PLANTING PROSPECTUS

Mike Hanafee 971.246-4165 mikehanafee@resdetroit.org

THE NAME & MISSION OF RESTORE CHURCH ...................................................................................................... 1

THE VISION OF RESTORE CHURCH ........................................................................................................................ 2
ABOUT CENTRAL DETROIT .................................................................................................................................... 3
ABOUT MIKE ......................................................................................................................................................... 4
DOCTRINE ............................................................................................................................................................. 6
HOW IS THIS GOING TO HAPPEN? ........................................................................................................................ 7
TIMELINE ............................................................................................................................................................... 9
APPENDIX 1: WHAT IS GOSPEL CENTRALITY? ............................................................................................................. 10
APPENDIX 2: WHAT IS A MISSIONAL COMMUNITY? .................................................................................................... 11
 1

THE NAME
The Bible is the story of God restoring His Kingdom on earth through the work of Jesus.
In Revelation 21 we see something radical—God’s future redeemed world and universe
is depicted as a city, the New Jerusalem. What began in a garden will end in a city
where a restored multitude from every nation, tribe, people, and language will enjoy
God together forever!

At Restore we are committed to building not just a good church, but a great city by
bringing physical, racial, and spiritual restoration through the gospel of Jesus Christ.
We are seeking no less than a restored city, a Detroit that looks increasingly like the
city to come!

THE MISSION
To display and declare the gospel to every man, woman & child in the 48202 and 48206
zip codes multiple times in multiple expressions in order to see people discipled to Jesus
& deployed by Jesus so they can be the church on mission saturating Detroit with Christ.
 2

THE VISION
To plant a gospel-centered, incarnational, missional, multiplying movement for
all people through the discipleship & deployment of indigenous converts.

Gospel-centered—This is not the first on a list of core values but our CORE VALUE
from which all the others flow. Our message is not moralism, not pragmatism, not
political agendas, but who Jesus is & what He has done. We are made right with God
by Him & we live out our relationship through Him. Unbelievers and believers need
Jesus. The Gospel is not the ABC’s of the Christianity but the A to Z of Christianity.

Incarnational—In the ultimate missionary act God became man & lived among &
served humanity in the power of the Spirit before giving Himself a sacrifice for
sinners. As those sent by the “sent one” (Jn 20:21) we want to follow His example not
only by living in Central Detroit but by serving & becoming part of central Detroit.

Missional—Though the word “missional” has become a bit of a buzzword there

really is nothing new or sexy about the concept. Missional living is simply about
Christians living intentionally in community before and with the greater community
in ways (I Peter 1-3) that demand a gospel explanation (I Pet 3:15). Every believer is a
paid full time missionary (we just get our check routed in different ways!) and is to
wrap his/her life around mission with others in intentional community.

Multiplying movement—Our marching orders are unarguably clear—“in going

make disciples” (Matt 28:19). This demands not only multiplying disciples but also
multiplying churches in partnership with others who champion this kingdom
advancing passion. As the missional communities that will compose Restore Church
grow, some will become new churches through which the gospel advances across the
neighborhoods and outward.

Discipleship & deployment of indigenous converts—We are not bringing a

church into central Detroit (the Potted Plant approach) but organically building a
church within central Detroit (the Native Soil approach). Gospel movements that
experience lasting traction are those that emphasize discipling and deploying new
converts from the local soil. Therefore we put a high premium on both formal & life
discipleship through our missional communities and, incrementally, but in significant
ways, deploying new Jesus followers. We disciple new believers by bringing them on
mission with us, we deploy new believers by going on mission with them.
 3

ABOUT CENTRAL DETROIT

Known as the “crown jewel of the Midwest” during the post WWII car manufacturing
boom, Detroit enjoys a very very rich industrial, architectural, athletic, and musical
legacy—from Henry Ford to the Fisher Building, from Joe Louis to the Eastern Market,
from Aretha Franklin to the waterfront, and many other people and places. Covering an
area the size of Boston, Manhattan, and San Francisco combined, Detroit has much to
offer. I loved and enjoyed the city as a child and I love and enjoy the city as an adult.
Author and apologist Francis Schaeffer called humanity “The Glorious Ruin.” There is
indeed a glory to Detroit! At the same time, many would acknowledge with one glance
at the schools, governmental corruption, neighborhoods, past (and current) race
relations, crime statistics, and the conditions of many of the residents that Detroit is
profoundly broken. Some have even go so far to say that Detroit is beyond restoration.

