As pastor of Rush Creek Church for over 25 years, Russ Barksdale brings a wealth of experience and encouragement for churches and leaders. In his final years of pastoring, he led Rush Creek through a “generosity initiative” that yielded incredible blessings in the life of the church. This was the idea behind Rise UP! This ministry project leads churches to focus on strengthening the church by eliminating debt and equipping the church for growth and spreading the Gospel.