Yes, we’ve changed our name!

September 18th, 2011 is the day that we officially became Restoration Worship Centers, Intl. Easily known and often referred to as simply…Restoration!

Why did we change our name? That’s a great question. This is why…

• It’s not about us – It’s about the multitudes of people standing on the outside of the church looking in. It’s about those looking for Christ and His saving, restoring power. This new name helps others better understand who we are and most importantly, what we do.
• It’s simple and relevant - This new name simplifies our identity. It’s easy to remember. It’s easy to repeat. It’s relatable and relevant to the needs of our time. Everyone needs restoration in some area of their life.
• It’s our commission - For us as members, our new name will do more than identify us. It will inspire, motivate, direct and focus our work. It will serve as a constant reminder of what we are commissioned to do – restore lives in Christ’ name.

And Yes, we have a wonderful new website! Feel free to browse around and make yourself familiar. For more information on our name change look There’s plenty of great things to see, hear and watch and plenty more to come! Thank you so much for visiting us!

Full circle
Coach renews ties in work and worship
By Christie Storm Posted: September 15, 2011 at 5 a.m

When Razorbacks head basketball coach Mike Anderson and his wife, Marcheita, returned to Arkansas they knew exactly where they would be on Sunday mornings.

There was no doubt, Anderson said. We were coming back home.

They were returning to Life Harvester Church, the congregation that started in their Fayetteville living room in 1998. And there they would listen to their friends, pastor Dexter Howard and his wife, Genette, preach just as they had on countless Sundays before.

In many ways, Anderson and his wife have come full circle.

Theyve returned to their church, their friends and their many Razorbacks fans.

Not very many people get the opportunity to go back home, especially the way the Lord broughtus home, with Mike having had success and coming back, Marcheita said. They were calling for him to come home [and coach] and then to come back home and your friends are here. It really is amazing and its like we didnt miss a beat.

Dexter Howard, the founding pastor of Life Harvester Church, said he knew all along that one day the Andersons would come back to Arkansas.

I told him [years ago], I really believe you are going to be the head coach here, Howard said.

And I said, Yeah, yeah, Anderson said with a laugh.

Howard turned out to be right, but he didnt want the Andersons back just for the Razorbacks. The two families have been friends for years and their spiritual connections also run deep. The Andersons helped get Life Harvester started, and they poured their time and their hearts into the congregation and supported the Howards at every turn.

Anderson said he and Marcheita believed in Howards vision of a church to serve the community of south Fayetteville and the students of the University of Arkansas, especially the athletes.

I think you always want to encourage people when they have a vision, have a dream, he said.It gave us the opportunity to give of ourselves … and even when we left we continued to pour into it, spiritually and financially.

Marcheita said she could see the Howards passion for God and their love of the Lord.

I think spirits match spirits and, like Genette says, we have the same DNA, Marcheita said. We like being part of a church that believes in helping the community. Thats so big, to take the church outside … . I think its a call for all of us.

Its sentiment echoed by Anderson.

Thats part of our assignment … to come back and to help them continue to [affect] this community.

Howard and Anderson met at the University of Arkansas in the early 90s. At the time Anderson was an assistant to coach Nolan Richardson, helping lead the mens basketball program. Howard was a football player. The Howards got acquainted with the Andersons further while attending St. James Missionary Baptist Church and later at Christian Life Cathedral, both in Fayetteville.

Ive always had that little brother, big brother relationship with Coach, Howard said.

The couples friendship grew over the years, and when Howard was sent by the Christian Life Cathedral to start a nondenominational congregation in south Fayetteville, the Andersons joined him. The church held worship services at the Clarion Inn and later at a storefront rental space before buying a building on Government Avenue.

The couples bond remained strong even when the Andersons left Arkansas for coaching jobs in Birmingham, Ala., and Columbia, Mo.

We never lost that connection, Howard said.

Genette and Marcheita would talk for hours on the phone. The families would get together in the summers and take vacations. Dexter Howard said the Andersons always wanted to know what was going on at the church.

On Mike Andersons first Sunday back, he couldnt believe how much the little church that started with 18 members had grown. The church now has more than 300 members.

The first time I came back,the first word I told Marcheita was Wow, Anderson said. Its like theyve grown up. Theyve got it going on. And, even on my journey, that has taken place for me as well. As Ive gone full circle and Im back at a place Im familiar with, its like going back to your family.

The timing of the Andersons return to Arkansas coincided with a new chapter in the life of the church as well. Starting Sunday, Life Harvester will be known as Restoration. Howard calls it a relaunching of the church. Marcheita says the congregation is simply stepping into a name that fits a role theyve lived out for years – restoring lives and restoring faith.

Thats a description of where theyve been working, Marcheita Anderson said. And to take that name as the mantle of the church, I think that fits.

In keeping with theirroots, the congregation held a relaunching reception in the Andersons living room last Sunday, on Sept. 11.

Marcheita pointed to the parallels between the couples lives – both are starting anew, in a way, she said.

Its so significant that we come back to Northwest Arkansas, and my husband is talking about remodeling the basketball program, and then to think about our place at Life Harvester Church as they do the same, she said.

As for Genette, shes just overjoyed to have her best friend back.

All that other stuff is great and true, but personally if there was no Life Harvester, no Razorbacks, shes come back, Genette said. Look at God. Thats all I can say.

Restoration will have worship services at 10:30 a.m. Sunday at 682 S. Government Ave. Information is available online at restorationnwa.org.