Maranatha Campus Ministries
Encyclopedia
Maranatha Campus Ministries was a Charismatic/Pentecostal-oriented Christian
ministry founded by Bob Weiner which existed from 1971 to 1990. Its primary outreach was to college
and university
campuses.
Maranatha came under considerable fire during the 1970s and 1980s, largely due to its highly authoritarian
structure. There were accusations of MCM being a cult
with some former members reporting behavior similar to cults that frequently recruited college students during that time.
as a youth center led by Bob Weiner , a former Assemblies of God
youth pastor. It was an outreach of a California
-based ministry called "Global Missions." Weiner and his wife, Rose, had helped lead a large revival in Paducah earlier that year. Many disenfranchised "60's" teens found a new expression of Christianity in the center located near Paducah Tilghman High School
. Large numbers of students from the surrounding area also began attending.
In 1972, Weiner founded a campus ministry called the "Maranatha House" at Murray State University
, a few miles from Paducah. The word "Maranatha" means "Our Lord, come" or "Our Lord is come" in Aramaic, and was a popular Christian phrase around that time. Later in 1972, Weiner struck out on his own and changed Maranatha House's name to "Maranatha Christian Church." During the mid-1970s and early 1980s, other Maranatha chapters were established across the United States
and Canada
, as well as in Argentina
, Brazil
, Indonesia
, France
, Germany
, the United Kingdom
, Australia
, New Zealand
, and the Philippines
. The ministry moved its headquarters from Paducah to Gainesville, Florida
in 1979.
Weiner and his wife, Rose drew from a wide variety of leaders and influences all across the mainstream of the Charismatic movement including Kenneth Copeland
and the Word of Faith
movement, The Latter Rain Movement, Dennis Peacoke, Derek Prince
, Ern Baxter
and the Shepherding Movement
, Paul Cain
and the prophetic movement
, Paul Jehle, Gary North, and other non-Charismatics who had Reconstructionist
or Theonomic ideas.
Early members were discipled through weekly meetings and periodic weekend conferences which hosted top national speakers. Maranatha conference speakers included many of the big names in the Charismatic movement of the time, including ministers such as Oral Roberts
and Larry Tomczak
. A 1987 conference included Rosey Grier
, Rich Wilkerson, and Larry Tomczak
.
Weiner's main targets were the best and brightest on campus. Members were told to work hard, get the best grades, and look as good as you could in order to rise in the economic and political ladders of success to be next to influence decision-makers. The organization was one of the major players in the Christian right
during the 1980s. It first got involved in pro-life
activism in the 1970s, and this soon spread to other conservative causes. It also had an outreach to athletes, Champions for Christ
. The group often referred to itself as "God's Green Berets
."
Unlike most campus ministries, Maranatha functioned as a denomination. Its campus chapters were called "churches," and its leaders "pastors." Weiner, as Maranatha's president, was considered the ministry's "apostle," and was believed to receive direct revelations from God. At a local level, decisions were made by the pastors and elders of the university churches in their movement as well as by the traveling ministry teams.
, members agreed to live in mutual accountability to protect their "purity in Christ
." As was typical of most organizations influenced by Shepherding Movement
teachings, this resulted in the organization developing clear authoritarian characteristics. Campus pastors supervised members' lives very closely. Disobeying one's pastor, or "shepherd," was considered tantamount to disobeying God. The movement was labeled as a "cult" or "cultlike" by some former members and newspapers.
, or giving 10 percent of their earnings to the ministry. Although tithing is considered accepted practice in mainstream evangelical circles, several Maranatha pastors were rumored to keep detailed records of financial contributions. They reportedly admonished those who didn't give enough as having a "spirit of stinginess."
in Canada
expelled its Maranatha chapter after one member sexually maimed himself. After complaints from former members of the Kansas State University
chapter, KSU expelled the MCM chapter in 1983. Among other things, Maranatha chapter members were charged with misleading university officials about who was to receive money from a fundraiser. One former member, Bob Tedford, said the pastor of the KSU Maranatha chapter said that lying to others was acceptable "only if it was for that person's own good."
