Church intentionally seeks to be multicultural

Restoration Church is intentionally building itself as a multicultural and multiethnic church that reflects Rev. 7:9, which describes "a great multitude of all people, nations and tongues."

"The kingdom of God is not segregated," said Andre Dove, the presiding preacher and apostle. "We have African American, biracial, white, Hispanics, a family from Thailand and a man from the Central African Republic.

"God's intent is that his church should not be homogeneous or monocultural, but to be multicultural in Spokane requires that we are intentional in our efforts," he said.

That intention is reflected in who is in leadership roles or power positions in a congregation.

"Monocultural churches often struggle to engage people from different cultural backgrounds as leaders," Andre explained.

"We are made in God's image, so when there are multiple voices at the table, those voices and needs should be heard," he said.

For Andre, part of being intentional was his research of the cultural breakdown of people within an 11-mile radius of the Restoration Church at 2815 W. Sunset Blvd.

The demographic background is 78.9 percent white, 7.7 percent Hispanic, 2.8 percent Black, 1.9 percent American Indian or Alaska Native, 2.5 percent Asian, .9 percent Pacific Islander, 2.5 percent other races and 10 percent people of two or more races.

"Knowing these demographics is part of gathering different people," he said.

Andre said that Restoration has about 50 members.

"Building a multicultural, multiethnic church also takes endurance in continually compelling all people to come," he said.

"There would be no need for Black churches if racism was not an issue," he said. "We do not identify as a Black church just because I am Black. We identify as a kingdom church that desires the nations to come."

Andre's own blended family—with children ranging in age from five to 33 years old—reflects his vision for the church. His wife of six years, Laurie, is white. Her two oldest children are white, and she has a biracial daughter. Andre's oldest child is biracial, the next three are Black and their own five-year-old child is biracial. Their oldest daughter is marrying a man from the Mariana Islands.

"God will send people to Restoration Church who have a heart to be in a multicultural, multiracial church," Andre said. "It takes time to engage other cultures. We do not know what God will do to tear down the walls of racism and sexism.

"God calls our church to be different. People are transformed by relating across race and finding a place where their voice is heard," he said.

He pointed out that those who ask, "Why do we have to always talk about race?" is not ready for multicultural ministry.

Andre shared his journey into ministry at Restoration Church.

He was born and raised in Joliet, Ill., 30 miles east of Chicago, growing up in Christ Temple Apostolic Faith Church, a Pentecostal denomination.

He came to Spokane from Joliet in 1988 when his mother moved with the family seeking a better life. Because there were few Black people here, Andre, then 10, returned to Joliet to stay with his grandmother, but came back to attend University High School as a sophomore.

At 19, he felt God's call on his life to preach the Gospel. It was recognized by his Sunday school teacher when he was five telling his mother to have him sit in the front row because, "The Lord is calling him into ministry."

From 1994 to 2001, he served the U.S. Air Force in San Antonio, Tex., Biloxi, Miss., and Tacoma, Wash.

In 2005, he earned a bachelor's degree in religion at Faith International University in Tacoma, followed by two other degrees in theology with an emphasis on urban ministry—a master's at Grand Canyon University in 2018, and a doctorate of ministry degree in 2026 from Liberty University in Lynchburg, Va.

While he has also been part of Baptist, non-denominational and Church of God in Christ churches, his foundational understanding of ministry began in the Pentecostal Churches of the Apostolic Faith.

"I believe in the five-fold ministry described in Eph. 4:11 and I Cor. 12:28, which says that God gave gifts to be apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers. These gifts are meant to equip believers for service, leading to the growth, maturity and unity of the Christian body," Andre said.

His older brother is apostolic overseer of Restoration Churches and other churches across the nation.

Serving at McChord AFB in Tacoma, Andre joined Altheimer Memorial Church of God in Christ and yielded to God's call to be a preacher.

After being discharged, Andre settled in Tacoma for a few years. From 2009 to 2012, he was dean of students at Vatterott College in Kansas City before returning to Spokane, where his mother still lives.

"I thought I would settle on the West Side to avoid the racism I experienced in Spokane, but there were no jobs open," Andre said. "The Lord did not want me there and closed those doors."

He found a job at Spokane Falls Community College as a workforce coordinator helping adult learners finish studies to improve their lives. After a year, he was recruited to be dean of students at the STEM-oriented Pride Prep middle school.

"It was a wonderful school for kids who did not fit in traditional education. BIPOC students went to Pride Prep for grades six to eight and thrived," he said.

For seven years, he was dean of students and then vice principal as Pride Prep grew and added Innovation High School for ninth to 12th grades.  Innovation High continues, but Pride Prep has closed.

Andre left the school to go into full-time ministry.

"Restoration was a fledgling ministry trying to grow," he described, adding, "I have done lawn care, electrical work, plumbing and put in new doors."

In 2013 he started at the church, which was formerly St. Matthews Institutional Baptist Church. That church had moved from 5th and Arthur into the former Sunset Hill Baptist Church on Sunset Blvd. There was a two-year transition from the ministry of the late Eugene Singleton, former pastor of St. Matthews Institutional Baptist Church, to Andre.

"To have a fresh start, the church moved from affiliation with the Southern Baptist denomination. It changed its name to Restoration Church and is a non-denominational organization.

"God called me to be an Apostle. I am not the only one preaching. We also have prophets, evangelists, teachers and preachers. I believe in the work of ministry, edifying the body until we come into unity of faith and Jesus returns," explained Andre, whose ministry includes a street ministry in the West Hills neighborhood with people who are experiencing homelessness or drug addiction.

"I pray with them and connect them with resources, such as at Union Gospel Mission," he said.

One of Restoration Church's preachers leads worship at UGM on second Wednesdays.

Andre has partnered with Kyron Environmental for two years to train people for jobs in asbestos remediation, as building inspectors and other jobs. The company teaches classes to prospective employees at the church.

Andre also helps people search for and sign up for jobs.

Another partner is Cedric Bradley with the Hope Club. He connects with people on the streets, involves them in treatment programs and helps them find jobs and housing. He has outgrown the space at the church and now has an office in the Community Building downtown.

Andre sees that his mission is to receive people into the church and equip them to be biblically literate, so they are not only followers of Jesus but also leaders who go out to compel more people to come.

"I equip them to share the good news of God's word," he said.

Andre is the primary preacher and trains ministers, who share responsibility for preaching with him and who minister to him.

"I believe women can be ministers, so women preach, too," he added.

In addition to his ministry with the church, Andre has a consulting group, Dove Consulting, which focuses on education, leadership, mentoring, church revitalization and diversity training.

For information, call 535-6926, email andre@restorationchurchspokane.com or visit restorationchurchspokane.com