Outreach/missions
About the ministry
At Maranatha we believe that God’s purpose in empowering us to be His witnesses was never meant to stay within the walls of our building (see Acts 1:8). The message of the Gospel is something that we desire to take to the ends of the earth. If you would like to take a next step, we invite you to learn more about the people and ministries we support Locally, Regionally, and Globally. We also invite you to pray for them and ask God how you might become involved.
Click on tabs below to view more!
Fred & Donna Aljets
Cedar Rapids, Iowa - Tabernacle Children's Ministry
Fred and Donna spread the Gospel through chapel times through the school year to children ages 18 months to 6 years; host and lead Vacation Bible Schools; they have special meetings for children throughout the year; do teacher training, provide a wide variety of children’s material to churches; and Fred often fills the pulpit for area pastors.
Contact at fred@aljets.org
Read their latest update here.
Bridgehaven
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Bridgehaven is a local ministry whose mission is to empower choices for life through Christ-centered education and support. Our team is motivated and enabled by our shared faith in Jesus Christ, who powerfully demonstrated the value and dignity of each person in His life, death and resurrection. We seek to help each person we serve realize his or her inherent dignity and value, and to help them choose abundant life, physically, emotionally and eternally.
Contact at Bridgehavencr.org
Read their latest update here.
Equipping Youth
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Equipping Youth is a non-profit organization, located in Cedar Rapids, committed to promoting character education through our Powerful Choices abstinence program for youth and their families. Equipping Youth collaborated with local community schools and organizations to develop programming for youth in Eastern Iowa. The main objective of Equipping Youth is to encourage adolescents to make healthy choices through character-based risk avoidance education.
Read their latest update here.
Heartland Youth For Christ
Cedar Rapids, Iowa
Youth for Christ serves many school campuses in the Cedar Rapids area through ministries that include Campus Life, City Life, Student Led, Teen Parents, and Youth Guidance. High schools, middle schools and troubled kids are the focus of the Youth for Christ ministry. They also have offered a number of events such as their annual Golf Tournament, skating parties, Bible quizzing, conferences, caravans, youth trips, and comedians.
Read their latest update here.
Nathan & Valerie Bunting
Florida - Wycliffe Bible Translators
Nathan and Valerie serve in Florida, and are now recruiting and training others for overseas work.
Contact at buntingnate@gmail.com
Read their latest update here.
East Iowa Bible Camp
Deep River, Iowa
East Iowa Bible Camp is an independent, non-denominational Christian camp whose sole purpose is to win to Christ those who do not know Him as Savior and Lord.
EIBC is also committed to impart and teach the Word of God and to provide fellowship and fun for practical Christian living. Every effort is made by the board of directors and staff to give the Bible pre-eminence and to make each phase of camp life Christ-centered.
Read their latest update here.
Matthew & Emmerie Moore
Las Vegas, Nevada - Tentmakers Bible Mission
Matthew and Emmerie are ministering to the people of Las Vegas, Nevada. As church leaders, they share the Word, build relationships, and meet needs through outreach, preaching, Bible studies, discipleship, and developing a youth group in the northeastern portion of the city.
Contact at memoore6212@gmail.com
Read their latest update here.
Jack & Louanne Ryon
Charlotte, North Carolina - SIM (Serving In Mission)
SIM Headquarters in located in Charlotte, NC, for over 1,600 missionaries, serving in over 50 countries, on 6 continents. Although officially "retired" Jack assists with software and accounting issues and Louanne helps in Donor Care. They are involved in community outreach.
Contact at louanne.ryon@sim.org
Read their latest update here.
Mark & Annie Scaffidi
Wichita, Kansas – the Navigators
Mark and Annie are serving at the University of Kansas, Wichita, discipling young men and women to “know Christ and make Him known.” They lead Bible studies and do evangelistic outreaches, all with the goal of leading people to Christ and training them to follow Him.
Contact at mark.scaffidi@navigators.com
Read their latest update here.
