to set the contemporary pop gospel songs Betty Lou had begun to write and which have since been recorded on 20 albums.
Extending their work in the mid-seventies to India and working with Joshua Daniel and the Layman's Evangelical Fellowship in Madras, God greatly blessed and grew their ministry in unexpected ways, from church planting in Croatia, to British embassy meetings in Paris, to farmhouse meetings in Yorkshire, to Roman Catholic cathedrals in Czechoslovakia, across all Christian denominations wherever they were invited and wherever they would be able to share the true gospel of Jesus Christ unhindered. Russell would always accompany Betty Lou when she sang for such ministries as Billy Graham and Luis Palau."

Now back to my involvement with them.

Russell playing the violin

It was in the mid-nineties that I lost contact with the couple when Russell and Betty moved their base from Eastbourne to Florida, and continued to fly back to Europe and India on a yearly basis to spread the Word of God. As age and infirmity began to work their ways the traveling slowed and they involved themselves in missions at Orlando Praise and Worship Center even unto the end.
Russell is survived by his beloved wife of 56 years, Betty Lou, sons Jonathan of Los Angeles, CA, David and Theresa of Ormond Beach FL and Matthew of Ormond by the Sea, FL. and also his grandchildren Daniel and Hannah. He is interred in the cemetery adjacent to Volusia Memorial Funeral Home, 548 North Nova Road, Ormond Beach, FL 32174.

"Betty is struggling, but she is a fighter, so I hope to see her continue to minister for many more years," said Cate Green, a co-pastor at the Orlando Prayer & Worship Center (OPWC), where Russell and Betty served as Missions Pastors.

Jonathan also told me, "My parents served under the auspices of United World Mission (www.uwm.org) throughout their missionary calling together."

A close friend of the Mills' is Bill Bathman, a veteran American missionary who worked for many years in Europe and now lives in Mesa, Arizona. He gave the following tribute to Russell.

Harriett and Bill Bathman

"It was 60 years ago this summer, when I first met Russell. He was working among refugees in Berlin after WWII. We had traveled to Europe with separate teams that year, but shared a common burden to take the Gospel of Jesus Christ to lost souls in the land of our former enemy," he said. Four years later we found ourselves working together, with British evangelist Eric Hutchings, in his Hour of Revival Team on the Teesside Crusade in Middlesbrough, Yorkshire. In the meantime Russ had managed to capture the heart of Betty Lou, star of the Youth For Christ film 'Seventeen,' and successfully tie the knot. They made their home in Eastbourne, Sussex.

"Russ was a true and loyal friend from the beginning and has been across these 60 years. Some people come into our lives and quickly go. Some stay on for a while and leave never-to-be forgotten footprints on our heart. Russ had the extraordinary ability to simultaneous insult you while in the same instant endearing himself to those who could see though his pranks. Whenever he phoned me he wanted to speak to 'Bilious Bathbun.' I will dearly miss those phone calls.

"Russ has a permanent place in my heart! Harriett and I weep with you dear Betty Lou at your loss of Russell, our precious Brother in Christ. We share your sorrow and that of your fine sons, because we too will miss him. How wonderful that these tears are only temporary; because we sorrow not as others who have no hope.
"Russ will always be remembered for his mastery of the violin, organ and piano. His musical gifts often overshadowed his inspired preaching, but all were beautifully combined to bring many thousands of folks to faith in Jesus Christ."

The Mills family

Bathman went on to say, "Our hearts are grateful for every footprint Russ has left behind. Harriett remembers the tender-side of Russell she got to know as he 'camped out' in our Eastbourne home on Peppercombe Road, when Betty Lou was birthing Jonathan. The Mills family visit to the Rosenhof, our Mission HQ in Salzburg, Austria and subsequent visits to sing and speak at our Mission Banquets in Tempe, Arizona will never be forgotten, nor will our one-month, 4,000 mile mission trip through 9 countries of Eastern Europe in the autumn of 1992.

"Russell has encountered the last enemy - death, but he did not face him alone. Our great Victor and Savior, Jesus Christ has taken the 'sting' from this relentless foe. Russ has gone through the Valley of the Shadow and emerged victorious on the other side. We shall all follow shortly. His departure reminds us how important it is to be ready.

"Thank you Russell Mills for the positive footprints you've left on our hearts."

---

Dan Wooding, 70, is an award winning British journalist now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for 48 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. He is the founder and international director of ASSIST (Aid to Special Saints in Strategic Times) and the ASSIST News Service (ANS) and was, for ten years, a commentator, on the UPI Radio Network in Washington, DC. He now hosts the weekly "Front Page Radio" show on KWVE in Southern California which is also carried throughout the United States. The program is also aired in Great Britain on Calvary Chapel Radio UK and also in Belize and South Africa. Besides this, Wooding is a host for His Channel Live, which is carried via the Internet to some 200 countries. You can follow Dan on Facebook under his name there or at ASSIST News Service. He is the author of some 44 books. Two of the latest include his autobiography, "From Tabloid to Truth", which is published by Theatron Books. To order a copy, press this link. Wooding, who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, has also recently released his first novel "Red Dagger" which is available this link.