In 2015 while working toward his degree in youth ministry at Olivet Nazarene University (ONU), God began stirring in Jacob Gouge’s heart to build a 24/7 house of prayer in Kankakee, IL. By God's soveriegnty, Jacob visited the International House of Prayer and began to develop vision for what had been in his heart. At the same time, God began to stir in Megan's heart for revival in the city of Kankakee. Jacob and Megan met at ONU at a time when God was stirring them both individually for what would one day become Maranatha House of Prayer. Jacob and Megan got married in 2018 and three weeks later they moved to Grandview, Missouri, to spend their first year of marriage at the International House of Prayer. This was another step toward the dream and call of 24/7 prayer in Kankakee becoming a reality. During that year at IHOPKC, God gripped our hearts to spend our lives beholding His glory, partnering with Him in intercession for His purposes on the earth, and deeply longing for His return. The Biblical foundations of the house of prayer were written deep within our hearts and a foundation was laid for our family and Maranatha House of Prayer. Our cry became the cry of David, in Psalm 27:4, one thing have I asked of the Lord, that will I seek after, that I may dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in His temple.
In May of 2019, we moved back to Kankakee County with our hands open to however God would lead us. We began a weekly Thursday night prayer meeting with a few other friends. We were amazed at how God led people to our small prayer gathering and we quickly discovered how God had been stirring in many other people's hearts for decades this same dream and vision for 24/7 prayer and worship in Kankakaee. Thursday nights continued until March 2020. When COVID hit we stopped weekly prayer meetings but God continued to keep the dream and vision alive in the Gouge’s hearts. In September 2021, we began gathering again in our living room with others, under no name or organization, for simple and small monthly prayer meetings. These were not started with the intention of building Maranatha House of Prayer. However, in January 2022, while on a 21-day fast, Jacob and Megan were personally asking God for clarity on building the HOP. On the last day of the fast God spoke and directed us to begin praying more consistently. In March 2022, we began meeting for prayer and worship weekly, rather than just monthly. We continued under no name and organization, again with no plans to officially launch Maranatha House of Prayer. In May 2022, we sensed a shift and an urgency from the Lord to to lay down some of our current responsibilities in order to be more available to officially build the house of prayer. In August 2022 Jacob resigned from his associate pastor position at a local church and Megan resigned from her full time job. The Lord was faithful to provide and we began meeting with others for three weekly times of prayer.
On August 31st, 2022, Maranatha House of Prayer was officially launched out of the Gouge Family living room and on October 5th, 2022, we became an official non-profit. In January 2023, Maranatha House of Prayer became a part of Pioneering Network, a network of House of Prayer leaders pastored by Brad Stroup, Director of The Prayer Room in Dallas. Maranatha House of Prayer currently has 2 weekly prayer meetings.
Maranatha House of Prayer is continuing to grow and develop by the grace of God. We have an amazing growing community of believers from various local churches that serve in the house of prayer along side us. There is much the Lord has yet to reveal but we find ourselves simply saying “YES LORD, have your way in us”, one day at a time! Jesus is worthy of night and day prayer with worship being offered to His name in every place (Malachi 1:11)! Let’s continue to build the house of prayer in Kankakee and beyond. Maranatha!