Refuge Temple Ministries Church History

At the heart of Refuge Temple Ministries (RTM) is a visionary who is passionate about bringing the reality of God to all generations. Bishop Alan Preston accepted the Lord Jesus Christ at the age of 8, embracing his divine calling to lead a broken world to Christ. In April 2000, alongside his wife, Gloria Preston, and their two sons, Demerius Kidd and Alan Michael, Bishop Preston held the first Bible study with 12 attendees. During this gathering, God gave him specific instructions to lead “A Chosen Generation for a New Millennium.” It became clear that people needed to be rescued from brokenness and distress, and as a result, the ministry was initially named Refuge Temple Holiness Church (now Refuge Temple Ministries).

We believe wholeheartedly that our church is called to cultivate a deeper relationship with God. As Ephesians 2:10 declares, “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” In June 2000, RTM held its first service at the Best Western Hotel and Convention Center in Martinsville, Virginia, with 29 attendees and a seating capacity of 45. During this service, 8 new members joined, marking the beginning of the church’s journey. As the congregation grew to around 60 members, it became clear that the space at the hotel was no longer sufficient. In November 2000, God directed Bishop Preston to relocate the ministry to the Cloverleaf Shopping Center in Martinsville. As souls were saved, Bishop Preston sought God’s guidance for further expansion. True to His promise, God provided 29 acres of land in Martinsville, located near Mica Street, Navajo Trail, and Progress Drive. On December 12, 2003, RTM purchased the land, and on October 17, 2004, held our groundbreaking ceremony, stepping into the vision God had entrusted to us. Bishop Preston often prophesied over the empty seats, declaring that they would be filled, and by God’s grace, the church outgrew its initial 250-seat capacity.

As membership continued to grow, in August 2005, RTM closed on a new property at 205 Clearview Drive, Martinsville, VA and held its first service there on September 4, 2005 with 329 attendees. Six years later, RTM was blessed to pay off the mortgage. In 2012, the church purchased the Annex Building (Enrichment Center) located at 214 Clearview Drive, across the street from the church, and paid it off by March 2014 through God’s faithfulness. In 2013, the main sanctuary underwent renovations, with a ribbon-cutting ceremony held on April 13, 2014. That renovation was fully paid off by March 30, 2016. As ministry continued to expand, RTM began phase 1 of expansion in September 2024, which was completed in December 2024 adding (?) more seats to the (?) capacity. On record, RTM serves over 1500 members, including our virtual audience.

Over the years, God has also blessed RTM with ministries that touch the hearts of His people, including:

1. Missionary Ministry

2. Christian Education

3. Alabaster Support Group (Substance Abuse)

4. Wisdom and Knowledge Tutoring Ministries

5. Saved, Single, and Satisfied

6. Youth of Destiny

7. Women of Destiny

8. Men of Destiny

9. Media Ministry

10. Evangelist Ministry

11. Transportation

12. Music

13. Hospitality

14. Culinary

We continue to look forward to the great things God will continue to do through this ministry. To God be all the glory!