After years of prayer and the Lord speaking to their hearts, the Miller and Truesdell families officially incorporated Maranatha Christian Center in October of 1979. Shortly after that, a local child care center on Grandview Avenue in Olde Arvada was purchased. It was licensed for toddlers through kindergarten and was the beginning of this new ministry. After starting with seven children and growing to 120 at that location, an extensive search led to ten acres of agricultural land with a house and a barn at 72nd and Oak in December of 1981. The Millers and Truesdells sold their homes and other assets to raise enough money (with the help of family, school parents, and close friends) to purchase the land in March of 1982. With the help of many volunteers, renovation began on the 80-year-old barn, turning it into a charming two-level schoolhouse with four classrooms, a kitchen, restrooms, and a chapel. The school opened at this new location with 98 students in kindergarten through sixth grade, while still operating the child care program on Grandview.

Most recently, our new Crusader Student Center, which houses a large multi-purpose dining area, full-sized kitchen, a radio studio and office, and additional space for future expanded elective classrooms, offices, and a new and larger campus store was opened in March of 2009. Other improvements such as playgrounds, sidewalks, landscaping, the Crusader Memorial Garden, new entrance-way, additional athletic practice field, Petting Farm, picnic areas, Coffee Wagon, etc., have been added over the years. A beautiful new playground and patio picnic area was completed near the Petting Farm. A campus store was opened in the fall of 2004, which provides many different resources and supplies for students, parents, and staff. It is also the base for a new health and nutrition center. Plans are being made to acquire properties for the addition of a baseball field and another gymnasium. Other future improvements include anticipation of a new and completely separate building to house our 9th - 12th grade students with a new double-gymnasium, and auditorium. Also on the drawing board is an all-purpose athletic field house near the football field, which will house locker rooms, a weight training facility, P.E. classrooms, a concession stand, and more.