We hold to the classic truths of the Christian faith (including a belief in the Trinity, the Deity of Christ, Inerrancy of Scriptures, the importance of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, the Baptism in the Holy Spirit, and active participation in the Body of Christ). The name “Maranatha,” an Aramaic phrase referring to the Lord’s return, reflects our belief in the imminent return of Christ. Our focus is on fostering individual spiritual growth, learning to have God direct our lives, and working together as the Body of Christ.

Maranatha today is both an organization (that is, a denomination) and an overall approach to Christian spirituality and faith. On the denomination side, Maranatha is a close-knit group of churches (more than 8000 in 2009) based in Brazil, where it has its headquarters, leadership, and most of its pastors and churches (called “Igreja Cristã Maranata”). It also has a few branches in other Latin American countries, in North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia, which work directly under the Brazilian leadership, and which strive to be identical to the Brazilian churches except in the language used in their services.

Unlike most churches, we encourage pastors to support themselves with secular careers and volunteer their time and talents to the service of the Lord, rather than receiving support or salary from the church. Some Maranatha pastors are attorneys, physicians, accountants, and engineers; others are small business owners, taxi drivers, construction contractors, etc. The lay membership of the local church takes an active role in both the spiritual and practical functions within the church, including many of the functions traditionally performed by full-time ecclesiastical personnel.

In addition, Maranatha churches never solicit offerings during our services or ask visitors to identify themselves or sign up for anything. Our services typically last for an hour or less, and involve singing a few contemporary hymns, prayer, and a brief message from the Bible. Readers who are curious about the official doctrine of the church may find our more detailed Statement of Faith helpful.

As an overall approach to Christianity, we are a growing community of loosely affiliated churches and ministries around that world that are implementing the same basic teachings. We are having similar experiences with the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and God’s continuing guidance, direction, and revelation.

We hope that this introduction proves helpful to you. We desire to share with you some of the joy and peace that the Lord has put in our hearts. We have a received a tremendous blessing in Maranatha and we are eager to share it with others. We are not looking for other churches to change their name to “Maranatha” or to merge with our organization; nor are we able to provide financial support to every group that requests it. We simply want to spread the blessings of God’s revelation to as many people as possible. We welcome and desire inquiries through this website by pastors or groups of believers who share similar goals and would like to learn more. If you would like one of our pastors to contact you, please send us an email.

Get the Seven Basic Points of Maranatha’s Approach