Russell Lingerfelt graduated from Auburn and Pepperdine universities. Encountering Christ at seventeen, transformed by the message of God's compassion and unconditional love for His people, Russell began volunteering internationally at twenty. He joined humanitarian teams in Jamaica and Romania, medical projects in Mexico, served in a soup kitchen in Scotland and studied Islam and Arabic while befriending Arab-Muslims in North Africa.

After seminary and an internship in East Africa where he counseled war refugees and street orphans, Russell was burned out and decided to quit the ministry to work on a ranch in northern Colorado. However, after meeting with theologian and ex-Franciscan priest Brennan Manning (The Ragamuffin Gospel), Manning helped Russell find purpose in spiritual and physical poverty. Since, Russell has continued foreign humanitarian efforts (Egypt '07, Mongolia '08, Palestine '10). He serves on the board of directors for LifeBread and taught two years as a visiting adjunct professor in Religion and Theology at Lipscomb University ('07-'09).

Lingerfelt was awarded the Lily Endowment for his work in East Africa in 2006 and his documentary Made in the Streets of Africa is now used as subject material in world missions classes at Pepperdine and Lipscomb universities. His book, The Warrior of Ephes Dammim: When Teenagers Overcome their Giants won the JC Choate Best-Seller award.

Russell currently divides his time between the United States and France where he works with Arab Muslim teens in innercity Paris. If you would like to contact Russell for speaking engagements, you may do so through Contact (above).