The Maranatha Community celebrated 30 years of service to Our Lord with a National Assembly on Saturday 1st October. This was a wonderful opportunity to come together for a whole day to declare the Lordship of Jesus, and to praise and worship God as Christians drawn from many churches and backgrounds under the banner “We Are One”. We looked back only briefly. We looked to the future with a revelation that the last 30 years was preparation for this new season. The essence of this day is captured in this 9 minute video:
We were reminded of the resurrection power of Jesus in which we live and move and have our being; the importance of personal intimacy with our Father – to “sit, sit, sit” in His presence so that we can “run, run, run” in His strength – and the immediate need to be a people who live and speak as one and declare the truth in love in a culture that needs life instead of death and absolutes instead of relativism.
We were encouraged to hear that “the hand of the Lord” – His anointing – is upon us and the Maranatha Community and to realise that we are “catalytic converters”, agents for change in the power of His Spirit. We were challenged to respond to the calling of God on our lives as individuals and to receive and accept His “marching orders” in the spiritual battle.
We were moved, inspired and filled with hope by the young people who called us to be their spiritual mothers and fathers and spoke of their own desires to serve the Lord in their generation.
This anniversary is a defining time for Maranatha. The rock of Ebenezer has been raised. A new season has begun. The Lord says “Behold I am doing a new thing!” And our response? Yes, Lord! Amen!
Ishmael Evans, one of the participants commented: “One of the unique and amazing things at Maranatha gatherings is the genuine sense of unity in worship and this occasion was no different. Paul Barnsley led the Morning section of worship and the beauty of it, along with the heartwarming singing, was the flying of the national flags of various countries around the world. The sense of holding up a nation before God; declaring his Lordship over that nation in worship and prayer was phenomenal. It will take an outsider great investigative skills to identify that the gathering was made up of Christians of various traditions and backgrounds. The solidarity messages given by ministers, parliamentarians and other great associates was more than re- assuring.
However the challenge of the new season after 30yrs in celebration is the hope that we all share as a community that God is not finished with us yet. The next chapter begins now. In a statement by the leader of the community Dennis: 30yrs has been a great preparation period and in the new season God is calling on us to listen more, readily available to be more involved, visible and ready to leap forward as He leads.”
Perhaps you might like to leave us your comments here:
Maranatha Community (Archive News) 
Many congratulations to Maranatha on its 30th birthday. It is an amazing community that has like the mustard seed grown tremendously from very small beginnings. Maranatha has spread the word of God and brought hope and comfort to many lost souls.
As Chair of the All Party Pro-Life Group in Parliament I recognise the need for voices to speak out on behalf of those who are too small and insignificant to be heard. Maranatha has always been one of those voices who cry out for justice for the marginalised in our communities and through prayer and practical help bring God’s love to all who are ignored in our society.
I hope that the next 30 years will see Maranatha going from strength to strength in bringing more people to know, love and serve God.
Just a thought – Jesus was 30 when he started His ministry!
Well done on a great event
I thought the comment from one of the speakers re the time is NOW was correct, if God is speaking to us individually or as a group to do something and we know it – we need to start doing it.
May the rest of Christ’s Church start waking up globally to the need for unity
Paul Schofield
From Reaveley and Joan: Thank you, thank you, for a long time now we have not been able to be at Maranatha but all that Maranatha is and stands for was shown in the video. It doesn’t seem as long as 30 years, may the next 30 years continue in the blessing which God is providing through His Son Jesus, and may you hear what the Holy Spirit is saying to His people. God bless you.
Thank you to Maranatha for alerting the Church right across our nation to issues of concern to Christians over 30 years and for prompting people to action.
As a Member of Parliament, I can assure you that your thoughtful and well researched views on a wide range of issues carry great weight and have gained enormous respect from many within Westminster as well as on a wider scale.
Please continue your good work which is needed now as much as ever.