Refuge Temple Ministries Church History
At the heart of our church, we have a visionary who is passionate about taking the reality of God to our generations. We strongly believe that our church is called to build a greater relationship with God. The book of Ephesians 2:10 states; “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”
Elder Alan Preston accepted the Lord Jesus Christ at the age of 8 years old to carry out the divine appointment from God: bring a dying world to Jesus Christ. In the month of April 2000, with his wife, Gloria Preston, and two sons, Demerius Kidd and Alan Michael, by his side, he held his first bible study. With 12 others in attendance, God gave Elder Alan Preston specific instructions on how to lead “A Chosen Generation for a New Millennium.” He realized the people would need to be rescued from brokenness and distress and, therefore, the name of the ministry was originally called Refuge Temple Holiness Church (now Refuge Temple Ministries).
Refuge held its first service in June 2000 at the Best Western Hotel and Convention Center, where 29 people were in attendance and the seating capacity was 45. During the first service, 8 people joined and the journey began. God saw that his servants and followers were faithful in His calling and expanded the movement to approximately sixty members, which was now too large in size to continue at the Best Western Hotel and Convention Center. In November 2000, God gave our leader instructions about moving His people to the Cloverleaf Shopping Center in the City of Martinsville, Virginia, and as more souls were saved, Elder Preston sought God to enlarge the territory. God did as He promised; on December 12, 2003, Refuge purchased 29 acres of land adjacent to three different locations which includes Mica Street, Navajo Trail and Progress Drive, located in the city of Martinsville, Virginia. By October 17, 2004, Refuge held its groundbreaking Ceremony for the land purchased, in which God has entrusted us to hold the deed. While preparing to build God a house, Pastor Preston often prophesied and anointed the empty seats, declaring through the word of God that all the empty seats would be filled. God saw fit and allowed us to outgrow the seating capacity at the Gallery with 250 members.
Pastor Alan Preston remained quiet and alert to every command given to him by God. Due to an overwhelming growth in membership, we were again in need of larger space. In the month of August 2005, God allowed Refuge to close on the property of 205 Clearview Drive in Martinsville, VA and hold our first service on September 4, 2005, where 329 people were in attendance.
As the church began to grow, six years later, God afforded Refuge to burn the mortgage of the property at 205 Clearview Drive. In the year of 2012, God allowed us to purchase the Annex Building (Enrichment Center) located across the street from the church (214 Clearview Drive, Martinsville, VA), which was paid off by March of 2014 through God’s faithfulness. He then allowed us to pay off the property on 205 Clearview Drive in December of 2014. In the year of 2013 Refuge renovated the main sanctuary, and had our ribbon cutting ceremony on April 13, 2014. The renovation was paid off by March 30, 2016.
God has added Ministries that will 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
Throughout the 9th year of Ministry over 900 souls have been added to the church such as should be saved. In the 22nd year of ministry, Refuge has approximately 1,300 members on roll, including our virtual audience, and we are continually looking forward to what God will continue to do through this ministry. To God be all the glory!