About Maranatha
Maranatha Camp and Retreat Center is a non-denominational ministry dedicated to giving people the opportunity to get away from daily routines, quiet down, hear God speak, and make life-changing decisions. We accomplish this by hosting camps, retreats, community events, and discipleship programs. We also provide a venue for families and organizations to hold their own gatherings — including churches, schools, family reunions, non-profit groups and more — all on our beautifully wooded, 210-acre slice of west-central Nebraska.Our Mission & Vision
Our vision and mission is to help make disciples of Christ
Mission: Glorify God by introducing people to Jesus, training them in Christian living, and sending them out to represent Christ.
Vision: Changed Lives To Change The World
Motto: Get Away, Quiet Down, Hear God Speak, and Make Life-changing Decisions
OUR BELIEFS
Our Ministry’s Core Theology
- We believe the Bible to be the inspired, only infallible, authoritative Word of God.
We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
We believe in the deity of our Lord Jesus Christ, His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and His coming personal return in power and glory.
We believe that for the salvation of lost and sinful man, regeneration by the Holy Spirit through faith in Christ alone is absolutely essential.
We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; those who are saved unto the resurrection of life and those who are lost unto the resurrection of damnation.
We believe in the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ.
What Does “Maranatha” Mean?
Maranatha is an Aramaic word that means “the Lord is coming” or “come, O Lord.” The early church faced much persecution, and life for a Christian under Roman rule was not easy. The Romans required everyone to declare that Caesar was god. The early Christians knew that there is only one God and one Lord — Jesus Christ — and in all good conscience they could not call Caesar “Lord,” so the Romans looked upon them as traitors, persecuted them, and put them to death.
Living under those adverse conditions, the believers’ morale was lifted by the hope of the coming of the Lord. “Maranatha!” became the common greeting of the oppressed believers, replacing the Jewish greeting shalom (“peace”). The followers of Jesus knew there would be no peace because Jesus had told them so (Matthew 10:34; Luke 12:51). But they also knew the Lord would be returning to set up His kingdom, and from that truth they drew great comfort. They were constantly reminding and being reminded that the Lord is coming (Luke 21:28; Revelation 22:12). Jesus taught several parables on this same theme of watching and waiting and being prepared for His return (Matthew 25:1-13; Luke 12:35-40).
Today, believers in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ live our lives in the light of the knowledge that He can come at any time. We are to be ready when the call comes. Every day we should expect Him to come, and every day we should long for Him to come. Maranatha reminds us to keep our eyes on the eternal things of the Spirit. To dwell on material things is to be in constant mental turmoil. Looking down, we see the earth; looking around, we see earthly things. But looking up, we see the hope of the soon coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. To those who are discouraged today, Maranatha! To those who are worried today, Maranatha! To those who are filled with anxiety over the problems they are facing, Maranatha! Our Lord is coming!
WHO WE ARE
Our Team & Leadership
A registered non-profit organization, Maranatha Camp & Retreat Center is guided by a group of 10 leaders in faith, community, and business, who serve as our Board of Directors. This board works together with our camp’s Executive Director and Associate Director, who lead a staff of dedicated professionals in the day-to-day and long-term operations of the camp
Year-Round Staff
JoAnn Beetem
Database Manager
Laureen Chuman
Bookkeeper
Alex Forbus
Kitchen Manager
Madalyn Fulk
Marketing Specialist
Leola Hill
Gap-Year Staff
Barry Holbrook
Executive Director
Tanya Holbrook
Accommodations Supervisor
David Jones
Maintenance Team Member
Jonathan King
Maintenance & Properties Manager
Levi Licking
Maintenance Team Member
Mak Licking
Teens In Training (TnT) Coordinator
Alicia Most
Associate Director, Finance Manager
Molly Most
Guest Groups Coordinator
Thomas Most
Recreation Manager
Susan Parker
Bookkeeping Assistant
David Quick
Audiovisual Tech
Janie Sommer
Registrar
Bruce Stucky
Maintenance Team Member
Mark Swesey
Maintenance Team Member
Anthony Ramirez
Associate Director, IT/AV
Manny Romero
Maintenance Team Member
Claire Taylor
Accommodations Manager
George Cheek
ED of Maranatha Camp Foundation
The second general director in the Camp’s history, George has been a Maranatha staff member since 1973.
