Photo Credit: New Life Church/Google

By Joshua Bass, Lead News & Politics Editor

Marlin D. Harris, senior pastor and founder of New Life Church, first came to Atlanta on a full scholarship through Morehouse College’s dual-degree engineering program with Georgia Tech. When he arrived, he was told there was no housing available. With nowhere else to go, he spent his first two weeks of college homeless—living in Woodruff park.

Inside the park, he met an intelligent man who had lost everything. In that moment, God spoke to him, giving him the vision of New Life Church.

“It dawned on me that there is nothing about this man’s story that couldn’t be a part of my story,” Harris said. “Financial aid kicks in and I’m no longer homeless but I couldn’t get his story out of my mind and so I committed that that’s what I wanted to do in ministry.”

As of 2025, the church is thriving and provides comfort for unhoused individuals and marginalized families. They have a warming station, food pantry, barbershop, salon and clothing department that are made available to those in need.

“They treat us like human beings,” an elderly woman said in the hair salon.

Moreover, New Life created the D.R.E.A.M. Campaign. D.R.E.A.M. stands for developing community, reimagining giving, expanding online presence, activating youth, and modernizing discipleship.

The campaign is helping to revitalize communities in the South DeKalb area by inspiring hope. The new community is in its pre-development phase, but it is being designed to offer affordable living for families.

Some of the most remarkable testimonies come from families who have been directly impacted by New Life’s efforts—families like that of Donnayai Lane. Lane spoke on a panel at the Feb. 9, 2025 D.R.E.A.M. Sunday Service.

“We was [were] homeless for two years. We moved from one hotel to the next. The first hotel was a hot mess,” Lane said. “Drugs. Murder. I just couldn’t do it. They left a man on the street all day, uncovered. Mind you, we have kids at the hotel and I just couldn’t do it.”

Harris and Micheal Bryant, CEO of New Life Community Alliance speaking with Lane on panel. Photo Credit: New Life Church/YouTube

Subsequently, the family was forced to relocate to a hotel after their home became uninhabitable due to their landlord’s negligence.

“The tree fell on the house on March 13, 2021 and by August 29, 2021, we [were] evicted,” Lane said. “The rent was paid and we had lived there for nine years. We were wrongfully evicted.”

Soon after, that’s when New Life Church, through its Community Alliance, stepped in. Tawanda Moore, motel to home case manager, met Lane and walked her through the process of finding a place to live.

“I thank God for her. I thank God for New Life, and I thank God for all of you,” Lane said.

Moving forward, the alliance paid the deposit and Lane paid the first month’s rent. While on the panel, Harris emphasized that the program isn’t just a handout—it involves an extensive vetting process.

The ultimate goal of this campaign is to birth a new community rife with equal opportunities; moreover, the program also seeks to encourage stability and accountability within the South DeKalb community.

The New Life Community Alliance has helped over 300 families. With a trajectory like this, the D.R.E.A.M. Campaign will become a reality.

“I want them to sense that this is heaven on earth,” Harris said. “This is the way life is supposed to be.”

To learn more or help with the campaign and the New Life Church, please click on the website here or contact the church for more information.

Copy Edited by Colin Royal ’25, Editor-In-Chief