Russell M. Stendal

Russell M. Stendal is an author, missionary, and editor of the Jubilee Bible. Raised in a missionary family, he moved to Colombia at a young age. At 27, he was kidnapped by Marxist guerrillas and held for 142 days, a story he shares in his book Rescue the Captors. That experience inspired a life of outreach to both sides of Colombia’s armed conflict. Russell established a radio ministry that broadcasts messages of peace and hope deep into conflict zones. He has written more than 50 books in English and Spanish, many transcribed from his Spanish radio sermons. In 2017, he received the Shahbaz Bhatti Freedom Award for promoting peace and religious freedom in Colombia. His books and the Jubilee Bible, which he edited, have been widely distributed throughout Latin America, especially in areas with little access to Scripture. Russell and his wife, Marina, have four children and nine grandchildren.