Ministries
Growing in the Lord
Small Groups Ministries
Small Groups Ministries will help you belong, grow and have purpose as you walk the journey of life. In a church family such as Bear Lake Christian Church, it difficult to get connected on a Sunday morning to everyone, but Small Groups Ministries can provide a warm place for you as you identify with other believers.
If you are in a Small Group Ministry, you are missed when you are not there. Groups help build personal relationships. They help identify and meet personal, spiritual, emotional and physical needs. They help us understand Scripture; provide a place for accountability; provide a safe environment for confessing sin; and provide opportunities for meaningful, authentic fellowship.
As An Answer To Superficial Living
Many people today live lonely, unconnected lives. They may have weak, powerless relationships termed "friendships," but most of these leave people as strangers to their hopes, dreams, fears and sin. Small Group Ministries, when well done, are the answer to superficial living, and the perfect way to help the people come to know the Lord. It is the ideal way for people that don't find "church" attractive to associate with "church" people.
Small Groups Ministries are essential to a congregation's spiritual and numerical growth. We strongly encourage all of our church family to belong to, and to participate in our Small Group Ministries.
Connect to a Small Group
Jesus himself led the small group of Twelve as the first disciples, as well as the smaller group of personal relationships with Peter, James and John, in addition to Mary, Martha and Lazarus.
Jesus spent most of his time with the small group, using this method for leadership training.
Relationships, not organization, were central to His ministry.
The only substantial way to fulfill the multiple Biblical mandates about "one another" is through relationships built in various kinds of small groups, whether they are informal or more structured. Throughout the Scriptures, we are instructed to: love one another, honor one another, pray for one another, submit to one another, forgive one another, bear one another's burdens, look out one for another, teach one another, admonish one another, build up one another, be kind to one another, encourage one another, and have fellowship with one another.
Small Group Ministries Available at Bear Lake Christian Church
SAM'S Ministry - This is our Senior Adult Ministry for those ages 55 and up. They meet monthly for lunch and fellowship. as well as planning trips, and growing spiritually and more close as the family of God at BLCC.
2:42 YAM'S Ministry - This is our Young Adult Ministry for those ages 20 through 55. They meet regularly for the purpose of fellowship, prayer, learning more of God's Word, and service to the church family and the communities about us.
Youth Group Ministry - This is for youth ages 9 and up. They meet each week throughout the school year for Worship, Bible Study, Fellowship, and Fun. There are separate classes for the Pre-teens and the Teen-agers. They also plan and attend outings that are designed to be both entertaining and service related.
Women's Group Ministry - This ministry meets on the third Saturday of each month, and works diligently to support the church family through organizing social functions, fund-raising efforts for special projects, and providing a forum for growth for all the women in our church family.
Mighty Men of God Ministry - We uphold the Biblical mandate calling men to be spiritual leaders in their homes, their work-places, their communities, and their church. Yet, we also recognize that many men have never had any practical training or education in how to be a "mighty man of God". To this end BLCC provides a Men's Ministry to help men and older teens to become the men that God has called them to be. It is a time of study, prayer, and open, honest sharing as we fulfill the Word that says: "Just as iron sharpens iron, so does one man sharpen another" (Proverbs 27:17)
Women's Refresh Ministry - This vital ministry is open to all women, both from within the BLCC family and from the community, and is offered in a half-day seminar format, usually meeting one Saturday each month. This ministry is designed for all women who need to be REFRESHED, RENEWED, and BLESSED. It is meant to be a time of growing closer to the Lord and to other women, as they share their experience, strength, and hope, relying on the power of the Almighty God to transform their lives, that they become strong women of God, fully ready to serve their families, their church, and their community.
Prayer Ministry
Why Pray?
Imagine taking a soldier onto the battlefield, pointing out the enemy, wishing him a lot of luck and sending him off to fight the enemy without a weapon. When we enter the world, which our enemy Satan controls, the only weapon we have with which to fight off Satan is the power of prayer.
Our Prayer Ministry provides prayer coverage for members, pastors, ministries and our community. We want to involve all members in intercessory prayer for the church family, the community and each other.
Jesus spent hours every day talking to His Father. We challenge you to rise above "wish list" praying, where we treat our Father like he was our butler or Santa. In order to go deeper in your prayer relationship with God, we challenge you to start praying for the needs of others. Pray for families at BLCC, families in your neighborhood and for the businesses you frequent.
Join us in our Mid-Week Prayer Time on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. in the sanctuary. This Prayer Time includes Praise and Worship, Scripture Reading, and Prayer Requests from the church family, along with spontaneous prayers from those attending as the Holy Spirit leads them. To add your request to our list, fill out the Green Prayer Request Card in the pew backs. And be assured that we will be praying for you!
Counseling Ministry
Everyone can benefit from counseling at various times in their lives. Whether the need is for non-professional care, prayer, or spiritual help with marital issues, abuse or addiction recovery, depression, family difficulties, personal trauma, loss, or any of a host of issues, it is the Biblical mandate for the Church to provide for these needs: "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2).
Throughout the Bible, God's heart is revealed as passionately desiring that people reconcile with Him and each other (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Romans 3:23-25, 5:10; Colossians 19:22). In 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, Paul describes the work God has given him (and us) to do as "the ministry of reconciliation". The Counseling Ministry at Bear Lake Christian Church is fundamentally about this horizontal and vertical reconciliation, because reconciliation is always a central factor in wholeness and healing - body, soul and spirit. Please see the Pastor or Nancee Monsees for more information regarding our Counseling Ministry.
