HISTORY OF MARANATHA BAPTIST CHURCH

On March 26, 1976 a group of 20 people, residents of MARANATHA VILLAGE, met in the village office to consider starting a church. The first services occurred on October 31, 1976 with a morning attendance of 33 and 38 in the evening. After the adoption of the Church Covenant, Articles of Faith and Constituton, 47 charter members officially become MARANATHA BAPTIST CHURCH on December 1, 1976. Later, a recognition council acted "...to acknowledge Maranatha Baptist Church as an independent Baptist Church". The church was subsequently received into the Sunshine Baptist Fellowship and the General Association of Regular Baptist Churches (www.garbc.org).

Maranatha Baptist Church has maintained a deep love for missions and missionaries. A current annual missions budget of $183,000 supports 74 missionaries and agencies. In 1978 the church helped establish Spring Lake Baptist Church, and in 1984 helped to start the Sebring Baptist Tabernacle in Sebring (now Bethany Baptist Church of Avon Park.) Outreach continues in many other ways: Mailbox Ministries, Spanish Bible classes, services at area care centers, jail services, pulpit supply, tract writing and distribution, Sunday preaching in local communities, Spanish Literature production, musical concerts, and service on various mission boards.

Maranatha Manor

Today our folk represent a rich mix of backgrounds, occupations and professions. All have served the Lord with distinction either in secular jobs and through local churches or in full time Christian service. Those who have been in full time service include missionaries, pastors, pastors' wives, educators, chaplains, and mission board administrators.

A motto that reflects the personality of Maranatha Baptist Church is: "Helping one another 'til Jesus comes!" It expresses the spontaneous loving care and selfless service regularly showered upon one another, as well as the joyful anticipation of the sound of the trumpet that will accompany our entrance into the presence of the Lord!

ARTICLES OF FAITH

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The Scriptures: We believe that the Holy Bible, as originally written, was verbally and plenarily inspired and the product of Spirit-controlled men; therefore, it is truth without any admixture of error for its matter. We believe the Bible to be the center of true Christian unity and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds and opinions shall be tried. (II Timothy 3:16-17; II Peter 1:19-21)

The True God: We believe there is one and only one living and true God, an infinite, sovereign Spirit, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all honor, confidence and love. We believe that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons: the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit, equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct but harmonious offices in the great work of redemption. (Exodue 20:2-3; I Corinthians 8:6; Revelation 4:11)

Jesus Christ: We believe in the absolute deity of the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ; that He was divine as no other man can be, being very God of very God, existing from all eternity co-equal with the Father and the Spirit; that He never ceased to be God for one instant and that His humiliation did not consist in laying aside His deity; that as a man He was miraculously begotten of the Holy Ghost and born of the virgin Mary. (John 1:1-2; I John 5:20; Matthew 1:20; Luke 1:26-38)

Holy Spirit: We believe that the Holy Spirit is a divine Person, equal with God the Father and God the Son and of the same nature; that He was active in the creation; that in His relation to the unbelieving world He restrains the evil one until God's purpose is fulfilled; that He convicts of sin, of righteousness, and of judgment; that He bears witness to the truth of the Gospel in preaching and testimony; that He is the agent in the new birth; that He seals, endues, guides, teaches, witnesses, sanctifies and helps the believer. The gifts of tongues and healing were "sign gifts" until the Scriptures were completed. The gifts ceased at that time. (John 14:16-17; Matthew 28:19; Hebrews 9:14; John 14:26; Luke 1:35; Genesis 1:1-3; John 16:8-11; Acts 5:30-32; John 3:5-6; Ephesians 1:13-14; Mark 1:8; John 1:33; Acts 11:16; Luke 24:49; Romans 8:14,16,26,27; 15:19; Hebrews 2:4; I Corinthians 13:8)

Creation: We believe the Genesis account of creation as being neither allegory nor myth, but a literal, historical account of the direct, immediate creative acts of God without any evolutionary process; that man (spirit, soul and body) was created by a direct work of God and not from previously existing forms of life; and that all men are descended from the historical Adam and Eve, first parents of the entire human race. We believe that the days of creation in Genesis were literal 24 hour days. (Genesis 1 and 2; Colossians 1:16-17; John 1:3).

The Fall of Man: We believe that man was created in innocence under the law of his Maker. By voluntary transgression, Adam fell from his sinless and happy state, and all men sinned in him, in consequence of which all men are totally depraved, are partakers of Adam's fallen nature, and are sinners by nature and by conduct. Therefore all men are under just condemnation without defense or excuse. (Genesis 3:1-16, 24; Romans 1:18,32; 3:10-19; 5:12,19).

The Virgin Birth: We believe that Jesus was begotten of the Holy Ghost in a miraculous manner, born of Mary, a virgin, as no other man was ever born or can ever be born of woman, and that He is both the Son of God and God the Son. (Genesis 3:15; Isaiah 7:14); Matthew 1:18-25; Luke 1:35; John 1:14; Hebrews 1:8).

Reconciliation for Sin: We believe that the salvation of sinners is divinely initiated and wholly of grace through the mediatory offices of the Son of God who, by the appointment of the Father, freely took upon Himself our nature, yet without sin, honored the law by His personal obedience and by His death made a full and vicarious reconciliation for our sins. We believe His atonement consisted not in setting us an example by His death as a martyr, but was a voluntary substitution of Himself in the sinner's place, the just dying for the unjust, Christ the Lord bearing our sin in His own body on the tree. (Jonah 2:9; Ephesians 2:8; Acts 15:11; Romans 3:24-25; John 3:16; Matthews 18:11; Philippians 2:7-8; Hebrews 2:14; Isaiah 53:4-7; 1 John 4:10; 1 Corinthians 15:3; 11 Corinthians 5:21).