Living in the Way of Jesus, with the Heart of Jesus
Set on East 17th Avenue in Escondido, Emmanuel Faith Community Church is a non-denominational, elder-led congregation of a few thousand Jesus-followers serving North San Diego County. The church's motto is "Living in the way of Jesus, with the heart of Jesus." The vision statement is more specific: to be an inter-ethnic, inter-generational community of disciples partnering with Jesus to bring about renewal in Escondido, North County, and to the ends of the earth.
That last phrase is not a slogan. Emmanuel Faith sends and supports more than 70 missionaries and works alongside partners in 57 countries. The church is also accredited by the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, a designation it has held since 2017. Locally, the congregation operates Emmanuel Faith Preschool, runs a coffee bar called Holy Grounds Cafe, and partners with city-wide ministries under the banner Love Esco.
Three Sunday Mornings, Two Worship Styles
Services are held at 9:00am, 10:45am, and 5:00pm, all on the same Escondido campus. Two distinct worship expressions run side by side:
- Classic Worship. Held at 9:00am in the Worship Center, the Classic service is choir- and orchestra-led and is steeped in hymns of faith.
- Modern Worship. A full band leads new and older songs. Modern services run at 9:00am in the Chapel (a video venue), 10:45am in the Worship Center, and 5:00pm in the Chapel.
Each service features a welcome area with a newcomer gift, and Holy Grounds Cafe serves coffee and treats between gatherings. A livestream of every service is available through the church's online platform, so anyone can worship along from home.
En Español at 10:45am
A Spanish-language service meets at 10:45am in the Chapel. The congregation is pastored by Teaching Pastor Esteban Tapia, who was born and raised in Tijuana, joined the staff in 2014 as Pastor of Spanish Ministries, and now guides the Spanish and Intercultural ministry under his current title. The Spanish service has its own presence online through a YouTube channel, a Facebook page, and an Instagram account under the name EFCC Bienvenido. Sermon recordings, including translations of recent series such as "Honest to God" ("Honestos Con Dios"), are posted weekly.
Eight Decades on East 17th Avenue
Emmanuel Faith began in October 1939, when Rev. Earl Morgan launched the church at Central Elementary School in Escondido. More than 200 men, women, and children attended that first meeting. The congregation soon moved to the Women's Club House at Grand Avenue and Broadway, and later to a property at 7th and Maple. In 1971, Pastor Coy Maret, who had shepherded the church since 1944, took part in the groundbreaking at the present campus.
Dr. Richard Strauss served as senior pastor from 1972 to 1993, followed by Pastor Dennis Keating, who expanded both global and local outreach. When Keating stepped down, an extensive search brought Ryan Paulson to the lead pastor role in August 2019. Paulson had been the church's college pastor from 2007 to 2012 and had spent seven years as lead pastor of South Fellowship in Colorado. He holds a Master of Divinity from Bethel Seminary, is married to Kelly, a high school English teacher, and is the father of three.
FaithKids and KidsClubs
Children's ministry at Emmanuel Faith is built around two weekly touchpoints. KidsChurch meets during the 9:00am and 10:45am services for children from nursery age through sixth grade. Kids worship in a large group setting and then break into small groups for discussion.
KidsClubs meet on Wednesday nights from 7:00 to 8:30pm in the Children's Center, running from September through May. The program includes games, activities, small-group time, and worship for kids entering kindergarten through sixth grade. Registration is required, and a free special-needs nursery is available for children of parents serving on campus. The team also operates a Behavior Support Ministry, partnering one-on-one with children who need extra help to participate fully.
During the week, the church's Emmanuel Faith Preschool provides care and early education on the same campus, directed by Jessica Feliciano with assistant director Angela Sorenson.
Junior High and High School
Junior High Ministry, led by Pastor John Riley, gathers middle schoolers in the same rhythms as the rest of the church. High School Ministry, led by Pastor Ryan Lunde, is a more structured program. Students meet on Sunday mornings at 10:45am in the Youth Center Amphitheater for worship, Bible teaching, and life groups, and again on Wednesday nights from 7:00 to 8:30pm in the same space, September through May. The program welcomes students at every stage, from those who have grown up in church to those still working through what faith means to them. A parallel behavior support program helps students with special needs take part. Summer camps at Hume Lake and other locations extend the rhythm into the warmer months.
College and Young Adults
Young Adults ministry, overseen by Young Adult Ministry Resident Christian Betancourt, anchors itself with two regular weekly meetings. On Tuesday nights at 7:00pm, the group meets in the Young Adults Room on the second floor of the Youth Center for study and community. On Sunday nights at 5:00pm, young adults join the Modern worship service in the Chapel and often eat together afterward. Weeknight small groups are also available, and a behavior support program is offered for participants who need it.
