Pastor’s Corner with Chris Ratcliff

Chris Ratcliff

Chris Ratcliff serves as the lead pastor at Hope Community Church in Detroit, MI, where he leads alongside his wife, Amanda, and their four beautiful children—two daughters and two sons—all ranging in age from three to nine. As you can imagine, their life is filled with joy, busyness, and of course some challenges. Juggling family life and pastoral responsibilities can be demanding, but Chris embraces the busy nature of his household as a blessing.

Growing up in Grand Rapids, MI, Chris experienced a familiar story: attending church mainly during difficult times. A pivotal moment came during middle school when he joined the football team coached by a man from Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). This relationship sparked a transformation for Chris; at age 12, he made the decision to be baptized and began to grasp the love of Jesus.

Ratcliff Family

Chris’s football talent earned him a scholarship to Wayne State University where he majored in Communications. Despite his success on the field, his initial path was not ministry-focused. However, inspired by the dedication of his coach who invested significantly in him, Chris felt compelled to give back through nonprofit work after graduation. It wasn’t until his senior year that he felt the strong call of the Holy Spirit leading him toward a deeper commitment to Jesus.

During this time at university, Chris became actively involved at a local church where he met Amanda, his future wife. This church connected him with Christopher Brooks who was establishing the Urban Scholars Program at Moody Theological Seminary. Chris became one of the first recipients of this scholarship which led him to Moody Theological Seminary where he graduated with a Masters of Spiritual Formation and Discipleship.

Chris’s journey continued as an intern under Kevin Butcher at Hope Community Church—his time at Hope and his relationship with Kevin profoundly shaped his understanding of God’s unconditional love versus performance-based religion. He went on to plant a church and after three years, felt called back to Hope Community. The church had been through some difficult times, Kevin had moved on to create “Rooted” and the church was in financial crisis. Chris became part of a “Team Model” with multiple pastors, and in 2022 he became the interim pastor and then shortly thereafter was voted in as the lead pastor.

Under Chris’s leadership during those tumultuous financial circumstances, he championed total financial transparency which led into what was initially envisioned as a five-year campaign but transformed into only one-year — what a remarkable success!

Hope Community is currently collaborating with two architectural firms to help design and build community spaces aimed at serving local neighborhoods. Hope continues its legacy of resilience despite ups and downs throughout its history. Under Chris’s leadership, this congregation exemplifies how they strive not just to exist but thrive by showcasing the profound love of Jesus within their community.