Who We Are

The History Of ICCM

1. The Beginning

ICCM did not begin in 1997 through the initiative of Pastor Joel Ramírez, but through the vision of Pastors Chris and Monica DeLaurentis from Inner City Church of Minneapolis (the original ICCM), located at 1812 Park Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota. They were church planters with the Assemblies of God in Minnesota.

As they noticed the growing number of Hispanic families moving into South Minneapolis, they asked a Bethel Seminary student, who was serving an internship with them, to begin a Hispanic ministry. This young man, Fermín, started by distributing food and clothing and quickly gathered about 75 people. Unfortunately, after only four months he left because of disagreements with the church leadership.

Four months later, Pastors Chris and Monica returned to their original vision and contacted Pastor Joel Ramírez to restart the ministry. When Pastor Joel arrived, only four people remained. For the next five months he simply taught Bible studies on Sunday mornings. Realizing the ministry was not moving forward, he resigned from his secular job and returned full-time to the calling he had served for the previous ten years in Mexico and the Dominican Republic: church planting.

In November 1997, Pastor Joel officially began serving full-time in the ministry that became known as Iglesia Centro Cristiano de Minneapolis (ICCM), honoring the initials of the church that had helped give birth to this new congregation.

2. The First Worship Services

The congregation began with only five people meeting in a small room at 1812 Park Avenue. The group soon grew to more than twenty people and was moved to a larger classroom. Before long, they filled that space as well and were relocated once again to a room that seated one hundred people. All of this happened within just two years.

Eventually Pastor Joel realized that if the congregation was going to continue growing, it would need a place of its own, since using the main sanctuary of the American church was not a realistic long-term option.

3. Moving to Saint Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church

Three years after the church began, Pastor Joel noticed that Saint Paul Evangelical Lutheran Church was offering English classes for Hispanic immigrants. Jeanne Ramírez encouraged him to explore the possibility of working together to reach more people in the neighborhood.

Conversations with Pastor Roland Wells eventually led to an invitation to move ICCM into their building and begin holding Spanish-language services there. Although there were initial scheduling challenges, God opened the door when another congregation relocated, making the facility fully available.

In 2001 ICCM moved into what became its home for the next twenty-four years, always maintaining a warm relationship with the congregation that had originally helped launch the ministry.

In September 2025, changes in the host church's policies required ICCM to relocate once again, this time to Golden Valley, Minnesota. Although this move was unexpected and certainly not desired, it soon became evident that God was protecting His church. Shortly afterward, Minnesota experienced the immigration enforcement operation known as Metro Surge. Had ICCM remained in its previous location, the congregation would have been far more exposed to the turmoil that deeply affected the local Hispanic community. Looking back, we clearly see God's loving hand guiding us to a place of safety and blessing.

4. The First Ministry Fruits

Even before moving to Saint Paul, ICCM began sending people to establish new churches.

In 2000, David and Julieta Piox, together with family members, friends, and Claudio and Graciela Silva, were sent to begin a ministry in Saint Paul. David continues serving today as pastor of Vida Nueva Church.

In 2002, the Bracho and Vargas families left with our blessing to plant a new congregation in Burnsville, saying, "You always preach about planting churches. We want to plant one ourselves."

In 2004, Pastor Yolanda accepted the challenge of planting Viento Recio in Minneapolis.

In 2006, Pastor Joel planted Puente de Vida in Saint Paul.

In 2010, another church was established in Northeast Minneapolis, now known as Centro Cristiano NE Minneapolis.

That same year Pastor Samuel Olivares was installed as associate pastor at ICCM before later planting Roca Fuerte Church.

5. Challenges Along the Way

Like every church, ICCM has experienced seasons of joy as well as seasons of testing.

We have faced doctrinal challenges, painful divisions, moral failures, betrayal, and difficult immigration-related seasons that brought uncertainty and fear to many families seeking a better future in the United States.

Through every trial, God has remained faithful.

6. A New Direction

ICCM began as part of the Assemblies of God. Although the leadership appreciated Pastor Joel's ministry, he was unable to receive credentials because he did not speak in tongues. Pastor Joel has always affirmed speaking in tongues as a genuine gift from God, while also believing it is one among many spiritual gifts—not the only one, nor the most important one.

ICCM later affiliated with the Pentecostal Holiness Church, where several new ministries flourished.

In 2007, ICCM joined Minnesota Baptist Conference, now known as CONVERGE North Central. During that time, the church also embraced a multi-site vision designed to plant additional congregations under one administrative structure. That model concluded in 2025, and ICCM now functions once again as a single local church.

Pastor Joel's lifelong calling has remained unchanged: planting churches and helping pastors and congregations embrace the Kingdom of God by multiplying disciples and new churches.

Pastor Joel and his family also spent a sabbatical year (2012–2013) serving in Baja California, Mexico, at Foundation For His Ministry (FFHM). They ministered in an orphanage, taught at a Bible school, served children with disabilities, and trained women in therapeutic massage ministry before returning to ICCM in May 2013.

7. The Present

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, ICCM averaged approximately 120 people in attendance. Like thousands of churches around the world, we were forced to close our doors for several months. It was a season marked by uncertainty, illness, and major changes, but also by remarkable spiritual growth. We learned that the Church is not a building—it is God's people praying, serving, and remaining united even in difficult times.

Just as we were beginning to recover, our congregation faced another unexpected challenge during Minnesota's Metro Surge operation (2025–2026). Many immigrant families experienced weeks of fear, family separation, and deep uncertainty. Our attendance dropped significantly, yet God allowed ICCM to become a place of hope, encouragement, practical support, and the love of Christ for those who needed it most.

Once again, we discovered that crises may change our plans, but they can never stop God's purposes. Today we continue moving forward with the same mission that began in 1997: to preach the Gospel, make disciples, and plant churches, trusting that "Thus far the Lord has helped us." (1 Samuel 7:12)

8. Our Local Heroes

Throughout our history, God has used many faithful servants whose dedication has shaped ICCM.

In worship ministry we especially remember Christy, who helped establish the foundation of worship during the church's earliest years. We are deeply grateful for Beto, Claudio and Graciela Silva, Alberto and Liliana, Nicole and Ramón, Liz Díaz, David Nelson, Russ (Edward), Leticia, Sammy, Nate, Paul, Andy, Carmen, and many others who have faithfully invested their gifts in God's Kingdom.

We also thank our associate pastors throughout the years, including Oscar Cena, Eliel Bracho, Francisco Gutiérrez, the dearly missed Edgardo Loera, Edgar, Alberto Aguilar, and Sister Elvira Mondragón.

Special recognition belongs to Alberta Celis and María Ríos, who joined ICCM just two months after the church began and have faithfully served ever since.

Another page is dedicated to the Randolph family—Sam and Anahim—together with Carmen, whose commitment sustained this ministry during some of its most difficult seasons.

Finally, no history of ICCM would be complete without honoring Jeanne Ramírez. As an ESL teacher, Sunday School director, Women's Ministry leader, and now leader of our thriving youth ministry, she has faithfully served the Lord from the very beginning—not simply because she is Pastor Joel's wife, but because serving Christ has always been the passion of her heart.

More than 2,000 people have been part of ICCM over the years. To every one of you, thank you.

Like the prophet Samuel, we can joyfully proclaim:

"Ebenezer—Thus far the Lord has helped us." (1 Samuel 7:12)

The future belongs to God. We cannot predict it, nor do we wish to. Our prayer is simply that when Christ returns, He will find us faithful.

Happy 28th Anniversary, ICCM. Remain faithful to our Lord.