April 17, 2024
BLUE RIDGE, Ga. — Dr. Jack Terrell Ruis, former pastor, associational mission strategist and ministry resource consultant for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, passed away on Saturday in Fannin County.
Born in Lowndes County, in the town of Bemiss, he is survived by his loving wife, Barbara Ann Ruis; son, Greg Ruis; daughter in law, Amanda Ruis Ellenburg (Howard), sisters and their spouses Kay Rawlings (Tommy), Sharon Parker (Raymond), brother, Charles Ruis (Nell); grandchildren and spouses, Ben and Kari Ruis, Carrie and Lucas Hensley, Nathan and Ashley Ruis; great granddaughter, Aurora; step granddaughter, Ava; and by a host of cousins, nieces and nephews.
Terrell Ruis was saved at the age of twelve and called to the gospel ministry at the age of sixteen, he preached at Redland Baptist Church, Bethany Baptist, and several other churches before marrying the love of his life, Barbara Ann Spells. He graduated from Pine Grove High School in 1957, Mercer University in 1960, Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1966, and earned a D. Min degree from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary in 1975.
Terrell pastored churches in Tushka Oklahoma, and Pearson, Omega, West Highland, (Macon), Nashville FBC, and Swainsboro FBC in Ga. before being called to missions work from 1988 until 2015. He served with the Georgia Baptist Convention as an Area Missionary in middle and South Georgia from 1988 to 1999, then as a Missions Resource Consultant from 1999 to 2006, then from 2006 through 2014 as Associational Missionary for the Colquitt County Baptist Association.
Few people have had a greater passion for Christian missions’ support and involvement than Terrell. During his ministry, he went on mission trips to Cody, Wyoming, Geneseo and Binghampton, N.Y., and Baltimore, Md. He worked with youth leaders to provide Area Missions Camps for young people. He helped build and encouraged churches to engage in more than 45 international mission trips to Germany, Nicaragua, Mexico, and Honduras.
He also led associations to sponsor ministries to Hispanics.
While serving the Colquitt County Baptist Association, he gave an interview to The Moultrie Observer and explained, “When I was 58 the Lord laid on my heart to communicate with the Hispanics.” To Ruis that was not an idle dream. He began to learn the Spanish language with the help of the Brewton Parker College language department and equipped himself to speak to the growing Hispanic population in South Georgia.
Although he said, “Mi espanol es muy peligroso” (My Spanish is very dangerous), he spoke in most of the Spanish-speaking Baptist churches in South Georgia. When Pastor Mike Gravette, former pastor of Byne Memorial Baptist in Albany and Missions Catalyst for the Georgia Baptist Mission Board, began planting churches in Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula, he established the Instituto Biblico de Cancun (The Biblical Institute of Cancun) and called upon Terrell to be the vice president.
For many years, Ruis represented the Georgia Baptist Mission Board at the Sunbelt Expo Ag Expo in Moultrie. The tent he maintained was at the food court and included an archery exhibit, face painting and Southern Gospel music that attracted hundreds of people throughout each day.
Terrell’s goal was simply to point people to the Lord Jesus Christ, as evidenced in his personal mission statement: “Be a man of God who points people to Christ, beginning with family and friends, then all (those) my life may touch.”
He was also a pastor to pastors and there are countless pastors today who would count him as a friend, an encourager, and mentor.
Stacy Dyer, associational mission strategist for the Gilmer Fannin Association stated, "Terrell Ruis has been a great mentor, friend, and a spiritual hero to me. I can honestly say that he has been greatly revered and highly esteemed everywhere he has served the Lord.”
Bob Richardson, current pastor of Altamaha Baptist Church in Jessup, was the pastor of Terrell and Barbara Ruis for almost six years at First Baptist Church in Blue Ridge. Richardson said, “I would consider Terrell Ruis a spiritual giant. He became my pastor in the church I pastored. He would frequently stop by the church and take a few minutes to just pray for me.
“Occasionally, we would go fishing, but his real objective was to encourage me and just talk about ministry.
“If we ever had a business meeting that had the potential of being contentious, Terrell would stand up and ask, ‘Pastor, may I say a few words?’ His words of love and wisdom would always disarm anyone who had any thought of saying a discouraging word.”
Terrell had many interests and was talented in many ways. In addition to having the ability to preach a strong, Biblical message, he sang in the choir at First Baptist Blue Ridge. It is also rumored that he played the piano, the guitar, and banjo.
The memorial service will be at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, May 11th with visitation at 10:30 a.m. at First Baptist Church Blue Ridge. Rev. Dr. Rusty Thomas will officiate at the service with Rev. Bob Richardson assisting.
A graveside service will be at New Bethel Baptist Church, Valdosta, Ga., on Friday, May 12 at 2 p.m. with Rev. Matt Peek, officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Highland Outdoor Ministries, 3106 East 1st St., Blue Ridge, Ga. 30513.
