Maranatha Bible and Missionary Conference

DOORS OPEN:  6:30pm  /  CONCERTS BEGIN: 7:00pm

Buddy Greene 

Buddy’s songwriting has gained him recognition as well, especially as the co-writer of the Christmas favorite, “Mary, Did You Know?”, recorded by many of today’s top recording artists, including Clay Aiken, Kathy Mattea, Kenny Rogers & Wynonna, Natalie Cole, Glen Campbell, and Kathleen Battle, to name a few. Buddy’s outstanding performances have taken him from Macon, GA to Billy Graham crusades, music festivals, concert halls, churches, pickin’ parties of every kind, and even Carnegie Hall.

Kings Brass 

The King's Brass provide innovative worship for young and old alike through the "best in sacred brass music." By teaming together, these Christian professionals from around the United States perform their original arrangements as heard on their eight recordings. For more than twenty years, The King's Brass have performed over one hundred concerts each season with three trumpets, three trombones, a tuba, keyboards, and percussion. Playing a wide variety of music from Gabrieli to hymn classics, from Handel to jazz spirituals, from Christmas carols to patriotic marches, The King's Brass uses all corners of the concert hall to lift hearts and spirits in praise.

Nicol Sponberg 

Few artists in any genre of music possess a more compelling voice than Nicol (Smith) Sponberg. Warm and rich with a husky texture than imbues any lyric with an extra measure of emotional intensity, Sponberg has always been a "singer's singer" who has distinguished herself both as a solo artist and as a founding member of the award-winning trio Selah.

Marty Goetz 

Marty Goetz has been called a modern day psalmist. His songs are scriptures beautifully set to music, leaving listeners spiritually moved, inspired and educated. With melodic and fresh acoustical/classic arrangements, Marty Goetz has the ability to lead you into a place of true intimacy with God.

Theater for the Thirsty 

Theater for the Thirsty– specializes in entertaining, music-infused, funny, thought-provoking, redemptive, soul stirring and imaginative theater. They have been creating and performing original works, professionally, for over fifteen years.  Jeremiah and Vanessa Gamble are NOT brother and sister. They are married, a fact they happen to enjoy immensely. They have been involved in professional theater in the Twin Cities, both on camera and on stage for over twelve years. Their passion is creating and performing original works together through their theater company, Theater for the Thirsty. They portray over 100 different characters in their ten original shows–ranging from tone-deaf angels to cud-chewing cows. Every Christmas they both perform with the whole family, The Gamble Family (a 25 year tradition). They graduated from Bethel University with degrees in theater and music. They make their home in Minneapolis, MN, with their extremely cute kids Phoenicia, Eden and Obadiah. Together they create music, theater, laughter and pretty tasty chicken curry.

Robert & Pam Adams 

More information coming soon!

Michael Card 

In a career that spans 30 years, Michael Card has recorded over 31 albums, authored or co-authored over 24 books, hosted a radio program, and written for a wide range of magazines. While he has penned such favorites as “El Shaddai”, “Love Crucified Arose”, and “Emmanuel,” He never imagined selling more than 4 million albums or writing over 19 #1 hits. The popularity of his work seemed a stark contrast to his goal in life, to simply and quietly teach the Bible.

Although music provided him the opportunity to share insight gained through extensive research, writing songs alone limited what he felt called to share. Card would frequently agonize over having to condense the vast depth and richness of scripture into a three-minute song. And so he fell, quite naturally, into the field of book writing where he has garnered numerous awards.

Korean Children's Choir 

In 1950, after traveling extensively in China and Korea as an evangelist, Dr. Bob Pierce started World Vision as a way for Americans to respond to the needs of countless widows, orphans and vulnerable children. In 1960, in the aftermath of the Korean War, Dr. Pierce brought a group of Korean orphans to the United States to sing in churches and public venues in order to raise awareness to the plight of children. World Vision’s Korea Children’s Choir was the voice for thousands of neglected children who were served through the ministry of World Vision in those early years. The choir toured the U.S. on numerous occasions from 1960 to the 1980s, appearing at Carnegie Hall, the White House and The Ed Sullivan Show. Today choir members are no longer selected from orphanages but among mainstream, talented youth who continue to carry on the choir’s original mission: to be a voice for the voiceless.

Alan Atwood

Alan Atwood received a BFA in Theatre from UW-Milwaukee and then went on to the American Conservatory Theatre in San Francisco to complete his training.  He was a co-founder of Acacia Theatre Company, a Christian Theatre Company in Milwaukee, WI. He served as the Artistic Director of Acacia for nine years.  He currently serves as Pastor of Drama at Eastbrook Church. Eastbrook is a sister church to Elmbrook Church which was started and pastored for many years by Jill and Stuart Briscoe.  At Eastbrook, Alan writes and produces full-length plays for the community as well as shorter dramas for worship services. He has authored a book of sketches for worship that he makes available to churches. He also tours several one-man plays around the country to churches, conferences, Christian schools and camps.

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Andrew Peterson 

Andrew Peterson has earned a place as one of Christian music’s most respected singer/songwriters, crafting music that splits the difference between groundbreaking folk-rock band Caedmon’s Call and the late, great Rich Mullins. His string of artistically excellent records began with the top 10 radio single “Nothing To Say,” and includes the lush Love & Thunder, Easter-themed Resurrection Letters, Vol. 2, and his newest masterwork Counting Stars, which took the number one spot on the iTunes Christian chart on its release. He tours the globe with his musical cohorts the Captains Courageous, a.k.a. pianist/producer Ben Shive and guitarist Andy Gullahorn. But music is only part of Peterson’s artistry: he’s published three books, most recently launching a Christy Award-winning series of young adult fantasy novels called The Wingfeather Saga, inspired by Tolkien, Lewis, and Peterson’s own three children. Peterson’s artistic successes may be surpassed by his skill in connecting people, embodied in the Rabbit Room online community (RabbitRoom.com), which gathers contributions from authors, songwriters, and pastors, encouraging creativity and referencing its ultimate source. The thread of community, also a theme of Counting Stars, imbues his beloved annual Christmas show, Behold The Lamb Of God, a long-running multi-artist tour based on Peterson’s original Christmas album of the same name.

Shaun Groves 

Tyler, TX, native Shaun Groves began his relationship with Christ during the sixth grade. His new-found faith led Groves to pursue music with passion and excellency. The drive and intensity he devoted reaped immediate results, with saxophone-playing Groves moving from the last chair to the first chair in the school band in merely a few months time. When college rolled around, Groves attended Baylor University on a full private music scholarship. It was during college that Groves met his wife, whom he credits for educating him on popular music. After graduating with a bachelor's degree in music composition, he moved to Nashville, TN, hoping to make his mark as a songwriter. Groves soon found a job as what he dubs "a tape copy guy" at Brentwood/Benson Publishing. The short-lived career move landed him a development deal with the publishing company and a recording contract with Rocketown Records in 2000. Groves' debut album, Invitation to Eavesdrop, was released in the summer of 2001.

Annie Moses Band 

The Annie Moses Band is an award-winning group of Juilliard-trained musicians and songwriters dedicated to musical and spiritual excellence in the arts. With roots in both classical, jazz, and Christian music, the group has recorded six albums and performs more than a hundred concerts annually. They have been featured on the cover of Strings magazine, the premiere publication for the neo-classical genre, and their latest albums received critical acclaim from such publications as CCM Magazine , The Tennessean, The Dallas Morning News, Christianity Today, and Music Row Magazine . Currently, the Band is preparing for the release of their newest album, produced by the legendary Michael Omartian.