Pastor & First Lady Elijah Solomon

Refuge Vision Ministries - "A Fellowship of Love"

Our Visionaries

Bishop Dr. Elijah Solomon is a dynamic and energetic ambassador of the gospel of Jesus Christ. His ability to deliver the word of God with an in-depth biblical knowledge coupled with his extensive business and personal background makes every message an inspiring learning experience. Bishop Solomon, ministering under the Holy Spirit, powerfully unlocks the keys to Kingdom living. A native of Atlanta, Georgia, Dr. Solomon is the son of the late Apostle Frank S. Solomon and the late Mother Mae Solomon. His early exposure to Jesus Christ and living by Christian principles were forged at Refuge Temple Church Of Our Lord Jesus Christ in Atlanta.

Bishop Solomon is a graduate of Clark Atlanta University with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and he has done postgraduate study at George Washington University and The University of Maryland in mathematics and business. He received his Master of Divinity and Doctor of Ministry from Houston Graduate School of Theology (HGST) where he was elected as Student Senate President for the 2002 - 2003 school year. His doctoral project focused entitled “Develop a Model to Transition An African American Pentecostal Church into a Multicultural Ministry” is on file at HGST with the library’s reference documents. He is a retired IBM Corporation executive with thirty-two (32) years of technical and business management experience. During his professional career he amassed extensive experience in project management, business planning, marketing, and software development. His customers included the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Department of Energy (DOE), Department of Veteran Affairs (VA) and several commercial accounts in the aerospace and energy industries.

Bishop Solomon acknowledged his calling into the ministry in 1973 and became an ordained Elder in 1979. During his early ministry, he served as a Sunday School teacher and superintendent, a choir director, a bible class instructor and later as financial and executive secretary to the Texas diocese of the Churches of Our Lord Jesus Christ. In December 1980, God placed him as co-pastor of his first church, Greater Refuge Temple in Houston, Texas. Following the divine calling of the Lord, Bishop Solomon established Refuge Vision Ministries (RVM) in Houston, Texas on May 30, 1982. He was named pastor of Refuge Temple in Atlanta, Georgia on August 28, 2005. He is currently the active pastor of both RVM and Refuge Temple. His vision from God is for spiritual development, and prosperity, and his ministries are geared toward providing for the spiritual and natural needs of the total person.

Bishop Solomon, under the auspice of his personal teaching ministry, is often requested to conduct Personal Development Seminars at churches, district and diocese conventions. His most recent seminars have been “Effective Backroom Ministry”, Financial Empowerment - God's Way”, “Building Relationships”, “7 Laws-Of 7 (Church Growth)”, and "Reaching The Un-churched". Some of his most popular audiotape messages include, “A New Beginning”, “Permission To Proceed”, “The Pursuit of Excellence”, “Live Like You’re Dying”, and “Stay Under The Blood”. He has published one inspirational booklet “I CAN!” with a central message of faith overcoming fear.

He is married to Christine, who is an integral part of his ministry and vision. Together they count amoung their blessings two daughters, Eleshia Monique Spence (Wally) and Keturah Davis (Ulysses) ,three grandsons, and four granddaughters.

First Lady Christine Solomon
First Lady Christine Solomon is a strong advocate of the family unit and views each member in Christ as part of her extended spiritual family. She is a visionary at heart and has seen God bring many visions into reality during her ministry. Lady Solomon has “the spirit to serve,” as she has served the church in many aspects since childhood. She is currently the Director of the Women’s Ministries, “Sisters of Vision”, at Refuge Vision Ministries Houston, Texas and Director of the Women’s Ministries at Refuge Temple Atlanta, Georgia both under the dynamic leadership of her loving husband and Pastor, Dr. Elijah Solomon. Her vision is for the people of God to develop spiritually, intellectually, and physically serving our Lord Jesus Christ.
Lady Solomon completed a Bachelor of Science Degree in Sociology and trained as a Social Worker with the Department of Health and Human Resources. Also, she has a Bachelors of Science Degree in Psychology and completed an additional Elementary Education Degree. Prior to her retirement from public education in May 2006, she taught for 23 years as an elementary school teacher in the Houston Independent School District. She was acknowledged among her peers as the Outstanding Educator of the Year in 2000 and nominated for Who’s Who among American Women in 2006. Lady Solomon has the ability to communicate and minister cross-culturally and inter-generationally the love she has for Christ and the ministry. She is thankful to God who is prospering the Ministry where families are being blessed as they find their purpose and develop their potential in Christ.
Lady Solomon has served the body of Christ both on the national as well as the local level. She served as the corresponding secretary for the International Sunday School Churches of Our Lord Jesus, and served as treasurer for the Ministers’ Deacons Wives Guild Texas Diocese. In addition to that she was elected as president of the Texas Diocese Apostolic Academic Teen (AAT). Various churches and organizations often requested her to serve as a workshop facilitator and conference speaker on relationships, marriage and family issues.

Lady Solomon’s favorite scripture, “The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me, thou mercy O’Lord endureth forever, forsake not the works of thine own hands (Psalm 138:8),” exemplifies the way she lives her life with a “Spirit To Serve.”.

Lady Solomon is the proud mother of two daughters Eleshia Monique Spence (Wally) and Keturah Davis (Ulysses), and four wonderful granddaughters and three handsome grandsons. To God Be The Glory!