In 2011, Adam Spurlock felt a stirring in his heart. Although he served as a student leader in his local church and had a successful job in the business world, he never could have anticipated what God had in store for him next.

It was while coaching a little league t-ball team in Hanahan, SC that God burdened his heart for the people of his city. He witnessed the brokenness and pain that existed and was filled with compassion. Adam felt a strong calling to bring the Gospel to every man, woman, and child in Hanahan, and to equip believers to be missionary-minded individuals on a mission within their own community.

A Church Planting Church

In January 2013, Restoration Community Church held its first public worship gathering, marking the beginning of their mission. From the start, the church had a vision to be a church planting church, recognizing the importance of expanding God’s kingdom by establishing new churches. In 2015, Joe Douglas joined Restoration as an associate pastor, leaving behind a career in public education to answer the call to full-time ministry.

Around 2020, Joe and his wife began to feel a stirring in their hearts for their own community, just a few miles away from Hanahan. They started to see it as a mission field and felt called to plant a church in the Nexton area of Summerville, SC. Restoration Community Church was privileged to send Joe, along with a worship leader, a children’s director, and approximately five families, to establish Kingdom Church. While the public services at Kingdom Church are scheduled to begin in November 2023, the church has already started making disciples, spreading the love and teachings of Jesus.

Leading Other Churches to Plant

Restoration Community Church has also had the opportunity to host Church Planting Assessment Retreats for the Start Team, an initiative of the South Carolina Baptist Convention (SCBC). “Restoration believes in the Cooperative Program and believes in what the SCBaptist Start Team is doing,” Spurlock said. “Hosting these retreats is a small contribution Restoration gets to make in efforts to see more churches planted in our state.”

Spurlock has personally coached aspiring church planters with the Start Team. He provides guidance and support, meeting with them over coffee or a meal, and discussing their progress in making disciples and equipping believers. Currently, Restoration has two church planting residents, Cory Hammond and David Williams, who have allowed Restoration to walk alongside them in their journey. As residents, they attend staff meetings, participate in decision-making processes, and have opportunities to develop their teaching and equipping abilities.

Recognizing the Need for the Gospel

The state of South Carolina has nearly 5 million residents, the majority of whom are not connected to a Gospel-centered evangelical church. Recognizing this tremendous need, Restoration Community Church emphasizes the urgency of planting more churches. They are dedicated to the mission of bringing hope and transformation to the lives of individuals and communities throughout the state, one church plant at a time.

As Adam Spurlock and Restoration Community Church continue to serve their community and partner with the Start Team, they embody the spirit of selfless dedication and love that defines the mission of planting churches. Through their efforts, they are planting seeds of hope, spreading the Gospel, and creating spaces for individuals to encounter the transformative power of Jesus Christ.