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Redemption Ministries History

Aaron and Denise Harley heard the call of the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, in April of 1978. Together, in the home of Aaron's Uncle and Aunt, they answered that call and received the Lord's gift of salvation. In the same month of that year, they received the gift of the Holy Spirit, and in May, they obeyed the Lord in the waters of Baptism. Since receiving those experiences, they have fully obeyed the voice of the Lord in following the Lamb wherever He would lead them.

Not long after their salvation experiences, Aaron started a Bible Study on his job at the Library of Congress, where he and his wife, Denise, were both employed. Denise would eventually leave her job at the Library and come home to fulfill the responsibilities of wife and mother to her children. It was there that they began their ministry.

In September of 1983, they again answered the Lord's call to serve Him with all their hearts and were ordained in the full-time ministry of the New Testament Church, Inc. For a short time afterwards, Aaron was permitted by the elders of the church to continue his employment at the Library of Congress. This was because of the work the Lord was doing through him at that place. Many lives were touched and several souls were saved, delivered, and converted to the Lord as a result of his ministry.

Eventually, Aaron quit his job at the Library to fulfill the calling of God on his life. This was after many of the souls from the Library of Congress obeyed the Lord in the waters of Baptism and received the gift of the Holy Spirit. During that time, the Lord began to teach them many things about His ways, and began to clarify the specifics of His will and calling on their lives.

Aaron maintained an active involvement in Youth Ministry, which began during the second year of his salvation. He also served as Sunday School teacher and later was promoted to Superintendent of Sunday School and the Washington church. Aaron was selected to the Deacon board of the New Testament Church by both his peers as well as the ministry. He also attended the various conventions and youth revivals throughout the year to help in witnessing, youth meetings, and prayer.

In August of 1984, as newly ordained ministers in the New Testament Church, the Harleys were sent to the church training center located in Brooklyn, New York. There, Aaron was responsible for street ministry and witnessing. He was also the church school pastor and administrator for two years. Denise was responsible for feeding the many families and guests that stayed in the training center. In addition, she was also the church accountant for two years.

In August of 1986, when the Lord was finished the work He wanted to do in their lives in New York, He moved them to Dallas, Texas. At that time, they had a family of four children. The ages of the oldest to the youngest were: Ericka, 10, Aaron, 9; Keturah, 6: and Deborah, 4 years old. In Dallas, they began to pastor a church, as well as homeschool their four children. Here, the Lord taught them that "the just shall live by his faith." In Dallas, the Lord proved Himself faithful to them time after time. They had no outside employment, no medical insurance, and with a church of a few dozen people. the Lord kept, fed, clothed, sheltered, and healed them as He added His righteousness to their lives and testimony. His abundant wisdom and provision to do this ministry was provided as they willed their will to do what He had spoken to their lives. In addition to his role as Pastor in the church in Dallas, Pastor Aaron was also responsible for another church, which he visited regularly in Emporia, Kansas. Hew visited and provided assistance and support to other pastors in their work at another church in Temple, Texas.

In April of 1988, Pastor Aaron and Denise came to a transition point in their ministry. At this time, they felt the lead of the Holy Spirit to leave the ministry of the New Testament church. In faith, and by faith, they left trusting that the Lord would lead them while not knowing exactly where they would go from Dallas. In the process, Pastor Aaron turned down three offers to pastor churches in Wyoming, Iowa, and Chicago. These churches were already established and offered many good benefits for him and his family. They also traveled to churches in Emporia, Kansas, and Dover, Ohio. However, still not sensing that this was the will of God, they returned to the Washington, DC area to begin a new work, and to pastor and establish a church.

In July of 1988, shortly after returning to Washington, DC, they started the church of "Redemption Ministries." The first meeting was held in the basement of Aaron's parents, James and Gloria Thomas. At that time, the church members were Barbara Hall, Joyce Taylor, Sarojini (McGee) Dingel, Pam Jones, and Aaron's parents, Gloria and James Thomas. Nevertheless, since then until now, the church has "pressed on" and the Lord has been exceedingly merciful and ever faithful. During those early days, the church experienced numerous trials and testing of faith and character. The church and the Harley family moved from Aaron's parents home in Washington, DC to the home of Robert and Anna Wright in Hyattsville, Maryland. The Wright family of ten graciously opened their home to the Harley family of six where they lived for a short time. However, after two weeks of meetings, the church was moved to the home of Ms. Joyce Taylor in Landover, Maryland. It is at this location that Michael Gray, Johnnie Huffman, Darryl and Theresa Gordon, and Harold and Gene Proctor joined the church.

By the fall of 1988, the church had outgrown the home of Ms. Joyce Taylor. Another move was needed and the church relocated to Glenridge Middle School in Lanham, Maryland. Up to this point in time, Pastor Aaron and his family had no certain dwelling place, and he still had not found a job to help support his family. Nevertheless, by faith, he took the only money that he and his family had at that time, $1,500, and used it as a deposit for three months rent at Glenridge Middle School. Again, the church began to grow at Glenridge as Donald and Pat Hicks and a few more people joined the church.

In November of 1988, again having no certain place to live, the Pastor and his family were compelled to move. The Lord worked another miracle and provided for them to move into the home of a friend who had it up for sale. Pastor Aaron agreed to pay the owner $700 a month until it was sold, and the Lord provided the Pastor with employment that same month, thereby enabling him to fulfill his promise. This same house did not sell for nearly two years as every contract put on the home failed to be approved for the perspective buyers. Again, God was merciful as it was in that place that the church met until July of 1989. At this location, God faithfully visited the church and by His Holy Spirit he ministered to his people with healings, deliverances, counseling, restoration and repentance. On several occasions, meetings would often continue from evening into the early morning hours.

During the late summer of 1989, the church moved again to the Community Center in an "Upper Room" at the Landover Mall, in Landover, Maryland. The church continued meeting in the mall from that time until July of 10995. Sunday Services and Wednesday Bible Studies were held at the mall,, while Friday Prayer Meetings were rotated from "house to house" among the church members. All the while, the Lord added more family, friends, and neighbors to the church.

In 1995, the Lord raised up a deacon board to help the Pastors with the burden of the church. The church continued on as it went through various stages of its "growing pains." Times of refreshing were followed with times of testing. Through "mountain high" experiences and though "valley low" experiences the church pressed on, whether with many or few.

In the summer of 1990, the Harleys were again compelled to move. They were abruptly given two weeks notice to move and again had no certain dwelling place. Having just enough money to feed his family, the Pastor and his family cried out to the God of all mercy. The Lord heard and answered as they found a house for sale in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Although they could not afford it, God laid it on the heart of the Pastor's boss to pay the down payment and closing costs. Also, by this time the Harley family had also grown by an additional member. A new son, Michael, was born as God kept Denise as she faithfully continued to minister to the church, as well as homeschool and nurture the older children.

In the summer of 1995, the church moved again from Landover Mall to the current location at Melwood Mall in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. Since moving to Melwood, the church has grown as God has seen fit to add to the church whomever He has willed. Even within Melwood Mall, the church has moved from its original location to its present location on the second floor. Moreover, since the move to this place, the Lord added another member to the Harley family, a son and their sixth child, David.

Redemption Ministries continues its God-given mission led by seasoned pastors who have a vision to see the people of God equipped to do His will. Truly the King of Kings has been merciful indeed!

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