Nudge Ministries

REGIONAL-APPALACHIAN TRAIL MINISTRY. During ten days in March and April usually on Tuesdays and Thursdays Nudge teams ministered to 304 Thru-hikers who were hiking the 2,197-mile Appalachian Trail through 14 states from Georgia to Maine. This hiking challenge will take 4.5 to 5 months of daily hikes of 12-14 miles up and down mountains and through the plains and woods. This Thru-hike is so difficult that by day 3 20% of those who signed up including many from other countries quit and go home. So for those who make it to day 4 or 5 where we are set up we start by congratulating them on making it this far. We provide the hikers with water which saves them hiking down to the river to get water and then filtering it hot beverages like coffee and hot chocolate for those bitterly cold days in the North Georgia mountains and soft drinks for April afternoons when the temperature may reach 50 to 60 degrees. Because they burn 5,000 to 6,000 calories a day we offer them the right kinds of high-calorie foods. Due to the temperatures moisture and wind we provide hypothermia-prevention information. Along with that we offer hand knit hats designed to keep them from excess sweating which would contribute to hypothermia. We also distribute light-load towels to help keep them and their tent dry. The hikers have nicknamed the Nudge van Mary Poppins because we also have with us everything they would find in a pharmacy to treat their soreness and or injuries sunscreen bug bites etc. The hikers are absolutely amazed when they ask if we live locally and we tell them we travel over two hours to serve them. We stay at the site each day sometimes 10 hours until we are told that no more hikers are coming. We inform them that we do not accept donations from hikers. If a person persists we tell them to pass on their gift to another hiker. Because we travel so far to serve them without asking for money we gain respect and appreciation. That also provides us the opportunity to briefly tell them that we are lovingly serving them because we are living out the example of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Since hikers will not accept a Bible or other literature because of the weight of those items we prepare a list of book titles and we encourage them to take a picture of the list and research it later. Before they leave we offer to send them on their way with a one-minute prayer for their safety. We dont pressure them but over 80% respond positively to that prayer invitation.

LOCAL-FOOD PANTRY AND DISCIPLESHIP. In 2011 Nudge began picking up food at two grocery stores and delivering it to Lilburn Co-operative Ministry for distribution to needy families. In late 2023 after 12 years and the delivery of food having a retail value of over $5 million Nudge successfully turned this ministry over to an employee of the Co-Op. Another part of our local ministry is to help churches. Because our founder Pastor Rich Tuttle was previously a childrens and youth pastor and a senior pastor and has been on over 60 mission trips he is well-qualified to assist local churches with their mission programs. We often do this by preparing a missions-related Vacation Bible School program for children. We are also involved in mens ministry. If men desire practical ways to live a God-honoring life Pastor Rich meets in person or by Zoom with individuals and groups of four or five. Monthly he attends a breakfast meeting of 20 to 30 men where he can encourage them by sharing his perspective based on the Holy Scriptures. Pastor Rich often also visits hospital patients.