Jim & Connie Turek
Camdenton, Missouri - Ethnos360
Jim and Connie have served as missionaries with Ethnos 360 (formerly New Tribes Mission) since 1983. They train Missionary Candidates for cross-cultural ministry to isolated people groups. Jim is Director of Outreach, connecting students to the community through various ministries with the goal of sharing Christ in a relevant way; teaches Christian Life modules; and plays with the Student Praise Band in chapels. Together they meet with students in a mentoring program - individually and in groups; are on a team which oversees major parts of a student's life and also the Outreach Leadership Team. Connie is a campus photographer and is in charge of campus decorating. Local church: Jim pastors an Evangelical Free church; Connie is church secretary.
Contact at connie_turek@ntm.org
Read their latest update here.
Joel & Rachel Watters
Pella, Iowa- Intervarsity
Joel & Rachel, with their four children, are located in Pella, IA, to evangelize and disciple students on college campuses.
Contact at joelcwatters@gmail.com
Dan & Mary Lu Coventon
Honduras - Mission Enablers International
Dan and Mary Lu Coventon are missionaries who have lived and ministered in various cities of Honduras, Central America ,since 1976. They have served in many areas: church planting, children's ministry, music ministry, Christian radio, street evangelism, teaching, and preaching. They now focus on discipling & preparing believers for service. Mary Lu directs the Discipleship Ministries in the church of San Pedro Sula (150 students) and provides evaluation materials for the Discipleship Ministries nationwide (over 2,000 students). Dan directs the Farthest Horizons School of Missions, preparing Latin-Americans to serve in the nations as missionaries. Currently there are graduates from the school in Spain, Peru, and East Asia; soon others will be leaving for Italy, East Africa, and the Middle East.
Contact at d.coventon@me.com
Read their latest update here.
Nate & Rachelle Dell
Ecuador - Paraclete
Nate & Rachelle are working with the Waorani people in Ecuador. An Ecuadorean educational foundation has recently been started to provide a place for the indigenous as a training center. The Dells have joined another couple in helping the Waorani learn trade and job skills, and encourage their faith through intercultural interaction.
Contact at kigidell@gmail.com
Read their latest update here.
Ken & Marla Drowley
Haiti - Ebenezer Glenn Orphanage
Ebenezer Glenn Orphanage is located near Dessalines, Haiti. They train and build lives to further the Kingdom of God (Proverbs 22:6), watching the children grow physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually into adulthood. Graduates of EGO include nurses, accountants, computer operators, teachers and worship leaders. Today at EGO, there are 13 buildings on 12 acres including the Clinic, the Tabernacle and dorms for the babies and children. The Johnathan School offers children of EGO an education in a secure and pleasant atmosphere, as well as providing an opportunity to reach out to children of the community.
Read their latest update here.
Kyle & Carrie Eipperle
Ukraine - Send International
Kyle and Carrie are partnering with Operation World to continue to help advance missions worldwide.
Contact at kyleandcarrie@msn.com
Alan & Melody Pieratt
Worldwide - Children's Relief International
Alan and Melody are privileged to be the founders of Children's Relief International. Alan is the President of CRI, responsible for oversight of the mission. Melody works as the logistic heart of the organization, responsible for newsletters, representational materials, team and intern applications, flights, and schedules. Their mission is to "take Christ to the poor" because wherever He went, the poor were saved, helped, taught, healed, and freed (Matt. 9:35 & Luke 4:18-21). As we take Him to the poor, and bring the poor to Him, people are helped, healed, and saved in the same way.
Contact at melody@childrensrelief.org
Joe & Monica Steffeck
Worldwide - Children's Relief International
Joe and Monica minister to those in extreme poverty in Mozambique, Uganda, Malawi, South Asia, Mexico and the Middle East. They both encountered deep poverty through short-term mission trips. God used a dream and confirmation of it to call Joe and their family to a life of full-time ministry in 2020 and he now facilitates all construction (homes, churches, wells, community buildings) and will oversee farming operations for CRI projects around the world in addition to witnessing to the truth of salvation and joy in living in obedience to Jesus Christ. Monica supports CRI part time with hiring, training and developing their missionaries. They have three children: Titus, Evelyn and Madilyn.
Contact at monica@childrensrelief.org
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