Maranatha also came under fire from former members of chapters that didn't get expelled. Dennis Richardson, a former member of Maranatha's Penn State chapter, said he broke off his engagement on the advice of his "shepherd." Kathy Mynatt, a former member of the University of Kentucky
chapter, claimed that when she questioned a church teaching that tampons were unsafe, she was told she had a "spirit of independent thinking and rebellion" that needed to be cast out of her.
provide a letter of endorsement. He hoped to "expel the lie" that Maranatha was a cult. After a meeting between several cult-watchers and Maranatha's leadership, a six-member ad hoc committee was formed to address Maranatha's problems. More than a year later, the committee issued a scathing report criticizing Maranatha's theology and practices. Among other things, it found that Maranatha's authoritarianism had "potential negative consequences for members." It concluded:
Committee members later said they would have used even harsher language in the report had they not feared legal reprisals. Weiner promised to address the committee's concerns, but later attacked it for anti-charismatic bias.
In the break-up, leaders announced that the individual local churches were free to become independent entirely or to voluntarily associate with whomever they chose. Instead, most of the local churches either closed or struggled to survive with shrinking congregations and dwindling funds. A few of the local churches survived, changing their names for their new identities. For example, Faith Christian Church in Tucson, AZ is now a non-denominational evangelical church. They continue to have a presence on the campus of the University of Arizona under pastor Steve Hall, who began to pastor the church in 1985 during Maranatha's heyday.
Many former Maranatha pastors have apologized and repented for the abuses of the organization, either personally or through books, and have asked for forgiveness. In the view of these pastors, dissolving the organization was necessary to allow for greater freedom in Christ. Indeed, at the last international conference held in San Antonio, Texas, in December of 1989, Weiner publicly apologized and asked for forgiveness for any abuses anyone suffered from him personally from authoritarianism or from the organization. He also printed a public apology to the church at large in Charisma Magazine in the winter of 1990.
Every Nation has publicly disavowed Maranatha's more extreme practices. It claims that Weiner and Maranatha practiced "controlling discipleship, authoritarian leadership, and theological mysticism," but that Every Nation itself "unequivocally rejects" such practices. In a May 2006 letter, Murrell stated that Every Nation does not permit any practices and teachings that were "controlling, coercive, or intrusive, or that violate biblical principles (or) the priesthood of the believer."
network of churches in Europe and Africa merged with Every Nation
. This network also has considerable past links to Maranatha. Its flagship church, His People Church in Johannesburg, South Africa was formed in 1992 after His People Campus Ministry at the University of the Witwatersrand
united with Maranatha Church in Johannesburg led by Bill Bennot. As Vice President of His People International, Bennot maintained ties with former Maranatha ministers such as Rice Broocks. His People began cooperating with Every Nation in 1996, and unity talks around this time as well. The addition of His People to the EN stable greatly increased EN's footprint in Europe and Africa.
, former special assistant to President Reagan (who formed Students for America to lobby for President Reagan's policies on campuses) claimed that he hadn't seen anything in Maranatha's doctrine "outside the Christian tradition." Ralph Reed
, later to become famous as the president of the Christian Coalition, said that he thought Maranatha got "a bum rap" from its critics.
, Reggie White
, A. C. Green
, former Miss America
Debbye Turner
, Paul Wylie
, Rice Broocks, Steve Murrell, Phil Bonasso, and other leaders of Every Nation
ministries.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
ministry founded by Bob Weiner which existed from 1971 to 1990. Its primary outreach was to college
College
A college is an educational institution or a constituent part of an educational institution. Usage varies in English-speaking nations...
and university
University
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
campuses.
Maranatha came under considerable fire during the 1970s and 1980s, largely due to its highly authoritarian
Authoritarianism
Authoritarianism is a form of social organization characterized by submission to authority. It is usually opposed to individualism and democracy...
structure. There were accusations of MCM being a cult
Cult
The word cult in current popular usage usually refers to a group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre. The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices...
with some former members reporting behavior similar to cults that frequently recruited college students during that time.
Beginnings
Maranatha began in 1971 in Paducah, KentuckyPaducah, Kentucky
Paducah is the largest city in Kentucky's Jackson Purchase Region and the county seat of McCracken County, Kentucky, United States. It is located at the confluence of the Tennessee River and the Ohio River, halfway between the metropolitan areas of St. Louis, Missouri, to the west and Nashville,...
as a youth center led by Bob Weiner , a former Assemblies of God
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God , officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 140 autonomous but loosely-associated national groupings of churches which together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination...
youth pastor. It was an outreach of a California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
-based ministry called "Global Missions." Weiner and his wife, Rose, had helped lead a large revival in Paducah earlier that year. Many disenfranchised "60's" teens found a new expression of Christianity in the center located near Paducah Tilghman High School
Paducah Tilghman High School
Paducah Tilghman High School is a public secondary school in Paducah, Kentucky, and is the only high school of the Paducah Independent School District....
