Maranatha (the Lord has come) Christian Ministries started in 1971 at Murray State University in Paducah, Kentucky, as Maranatha Campus Ministries. Its founder was Bob Werner, who experienced the baptism of the Holy Spirit while serving in the United States Airforce and who with Bob Cording established in 1971 Sound Mind Inc., a ministry for the evangelization of youth. From this ministry emerged Christian Life Center at Long Beach California. By 1972 Weiner had shifted the focus to a campus ministry to university students. In time Maranatha Campus Ministries was absorbed into the larger body of the Maranatha Christian Churches.
The Maranatha Churches derived from the Assemblies of God and as an organization bases itself on the various offices described in the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Ephesians 4:11. Special emphasis is laid on prophecy by members who also speak in tongues and on discipleship and charismatic leadership. Prophecy is regarded as the means whereby God confirms his present activity in the Church. There is a Maranatha Leadership Institute in Gainsborough, Florida and a world leadership conference is held there every two years. Other activities include interactive televised prayer meetings during which viewers make their requests by telephone.
The Churches like the Campus Ministries continue to concentrate on College and University campuses. The intense nature of the crusading has led to complaints from parents that undue pressure was being placed on their children. The controversy between parents and churches was partially resolved by the creation of a parent-student contact programme, which provided parents with a better understanding of the aims and strategy of the ministry.
At the local Church level activities consist of weekly general meeting in addition to which most members also participate in smaller fellowship sessions.
There are 150 Maranatha Churches in the United States and membership there stands at around 7,000. The movement also exists in Europe.