But God, who is over all and able to breathe life into dry bones, is moving on Motown.
With many eyes on Detroit as the test case for the future of the post-industrial rust belt
 4

city several interesting things have happened. A new, no nonsense, and reforming
chapter in city government is being written as Dave Bing (former Detroit Piston star) has
taken office. A strategic initiative (NEXT) has been launched to reinforce & redevelop 6
distinct neighborhoods. Federal funding is being deployed. Grassroots community
betterment organizations are emerging (ModelD). Several companies are moving into
Detroit among which are some high-tech businesses. A $430 million public light rail
system has been proposed for Detroit with construction scheduled to begin late 2011.
Of course, apart from the gospel, such revitalization will only be cosmetic and not
genuinely transforming. But we believe these are waves of opportunity upon which the
gospel can advance in and through Detroit, and that we are called to join others who are
seizing this great moment to make known the saving fame of Jesus.

Specifically, God has lead us to plant Restore in the Northend & Boston-Edison
neighborhoods of Central Detroit. Within the 48202 & 48206 zip codes (with a
combined population of 52,000) nearly half the households are under the poverty line &
over half the working age population is either unemployed or not in the labor force.
{statistics from PerceptGroup} Northend, under considerable urban blight with a high
concentration of unwed mothers, is 1 of the 6 neighborhoods targeted by the NEXT
initiative. The average income in the Northend is $20,708. Boston-Edison, while still
experiencing a real measure of blight is a bit more economically stable. More recently
people are beginning to move into Boston-Edison because of its history and culture,
solid housing stock, and proximity to Wayne State and the downtown district.

We believe we are getting in on something really big for the advance of the gospel to all
peoples in central Detroit! We believe that God has a people for His name in these
neighborhoods (Acts 19:10) who will become a movie trailer (I Peter 2:9-10) for His
everlasting gospel celebration by all peoples (Revelation 7:9-12).

ABOUT MIKE
Raised in the Detroit Area I fondly remember every spring my mom taking a day off from
work & me out of school to attend opening day at old Tiger Stadium. In high school I
spent much time in and around Detroit playing sports. After attending the College of
William & Mary, I served as an infantry officer in the USMC, and in 1996 in God’s saving
mercy I became a follower of Jesus. Upon completion of a 5 year tour I began what I
thought was a career in production management. But God had other plans (recognized
by others first) in calling me into full time ministry. After graduating from seminary with
 5

an MDiv (2001) I served as an outreach pastor in South Bend, IN before serving as Pastor
for Preaching and Vision at Grace & Truth Bible Church in Hillsboro, OR.

I see the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15 as a picture of my spiritual journey. Prior
to conversion I was very much the younger brother in “reckless living.” For a season
after conversion I had a very “elder brotheristic” view of the Christian life in which
tradition trumped truth and daily standing with God was about personal performance
rather than the Father’s infinite love for His children. In God’s continuing mercy I have
come to see that the Christian life is informed by the gospel, fueled by grace, and
focused on Jesus. As Tim Keller puts
it, “We are far more sinful and
flawed than we ever imagined and
yet far more loved and accepted by
God than we ever dared hope for!”

Outside of Christ Himself, my

greatest blessing is God’s gift in
Susan who has been an integral part
of my journey of faith. We met and
married in North Carolina while I was
serving in the Marine Corps. We
have a blast with our five fun-loving
children—Kevin (14), Carolyn (10),
Ian (9), Claire (7), and Emma (4). You
can often find the kids piled on me,
and Susan reminding us not to break
anything in the house.

We are passionate about the

sufficiency of the gospel to mobilize ordinary Christians (like us) to be on mission and
joyfully go all out to make Jesus known. A few years ago I was preaching a series
through Acts and was gripped by Paul’s words in 20:24, “But I do not account my life of
any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I
received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” We desire to
cross the finish line with lactic acid built up in our legs, lungs burning, sore and spent,
believing this will make the eternal celebration of Christ’s victory all the sweeter!
 6