. Large numbers of students from the surrounding area also began attending.
In 1972, Weiner founded a campus ministry called the "Maranatha House" at Murray State University
Murray State University
Murray State University, located in the city of Murray, Kentucky, is a four-year public university with approximately 10,400 students. The school is Kentucky’s only public university to be listed in the U.S.News & World Report regional university top tier for the past 20 consecutive years...
, a few miles from Paducah. The word "Maranatha" means "Our Lord, come" or "Our Lord is come" in Aramaic, and was a popular Christian phrase around that time. Later in 1972, Weiner struck out on his own and changed Maranatha House's name to "Maranatha Christian Church." During the mid-1970s and early 1980s, other Maranatha chapters were established across the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, as well as in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Indonesia
Indonesia
Indonesia , officially the Republic of Indonesia , is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania. Indonesia is an archipelago comprising approximately 13,000 islands. It has 33 provinces with over 238 million people, and is the world's fourth most populous country. Indonesia is a republic, with an...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, and the Philippines
Philippines
The Philippines , officially known as the Republic of the Philippines , is a country in Southeast Asia in the western Pacific Ocean. To its north across the Luzon Strait lies Taiwan. West across the South China Sea sits Vietnam...
. The ministry moved its headquarters from Paducah to Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville, Florida
Gainesville is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Alachua County, Florida, United States as well as the principal city of the Gainesville, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area . The preliminary 2010 Census population count for Gainesville is 124,354. Gainesville is home to the sixth...
in 1979.
Weiner and his wife, Rose drew from a wide variety of leaders and influences all across the mainstream of the Charismatic movement including Kenneth Copeland
Kenneth Copeland
Kenneth Copeland is an American author, public speaker, and televangelist. He is the founder of Kenneth Copeland Ministries, which preaches a “prosperity gospel”: "Prosperity gospel assures followers that the more they give including in the form of tithes to the church, the more they will receive...
and the Word of Faith
Word of Faith
Word of Faith is a family of Christian churches as well as a label applied by some observers to a teaching movement kindred to many Pentecostal and charismatic churches and individuals worldwide. The basic doctrine preached is that of salvation through Jesus Christ and what that salvation entails...
movement, The Latter Rain Movement, Dennis Peacoke, Derek Prince
Derek Prince
Peter Derek Vaughan Prince was an international Bible teacher whose daily radio programme Derek Prince Legacy Radio broadcasts to half the population of the world in various languages...
, Ern Baxter
Ern Baxter
William John Ernest Baxter was a Canadian Pentecostal evangelist.-Early life:Born in Saskatchewan, Canada, he was baptised into a Presbyterian family. His mother was involved with a holiness church and following his father’s conversion they went into classical Pentecostalism...
and the Shepherding Movement
Shepherding Movement
The Shepherding Movement was an influential and controversial movement within some British and American charismatic churches, emerging in the 1970s and early 1980s...
, Paul Cain
Paul Cain (minister)
Paul Cain is a Pentecostal Christian minister involved with both neo-charismatic churches and the Charismatic Movement. As a young man he was one of the Voice of Healing revivalists of the 50s. Cain currently resides in California and ministers monthly at a local church in Santa...
and the prophetic movement
Apostolic-Prophetic Movement
The Apostolic-Prophetic Movement in Charismatic Christianity is seen by its participants as a restoration of the neglected elements of the Five-Fold Ministry described in the New Testament book of Ephesians, "some apostles, and some prophets; and some evangelists; and some pastors and teachers; for...
, Paul Jehle, Gary North, and other non-Charismatics who had Reconstructionist
Christian Reconstructionism
Christian Reconstructionism is a religious and theological movement within Evangelical Christianity that calls for Christians to put their faith into action in all areas of life, within the private sphere of life and the public and political sphere as well...
or Theonomic ideas.
Early members were discipled through weekly meetings and periodic weekend conferences which hosted top national speakers. Maranatha conference speakers included many of the big names in the Charismatic movement of the time, including ministers such as Oral Roberts
Oral Roberts
Granville "Oral" Roberts was an American Pentecostal televangelist and a Christian charismatic. He founded the Oral Roberts Evangelistic Association and Oral Roberts University....
and Larry Tomczak
Larry Tomczak
Larry Tomczak is a pastor and preacher based in the USA. He is the co-founder of the group now known as Sovereign Grace Ministries and of several prominent churches.-Conversion and PDI:...