Our Values
// DEVELOP DISCIPLES & SERVANT-LEADERS
In Luke 2:52, we see that Jesus grew in wisdom (mentally), stature (physically), in favor with God (spiritually), and in favor with man (socially). We should seek to grow in these same ways therefore, imitating Christ’s behavior. We want to train and equip each follower of Christ who comes to camp as a guest or staff member with the tools like the Word of God, testimonies, and memories of God’s love. We hope to help Christ followers to continuously transform their lifestyle into that of servant-leader disciples who love and serve their families, and communities while developing even more disciples, (Matthew 20:26 and 28:19-20).
// SHARE THE MESSAGE
And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation (Mark 16:15). We seek to open channels, make connections, and build relationships which we can use to live in community, and love others as Christ loves us (1 John 4:19). As a major part in living out God’s love, we prepare and make use of opportunities for sharing the message of the Gospel.
// EXTRAVAGANTLY SERVE
Whatever you do, do your work heartily, as for the Lord rather than for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the reward of the inheritance. It is the Lord Christ whom you serve (Colossians 3:24-25). As we serve guests on a daily basis, we strive to go the extra-mile. A good work ethic is also a testimony to others about the love and power of God.
// BE ADAPTABLE & EAGER
At camp, plans change, and things happen. As a team, we want to be ready to give each other and our guests the service they need to quiet down and hear God speak while minimizing distractions! Even when the day throws us a bunch of curveballs, we strive to keep the level of fun, possibility, and eagerness to make camp and our guests’ experiences tip-top amazing.
Our History
Maranatha Bible Camp held its first session June 6-13, 1938, on a farm east of North Platte, Nebraska. Within a few years, it was obvious the camp needed a permanent home. Land was located near Maxwell, and a fundraising postcard was prepared. Interestingly, the postmark shows June 6, 1944, which turned out to be D-Day in WWII! Times were hard, but a number of Christian leaders in the area were supportive of the Bible Camp and attendance began to grow.
The facilities started out consisting of tents only. Then came the “slab cabins” built from Colorado timber, sawmill rough-cut wood obtained by trading loads of baled hay from the Platte valley. A swimming hole was dug to help cool off on the hot summer days.
One of Maranatha’s strengths over the years has been the help of many volunteers. Even after paid staff positions were implemented, camp could not operate without the volunteers who assist in programming, cabin leading, maintenance, sweet shop, etc.
A strange thing happened that God used to really make the Maranatha Bible Camp location highly visible. In the late 1960s, Interstate 80 was built running through Nebraska. The plan took it right through the northern edge of camp property. Much effort was made by the camp board to get the route moved, to no avail. A big concession was made when the highway department agreed to create the 40-acre Lake Maranatha by excavating fill sand to raise the Interstate roadbed up to a flood-proof height. Additional land was bought at the time to make this possible.
Our 30-foot-high Cross, lit at night with the words Maranatha Bible Camp, has become a nationally-recognized landmark for those travelers who frequent I-80.
In 2005, George Cheek and Tad Stryker pulled together a book detailing the ministry history, titled “Maranatha, the Miracle Camp on the Plains.” It includes a number of testimonies and photographs organized by decades.
Contact us to order this informative and encouraging book relating the story of how God used a small group in hard times to start a ministry that continues to have national and international impact.
Statement of Beliefs
THE BIBLE: We believe that all scripture is equally and fully inspired in all its parts and inerrant in the original manuscripts.
GOD: We believe that the Godhead eternally exists in three persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
REDEMPTION: We believe that our redemption has been accomplished for us by the shed blood and substitutionary sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that man was created in the image of God, but chose to sin against God, resulting in depravity and death. We believe that no one can enter the Kingdom of God unless born again by the Holy Spirit through the Word.
SALVATION: We believe that salvation is the gift of God in grace made available to all who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. We believe that Christ is received by faith alone, and that our acceptance before the Father is according to Christ’s own acceptance before the Father. We believe that it is the privilege of all who are born again to be assured of their eternal salvation on the authority of the Word of God.
CHRISTIAN LIFE: We believe that all who have received Jesus Christ are called to a life of yieldedness and separation which demonstrates that serving God is both reasonable and joyous.
JESUS CHRIST: We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ was conceived in the flesh by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, and is both fully God and fully man. We believe that our Lord Jesus Christ was resurrected in bodily form according to the Scriptures, and that His resurrection guarantees our own resurrection.
THE HOLY SPIRIT: We believe that the ministry of the Holy Spirit includes the convincing of the world of sin, righteousness and judgment; guiding the believer into truth; interceding in prayer; comforting in need; and infilling for righteousness and service. We believe that all who receive Jesus Christ are baptized into His body by the Holy Spirit, who also gives enabling gifts according to the will of God.
THE CHURCH: We believe that the church is composed of all believers, who are responsible to guard the spirit of unity in the body.