Editing Maranatha Campus Ministries (section)

==Criticism and controversy==

===Authoritarianism===

Maranatha came under considerable fire during the 1970s and 1980s, largely due to its highly [[authoritarianism|authoritarian]] structure. There were accusations of MCM being a [[cult]] with some former members reporting behavior similar to cults that frequently recruited college students during that time. As advocated by [[Derek Prince]], members agreed to live in mutual accountability to protect their "purity in [[Christ]]."  As was typical of most organizations influenced by [[Shepherding Movement]] teachings, this resulted in the organization developing clear authoritarian characteristics.  Weiner, as Maranatha's president, was considered the ministry's "apostle," and was believed to receive direct revelations from God.<ref name=Tactics/> Campus pastors supervised members' lives very closely.  Disobeying one's pastor, or "shepherd," could have serious consequences ultimately leading to excommunication if one didn't fall in line with leadership. The movement was labeled as a "cult" or "cultlike" by some former members and newspapers.<ref>
{{ cite news
| title = Group awaits word of its fate: UNC-CH revoked its fraternity status
| publisher = The News & Observer
| date = 2005-02-28
| author = Jane Stancill
| quote = In the 1980s, (Ron) Lewis (of the King's Park International Church), was affiliated with Maranatha Christian Church, a national organization that disbanded after complaints about cultlike practices.
}}
</ref>
<ref>Ron Lewis website http://www.ronlewisministries.com/</ref>
<ref>
{{cite news
| title = Cult banned from K-State sues Minnesota
| author = Joanna Rubick
| date = 2004-04-26
| publisher = Kansas State Collegian
| location = Kansas
| quote = A cult that was banned at K-State over 20 years ago has shown its face again on a different campus.
}}
</ref><ref>
{{ cite news
| title = Some Colleges warn Students that Cult-like Methods are Being Used by Christian Fundamentalist Groups
| date = 1989-11-15
| author = Tanya Gazdik
| publisher = The Chronicle of Higher Education
}}
</ref>

===Proscription against dating===
Maranatha first came under fire because of its teachings against dating.  Weiner considered Prince's book, ''God is a Matchmaker'', to be a "revelation" stating that Christians should not date (though Prince's book does not directly advocate such an interpretation). He also claimed that sexual misconduct was rampant among college students.<ref name=Enroth>
{{cite book
  | last = Enroth
  | first = Ronald
  | author-link = Ronald Enroth
  | title = Churches That Abuse
  | publisher = Zondervan Publishing House
  | year = 1992
  | quote = Young people who were members of Maranatha Christian Ministries, started by John David Weiner also known as Maranatha Christian Churches (MCM), including the former Miss America, Debbye Turner, were not permitted to date. As a result of a so-called "dating revelation" received by the leadership, MCM discourages dating practices and cites extreme examples of sexual misconduct in the collegiate subculture (including Christian college students) to justify its stance. Instead, members were told to focus on serving God and then he would bring a mate into their lives. An ex-member of MCM comments: "The doctrine is put into practice by church members submitting the names of other church members whom they feel God may be leading them to as potential mates, and if the leadership confirms the name submitted, you wait on God to speak to the other person. If God speaks to that other person, he or she will submit your name to the church leadership and you will get married."
  | isbn = 0-310-53290-6
  | url-access = registration
  | url = https://archive.org/details/churchesthatabus00enro
  }}
</ref> For this reason, members of Maranatha were barred from dating.  Instead, singles were told to trust God, pray for God to guide them to a spouse, and hear God's voice speaking to them personally and individually about every decision.  If a member believed God had spoken to him or her about marriage, he or she would pray with the pastor about whether that "word" was truly from God.<ref name=Enroth/><ref>{{Cite book |isbn = 0800790588|title = God is a Matchmaker|last1 = Prince|first1 = Derek|last2 = Prince|first2 = Ruth|date = February 1986| publisher=Baker Publishing }}</ref> Pastors would then send the names to Maranatha's regional offices for prayer, and sometimes Weiner himself would weigh in on some of these requests.<ref name=Tactics/>

===Tithing teachings===
Another common criticism of the organization was its emphasis on [[tithe|tithing]], or giving 10 percent of their earnings to the ministry.  Although tithing is considered accepted practice in mainstream evangelical circles,<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cbn.com/spirituallife/cbnteachingsheets/giving_and_tithing.aspx|title = Giving and Tithing|date = 4 August 2015}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.kennedycommentary.org/default.asp?pg=topicmessage&id=395|title = 若作りはイタイ⁈20代で卒業したいポールスミスのビジネスバッグ &#124; 40代からのカバン選び。アナタの選択は合ってる？それとも・・・}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mcu.edu/papers/tithe.htm |title=The Law of Tithing |website=www.mcu.edu |access-date=22 May 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/19970624074536/http://www.mcu.edu/papers/tithe.htm |archive-date=24 June 1997 |url-status=dead}}</ref> several Maranatha pastors were rumored to keep detailed records of financial contributions.  They reportedly admonished those who didn't give enough as having a "spirit of stinginess."<ref name=ChristianityToday>Frame, Randy. A Team of Cult Watchers Challenges a Growing Campus Ministry.  Christianity Today, 1985.</ref>

===Criticism from universities===
In 1982 the [[University of Waterloo]] in [[Canada]] expelled its Maranatha chapter after one member sexually maimed himself.  After complaints from former members of the [[Kansas State University]] chapter, KSU expelled the MCM chapter in 1983. Among other things, Maranatha chapter members were charged with misleading university officials about who was to receive money from a fundraiser.  One former member, Bob Tedford, said the pastor of the KSU Maranatha chapter said that lying to others was acceptable "only if it was for that person's own good."<ref name=Tactics/>

Maranatha also came under fire from former members of chapters that didn't get expelled.  Dennis Richardson, a former member of Maranatha's [[Penn State]] chapter, said he broke off his marriage engagement on the advice of his "shepherd."  Kathy Mynatt, a former member of the [[University of Kentucky]] chapter, claimed that when she questioned a church teaching that tampons were unsafe, she was told she had a "spirit of independent thinking and rebellion" that needed to be cast out of her.<ref name=Tactics/>

===Christian Research Institute's report===
During the ensuing outcry, Weiner volunteered to have the [[Christian Research Institute]] provide a letter of endorsement. He hoped to "expel the lie" that Maranatha was a cult. After a meeting between several cult-watchers and Maranatha's leadership, a six-member ad hoc committee was formed to address Maranatha's problems. More than a year later, the committee issued a scathing report criticizing Maranatha's theology and practices.<ref>Bjornstad, James; Cannon, Steve; Enroth, Ronald; Hoyt, Karen; Lewis, Gordon; Onken, Brian (June 1983) "[https://www.spiritualabuseresources.com/articles/a-statement-of-evaluation-regarding-maranatha-campus-ministriesmaranatha Statement of Evaluation Regarding Maranatha Campus Ministries, Maranatha Christian Ministries, Maranatha Christian Church]", ''Cultic Studies Journal'', Vol. 2, No. 2 1985, pp278-283</ref> Among other things, it found that Maranatha's authoritarianism had "potential negative consequences for members." It concluded:

:Until we have clearer understanding of the changes which MCM claims are being implemented, and until we see more discernible evidence of change in the lives of people being impacted by MCM, we would not recommend this organization to anyone.

Committee members later said they would have used even harsher language in the report had they not feared legal reprisals. Weiner promised to address the committee's concerns, but later attacked it for anti-charismatic bias.<ref name=ChristianityToday/>