Russ Ewell

Russ Ewell is executive minister of the Bay Area Christian Church, author of He’s Not Who You Think He Is, and a writer and teacher who brings intellectual rigor to the exploration of faith at the edge of modern life. With over four decades of leadership experience, he helps people discover biblical Christianity that is intellectually serious, emotionally grounding, and capable of real transformation.

Russ leads the Bay Area Christian Church, a nondenominational church with nine campuses in Northern California committed to helping people know God, grow in faith, and do good in the world. His ministry is distinguished by deep engagement with younger generations—particularly focusing on helping young men build spiritually grounded, dynamic lives in a complex cultural moment. Alongside his pastoral leadership, he has become known for translating the spirituality of Jesus into language and frameworks that resonate with modern seekers, skeptics, and Christians alike — without reducing faith to tradition, performance, or pressure.

Russ is the founder of Deep Spirituality, a global digital publication engaging readers around the world who are spiritually curious and searching for something deeper than shallow religion or cultural noise. Through Deep Spirituality’s newsletter, “The Spiritual Frontier,” Russ addresses three critical areas: the future of faith for next generations, innovative models of inclusion for individuals with disabilities, and accessible spirituality for those who stand outside traditional religious communities. Russ has created substantial spiritual formation resources, including the “12 Days of Prayer” series and other tools that help people develop sustained spiritual practices.

Russ studied economics at Boston University, earned a B.A. in Black Religion in America from UMass Boston, and completed graduate work at Harvard. This formal grounding is complemented by executive training at Stanford University’s Executive Education program in innovation management, and an invitation to participate in the MIT Media Lab’s Wearables symposium — a pivotal experience that helped catalyze his long-standing interest in the intersection of technology, human dignity, and inclusion.

He later completed a Master of Biblical Studies through Friends International Christian University, a faith-based, non-traditional program. This degree was pursued alongside decades of ministry, leadership, and biblical scholarship.

Since moving to Silicon Valley in 1993, Russ has been at the forefront of exploring how technology can serve spiritual formation, community building, and human flourishing. For over three decades, he has treated his ministry as a working laboratory for testing how Christian communities can thoughtfully integrate technology without losing depth or humanity. This long-standing commitment to innovation shaped both his leadership at Bay Area Christian Church — where technology enables connection and spiritual formation at scale — and his pioneering work in inclusive technologies through Digital Scribbler, Hope Technology Group, and E-Life.

That intersection became deeply personal as well as intellectual. As a father to adult children with special needs, Russ has spent decades building sustainable models of care, inclusion, and belonging that empower people with disabilities to live full and dignified lives. He is the founder of E-Life, a lifespan inclusion framework integrating athletics, technology, mentorship, and community to support individuals and families from early life through adulthood.

Through related initiatives, including Digital Scribbler, Inc., a social impact company creating affordable, inclusive technologies, and Hope Technology Group, a nonprofit supporting programs at the intersection of technology, education, and community, Russ has helped pioneer sustainable, dignity-centered approaches that emphasize agency and participation rather than dependence.

Russ’s writing, teaching, and speaking have reached audiences through numerous media appearances, podcasts, and conferences. His leadership and service have been recognized with the Jefferson Award and a Congressional Citation for work with youth and individuals with disabilities.