G.I.'s & Singles Ministry
A true home away from home — for those who serve our country and those navigating life on their own.
You Are Not Alone on This Island
Thousands of U.S. military personnel are stationed on Okinawa — many of them young, far from home, without family nearby, and carrying the weight of service alone. And many single adults in our community face the particular challenges of navigating life without a spouse in a culture that was built around families.
The G.I.'s & Singles Ministry of Maranatha Baptist Church exists for both groups. We are a family — a real one — that welcomes service members and single adults with open arms and genuine love.
We've been a home for military families since 1968. If you're stationed at Kadena, Camp Foster, Camp Hansen, or any installation on the island — you have a church family here. Come as you are. Stay as long as you're here. Take roots while you can.
Open
"God setteth the solitary in families."
Psalm 68:6
A Message to Our Military Friends
You gave up the comfortable to serve something greater. We honor that. And we want to give you something greater still — a relationship with Jesus Christ and a church family while you're here.
New to Okinawa?
Whether you just PCS'd or you've been here a while — Maranatha is ready to welcome you. We've had service members walk through our doors from every branch, every background, and every faith background.
Instant Family
Church members will have you over for dinner, help you find your way around the island, and walk alongside you through deployments, homecomings, PCS stress, and everything in between.
Spiritual Foundation
Military life is hard on the soul. We offer something the base cannot — the Word of God, the fellowship of believers, and the peace of Christ that passes all understanding.
Military Couples
We have many military couples in our congregation. Bible-based marriage ministry, couples fellowship, and a community that supports military marriages through the unique stresses they face.
Single Service Members
Young, single military members often feel isolated on island. Our G.I. & Singles program gives them a social circle, a spiritual family, and a safe space to grow in their faith.
Off-Base Community
Many military families stay almost entirely on base. We invite you to experience the richness of Okinawa through a church that bridges the American and Japanese communities naturally.
Singleness — A Season of Purpose
The Bible has much to say about single adulthood — and none of it is that you are incomplete, waiting, or less-than. We build a community where singles thrive.
Purposeful Living
Biblical teaching on singleness as a gift and a season of unique freedom to serve Christ without the divided attention that marriage requires.
Real Community
Singles are not on the fringe of our church — they are woven into its fabric. Sunday dinners, fellowship events, and genuine friendships that go deep.
Spiritual Growth
Dedicated discipleship for single adults — helping them build the spiritual disciplines, biblical convictions, and personal character that will carry them through every season of life.
Prayer & Support
A community that prays with you — through loneliness, uncertainty, career crossroads, and the questions only honest brothers and sisters can help you work through.
What Community Looks Like Here
Sunday Meals
Church families regularly host G.I.s and singles for Sunday lunch — a long-standing tradition of hospitality that has led many to saving faith in Christ.
Fellowship Events
Game nights, cookouts, island excursions, and holiday gatherings designed specifically to connect military members and singles with each other and with church families.
Bible Study
Dedicated Bible study and discipleship for G.I.s and singles — practical, honest, and grounded in Scripture.
Bus Service from Bases
No vehicle? No problem. Our Bus Ministry provides transportation from several pickup points near base housing so getting to church is never a barrier.
Come Home to Maranatha
You don't have to do this island — or this life — alone. We'd love to be your church family while you're here. Come any Sunday.