Churches

Every Sabbath, there are hundreds of thousands of  groups and congregations gathering in places unfit for worship. People meet in homes, in sheds, or even under trees. A shoddy space can cause a congregation to dwindle as members become discouraged and visitors are reluctant to attend.

Maranatha’s mission is to provide these groups with a proper place of worship–a building that is simple, strong, and effective. And since we began our mission, Maranatha has seen the impact a church building can have on a congregation. It equips the group with confidence and empowers them to grow. In fact, many congregations see a rapid increase in membership following the construction of a church.

A new church can also have a transformative impact beyond the membership. Churches have the power to revitalize a neighborhood! The mere presence of a proper building adds value to a community and provides a common gathering place for meetings and outreach services.

Currently, there are requests for 100,000 church buildings to accommodate the growing Seventh-day Adventist Church.

The One-Day Church

The One-Day Church initiative is a response to the rising need for church buildings within the Seventh-day Adventist Church. As membership grows around the world, thousands of congregations are struggling to find places to worship.

The One-Day Church strives to meet this overwhelming need with a high-quality, low-cost, and easy-to-build structure. The One-Day Church kit is a galvanized steel structure with a vented roof. The base structure is 20 x 38 feet (6.1 x 11.6 meters) and seats approximately 125 people. The simplicity of its design and parts allows for it to be delivered to remote parts of the world, where traditional construction would be near impossible.

In some countries, Maranatha provides congregations just the kit–roofing and framework, two components that are the most difficult and expensive to attain. Then, the walls and floor are finished according to local custom and availability of materials.

In other areas, Maranatha collaborates with the church leadership to build the steel framework and  complete the walls. The degree of aid that Maranatha provides varies from country to country.

Every church Maranatha currently constructs is based on the One-Day Church kit. The look of the finished structure will depend on the number of kits used (additional “bays” can be added for churches with a longer congregation), materials used for walls, and cosmetic preferences (paint and structural flourishes).