Joining us in this call and passion are

longtime friends and now formal ministry
partners Clete and Ruth Bontrager. The
Bontragers are extremely dedicated
servants who constantly connect with
and make a difference in the lives of non-
Christians. Clete and Ruth have four
beautiful children—Katie (15), Kellie (14),
Clete (8), and Clay (6). Clete owns an
internet hubcap business which he will
relocate with his family to Detroit.
Clete and I have had a very busy spring
and summer of 2010. On a March
scouting trip we spent 10 days driving
nearly 1500 miles in and around Detroit.
In addition to finding confirmation for
our ministry area we forged several new
relationships with churches, Midwest
church planting organizations, and individuals. In April, Susan and I completed the Acts
29 Network church planting assessment process and I was approved as a full candidate
without conditions (http://www.acts29network.org/plant-a-church/). In May, Susan,
Clete and I attended Soma School for church planters at Soma Communities in Tacoma,
WA (http://www.somacommunities.org/learners/soma-school/). Later that month I
spent a week in Denver at an Acts 29 church planters bootcamp and for ministry with an
inner city church. In June, Clete and traveled again to Detroit to follow up with previous
contacts, make new contacts, and look at houses. On June 30 I transitioned from my
responsibilities as Pastor for Preaching and Vision at Grace & Truth. In July, Susan and
Ruth traveled with us to Detroit for further preparation for our move.

DOCTRINE
Restore Church affirms:
The Confessional Statement of The Gospel Coalition
http://www.thegospelcoalition.org/about/foundation-documents/confessional/
The Doctrinal Statement of The Acts 29 Network
http://www.acts29network.org/about/doctrine/
 7

HOW IS THIS GOING TO HAPPEN?

PRAY
This is not just something we are supposed to say before we get onto the money thing.
We desperately need many, many people to pray for the birth and growth of Restore
Church! Church planters face much spiritual warfare—so please pray for the Hanafee &
Bontrager families. We are way over our heads, but find great confidence in the reality
that God loves to use clay pots to show his power! Pray that key relationships will be
made that open up doors for the gospel. Pray fervently that God would ignite by His
Spirit at Restore the five-fold chain reaction we see in the book of Acts—empowerment
(2:1-4), proclamation & harvest (2:36-41), community formation (2:41-47), mobilization
(6:1-4, 8:4), & multiplication (9:31). Please pray for the sale of the Hanafee home in
Oregon. Pray for God to gather in these next months to Restore Church those called to
advance the Gospel in Detroit. Pray that given our current economic climate the needed
money would come in. Pray. With God, all things are possible!
 8

GIVE
While it is said planters in impoverished urban contexts like ours need upwards of seven
years to become self-sustaining, the goal is for Restore Church to be self-sustaining after
year four. This means, to get Restore Church off the ground, we need $105,000 a year
for four years. The money goes toward Mike’s salary (housing, health insurance, etc),
administrative costs, outreach, training, special projects, & facility rental.
In order to meet our four-year goal
of $420,000, Restore Church is Yearly Giving Needs
$500,000.00
looking for churches and individuals
$400,000.00
to join us as financial partners. Some
$300,000.00
have the resources to give boldly $200,000.00
and consistently over the entire $100,000.00
four-year stretch, while others may $-
commit to a portion, while still Year Year Year Year Total
1 2 3 4
others can only commit at this time
to a one-time gift. In the life of a young, missional church in our context, truly every
dollar makes a difference! You can give online securely at www.resdetroit.org or email
me directly (mikehanafee@resdetroit.org) about mailing a check to Restore Church.

SHARE
Please forward this church planting prospectus to anyone who might be interested in
what we are doing.

JOIN
There are some who might consider moving
to central Detroit. Do you dream about
doing something new and lasting for God’s
glory and your joy in Him? Do you want to
try the impossible in utter dependence on
and hope in the God of the impossible?
Pray about moving to Detroit, getting a job,
starting a business, or raising money & being
an integral part of Restore Church. Already
we have spoken with several who have
expressed interest. We’d love to talk!
 9

TIMELINE
August 2010 – December 2010
Fundraising
Complete house renovation—1626 Boston Boulevard
Move to Boston-Edison Neighborhood of Detroit & weave ourselves into the
community as much as possible via neighborhood parties, kids’ activities, etc
Develop relationships with community and church leaders
Establish relationships with street people, the homeless, and the poor
Gather leadership and launch teams and begin meeting as a missional community
(Restore Group) for vision, prayer, planning and study of The Prodigal God
Research and plan neighborhood projects to create legitimacy in our community

January 2011 — May 2011

Continue gathering and training leadership and launch teams as a Restore Group
Restore Group Study 1 & 2 — The Gospel-Centered Life & Total Church
Restore Group Neighborhood Project 1 & 2
Explore creation of community proximity space (“third place”) by leadership team
member, Clete Bontrager

June 2011 – August 2011

Accelerate to 1x a week neighborhood cookouts
Restore Group Study 3 —The Story-Formed Way (Soma). Ramped up effort to have
many locals & non-Christians commit to & participate in this 10 week study
Restore Group Neighborhood Project 3
Transition into 2 Restore Groups
September 2011 –
Begin preview worship services
Continue Restore Groups as the front door into the Restore Church community
At 40 committed adults, plan & publicize launch & ongoing weekly worship services
 10

APPENDIX 1: WHAT IS GOSPEL CENTRALITY?

