Russ grew up in Miami, Oklahoma, the youngest of six
children.  His father was the minister of the First Christian
Church in Miami for 27 years.
Russ was baptized as a child, but then as a senior in
high school he really experienced a true life-change.
He attended Ozark Bible College in Joplin, Missouri. 
He moved to Norman on September 1, 1977.
    On June 5th, 1993 he married Janna Storey.  She earned her doctorate degree in communication at the University of Oklahoma, where she is now a full time instructor in Communications and Human Relations.       Russ and Janna have three kids - Michael 14, Megan 12, and Matthew age 7.
     Russ has been in Norman for over 30 years.   He began his ministry as youth pastor at University Christian Church.  There his gift for reaching unchurched kids resulted in dramatic growth - from 7 kids to around 200 junior high and high school kids in two years.
  In the fall of 1979, Russ was called by God
to start a church that was designed to reach out to people who were far from God.  New Life Bible Church became the first contemporary-style church in Oklahoma.  The casual dress, rock and roll band, dramas, medias and relevant talks were quite a shock to some people back then.   Soon, however, they came to realize that underlying Russ' ministry was conservative theology, spiritual authenticity and living a life of integrity.

  New Life began in a warehouse, was at  the Boomer Theatre on campus corner for two years before moving to the corner of  Boyd & Berry (with stays at the Norman     High School cafeteria among other places  during the transition). 
    There were 85 people present, including children, that first Sunday of December 1985.  The church began to reach more and more people and             developed a reputation for being "the       church for people who never thought they would like church."
    About this time Russ became               connected with Willow Creek Community Church in suburban Chicago.  He had the opportunity to do a 4 month internship
there in the winter/spring of 1989.  He was privileged to be invited by Bill Hybels, along with other like-minded pastors, to small retreats that eventually gave birth to the Willow Creek Association.  Today the WCA has over 12,000 affiliated churches worldwide.
    In 1996 New Life moved into a new 8500 square foot building, still at the corner of Boyd & Berry.  Over the next ten years God used the church to reach hundreds of people.  Between 50 and 100 people were baptized each year, the majority of them over the age of 18.  The church grew to an average attendance of over 1000.
    After 25 years, there was a shift in
ministry focus and priorities, and so once
again Russ followed God's call to start a
church dedicated to reaching the
unchurched.
    The Seeker Church had its first service
in October of 2006.  Immediately the spirit
of love, unity and authenticity experienced
in the years at Boyd & Berry returned.
  Soon Russ described it as "about the worst thing that could ever have happened, God turned into about the best thing that could have ever happened.  If I had known how great things were going to be, I would have done this five years ago."  And things have only continued to get better and better.
    Russ' primary gift has always been his love for and affinity with people who are far from God.  His speaking style has been described as laid back, relevant, Biblical, funny, transparent and compelling.

"And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love Him, who have been called according to His purpose."
           Romans 8:28

  "The Lord blessed the latter part of his life even more than the first."
              Job 42:12