. A 1987 conference included Rosey Grier
Rosey Grier
Roosevelt "Rosey" Grier is an American actor, singer, Christian minister, and former professional American football player. He was a notable college football player for Pennsylvania State University who earned a retrospective place in the National Collegiate Athletic Association 100th anniversary...
, Rich Wilkerson, and Larry Tomczak
Larry Tomczak
Larry Tomczak is a pastor and preacher based in the USA. He is the co-founder of the group now known as Sovereign Grace Ministries and of several prominent churches.-Conversion and PDI:...
.
Weiner's main targets were the best and brightest on campus. Members were told to work hard, get the best grades, and look as good as you could in order to rise in the economic and political ladders of success to be next to influence decision-makers. The organization was one of the major players in the Christian right
Christian right
Christian right is a term used predominantly in the United States to describe "right-wing" Christian political groups that are characterized by their strong support of socially conservative policies...
during the 1980s. It first got involved in pro-life
Pro-life
Opposition to the legalization of abortion is centered around the pro-life, or anti-abortion, movement, a social and political movement opposing elective abortion on moral grounds and supporting its legal prohibition or restriction...
activism in the 1970s, and this soon spread to other conservative causes. It also had an outreach to athletes, Champions for Christ
Champions for Christ
Established in 1985 as part of the controversial Maranatha Campus Ministries, Champions for Christ is an outreach to college and professional athletes...
. The group often referred to itself as "God's Green Berets
Green Berets
A green beret was the headgear of the British Commandos of World War II. Certain military organisations still wear green berets because they have regimental or unit histories that form a connection with the British Commandos of World War II....
."
Unlike most campus ministries, Maranatha functioned as a denomination. Its campus chapters were called "churches," and its leaders "pastors." Weiner, as Maranatha's president, was considered the ministry's "apostle," and was believed to receive direct revelations from God. At a local level, decisions were made by the pastors and elders of the university churches in their movement as well as by the traveling ministry teams.
Authoritarianism
As advocated by Derek PrinceDerek Prince
Peter Derek Vaughan Prince was an international Bible teacher whose daily radio programme Derek Prince Legacy Radio broadcasts to half the population of the world in various languages...
, members agreed to live in mutual accountability to protect their "purity in Christ
Christ
Christ is the English term for the Greek meaning "the anointed one". It is a translation of the Hebrew , usually transliterated into English as Messiah or Mashiach...
." As was typical of most organizations influenced by Shepherding Movement
Shepherding Movement
The Shepherding Movement was an influential and controversial movement within some British and American charismatic churches, emerging in the 1970s and early 1980s...
teachings, this resulted in the organization developing clear authoritarian characteristics. Campus pastors supervised members' lives very closely. Disobeying one's pastor, or "shepherd," was considered tantamount to disobeying God. The movement was labeled as a "cult" or "cultlike" by some former members and newspapers.
Dating teachings
Maranatha first came under fire because its members were forbidden to date. Weiner considered Prince's book, God is a Matchmaker, to be a "revelation" stating that Christians should not date. However, Prince's book does not directly advocate such an interpretation. He also claimed that sexual misconduct was rampant among college students. Instead, singles were told to trust God, pray for God to guide them to a spouse, and hear God's voice speaking to them personally and individually about every decision. If a member believed God had spoken to him or her about marriage, he or she would pray with the pastor about whether that "word" was truly from God. Pastors would then send the names to Maranatha's regional offices for prayer, and sometimes Weiner himself would weigh in on some of these requests.Tithing teachings
Another common criticism of the organization was its emphasis on tithingTithe
A tithe is a one-tenth part of something, paid as a contribution to a religious organization or compulsory tax to government. Today, tithes are normally voluntary and paid in cash, cheques, or stocks, whereas historically tithes were required and paid in kind, such as agricultural products...
, or giving 10 percent of their earnings to the ministry. Although tithing is considered accepted practice in mainstream evangelical circles, several Maranatha pastors were rumored to keep detailed records of financial contributions. They reportedly admonished those who didn't give enough as having a "spirit of stinginess."