In the earlier part of my Christian life the gospel was like a door—it’s only utility was
telling other’s how to get in. And when the guilt of performance driven life became
particularly heavy, I would look back at “my decision” to stab at assurance. Functionally
the gospel — the good news of God’s grace for sinners through Jesus’ perfect life,
sacrificial death, and resurrection, and His gospel gift of the Holy Spirit — was relegated
to the past. A living relationship was subtly replaced by tradition, moralism, & self-
effort, all in the name of Jesus. In God’s continuing mercy I came to see that the gospel
is not just the ABC’s of Christianity but the A to Z of Christianity. The Gospel is not just a
door we walk through at one point in time. It is a home we live in. A greenhouse we
grow in. A hospital where we are healed from the affliction of sin. An armory where we
are armed for the fight against sin. A banquet table where we celebrate Jesus’ victory
over sin. You could go on & on! Out of this we forged a statement a few years ago at
Grace & Truth regarding a gospel-centered church. A gospel centered church is a church
where every aspect of faith & practice is deliberately grounded in & energized by the
redemptive work of Christ.

Real change—genuine transformation that frees us in the heart from the bondage of
idols so that we can walk in the ways of Christ—cannot happen apart from the gospel of
grace. Therefore at Restore Church all of our teaching, worship, outreach, social
activism, and discipleship will be honed in on the gospel. We are committed to:
• Reading and teaching the entire Bible in light of the gospel. All of the stories of the
Bible exist to point us to the hero of the overarching story of the Bible, Jesus.
• Preaching the gospel to believers, not just unbelievers.
• Leaders applying the gospel to themselves first; leaders must be lifetime repenters.
• Cultivating a leadership culture marked by ever increasing “gospel astonishment.”
• Being known for an atmosphere of grace; gospel‐centered churches are safe places for
seekers, skeptics and those outside of the faith.
• Producing people who don’t just know the doctrine of the gospel but who love the
person of Jesus Christ.
 11

APPENDIX 2: WHAT IS A MISSIONAL COMMUNITY?

In the last few years God has transformed my view of the church. I came to see that
though we are to gather to worship God and celebrate His gospel, we don’t go to
church, we are to be the church 24/7. Our weekly worship services, while a great
privilege and very significant, will only be a small slice of church life. We are not to have
an inward focus on a place but an outward focus as a people. I came to see that the
church ultimately exists not to draw other Christians by having a better product, but to
bring God glory by partnering with Him for the work of the great commission. The
mission of God is to restore all things to Himself in and through the work of Jesus Christ.
As the people of God we are empowered by the Spirit of God to participate in all of life
in the mission of God!

At Restore Church, missional communities (Restore Groups) are the primary means
through which we will mobilize people together to live a life on mission. A missional
community consists of a committed core of believers who live out the mission of God
together in a specific area or to a particular people group by demonstrating the gospel
in tangible forms and declaring the gospel to others—both those who believe it and
those who are being exposed to it. To clarify, a missional community is NOT primarily a
small group, Bible study, support group, social activist group, or weekly meeting.

Our hope is that every person who is committed to Restore will be fully involved in a
missional community and eventually the missional communities will multiply and
together form new churches in the city. We believe God is still more committed to His
mission being accomplished than us having our preferred worship experience.

Each Missional community will:

1. Be led by a team committed to leading, shepherding, equipping and organizing a
community on mission.
2. Grow together in understanding and application of the Gospel to who we are
(Identities) because of God’s work in and through Jesus.
3. Live out the weekly rhythms of a family on mission together.
4. Identify, equip and release new leadership to begin new missional communities.

Adapted from Soma Communities

For a sample of an actual Missional Community covenant
http://www.somacommunities.org/mediafiles/soma-life-sample-covenant.pdf