Our Story

After a radical conversion from a life of drugs in the mountains of Julian California, Pastor Michael Rozell became passionate about helping others find the same freedom in Christ that He experienced. Thus, Refuge  Ranch was born in 1990. What makes us unique? The message of deliverance. An element missing from many churches today, but just as powerful and relevant now as it was in the time of Jesus. Yet, while helping others find the freedom offered through Christ's sacrifice on the cross, Pastor Michael neglected to walk out this same teaching in his own life which, years later,  led to a 12 year period of drug and alcohol abuse and the lifestyle that came with it. This resulted in Pastor Michael spending 90 days in Mecklenburg County Jail in 2004, where God, once again, got ahold of his heart and he's been passionately pursuing perfection in Christ ever since. Through his ministry of Refuge Ranch, Pastor Michael has been able to show people all over the world just how powerful God's hand in our story can be, and that if he can find true freedom and purpose in Christ, then so can you!
Freed: from bondage, addiction, or anything weighing you down.
Filled: with the Holy Spirit to fulfill all that God has purposed (or called. or designed) us to do.
On Fire: to declare your story and release an explosive passion for revival.

Freedom: Is our heartbeat

Everything we do is to help people find freedom.

Worship: Is our passion

We were created to worship.
It’s not just what we do, it’s how we live.

Jesus: Is our reason

Everything we do points to Jesus and His sacrifice.

Integrity: Is our foundation

We are people of character.
We are honest, loyal and above reproach.

Honor: Is our calling

We are a people of honor.
We honor up, down and sideways.
We honor those we serve, those we lead and those we serve with.

Servant Leadership: Is our identity

We are servants first before we are leaders.
Every leader serves and every task is important.
No one is too big to serve or too small to lead.

God's Presence: Is our aim

God’s Presence is where true freedom is found.
It’s where healing happens, miracles take place, breakthrough comes. It’s where lives are changed.
This is why we make encountering Him our first priority.

Unity: Is our attitude

Nothing can stop a unified front.
So we work together for the greater cause of seeing our vision come to pass.

Generosity: Is our priviledge

We believe in outrageous generosity. This goes beyond money.
We’re generous with our service, our hospitality, our love and our evangelism.
We give without an expectation of return. We give because it’s our privilege.

Our Beliefs

God

There is one eternally existing God who has three distinct persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. He is the creator of all that exists, both visible and invisible, and is therefore worthy of all glory and praise.  God is perfect in love, power, holiness, goodness, knowledge, wisdom,  justice, and mercy. He is unchangeable and therefore is the same yesterday, today, and tomorrow.

Salvation

Mankind

Jesus Christ came to reconcile us with God. He lived a life without sin and willingly died on the cross to pay the penalty for our transgressions. God raised him from the dead and now, by grace, offers as a free gift eternal life to all who follow Christ, by faith, as their Lord and Savior. That is why salvation can be found in Christ alone.
Humans, both male and female, were created in God's image for His glory. The first humans, Adam and Eve, were created without sin and appointed as caretakers of the rest of God's creations.

The Fall

When Adam and Eve chose not to obey God, they ceased to be what they were made to be and became distorted images of God. This caused them to fall out of fellowship with God, and fractured all of creation ever since that time.

Revelation

The Holy Spirit

God has revealed himself to us through his son, Jesus Christ, who is the visible image of the invisible God, the holy scriptures, and through all of creation itself.
We believe in the indwelling of the Holy Spirit simultaneous with and subsequent to salvation, for the enabling of the believer to fulfill God’s will, call, purpose, ministry, service, etc.

The Church

The Church is meant to be the visible body of Christ, sent into the world to glorify God and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Bible

We believe the entire Bible to be the inspired Word of God, profitable for reproof, doctrine, correction and instruction in righteousness.

Resurrection

Jesus Christ is returning one day to judge both the living and the dead and to usher in the fullness of God's kingdom on earth.

Marriage

We believe in the covenant of marriage as defined Biblically to be the union solely between one man and one woman.
For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places.
- Ephesians 6:12