Pastors Russell and Carolynn Harris

In times like these, God raises ministers equipped to carry the power of the Gospel and the deliverance of souls with integrity. Serving in ministry for over twenty-five years, Russell L. Harris has proven to be capable to carry such a divine assignment. 

Pastor Russell Harris is a native of Baltimore, Maryland. He is married to Carolynn Gordon Harris (41 years) and together they have been blessed with three children (Daniel, Jasmine & Tiffany. Pastor Harris is also blessed with two grandchildren (Jaden & Nalani).

Pastor Harris attended school in the Baltimore City Public School system.  In 2000, he received a Bachelor’s of Art  in Human Growth and Development from Sojourner Douglass College. Additionally, in 2012 He obtained a Master of Divinity degree from the Samuel DeWitt Proctor School of Theology a Virginia Union University.  

He served as a Firefighter/ Paramedic in the Anne Arundel County Fire Department for 20 years until retirement. He continued in a second career path to became a “Certified Associate Counselor (Alcohol & Drugs)” and served in methadone clinics in West Baltimore for 8 years. These career experiences helped to better develop a desire to help and administer healing to those in need.

In 2004, Pastor Russell along with his wife Carolynn answered God’s call and started Full Joy Christian Ministries (now Full Joy Christian Center) with bible study in their home. At Full Joy, our purpose is the “Share and Show the Good News of Christ’s Love in our Communities”. We endeavor to be a “Healing Station” for the least, the last, the lost, and the left behind. 

With a deep concern for both the earthly and spiritual wellbeing of God’s people, and seeing the greatness of human need as an opportunity for ministry, Pastor Harris believes that the  harvest continues to be plentiful and is in need of faithful laborers. It is his constant prayer that God will send workers into the field to work the harvest. Pastor Russell Harris is one of those workers.  

Pastor Carolynn grew up in Northern Anne Arundel County Maryland, located just outside Baltimore City. She is the second of three children born to Trustee Harvey E. Gordon, Jr. and Mother Charlena J. Gordon. Pastor Carolynn, also affectionately known as “CoPC”, was educated in the Anne Arundel County School System graduating from Brooklyn Park Junior/Senior High School. She continued her educational career by obtaining a Bachelor’s of Science in Social Work from the University of Maryland Baltimore County and later earned a Master's degree in Regulatory Science from the University of Maryland, Baltimore. Pastor Carolynn currently serves as a Lead Clinical Regulatory Specialist with the University of Maryland Greenebaum Comprehensive Cancer Center, Baltimore Maryland. 

Pastor Carolynn was reared in a Christian home and was blessed with parents who taught her the worth and meaning of prayer. However, the greatest spiritual influence in her life was that of her maternal grandmother, Mother Charlotte Jackson. It was through Mother Jackson’s devotion to Christ that Pastor Carolynn learned what it means to Love God and the people of God.  Through example, Pastor Carolynn learned the importance of “serving” and intercessory prayer. 

In 1978 Pastor Carolynn met “the one” who swept her off her feet, Pastor Russell Harris and in 1980 she married the love of her life.  From their union were born Daniel Harris, Jasmine Harris & Tiffany Harris Brown.  She was further blessed with two beautiful grandchildren, Jaden Harris (17) and Nalani Brown (2) who fills her heart with so much joy and love. 

In 2004 Pastors Carolynn and Russell obeyed God’s call to ministry and together birthed Full Joy Christian Center, Inc. (FJCC), holding bible study and prayer in their home.   Since that time, many souls within the Baltimore Metropolitan area as well as on the foreign mission field have been impacted and blessed through the ministry of FJCC.  

It was Mahatma Gandhi who said that “We must Be the Change that we want to See in our World!” Our world is full of hurting and marginalized people who are in desperate need of hope. With a heart for the hurting, Pastor Carolynn has a compassion for the needs of people, especially “the least, the lost, the last and the left behind.” Thus, we know that if we are to impact change in our communities, we must first Be The Change that we want to see in our world. Before we can demand change in the areas of truth and justice, we must first Be The Change that promotes Truth and Justice in our World.