Renew is a faith based ministry to help break destructive patterns, heal from past hurt, while cultivating healthy community.
Who we are:
It is often easier to remain steadfast and faithful when you’re on a remote property, removed from distractions and the busyness of everyday life. After spending six intentional, minimalist months at Farm 58 — with no computer, no phone, no transportation, no internet, no job responsibilities, no bills, and no outside relationships — the question becomes: How will you respond to temptations and the stresses of life, work, and family once you return to the world?
Downtown Renew exists to answer that question. We call it “Phase 2.” Here, we walk alongside the men as they are reintegrated into everyday life — work, family, community, and the temptations that come with them. We emphasize transparency and accountability. We model vulnerability and authentic fellowship. Most importantly, we demonstrate daily dependence on Christ.
This phase is about building upon the foundation established at the farm and beginning to construct a lasting spiritual “home.”
“Everyone then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain fell, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock.” — Matthew 7:24
A truly renewed life doesn’t confine faith to Sundays. Instead, it reframes every aspect of life through the lens of the gospel. At Downtown Renew, we walk alongside the men as they learn to budget wisely, maintain their living spaces, engage in healthy fellowship within the church body, and pursue work and family life with a godly focus.
Upon leaving the farm, the men move into one of four duplexes in Chattanooga, sharing an apartment with three others. They are responsible for cleaning, grocery shopping, preparing their own meals, attending Bible studies, and maintaining steady employment. Their workweek runs Wednesday through Sunday, with Monday as their Sabbath and Tuesday set aside for cleaning, shopping, and preparing for the week ahead.
Their schedules are intentionally structured to include Bible studies, counseling, classes, and volunteering opportunities throughout the community. While they experience more freedom in their daily lives, they remain under supervision and discipleship. This environment allows them to encounter real-world temptations while still having the guardrails of mentorship and accountability in place to help them work through their challenges.
Each man’s transition is unique, and we tailor our approach accordingly. Some of the areas we focus on include budgeting, money management, credit repair, addressing unresolved relational or financial responsibilities, securing employment, obtaining transportation, and moving toward permanent housing. Our goal is to equip each man to transition well and have every opportunity to succeed in life.
Our prayer is that through the ministry of Renew, every man will have the time and space to establish a firm foundation in the Lord and to “work out his faith with fear and trembling.” When the time comes for him to graduate, he will be fully equipped in both his relationship with Christ and his engagement within the body of believers.
