Maranatha Baptist University

Maranatha Baptist University was established in 1968 in Watertown, Wisconsin, as an institution to be “To the Praise of His Glory.” This motto, taken from the Bible (Ephesians 1:12), reflects Maranatha’s deeply held religious conviction that the primary purpose of every Christian is to glorify God through one’s chosen occupation and church membership and by serving others in God-honoring ways.

The founder, Dr. B. Myron Cedarholm, envisioned a Christian college encompassing the broad inclusion of liberal and fine arts education. Originally founded as Maranatha Baptist Bible College, signifying the centrality of biblical studies and local church engagement in its purpose, the name was changed to Maranatha Baptist University in 2014 to reflect more accurately to constituents the broad range of academic and career preparation programs offered while maintaining its founding purpose.