03/15/2026
Update on the Ministry of Emmanuel Baptist Church:
Emmanuel Baptist Church has been ministering on the south side of Des Moines for many decades with a hope of reaching the community with the good news of Jesus Christ. In considering how to best use the God given resources and abilities of Emmanuel going forward, after much prayer it was decided that the church would close its doors. March 15th Emmanuel had its final service as a local body. Though challenging and sad to close a church, God is always at work. In the time following the decision to close, God has been working in awesome ways. With that in mind, we want to give a final update about two ways God is going to continue to use His resources, that he entrusted to Emmanuel, in this same community!
1. Emmanuel has been blessed with the ability to support multiple ministries, even in closing, and one of those is Alathea Baptist Church. Alathea is a nearby, like-minded and fellowshipping church. Alathea is a warm and Christ focused church on County Line Road. We're excited about Alathea and want to encourage anyone in the area looking for a church to consider Alathea. We look forward to seeing how God continues to use Alathea on the south side and are pleased to be able to support it. To find more information about Alathea you can visit their website or their page.
https://alatheadesmoines.org/
https://www.facebook.com/107013921098266/
10450 County Line Road
Des Moines, Iowa 50320
2. Emmanuel has been blessed to meet in a great location and building over the years. The future of the property has been something that we have been in intense prayer about and God answered in an awesome way. His answer was Swahili Baptist Church!
Swahili Baptist Church is another like-minded church! Their church is focused on reaching the Swahili speaking people in the Des Moines area with the gospel and we're very pleased to play a part in God's plan for their ministry.
Swahili is vibrant and growing church that has been praying for their own building for years. We are pleased to acknowledge that the Lord was leading us to give them our building for them to use to further the gospel. Starting in March, they will have their first service in their own building. Emmanuel built the building to help fulfill the great commission and that will continue through the coming ministry of Swahili Baptist Church!
For more information about their church you can visit their website.
http://www.swahili.church/
Please be in prayer for both of these churches as they minister to the south side of Des Moines and for the people of Emmanuel Baptist Church as they now look for the church and community the Lord wants then to be part of in the future.
We invite you to join us as we grow our church Des Moines, Iowa, while fulfilling the mission of disciple-making in our community and throughout the world.
