Russell was raised on a farm in Alabama and became a follower of Jesus Christ at the age of seventeen. Being transformed by the message of God's compassion and unconditional love for His people, Russell entered the foreign mission field at the age of twenty. He has served the poor in Jamaica, built homes in Mexico, taught English in Romania, served homeless men in Scotland and studied Islam and Arabic while befriending Arab-Muslims in North Africa.

After returning from East Africa in the summer of 2006 where he worked with war refugees and street orphans, Russell was burned out and frustrated with life. After experiencing a ten month love-hate relationship with God, which he claims was the darkest and lowest moments in his life, he decided to quit the ministry and work on a ranch in northern Colorado. But Russell encountered a man named Brennan Manning who helped him experience for the first time the very thing Russell had always preached: the infinite patience and compassion of Jesus Christ.

Since, Russell has taught in underground churches in the Middle East and is partnering with WorldVision in Mongolia to minister to street orphans. Russell serves part-time as an adjunct professor at Lipscomb University in Nashville and travels abroad speaking on the compassion and daddy-like character of God as revealed in the life of Jesus Christ.

Russell studied at Auburn and Pepperdine Universities and is currently pursuing his PhD at Fuller Theological Seminary.

If you would like to write or contact Russell for speaking engagements, you can email him at russell@jamesrussell.org