Maranatha Chapel

Ahh the praises I can sing about this place…(1) beautiful campus but wish they had an actual traditional chapel as well (2) offers plenty of services during the week, Saturday evening and various times on Sunday’s (3) cozy and good sized café and bookstore (4) high rated bible school (5) rumor is that this is Phil Wikhams home church, oooh! (6) Pastor Ray Bentley truly dissects almost every verse and/​or paragraph in the Bible that is under discussion. A truly gifted and anointed pastor/​teacher who gets really deep into the Word. I love how he explains almost every verse by comparing it to Christ and the atonement. Christ is never left out of the teaching, truly on point

This is an absolutely beautiful church. I have visited this church 3 times (twice for Sunday night service) because if I am in the area, I would rather come here than drive all the way down to Point Loma for service at my home church.
I really love the people here and the staff is very welcoming and open. For a large church, I believe that church members still feel a personal connection with the community.
I highly recommend you stop by because the sermons are really great and I love the pastors’ styles of preaching!

This is a great church. I have gone for over 20 years and absolutely love it. Pastor Ray teaches the word chapter by chapter and verse by verse. They really reach out and help people all around the world and nearby. I would recommend Maranatha Chapel to everyone I know.

I actually attended Maranatha back in the 80’s when they first started at Wangenhiem, then to Black Mountain. I however, then started attending the Rock Church because of my past history with Miles McPherson. I believe in both churches. Although we live in North County we still drove to Pt Loma.
Recently, we were struggling with busy schedules and backsliding a bit of where to rekindle our relationship at a church.
Our neighbor is an Assoc Pastor at Maranatha and my son started going with them on Wed evening service. Soon we followed, if felt good to go back to a smaller church where you know everyone, and one so close to home. I believe this church is a great place to attend on a more family oriented level than the larger congregation of The Rock. They both have great messages. I would recommend Maranatha wholeheartedly to anyone in this area looking for a church.

I started going to the Wednesday service earlier this year and I am still going. It is called Revive and is usually led by Pastor Shawn Stone. He’s younger and has a great way of connecting with the congregation. His messages are relevant for any age range which I really appreciate.
Each service starts with worship music, including some pretty cool guests. There is then a chance to greet others you are sitting near, partake in the offerings and tithes and then listen to the sermon. I like the fact that there are study notes for each sermon as well.
There is a chance to take communion each week if you choose as well. It lasts about 1.5 hours and runs from 7pm-8:30pm.
The bookstore/​coffeehouse is open too.
If you feel like getting your worship on, this is the place!

So just as my last post stated in 2011 we did move close to this church and have begun to serve.
As time goes on I am even more grateful for Maranatha Chapel and Pastor Ray. It is hard to find a church with sound biblical teaching. I am a prodigal returned back to faith. By no means will any church be perfect but I can honestly say this is home.
In general I am very critical of those in church leadership. A hint of false doctrine or emergent church shenanigans and I am out. On the other end of the spectrum I am also very sensitive to legalism or condemnation in church. It must be through the grace of God that Maranatha Chapel has been able to remain sound and gracious to me with all my baggage :) Teaching is traditional, rich in grace and beautifully pure.

Maranatha is an amazing and wonderful place! Pastor Ray… there’s not enough good things to say.

Friendly people! Great services! Beautiful area! Nice coffee shop! Praise the Lord! Such blessings here at Maranatha Chapel. They have many different ministries. They have a Preschool. May God enrich the communities nationwide here at Maranatha Chapel; including all other Calvary Chapels. In Jesus Name. Amen! Ask for the trip to Israel starting April 2015!

No church is perfect, because wherever I go, I’ll be there. Other than that, I love all the opportunities to serve & love on, the body Christ. I’m so blessed we have so many churches to choose from in San Diego!!!

Initially, I didn’t think much of Maranatha other than it being a squeaky clean church that was slightly boring. At the point in which I wrote my first review here, I had just started regularly attending church after years of not going. It wasn’t until a few years later where my appreciation set in.
I have been attending both The Rock and Maranatha. Sometimes I would go to both on a Sunday. Or The Rock on Sunday and Maranatha on Wednesday evening. What I began to see was that Pastor Miles spoke more as a motivational speaker and Pastor Ray as a true, God loving individual. I realized I was being spiritually fed at Maranatha and not so much at The Rock.
I also attended spiritual counseling at Maranatha and went to bible study on Friday nights. The more I opened myself up to those in the church, who worked and who fellowshipped there, the more I realized how beautiful this place is and how authentic Christians can actually be found.
I decided to get baptized on June 20^th through Maranatha Chapel at La Jolla Shores. I highly recommend you check this place out if you’re like me, seeking an honest to God sincere place of service and worship.

