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

Upon graduating from seminary and after returning from East Africa where he counseled war refugees and street orphans, Russell was exhausted, burned out, and decided to quit the ministry and 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 mission and 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 and in 2008 he became a senior editor for the independent publishing company, William and Keats Publishing.

Russell currently resides in Houston where he lectures on Theology to upperclassmen at a private school and writes and travels abroad speaking on the compassionate character of God as revealed in the life and teachings of Christ.

If you would like to contact Russell for speaking engagements, you can do so through Contact (above).