About Maranatha Seventh-day Adventist Church
During the early 1970’s the Boulevard Drive Seventh-day Adventist church, located in the Kirkwood area of Atlanta, GA swelled to its full capacity through the evangelistic efforts of Elder Ward Sumpter. On Sabbath Mornings, approximately 300 members and the ever-increasing number of visitors occupied every seat in the sanctuary, stood around the walls and even spilled out in the hallway and lobby. To accommodate this rapidly increasing membership, Elder Sumpter, along with others, initiated a plan to purchase a larger church in another part of the city of Atlanta.
The ideal church property was located near the corner of Browns Mill Road and Cleveland Avenue. This church had a spacious sanctuary with a seating capacity of 800, a number of classrooms and an adequate parking lot. Most importantly, it was located in an area that was fertile ground for evangelism. In the summer of 1976, Elder Sumpter, with a substantial portion of the Boulevard Drive Church, moved to our present location. The Boulevard Drive church maintained a core membership devoted to the challenging task of replenishing itself and swelling once again to overflowing.
This new church family was accustomed to supporting evangelism. In fact, they realized that more than ever before, the entire membership must actively participate in evangelism if the church was to be sustained and developed. It was this spirit of evangelism, which led the church to pray for the special name for itself. One name felt natural and appropriate, “Maranatha”, which means “Behold, He Comes”, which is the hope and joy of this God-led, Holy Ghost-filled church. We have been under the leadership of some dynamic men, along with their faithful and dedicated wives, whom God has used to lead this great congregation. With all our love, we give thanks to God for them.
Goal
Our goal is to inspire and encourage all mankind to know Jesus Christ as their Savior and to serve Him as their Lord.
Mission
Our mission is to nurture our members, evangelize our community, and support our local and worldwide effort to spread the everlasting gospel of Jesus Christ as we build relationships for eternity.
About The Seventh-day Adventist Church
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a mainstream Protestant church with approximately 19 million members worldwide, including more than one million members in North America. The Seventh-day Adventist Church seeks to enhance quality of life for people everywhere and to let people know that Jesus is coming again soon.
Adventists believe a Trinity of three persons—the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit—make up one God. They made salvation possible when Jesus, the Son, came to earth as a baby in Bethlehem and lived a sinless life in accordance with the Father's will. When Jesus was crucified for the sins of the people of the world and arose from the dead on the third day, victory was won for everyone.
When He returned to heaven following the resurrection, Jesus left the Holy Spirit to serve as our Comforter and Counselor. He promised to return to earth a second time to complete His plan of salvation and take His people to heaven. Adventists are among the believers who look forward to that day.
Adventists believe that God is concerned with the quality of human life, and that everything—the way we live, eat, speak, think, treat each other, and care for the world around us—is part of His plan. Our families, our children, our jobs, our talents, our money, and our time are all important to Him.