Criticism from Universities
In 1982 the University of WaterlooUniversity of Waterloo
The University of Waterloo is a comprehensive public university in the city of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The school was founded in 1957 by Drs. Gerry Hagey and Ira G. Needles, and has since grown to an institution of more than 30,000 students, faculty, and staff...
in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
expelled its Maranatha chapter after one member sexually maimed himself. After complaints from former members of the Kansas State University
Kansas State University
Kansas State University, commonly shortened to K-State, is an institution of higher learning located in Manhattan, Kansas, in the United States...
chapter, KSU expelled the MCM chapter in 1983. Among other things, Maranatha chapter members were charged with misleading university officials about who was to receive money from a fundraiser. One former member, Bob Tedford, said the pastor of the KSU Maranatha chapter said that lying to others was acceptable "only if it was for that person's own good."
Maranatha also came under fire from former members of chapters that didn't get expelled. Dennis Richardson, a former member of Maranatha's Penn State chapter, said he broke off his engagement on the advice of his "shepherd." Kathy Mynatt, a former member of the University of Kentucky
University of Kentucky
The University of Kentucky, also known as UK, is a public co-educational university and is one of the state's two land-grant universities, located in Lexington, Kentucky...
chapter, claimed that when she questioned a church teaching that tampons were unsafe, she was told she had a "spirit of independent thinking and rebellion" that needed to be cast out of her.
Christian Research Institute's report
During the ensuing outcry, Weiner volunteered to have the Christian Research InstituteChristian Research Institute
The Christian Research Institute is an Evangelical Christian apologetics ministry. It was established in October 1960 in the state of New Jersey by Walter Martin . In 1974 Martin relocated the ministry to San Juan Capistrano, California. The ministry's office was relocated in the 1990s near Rancho...
provide a letter of endorsement. He hoped to "expel the lie" that Maranatha was a cult. After a meeting between several cult-watchers and Maranatha's leadership, a six-member ad hoc committee was formed to address Maranatha's problems. More than a year later, the committee issued a scathing report criticizing Maranatha's theology and practices. Among other things, it found that Maranatha's authoritarianism had "potential negative consequences for members." It concluded:
- Until we have clearer understanding of the changes which MCM claims are being implemented, and until we see more discernible evidence of change in the lives of people being impacted by MCM, we would not recommend this organization to anyone.
Committee members later said they would have used even harsher language in the report had they not feared legal reprisals. Weiner promised to address the committee's concerns, but later attacked it for anti-charismatic bias.
Breakup
At a November 1989 meeting, after a few years of private conflict about the governance structure of the movement, Maranatha's board decided to disband the organization. The official explanation was that many leaders were uncomfortable with the group's denomination-like structure. However, another factor was intense criticism from the secular and Christian press, as well as former members and college administrators. This criticism had continued almost unabated since the CRI report, and grew especially pointed after the Chronicle of Higher Education published an article detailing concerns about abusive religious groups on college campuses. (See Criticism and controversy section.)In the break-up, leaders announced that the individual local churches were free to become independent entirely or to voluntarily associate with whomever they chose. Instead, most of the local churches either closed or struggled to survive with shrinking congregations and dwindling funds. A few of the local churches survived, changing their names for their new identities. For example, Faith Christian Church in Tucson, AZ is now a non-denominational evangelical church. They continue to have a presence on the campus of the University of Arizona under pastor Steve Hall, who began to pastor the church in 1985 during Maranatha's heyday.
Many former Maranatha pastors have apologized and repented for the abuses of the organization, either personally or through books, and have asked for forgiveness. In the view of these pastors, dissolving the organization was necessary to allow for greater freedom in Christ. Indeed, at the last international conference held in San Antonio, Texas, in December of 1989, Weiner publicly apologized and asked for forgiveness for any abuses anyone suffered from him personally from authoritarianism or from the organization. He also printed a public apology to the church at large in Charisma Magazine in the winter of 1990.
Morning Star International/Every Nation
In 1994, several former Maranatha churches and ministries joined with other groups to form Morning Star International, under the leadership of former Maranatha pastors Rice Broocks, Phil Bonasso and Steve Murrell. Every Nation currently counts in its roster of churches at least seven former Maranatha churches in the United States, as well as a network of eight former Maranatha churches in the Philippines founded by Murrell.Every Nation has publicly disavowed Maranatha's more extreme practices. It claims that Weiner and Maranatha practiced "controlling discipleship, authoritarian leadership, and theological mysticism," but that Every Nation itself "unequivocally rejects" such practices. In a May 2006 letter, Murrell stated that Every Nation does not permit any practices and teachings that were "controlling, coercive, or intrusive, or that violate biblical principles (or) the priesthood of the believer."
