Faith Church, Hungary
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Faith Church is a major pentecostal church in Hungary. The community is one of Europe's largest pentecostal-evangelical Christian churches, and the country's fourth most supported church (based on the 1% tax designation to churches).
Faith Church accepts the results and spiritual, moral values of both early Christianity and the Reformation, as well as other revival movements serving the progress of the Christian faith. Faith Church is a strong advocate of Christian Zionism, and well known for it's commitment to support the State of Israel.
[edit] History
Faith Church was founded in 1979 by a group of seven Hungarian believers, led by Pastor Sándor Németh, who leads the church until today. The independent Pentecostal-Charismatic church could only conduct its worship services illegally during the years of the Communist regime. Its activities and leaders were monitored by the Communist secret service. By 1989, membership reached 2000 people. In 1989, the Hungarian State declared Faith Church a recognized denomination based on the 1895. XLIII. Act.
Today more than 60,000 believers regularly attend worship services. The weekly Sunday service of the Church is regularly broadcasted in live television. Based on the 1% tax designation to churches, Faith Church is the fourth most supported church in Hungary.
Faith Church follows the biblical model of the self-supporting church. It does not receive any other financial support from the state, aside from the 1% tax designations for churches and the normatives available to schools.
There are about three hundred local church branches of Faith Church functioning all around the country and beyond the borders of Hungary. All neighboring countries, Germany and the U.S. have local Faith Churches as well. The majority of local churches hold worship services on privately owned property. The largest is Faith Hall located in Budapest, with a capacity of approximately ten thousand people. Local churches in Pécs, Debrecen, Nyíregyháza and Salgótarján are also housed in buildings that can accommodate more than a thousand people.
Faith Church maintains elementary schools in Budapest, Pécs, Nyíregyháza and Salgótarján and a kindergarten in Kecskemét. The state-accredited theological college, Saint Paul’s Academy functions in Budapest.
The Faith and Morals Cultural Foundation performs social services, provides aid to families, cares for the elderly and also pursues teaching, training, information distribution and cultural services.
