Matters of Faith

A practical application of the Word of God for everyday issues.

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James ‘Loren’ Russell was born in Harlem, New York, and raised in the Bronx, where he and his wife (Evelyn) of thirty-eight years currently reside. Loren began his professional career as a life insurance agent, quickly rising to sales manager and then senior management. To fulfill his entrepreneurial ambitions, Loren established The JLR Company/J Loren Consulting, LLC to provide financial planning services in general, “Biblical Economics” services to the religious community, and motivational and developmental seminars and workshops. He served 7 years with the Southern Baptist Convention as the Northeast Strategy Coordinator, Regional Church Finance Consultant, and Church Planting Coordinator for NYC. Loren earned the Master of Divinity degree from Drew Theological Seminary and received an Honorary Doctor of Ministry from the Virginia University of Lynchburg. Through J Loren R Consulting, LLC, Loren provides financial, strategic planning, and business consultations to churches, not-for-profit organizations, and businesses nationally, with a specialization in urban church strategies. Loren’s spiritual and civic commitment keeps him busy. He is currently providing pastoral leadership to The Evangelical Church of God and continues as an Associate Minister and former Sunday School teacher at his home church, Goodwill Baptist Church. He is the founder of the Back In Stride Ministry, a ministry designed to help ex-offenders to establish their businesses; past President of the John L. Scott Associate Ministers Auxiliary of the United Missionary Baptist Association; founder and Chief Chaplain of the New York State Chaplains Workers Task Force, Inc; President of the 42nd Precinct Community Council, Clergy Liaison, and Moderator for the Ceasefire Initiative all for the New York Police Department; President of the Home/Simpson Street Homeowners Association, Bronx, NY; Board member of Harlem Congregations for Community Improvement (HCCI); 3 times past President of the Yonkers-East Yonkers Rotary Club, NY, and past District Governor for Rotary District 7230. Loren has a chapter capturing parts of his life in the book, Children of the Dream – The Psychology of Black Success by Audrey Edwards and Dr. Craig Polite. He also helped establish and provided voice-overs for the Speaking Community Calendar at Bronx Net Cable, Bronx, NY. Rev. Dr. Russell is an author who writes a weekly column called “Matters of Faith” that appear in several publications, Yonkers Insider, Better Mag magazine, Positve Community Magazine, and Pamela’s Big Heart Newsletter, and on his social media outlets. In addition, he hosts a weekly internet radio talk show, “Matters of Faith: The Radio Show” (Matters of Faith YouTube channel), and authored and published Matters of Faith: The Book. Loren is a frequently sought-after preacher, keynote speaker, motivational instructor, workshop leader, and Master of Ceremonies for a variety of programs. Loren’s favorite quote is by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. which epitomizes his philosophy on life. It states, “We must all learn to live together as brothers, or we will all perish together as fools.”

New Year, New You

By Reverend J. Loren Russell

Colossians 3:12-17 NKJV

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;  bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if anyone has a complaint against another; even as Christ forgave you, so you also must do. But above all these things put on love, which is the bond of perfection. And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to which also you were called in one body; and be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.”

Everyone has a personal New Year. It is the day that we recognize and perhaps even celebrate our birth. If you are anything like me, you take time to evaluate your past year and determine what will be your personal new year resolutions. 

The verses of scripture referenced from the book of Colossians offer succinct qualities of someone who has resolved to make wholesale changes in their life. They will put away earthly and fleshly desires of “anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of [their]mouth”. He is referring to those who ”Do not lie to one another,” and have a sincere desire to “put off the old man with his deeds and put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him”. 

If I can be transparent with you, it is not easy to make these types of dramatic character changes. These are the kinds of resolutions that are transformative, unlike the one’s that are made at the dawn of a new year,  or the drop of a ball in Times Square that only last until the sun comes up. Paul says that these types of resolutions only come about when someone allows the word of Christ [to] dwell in [them] richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in [their]hearts to the Lord. They must embody the characteristics of the new man or woman as described in the text. Individually, not collectively, we must be determined to make a transformation of our minds as well as in our actions (Romans 12:2).

Paul tells his readers that to create “a new you,” they must robe themselves with tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering, bearing (putting up with) and forgiving each other. It will not be accomplished unless and until we eliminate the tendency to procrastinate, meaning it must be done right here and right now! And, once you begin, you cannot quit no matter how rough it gets. 

The dawn of my new year is upon me, so I challenge myself to once again wrestle with the question; “Who am I going to be in personal new year?” Material things are temporal, so it does not matter how much I own. The characteristics of the new man I am striving to be is everlasting. I desire to be transformed from the inside so that what shows up on the outside is someone who conforms to the image of God. 

Let me suggest that you likewise make a commitment today to be a new man or a new woman. Let me further encourage you to “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him”. You don’t have to wait for your personal new year. Use mine and be a new you right now! 

Be Blessed!

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