Women, Men, and Senior Adults
The Women's Ministry, coordinated by staff and volunteers, points women to ongoing Bible studies, seasonal events, and informal meet-ups. Women's groups gather under the church's groups finder, and an annual cadence of retreats, luncheons, and connection events supports the rhythm. The ministry's email is women@efcc.org.
Men's Ministry is built around three pillars: groups, classes, and events. Men can join a men's life group, sign up for a class, or come to a retreat. Sports are a major draw. The church runs drop-in basketball in the Family Center gym on Mondays (3-5pm, ages 18+), Tuesdays (3-5pm, ages 40+), Thursdays (3-5pm, ages 18+, with a June to July summer session at 5:30pm), and Saturdays (7-10am, ages 18+). A men's soccer fellowship meets on Monday nights from 6:30 to 9pm on the EFCC field, and a basketball fellowship gathers in the gym the same evening from 7 to 9pm. The annual Men's Campout at Hurkey Creek is one of the highlights of the fall calendar.
Senior Adults ministry, coordinated through Care Pastor Scott Smith, offers Sunday morning Adult Bible Fellowships, a regular widows and widowers luncheon called Ladies and Gents, interest groups such as the Veterans Breakfast (first Saturday at Charlie's Restaurant) and Grandmothers in Prayer (first two Mondays at 1pm), and practical resources including scam-prevention seminars, a Helping Hands handy-person network, and a rides-for-seniors volunteer program. Senior adults can reach the care coordinator at (760) 781-2178.
Life Groups, Connect Groups, and Classes
Connection beyond Sunday services happens in several overlapping ways. Life Groups are the ongoing, sermon-based small groups that meet in homes, at the church, or online, in a wide range of formats and stages of life. Connect Groups are a 9-week seasonal track that meets on Wednesday nights during the same hours as KidsClubs, with an optional companion study guide. Current Connect Groups are built around the fall sermon series "Honest to God," which walks through some of Jesus' most searching questions from the Gospels. Classes and Bible studies range from a fall Apologetics Class led by Gary Zacharias and Steve Bruecker to The Grace Course on Thursday evenings, a Marriage Enrichment class on Tuesdays, and occasional parenting, marriage, and discipleship courses.
Counseling, Marriage, and Grief Support
The Care and Counseling ministry, directed by Lynette Fuson with a team that includes a counseling director, intake coordinator, and memorial coordinators, offers Christ-centered counseling for emotional, mental, physical, relational, and spiritual concerns. Mentoring pairs women or men with a trained friend for the journey, and Spiritual Direction provides a structured setting for listening to the Holy Spirit.
Marriage Ministries run a regular rotation. The fall Marriage Enrichment class, "From Surviving to Thriving," is led by Ty and Kelly Paulson and meets Tuesday nights in the Education Center. A 10-week "Two Becoming One" class and a God-centered Premarital Class round out the lineup, alongside marriage mentoring and periodic Marriage Tune-Up Workshops. A fall GriefShare support group meets on Tuesday evenings in the Chapel downstairs rooms for anyone grieving the death of a loved one or another form of loss.
FaithKids, Junior High, and Outreach Across Escondido and the World
Beyond the Sunday-to-Sunday ministries for children and students, Emmanuel Faith operates a number of family- and community-facing programs. The preschool serves children throughout the week, and an annual Harvest Party fills the campus with carnival games, food trucks, and amusement rides every October. The Love Esco partnership brings the congregation into service projects across the city, while local outreach teams and the Life on Mission Director, Anna N, help members take the next step in sharing their faith with neighbors and coworkers.
Globally, the church's outreach arm supports more than 70 missionaries and partners in 57 countries, with short-term mission trips offered throughout the year. Members can give to specific mission trips through a dedicated giving portal, and a monthly outreach newsletter keeps the congregation up to date on what God is doing through those partnerships. The Mission, Vision, and Statement of Faith documents are publicly available, as is the church's Constitution and Bylaws, in both English and Spanish.
Becoming Part of the Family
Visitors who want to take a next step can sign up for a Newcomer Lunch following Sunday services, fill out a connection card, or simply stop by one of the welcome booths. Baptisms and parent dedications are scheduled several times a year, and a Next Steps class is the bridge from a first visit to church membership. The church's app, the weekly email, and a robust calendar help newcomers keep track of what is coming up, and the staff is reachable through a contact form, by phone at (760) 745-2541, or in person at 639 East 17th Avenue in Escondido.