Ministry:  Iglesia Evangelica de Fe/Church of Faith EFCA
Location:  Allentown, PA
Project:  Building Purchase and Remodel

Story:  "When I got to the church it reminded me of an Island of hope in a dark sea," shares Alex Mandes, Director of Hispanic Ministries for the EFCA.  "When we went inside everything was different.  The building was set up perfectly for the assembly.  Parents could worship in peace, knowing that the children had plenty of space to play indoors in the little gym...It was one of the first places that I preached at in my new position as Director of Hispanic Ministries.  It was a great place to start.  A place of hope made possible by people who know how to [plant churches] over and over again.  Thank you Christian Investors.  You are hope givers!  Amigos de Esperanza!!"

Iglesia Evangelica de Fe is a multi-cultural church plant by Urban and Intercultural Missions of the Evangelical Free Church of America, which is fully bilingual, pastored by Marcos Solt and his wife Ruth Colleen.  They moved to Pennsylvania following the successful plant of a church in Newark, NJ.  Nearby Faith EFC, formed an "encouragers team" to support the Solts in their search for a location to plant a Hispanic EFC church.  In its brief 3 year history, Iglesia Evangelica de Fe has grown to an average of 60 people in attendance on a Sunday.  Their congregation is nearly half Hispanic and half Anglo and approximately 10% other cultures.

Dr. Solt and his congregation are focusing on growing their church through conversion and reaching those that do not attend a church in their community.  Similar to the team of encouragers that formed to help plant the church, Dr. Solt is quick to give credit to the team approach the church has with the greater EFCA organization.  "We get to share the royalties," he declares, in reference to the blessings we all get to share in heaven when the Kingdom of God is expanded and more people get to know Jesus Christ as their Savior.  The team approach includes the "Servant elders" of the church as well as leaders such as Roy Larson of the Eastern District of the EFCA and the work with CIF to finance the building.
 
In just 5 weeks of a campaign to raise funds to payoff their mortgage, they have raised $37,000!  Praise the Lord!  The goal is to pay off the mortgage so that the funds can be redirected to assist another church plant.

There are approximately 40,000 Spanish speaking people in the Allentown area.  The new building purchased by Iglesia Evangelica de Fe is in the northwest part of downtown, ministering to all who come their way and actively seeking to serve those in their community.  The Solts plan to continue planting churches and training leadership for the urban, ethnic context.