“A sweet church” That’s how a kindly woman described Faith Community Church to me one Sunday. She sat beside me during the service. Her husband was the church’s counselor. He was licensed. He offered counseling within the church community. The church paid him. He also had a private practice.
Faith Community Church isn’t just any church. It’s a Foursquare denomination church. Located at 2285 Murray Ridge Road in Serra Mesa it has a rich history. It was founded after Aimee Semple McPherson’s visit to San Diego in 1935.
On that particular Sunday the service focused on healing. Pastor Mark Slomka showed YouTube videos. One was called “The Mom Song”. Another showed a toddler singing “Our Father”. The pastor addressed strained mother-child relationships. He emphasized extending grace. He understood that things sometimes broke down.
The church is a community of groups. There are activity groups growth groups and ministry groups. They even participate in homebuilding in Ensenada. A seminar on Christian Principles of Freedom was advertised. It focused on spiritual roots of disease affecting the spirit soul and body. Two neurologists attended last year. One shared how consistent prayer with patients helped heal chronic neck pain.
Pastor Slomka’s Mother’s Day sermon was unusual. He called it PG-13. He used Genesis 38 as scripture. The story involved Tamar a widow who was treated unfairly. She got pregnant by her father-in-law Judah. God’s grace was shown because there were no unwanted pregnancies in God’s eyes. The first-born twin Perez is a great-great-great-great-great-great grandfather of David. David’s lineage leads to Jesus.
Pastor Slomka emphasized community’s role. The church aims to create a culture that honors everyone’s dignity. This is especially important for unmarried women. He spoke about the pressure on Christian women to be “virgin-whores”. He believed something was horrifically broken. The church needed healing. He encouraged modesty purity and restraint. He advised against legalism and prudishness. He admired intergenerational mixing in other cultures. He noted the value of mentorship across generations.
At the end of the service I reflected on the church’s commitment to healing. It’s more than just a place of worship. It’s a community embracing faith and fostering genuine connection. I learned that Faith Community Church is a place where people find support healing and a sense of belonging.