A LEGACY OF FAITH AND COMMUNITY
Discover our history built on faith, growing in community, and committed to sharing God's love.
Humble Beginings
Founded with a God-Given Vision
Our History
The church in Sioux City began as an independent congregation in the early 2000s. It started in the home of Brother Javier Calvo, who was serving as an independent pastor. The initial group consisted of his family—six people in total: Pastor Calvo, his wife, their three children, and his mother-in-law.
Soon after, the Lord began to add more families to the group, including Sister Angela Hernandez, Sister Lucy Espinoza (who now attends the church in Sioux Falls, SD), Sister Rosa Caceres, and Sister Estela Alvarado. These were challenging times, as the church was not affiliated with any organization and had no outside support. Still, the group remained faithful and continued gathering for nearly two years.
Eventually, the church moved into a rented space located at 1501 W 4th St in Sioux City, with a membership of about 25 people. They met there for roughly four years. Thanks to Pastor Calvo’s dedication and commitment to the work of God, the church began to grow. During that time, a visitor named Diego Mateo Nicolás, of Guatemalan descent, began attending regularly.
Around 2004, the church transitioned from being independent and officially joined the Apostolic Assembly of the Faith in Christ Jesus under the supervision of the church in Kansas City, MO, led by Pastor and Elder Herminio Leal. For approximately one year, the Sioux City church remained under the care of the Kansas congregation.
Time of Testing
As is common in the life of any church, challenges arose within the congregation. As a result, Pastor Javier Calvo decided to step down and entrusted the church to Elder Herminio Leal. Following this transition, most of the members left, leaving only Brother Diego and Sister Estela, with Sisters Carmen and Esther attending occasionally.
Pastor Calvo handed over the church keys to Brother Diego, who took responsibility for managing the church. When brothers from Kansas City visited and saw the low attendance, they considered closing the church permanently. However, Brother Diego and Sister Estela firmly opposed this and expressed their commitment to continue the work.
Moved by their determination, the leadership decided to transfer the supervision of the church to the Mid-America North Region, under the guidance of Elder Dolores Hernández. Leaders from the region began to visit regularly. Pastor Faustino Corral, Pastor Elias Elizondo, and then-Deacon Remigio Ramos led Sunday services for about eight months until Minister Mario Ruiz was installed as the overseeing minister. He served faithfully for approximately four years.
Our Growth & Impact
Since the Foundation of the Church
Since it’s inception, the church has experienced God’s faithfulness in extraordinary ways. Through Spirit-filled worship, biblical teaching, and a heart for outreach, we have expanded our ministries, strengthened families, and helped people grow in their walk with Christ. Over the Years we have witnessed:
Lives Transformed
Through the power of God's Word.
A Growing Community
of faith, love, and service.
New Believers Baptized
In the name of Jesus Christ.
Miracles and Divine Healing
through the power of prayer and faith.
Where We Are Today
Growing in Faith and Impact
In 2014, Pastor Elias Samano was installed as the local pastor. He, his wife, and their three children relocated from New Ulm, MN, to Sioux City to continue serving in the work of the Lord. In 2017, under Pastor Samano’s leadership, the church successfully purchased its own building and launched Friendship Groups in homes across the city.
This evangelism strategy has been fruitful, as the Lord continues to bless the ministry. Many souls have come to know and follow Jesus Christ. Today, the church has grown to approximately 120 active members, and six active cell groups continue to meet throughout the city.
A historic moment for our congregation took place on August 11–12, 2023, when we hosted the Mid-America North Regional Convention for the first time in the state of Iowa. During this convention, the first minister of the Sioux City church, Brother Pablo Mendoza, was ordained, along with Brother Juan Aguilar, who now serves as a deacon.
Where We Are Today
Building a Lasting Legacy of Faith
With God’s help and the collective effort of the entire congregation, we look forward to continued growth and the fulfillment of our mission: to extend the gospel throughout our city and into the surrounding communities, all for the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. With faith as our foundation we seek to:
Strengthen our Church Family
By fostering deeper relationships and spiritual growth.
Expand our Outreach Efforts
to serve our community and bring hope to those in need.
Equip the Next Generation
to lead, serve, and carry the Gospel forward.
Join Us
We invite you to experience the warmth of our church family. Whether you attend a Sunday service, a group of friends, or a prayer meeting, you will find a place to grow, feel part of the community, and be encouraged in your faith.