World Mission Maranatha

World Mission Maranatha is a story of faith written by José Luis Soto, and by the congregation that has backed the vision that God has given to him, to launch great projects of faith and confront enormous challenges.

This story of faith began in 1984, when pastor Soto, after pastoring other congregations for 20 years, started a new stage of his ministry, by beginning an independent work.

Led by the Holy Spirit, in an act of faith, the pastor bought a mortuary, which had been burnt and was in ruins, located on Long Beach Blvd., in the city of South Gate, California. For many, it seemed a foolish act, as well as a costly one, with regards to the reconstruction, and the possibilities of obtaining permission from the authorities for the building to operate as a church, were none. Nonetheless, after struggles and difficulties, and after the authorities miraculously granted permission, the Maranatha Evangelistic Center was inaugurated on September
28th, 1985.

Since that year, God has glorified his blessed Name in a spectacular way.
Maranatha was converted into an enthusiastic place of constant activity. In this medium-sized building, that today is still located on Long Beach Blvd., in South Gate, the brethren of the first Maranatha church worked untiringly, both materially and spiritually, to evangelize lost souls, to materially help the poor and needy, and to extend the Kingdom of God. The number of believers grew rapidly, so that in 2003, there were approximately 1600 members.

It was pastor Soto’s vision of faith, and the unconditional support of his
congregation, that, with God’s help, made it possible to purchase two buildings on Alondra Boulevard in 1999. Construction of the new headquarters began on October 2001, and on April 12th, 2003, an enthusiastic crowd came together to celebrate the victory given by our Lord, in an inauguration service which took place in the new church’s auditorium, Misión Mundial Maranatha, an elegant and comfortable building, with capacity for one thousand people.

World Mission Maranatha is also the main support for the International Council Una Cita Con Dios, thanks to the efforts and generosity of the brethren that make up the congregation. The major portion of the funds that sustain the missionary work of Una Cita Con Dios, in Latin America, come from Maranatha. Due to their effort and generosity, children of Nicaragua, El Salvador and Chiapas, are fed, dressed, receive medical attention and education, free of charge. Hundreds of thousands of people – perhaps millions, over the years – have been and are being reached by the preaching of the Gospel via the radio and television, through the program “Una Cita Con Dios”, which is transmitted on diverse channels, and the radio stations Maranatha y Eben-ezer, in Nicaragua.

Presently, World Mission Maranatha transmits via the Internet twenty-four hours per day. Its services can be seen and heard live, on this web site.