Staff from our volunteer department dismantle common misconceptions about volunteering with Maranatha, including four major myths. Does Maranatha only use volunteer labor? Do short term missions yield sustainable results? Are there any limits on who can volunteer? Do you have to live in rough conditions for a mission trip to count?

The panel discusses how our in-country construction crews around the world support the mission, and they bust the notion that only the retired or the wealthy can serve, affirming that Maranatha projects are open to a wide variety of people, regardless of age, financial background, or disability. They address the criticism that short-term missions never yield sustainable results, offering powerful examples of lasting impact from Maranatha construction projects. Finally, the team describes the reality of living conditions on our mission trips, assuring listeners that mission trips do not have to be an uncomfortable experience to count, and explaining the benefits of a certain level of comfort for volunteers. And the group tackles some rapid-fire questions, revealing funny volunteer interactions and key advice for first-time volunteers.

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Visit maranatha.org for more info on the work of Maranatha Volunteers International.

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On September 19, 2026, join us in Sacramento, California, for our annual convention, Mission: Maranatha. You’ll be inspired by volunteer testimonies, stories from the mission field, and updates from Seventh-day Adventist Church leaders around the globe. Plus, be blessed by Oakwood University's award-winning choir, The Aeolians.

Learn more at https://maranatha.org/media-events/maranatha-convention/

Long-time Maranatha leader and adjunct professor at Andrews University, Dr. Steve Case, joins the show for a discussion on one of the most compelling and confounding topics about the mission field: miracles. The discussion is sparked by Maranatha’s vice president of marketing, Julie Lee, and her recent media trip to India, where story after story confirmed that churches were being established after healings of the sick and lame, often in remote areas with no access to modern healthcare. This episode explores the "who, what, when, why, and how" of divine intervention, and what it means for those serving on mission trips.

The panel gets honest about their personal, sometimes skeptical, reactions to stories of the supernatural they’ve heard and seen firsthand. They wrestle with the fundamental questions: How do you define a miracle? Is it okay to be skeptical, and should we try to explain these events away? What does the Bible actually say about them?

The conversation broadens to explore the role of culture, as Case shares his research on how North American Christians, specifically Seventh-day Adventists, process the supernatural differently than their counterparts across the globe. Ultimately, the team explores whether God reveals Himself differently overseas than in the United States and how we can open ourselves up to seeing and embracing the miracles in our life, right here at home.

Thanks for listening! Please subscribe, leave a review, and share the show.

Visit maranatha.org for more info on the work of Maranatha Volunteers International.

Text us! Let us know what you thought of this episode and the show in general!

On September 19, 2026, join us in Sacramento, California, for our annual convention, Mission: Maranatha. You’ll be inspired by volunteer testimonies, stories from the mission field, and updates from Seventh-day Adventist Church leaders around the globe. Plus, be blessed by Oakwood University's award-winning choir, The Aeolians.

Learn more at https://maranatha.org/media-events/maranatha-convention/

Four vice presidents of Maranatha get together to talk about some of the most common myths they hear about the organization. They tackle some common general questions like “Is Maranatha an Adventist Church entity?” “Does Maranatha receive funding from the Adventist Church?” “Does Maranatha pick where we work?” “Does Maranatha only work overseas?” “Does Maranatha do evangelism?” The crew also discusses who is doing the actual construction work, and whether Maranatha gets involved in disaster relief.

If you think you know Maranatha, get ready to go behind the scenes to learn a lot of details about how we work—something that we don’t often talk about.

Thanks for listening! Please subscribe, leave a review, and share the show.

Visit maranatha.org for more info on the work of Maranatha Volunteers International.

Text us! Let us know what you thought of this episode and the show in general!

On September 19, 2026, join us in Sacramento, California, for our annual convention, Mission: Maranatha. You’ll be inspired by volunteer testimonies, stories from the mission field, and updates from Seventh-day Adventist Church leaders around the globe. Plus, be blessed by Oakwood University's award-winning choir, The Aeolians.

Learn more at https://maranatha.org/media-events/maranatha-convention/