I first joined Maranatha in 1993, when Pastor Bentley was at Black Mountain Road in Penasquitos. Five star rating back then, when he was still growing his church. I attended during the 90s before I moved out of San Diego. He was exceptional. It was around that time that Pastor Bentley had lost his twin brothers. His sermons conveyed the hurt, his struggle and his devotion to God’s word despite the struggle. The depth of his sermons, the bible verses were carefully selected and dissected for God’s truth, that you could see he could go straight to the heart.
I have since moved back to San Diego and I hate to say this, but his sermons seem relaxed, less effort, less analysis in the scripture. He chooses a chronological order but somehow fail to cut deeper into the bible. Somehow with the massive church, his grandchildren and almost both feet in retirement, I get the sense he is «taking it easier» and produces vanilla take-​aways. Granted, he is a nice guy, makes jokes, and comes across as less «preachy», but is that all?
Maybe it comes with age, but I keep going back to Maranatha in the hope that one day he will have a spiritual awakening and remember that people seek God more in tragedy: a lost job, a death, a divorce, an emotional struggle of some sort and seek God for healing. Surface analysis in a pretty church, and a devoted congregation while getting older, isn’t enough. I don’t see the pastor who was striving, reaching, pulling deeper into the scripture and ultimately into the hearts of people. I started going to Dr. David Jeremiah, who is an hour drive away, but leaves me with a deeper enlightenment and closer relationship to God.

Fun church. Fun pastor.
Stuck to the scriptures, and gave a lot of supporting information on the biblical claims.
It’s a bit far from my house, but at least I can say «I’ve been there».
Definitely one of the best churches I’ve been to in San Diego.

Went here to be part of a wedding ceremony and I absolutely love the place. It has a great atmosphere and lots of parking outside and lots of seats inside. Wouldn’t mind coming here again for anything!

This is a solid Bible-​based church in Rancho Bernardo. Pastor Ray Bentley is a great teacher and all-​around good guy. He teaches straight from the Bible and is very knowledgeable and relatable. The worship team is also superb. I’ve gone here for 15 years and I also attended Maranatha Christian School as a student, so I have a pretty good idea of what this church/​school is like. it’s a non-​denominational church so Christians of every branch will feel comfortable here. There are young and old, rich and poor, families and singles here – I think most everyone would feel welcome.

My family & I started attending this church in Nov. 2011. Maranatha is a non-​denominational church with focus on the the word of God. This is the kind of church I grew up in so I feel very comfortable. Everyone we’ve met so far has been gracious and very welcoming. Pastor Ray Bentley is great! He takes the bible and teaches so you can relate it to your life.
My kids love coming here! They each go to their own classrooms while my husband & I go to service in the sanctuary. The church has several different service times to help with busy schedules and they offer many group ministries. Although I haven’t had a chance to go to any, a few have caught my eye such as a married couple’s ministry & woman’s group.

LOVE LOVE LOVE this church. In my opinion, it is the best church in San Diego. The worship team here is unbelievable. Worship on Wednesdays with Gary Rea is incredible. I feel so fortunate and blessed that God has sent his spirit thru this church and we have one of the last great churches here in San Diego in the end days. Pastor Ray is the greatest speaker and the kindest man you could ever meet. I would definitely recommend that if you are a believer or are looking for a church that you give Maranatha a chance. It has changed my life.

i started going to Maranatha with my fam when i was about 10 or 11 when it was in PQ, and have been going ever since. It is now in RB, close to 4s Ranch in the business park. They have expanded their building and parking because of their attendance.
If you are looking for a Christian Church near by, definitely attend at Maranatha. You will be fed spiritually! Pastor Ray comes at a very loving approach and their associate pastors are awesome/​personable– shout out to Glen Hirashiki!
they have all types of services during the week, check out their website!

Great teachings. AWESOME church!

Wonderful place to attend church, great pastor and uplifting messages.

Wonderful church! Have heard nothing but good things about it. My daughter attends weekly and took me along this past weekend. What a beautiful sanctuary and I will never forget how Chelsea’s Light held a Chelsea’s Law forum meeting here in March 2010.
From the website: «Maranatha Chapel is a non-​denominational Christian church affiliated with Calvary Chapel. We welcome all who visit – believers, non-​believers, those who are secure in their faith, and those who struggle with doubt. Church is more than a building with friendly people with lots of activities. It is a place where people come to meet God and find answers to life’s questions.»
Fundamentally, the Bible is held up strongly as God’s Word, and Pastor Ray serves the Gospel straight up. North County is very lucky to have this great church among them.