THE RESILIENT LEADER 

MEET YOUR GUIDES:

I'm Phil Russell

I spent decades where leadership meant action, not words. As a law enforcement commander, I made decisions with critical consequences. Now, with a PhD in Leadership Studies, I help other leaders do the same—cut through doubt, stand firm, and lead with conviction.

I learned leadership from one of the best—Bob Russell. John Maxwell called him “a leader of leaders.” I call him Dad. He taught me leadership isn’t about titles. It’s about grit, boldness, and doing what’s right—no matter the cost.

Leadership isn’t theory. It’s battle. If you’re leading in uncertain times, if you’re standing for truth when others won’t, if you refuse to sit on the sidelines—I’m here to help you do it well.

I'm Shane Sooter

I've enjoyed a 25 year career at the intersection of leadership, creativity, and faith - and I'm not done yet! I started as the Creative Arts Director at Southeast Christian Church, pioneering short films and large-scale theatrical productions.

After that, I founded City on a Hill Productions, creating cinematic church tools & small group media - all while helping top pastors to communicate just as effectively on camera as they do from the pulpit. 

Since then I've written, directed, or produced well over 100 episodes of television in multiple genres, as well as 2 feature films. But today, my deepest passion is helping pastors and churches to harness the power of vision, storytelling, and prolific creativity - so they can captivate hearts, elevate their message, and lead with bold clarity in a noisy world.

With Special Guest Bob Russell

At age 22, Bob became the pastor of Southeast Christian Church, a newer church whose 120 members were still meeting in the basement of a house on the east side of Louisville, Kentucky. Forty years later, in 2006, he retired from Southeast, which had become one of the largest churches in America.

Bob has continued to preach at churches and conferences across the United States, unpacking the Word of God and offering insights on church leadership. He's published over a dozen books, including “After 50 Years of Ministry: 7 Things I’d Do Differently and 7 Things I’d Do the Same." Bob has also contributed over 600 articles to his blog at BobRussell.org, where he offers Biblical guidance on contemporary issues. His true ministry passion in this season is mentoring pastors - and he's hosted more than 100 pastoral mentoring retreats in the past two decades. Bob is excited to extend that impact even further as a recurring contributor to this cohort.

"Pastors and leaders, your church needs you at your best. The stakes are so high, and you can't lead well in a vacuum. You need more than the latest tips and techniques - as valuable as they may be. You need to be part of a community, long term, where leaders are sharpening one another and spurring each other on.  That's the whole reason for The Resilient Leader Cohort.

I’ve mentored many of you personally, and I know the kind of leaders you are — faithful, called, and willing to grow. I want to see you discover the clarity, creativity, and confidence God designed you to lead with.

I believe in Phil and Shane. And I believe this cohort could be the lifeline of clarity and creativity you’ve been praying for. I'll see you there!"

-Bob Russell