His People/Every Nation merge
In 2001, the His PeopleHis People
His People is a 1925 silent film about a young, Jewish boxer growing up on the Lower East Side of Manhattan directed by Edward Sloman. According to film historian Lester Friedman, “Sloman’s compelling vision of the painful depths and joyous heights of immigrant life endow the film with an...
network of churches in Europe and Africa merged with Every Nation
Every Nation
Every Nation Churches is an organization of non-denominational Christian churches. Its name embodies its goal of reaching "every nation in our generation" with the gospel....
. This network also has considerable past links to Maranatha. Its flagship church, His People Church in Johannesburg, South Africa was formed in 1992 after His People Campus Ministry at the University of the Witwatersrand
University of the Witwatersrand
The University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg is a South African university situated in the northern areas of central Johannesburg. It is more commonly known as Wits University...
united with Maranatha Church in Johannesburg led by Bill Bennot. As Vice President of His People International, Bennot maintained ties with former Maranatha ministers such as Rice Broocks. His People began cooperating with Every Nation in 1996, and unity talks around this time as well. The addition of His People to the EN stable greatly increased EN's footprint in Europe and Africa.
Responses to criticism
Morton BlackwellMorton Blackwell
Morton C. Blackwell is an American Republican Party activist. He is president and founder of the Leadership Institute , a 5013 non-profit educational foundation that teaches political technology....
, former special assistant to President Reagan (who formed Students for America to lobby for President Reagan's policies on campuses) claimed that he hadn't seen anything in Maranatha's doctrine "outside the Christian tradition." Ralph Reed
Ralph E. Reed, Jr.
Ralph Eugene Reed, Jr., is a conservative American political activist, best known as the first executive director of the Christian Coalition during the early 1990s. He sought the Republican nomination for the office of Lieutenant Governor of Georgia but lost the primary election on July 18, 2006,...
, later to become famous as the president of the Christian Coalition, said that he thought Maranatha got "a bum rap" from its critics.
Notable members
Notable people to emerge from Maranatha include Gregory Dickow, pastor of Life Changers International Church based in Chicago, IL, and host/preacher on weekly TV program Changing Your Life. Greg was converted to Christianity through the evangelization of friend Brian Ledford, and the two were instrumental in forming Maranatha churches at Western Michigan University (1982) and Purdue (1983), respectively, as an outreach of the Michigan State University church. Greg met his wife Grace through Maranatha Ministries. Craig Terndrup, author of the song "Blow a Trumpet in Zion," J. Lee Grady, Editor of Charisma MagazineCharisma (magazine)
Charisma is a monthly Christian magazine based in Lake Mary, Florida, aimed at Pentecostals and charismatics...
, Reggie White
Reggie White
Reginald Howard "Reggie" White was a professional American football player. He played 15 seasons as a defensive end in the National Football League for the Philadelphia Eagles, Green Bay Packers and Carolina Panthers, becoming one of the most decorated players in NFL history...
, A. C. Green
A. C. Green
A.C. Green, Jr., is a retired American NBA basketball player who played in more consecutive games than any other player in NBA and ABA history. With 1,192 straight games played, he earned the nickname "Iron Man". He played for the Los Angeles Lakers, Phoenix Suns, Dallas Mavericks and Miami Heat...
, former Miss America
Miss America
The Miss America pageant is a long-standing competition which awards scholarships to young women from the 50 states plus the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands...
Debbye Turner
Debbye Turner
Debbye Turner-Bell is an American veterinarian, talk show host, former beauty queen and winner of the 1990 Miss America pageant....
, Paul Wylie
Paul Wylie
Paul Stanton Wylie is an American figure skater and 1992 Olympic silver medalist.-Biography:Born in Dallas, Texas, Wylie began skating at the age of three. At age eleven, his family moved to Denver, Colorado, where he began to train with Carlo Fassi...
, Rice Broocks, Steve Murrell, Phil Bonasso, and other leaders of Every Nation
Every Nation
Every Nation Churches is an organization of non-denominational Christian churches. Its name embodies its goal of reaching "every nation in our generation" with the gospel....
ministries.