Rev. Marlin Harris was born in El Paso, Texas , and reared in South Carolina . While faithfully serving as member ofthe St. James Baptist Church of Johnsonville, South Carolina, Pastor Harris received the call to preach the Gospel at the age of nine years old. Through ordered steps and the divine will of God, Pastor Harris was ordained by the Presbytery of the Church of Gospel Ministry at the age of twelve.
Pastor Harris has experienced several unique and rare blessings in his ministry. He served as an Associate Pastor at the Camp Walker Military Chapel in South Korea. In 1992, he founded Manna from Heaven Evangelistic Ministries, which has provided avenues for him to share the Word of God at numerous revivals, retreats and workshops.
Pastor Harris currently serves as the Founding Pastor of New Life Church in Decatur, GA. Since its inception in 1995, New Life has experienced phenomenal growth (both numerically and spiritually) through the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Pastor Harris gives God the praise for the continued successes and the many challenges of his ministry.
Through his love for the least, the lost, and the left out population of our society, Pastor Harris birthed the vision for the first full-service Community Center located in South DeKalb County. He launched CIW (Community Impact Week), a fun and spirit-filled event that ministers to the community through hair cuts, meals, clothing and health services. 2007 marked the 10th anniversary of this celebration. In 2002, New Life Community Ministries was established as a Community Development Corporation of New Life Church and has become a beacon of hope to the South DeKalb community.
Since then, many outreach programs and events, such as “Clean up DeKalb”, “His Love Extended” (a Homeless and Drug Rehab Outreach Service), Project S.O.A.R. (a program which ministers to first-time juvenile offenders and their families), and a host of other Community Outreach programs have grown out of this vision.
In 2003, Pastor Harris stepped further into destiny by bringing forth a unique worship service experience, known as the Seeker’s Service. This unique service focuses on ministering to unbelievers, the indigent, and the under-served in an environment designed for those who prefer a non- traditional “church” atmosphere.
He received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a concentration in Religion & Philosophy from Clark Atlanta University and credits his success to the dedicated support of loved ones, his deceased grandmother who instilled in him the fear and admonition of the Lord, and the anointing of a Gracious and Loving God.
Pastor Harris is happily married to his beautiful helpmate, Sis. Monica Harris, who shares his love and compassion for missions, and the people of God.