When the doors of King’s Way Assembly of God church open for Sunday night service this weekend, one visitor will be a familiar face among the crowd. Born and raised in Kingsville, Pastor Sam Lopez will return to sing and preach for old friends and family.

Joining him will be the recently reunited members of the gospel musical group, The Maranatha Singers. Pastor Edwin Cann, pastor of King’s Way Assembly, invites everyone to attend and enjoy the ministry of Pastor Lopez and The Maranatha Singers. Service begins at 6 p.m.

Pastor Lopez lived here until entering Latin American Bible Institute in La Puente, Calif., in 1971. After receiving the blessing of his pastor to pursue the call of God on his life, Pastor Lopez moved his family to La Puente and began studying and preparing for fulltime ministry.

The move from Kingsville to California was a step taken in faith. Unsure of all the details, he simply trusted that God would somehow provide the means for such a move.

Pastor Lopez and his wife Noemi were already raising a family of four children with a fifth son to be born in their first years of ministry. This step of faith was the first of many to come. In fact, Pastor Lopez quickly learned that his journey of ministry would be one step of faith after another.

After completing three years of Bible training at LABI, Pastor Lopez became pastor of Primera Iglesia Assamblea de Dios in 1974.

It was there he met Lorenzo Trevino who, like Pastor Lopez, was a musician. Eager to start a gospel band, Pastor Lopez and Lorenzo recruited a young man in the church named Rey Garza.

They formed the Maranatha Singers and soon began singing in other churches. Pastor Lopez would often preach after they sang a variety of gospel songs.

Eventually they began traveling extensively throughout parts of Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, California and Mexico. They also joined with ministries such as Evangelist LuisTorres, Nicky Cruz and others to minister in large crusades. Their unique musical arrangements of well-known gospel songs and their tight vocals became recognizable as the sound of the Maranatha Singers.

In later years, Ralph Salazar joined the band and became its drummer. In 1981, Pastor Lopez joined the pastoral staff of Gates of Praise First Assembly in Laredo.

A few years later, he founded Christ Worship Center which he stills pastors with his wife. It is located at the eastern entrance to Laredo at Hwy. 59 and Lake Casa Blanca Road.

Christ Worship Center celebrated its 25th anniversary earlier this year. Pastor Sam admits, “Laredo has been our home since 1981. We feel God has much left for us to do there, but Kingsville will always have a special place in our hearts.”

The Maranatha Singers gradually moved in different directions of ministry and in their personal lives. None of them can quite remember when they last played together, but they agree it has been about twenty years.

However, they recently reunited and decided that wherever and whenever possible, they will continue singing about their Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Pastor Sam Lopez recently celebrated 38 years of ministry.

Pastor Lopez admits, “I didn’t know what the journey would hold for my family and me, but I knew that God would be faithful. My part was to trust Him and obey Him.”

Nearly four decades later, he will minister in the town where it all started.

“Kingsville is where I felt God calling me into ministry. I am glad that I responded. And I am glad to have the opportunity to come back to sing and preach here,” Lopez said.