In January of 1980, Pastor LaFleur entered into ministry with Mother Rubie Stein LaFleur, his beloved wife in accordance with Acts 18:2-3, immolating the life of Priscilla and Aquila, assisting the Church at a time where the Gospel needed to be preached to the Nations.
Their ministry began in a basement with a few families having Bible Studies weekly. Pastor LaFleur and another minister would copastor for a season. As the gathering of the saints began to grow, Pastor LaFleur and Mother LaFleur sought to find a building for their gatherings. At the time, Mother Rubie Stein LaFleur was serving the community caring for children through her Child Development Daycare on 6 Mile Road in Detroit. After much prayer, the Lord would provide an open-door store front space vacancy next door to the daycare. Pastor LaFleur and Mother LaFleur made the investment to make this place for the gathering of the saints. They parted their way with the copastor, and Pastor LaFleur became the Senior Pastor. This would continue the progression of Pastor LaFleur and Mother Rubie LaFleur’s work. Eventually, Pastor LaFleur and Mother LaFleur would go on and purchase the first Church Building on Fielding Road in Detroit. Maranatha Ministries of Detroit was established.
Mother Rubie LaFleur had faith and believed that her husband and she could build a new Church building from the ground up for the Maranatha’s saints. She saw the vision and designed the layout of the Church which included her signature design of a cross view on the ceiling of the Church. In 1987 Pastor LaFleur and Mother began to buy the lands next to the Fielding Church, buying multiple Lots of land with their own funds. After the purchase of the Lots and measuring the Land for the Church, Mother LaFleur began crafting the design working with an Architectural Company. Once the design was complete Pastor LaFleur and Mother LaFleur filed a Petition for the Courts having jurisdiction over the Brightmoore neighborhood to allow for a New Church Building. The Petition was Denied by the Court. Pastor LaFleur and Mother LaFleur did not become discouraged but filed an Appeal to the Higher Court. The Petition was then Granted for a New Church to be built on West Outer Drive.
A Church fund was started but fell extremely low for the required amount just to get the structure started. Therefore, Pastor LaFleur and Mother Stein LaFleur’s refinanced their home to use the equity of their home to start the building process. As the project continued, it was very difficult, so Pastor LaFleur and Mother LaFluer started to invest from their business daycare that Mother LaFleur owed and started to use equity from their other properties to pay contractors and purchase material for the building process. The building process began in 1988, and it was inhabitable in 1993, where Pastor LaFleur would perform his first wedding in the New Maranatha Church, for his daughter, Portia LaFleur, who married Tim Dye
In November of 1993, Maranatha Ministries of Detroit new Church building on 10770 Outer Drive, Detroit, MI was completed. Mother Rubie Stein LaFleur’s vision for a new building for the Church became a reality. Saints would witness a white dove fly down and land on the top peak of Maranatha’s Church building, which many believe represented the Holy Ghost upon Maranatha Ministries. This event is still grafted into the Church seal to this day.