Who we are
Maranatha Baptist Bible College and Seminary strives today to fulfill its mission of more than 40 years—to develop leaders for ministry in the local church and the world “To the Praise of His Glory.”
Students can choose from 28 majors, 42 minors, and 5 graduate programs. Those courses were taught to a combined 1,120 students through the College, Seminary, and Maranatha Online during the 2010-11 academic year. The students came from 43 states and 11 countries. There are six performing musical groups and 11 intercollegiate sports teams. Maranatha’s 4,000th graduate was recognized during the 2011 Commencement ceremony.
There are several distinctives that set Maranatha apart from other Christian colleges. From a spiritual perspective, its fundamental Baptist position and local church emphasis are vital. From an academic perspective, regional accreditation and the wide scope of its programs offer graduates nearly unlimited career and ministry opportunities. All students must complete a core of Bible courses as well as the requirements for their major and minor.
Maranatha’s history is that of an institution committed to the principles on which it was founded—the truth of God’s word and an adherence to Baptist distinctives that set it apart from other Christian Colleges.
From a spiritual perspective, Maranatha’s theological position and local church emphasis are historically vital. From an academic perspective, regional accreditation and the wide scope of its programs have offered College graduates nearly unlimited career and ministry opportunities.
“I want parents and students to know we will stay true to our foundation, to the fundamentals of the faith that are as important to them as they are to us,” College President Dr. Marty Marriott said. “We will always be Baptist, biblical, dispensational, and evangelistic. We will always emphasize the local church. Those are non-negotiables. There aren’t going to be sudden shifts in what we believe or how we apply those beliefs. We’re going to stay the course that has been laid out for us over the last 40 years.”
That course began in 1968, when Maranatha was established by Dr. B. Myron Cedarholm and his wife, Thelma.
Our history
The Cedarholms helped raise $150,000 to purchase a campus now valued at $18 million from the Brothers of the Congregation of the Holy Cross. Watertown resident Elayne Senn first phoned Cedarholm to suggest he consider the grounds of the former Sacred Heart Military Academy.
The first payment was made June 1, 1968. The College opened just three months later, on September 10, with 173 students and 27 faculty members. Maranatha awarded degrees to 13 students on May 31, 1969.
The student body grew to a high fall enrollment of 735 (1977-78) under Cedarholm, who remained president until 1983. The academic offerings, fine arts options, and intercollegiate athletic programs all expanded greatly during that time. Many of the present campus buildings were constructed, including seven of the 10 dormitories and the Gymnasium.
The 1980s and 1990s saw Maranatha achieve financial stability as well as fall enrollment that began to exceed 700 every year . No fewer than 39 different building and remodeling projects, including the Cedarholm Library and Research Center, were completed between 1983 and 1998. Maranatha also earned regional accreditation in 1993, a pivotal moment in the College’s academic history.
Enrollment continued to grow during the first decade of the 2000s, peaking at 900 undergraduates during the 2004-05 academic year. The newest major building on campus, the Dining Complex, opened in the fall of 2005. The Global Encounters missions program began in 2006. The later part of the decade saw the addition of Maranatha Online and Maranatha Baptist Seminary.
Recent years have also included some significant events. The largest institutional scholarship program in College history, the Bible and Church Ministries Scholarship, began in 2009. That scholarship can be worth up to $20,000 over four years. The ROTC chapter, established four years ago, has grown from six cadets to a record 26 in 2010-11. The extensive renovation of Burckart Hall was completed in the fall of 2010.
Current students remain as committed to God’s work as those who preceded them. Our most recent alumni survey indicates that 92 percent of our graduates are actively involved in local church ministry. God has blessed and sustained a school that remains true to its mission—to develop leaders for ministry in the local church and the world “To the Praise of His Glory.”
Our alumni
Maranatha has maintained its godly heritage (Mission and Statement of Faith) by providing training that is Bible-centered, baptistic, evangelistic, local church oriented, separated, and fundamental. The Miracle of Maranatha continues today through more than 4,000 graduates. The following facts from alumni surveys indicate that this godly heritage is being passed on:
- 92% of Maranatha graduates are actively involved in local Baptist church ministry.
- 72% teach Sunday School.
- 70% of men are involved in church leadership.
- 60% are regularly involved in soulwinning/discipling.
- 89 alumni serve as missionaries in 42 different mission fields, not counting those on deputation.
- 50% of alumni are involved in full-time Christian service.
- 20% of graduates are in the pastorate and 24% serve in Christian education.
