Our History and Our Mission
Faith Evangelical Free Church, Grand Forks, North Dakota, Est. 1964
Our History
Faith Evangelical Free Church, in one form or another, has been in Grand Forks since 1964, marking well over 50 years of God's faithfulness and blessing.
Our story begins in 1963 when twenty-three people - some of whom are still in our midst today - gathered to consider starting a church in Grand Forks. Fifteen charter members began holding services in September of that year, and in 1964, the church was named Faith Evangelical Free Church. Since then, the church has gathered in 3 different locations and been served by over a dozen pastors - most notably Pastor Vic Luiken, who served Faith for over 35 years from 1972 to 2008.
“Fifteen charter members began holding services in September of [1964], and the church was named Faith Evangelical Free Church.”
In July of 2017, God orchestrated events to bring Pastor Jason Holm to serve as our senior pastor, leading the church staff and serving as the primary teaching pastor on Sunday mornings.
God again blessed our congregation in January 2020 by bringing Pastor Anton Van Straaten to serve as our discipleship pastor. In February 2022, as he neared the completion of his seminary degree, Web Gehring was named an associate pastor after faithfully serving as a ministry associate since 2016. Reach out to our pastors, or read more about them by clicking on their names above.
In the last 60 years, there have been many joys, but with them difficulties - and through all of them, the Word of God has remained true, and
Jesus Christ has been faithful.
Our Mission and Vision
Today, our goal for life at Faith is to declare the Word of God and disciple believers into mature, devoted followers of Jesus. That’s how we accomplish our mission to be “real people meeting the real God.”
That combination of mission and vision plays itself out in all areas of life at Faith - whether it be a worship service, a Bible study, a meal we share together, or a small group meeting - we're declaring the Word of God and discipling believers into mature, devoted followers of Jesus so that real people would meet the real God.