About Us
Our History
The Maranatha Christian Church emerged within an evangelical community as a result of an event foretold for the present time, as it is written in the book of the prophet Joel 2:28 that says: “And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions”.
The Founder and The Foundation
The founder and the foundation are identified in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, there is no emphasis on another name or names as this church existence is part of God’s prophetic plan for our days.
However, the Maranatha Christian Church, as a religious institution, was established on January 1968, in the municipality of Vila Velha, State of Espirito Santo, Brazil, with the purpose of worshiping God and preaching the Gospel according to the Old and New Testament scriptures as the only rule of faith and practice, as well as of instructing man’s spiritual and social formation, Christian education, and of promoting charitable works and non-profit moral and educational assistance in Brazil and internationally.
​
In mid 1980 ‘s, members of the Maranatha Christian Church started gathering in the United States and Canada. The church was officially established in 1988, in North America.
Origin Of The Word "Maranatha"
The word Maranatha is not only a name for us, but a spiritual heritage. It identifies the call, a bidding from the Holy Spirit for a moment, a special time in the history and the life of the Church that is the RAPTURE!
​
This church emerged within the evangelical community as an option to embody this historic and prophetic moment. Maranatha is the word used by Paul to describe the great message of the Church, which is “The King comes”, in other words, “Jesus will return”.In January 1980, by the revelation of the Lord Jesus, this Work received the name Maranatha Christian Church, as a sign that it would be known all over the world for the message it has been preaching: “Maranatha, the Lord Jesus comes”.
Voluntary Ministry
We are a Pentecostal church, with headquarters located in Vila Velha, ES, Brazil, and 5 thousand churches and temples established throughout that country, in addition to being present in several other countries. There are a total of 40 churches in the United States and Canada. The Holy Spirit is the one who directs all things, without prominence of individuals, all being volunteers.