BLCC also provides a Grief Support Class presenting a Christ-centered approach for all of God's children who are coping with the pain of grief and loss. These classes meet at various times throughout the year based upon need, and are open to everyone - both from BLCC and from the community.
Education Ministry
BLCC provides several opportunities for our church family to grow with regard to the Bible and God's Word for His people. We feel this is vital to our fulfillment of our mission and keeps with the vision of our church family. We feel it is vital that we grow as individuals and as a family, so to do this we offer several Bible Studies: Sunday School for all ages ( young children through adult); Women's Thursday Morning Bible Study; special classes offered on Wednesday evenings covering a range of topics relevant to Christian living. We expect all of our church family to be involved in at least on Bible Study program offered at Bear Lake Christian Church.
Missions Ministry
Our motivation for being involved in missions is the conviction that God is a missionary God, as reflected in every page of scripture, He is constantly seeking the lost of His creation to bring them back into His fold, and that God calls his Church to be a missionary Church. It is our firm belief that it is not only important to support our mission efforts prayerfully and financially - but we hold that it is even more important to send people forth on to the mission field - locally, nationally, and internationally.
Mission Philosophy Statement
The primary focus of mission efforts within the Bear Lake Christian Church family will be:
Supporting local missions efforts that meet the needs of those living in the communities that surround BLCC; including Crawford County Christian Help Center in Grayling, and K.A.I.R. (Kalkaska Area Interfaith Resources), along with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Right to Life, etc.
Supporting mission efforts and missionaries here in the United States through financial contributions, mission trips, and prayer coverage for these who are on the front lines for Christ in our country.
Supporting international missions efforts through financial contributions, prayer and joining hands with other organizations that reach out to those in third world countries with the love and compassion of Jesus Christ.
Serving in the BLCC Family
Ministry Involvement
Please consider the ways you plan to be involved in the vision and ministry of Bear Lake Christian Church. Please take into account the many areas that are all in need of people here at BLCC and let us know of your interests. You may even complete an involvement survey. Simply ask the pastor for a survey and we will review your info and get you started!
Areas of Involvement
Worship Ministry - Lending your voice to the Praise Team that leads our family worship times. This group meets each week to rehearse and prepare to lead worship on Sunday Mornings. The Psalmist exhorts God's people to: "Make a joyful noise unto the LORD" (Psalm 100:1 KJV) - this is for everyone, not just those with a talent for singing. We invite everyone to come and to be a part of this ministry - NO ONE IS TURNED AWAY! If you enjoy learning new songs, singing hymns and praise songs to the Lord, and having fun with others who love to worship the Lord - this may be a ministry for you.
Sound Ministry - This important ministry is vital to our church family. Those involved in this ministry handle all of the Audio/Visual programming for our church family. Without those willing to step-up to this ministry, our worship times would suffer greatly. While this has technical aspects and computer use - it is easily learned, and we can always use more help in this area.
Social Ministry - This ministry of our church family assists in the times we gather for GOOD FOOD, GOOD FUN, and GOOD FELLOWSHIP. These include: our time after morning services were we have snacks and beverages and a time to just relax and to get to know one another; our monthly potluck luncheon, celebrated on the last Sunday of each month, where we ask our family to bring a dish to share and to enjoy a meal together after the morning service; our Free Pancake Breakfast held on the third Saturday of each month, where we provide a wonderful breakfast of pancakes, eggs, sausage, juice and coffee to not just our church family but everyone from the community who might come by - this is a great outreach for BLCC; snacks following special events for those who attend, such as concerts and guest speakers.
Bus Ministry - Part of our church family outreach to the community around us is to reach the youth who are "at risk" due to the situation of the world around them. BLCC maintains a bus ministry to pick up and to return home all those who may have no other way to get to and to be a part of our church family. This includes Sunday mornings, Wednesday evenings, and other special events that are part of our family gatherings. We are always looking for dedicated servants, with clear driving records, who are willing to give just a bit extra of their time to work in this vital outreach ministry.
Visitation Ministry - A vital aspect of retaining closeness within a family is the awareness that each member of that family is valued and is missed when they are not present when we gather as the church family. To help build our family we encourage every member: to greet visitors warmly, offering to assist them in getting to know others in our church family; to become acquainted with everyone in our church family; to call on those of our family who are sick or in the hospital; to call those who you may not have seen for a week or two at church; to simply be a caring member of the BLCC church family making certain to do for others the things you would want done for you.
Usher Ministry - This ministry assists our church family in our services. Those serving in this ministry greet those coming to our services, pass out bulletins, assist in seating guests, pass offering plates, and take count of those attending our services. Often times those in this ministry are the very first people a church member or a visitor encounters as they come to BLCC, so it is vital they are greeted warmly and made to feel welcome.
Small Groups Ministries will help you belong, grow and have purpose as you walk the journey of life. In a church family such as Bear Lake Christian Church, it difficult to get connected on a Sunday morning to everyone, but Small Groups Ministries can provide a warm place for you as you identify with other believers.
If you are in a Small Group Ministry, you are missed when you are not there. Groups help build personal relationships. They help identify and meet personal, spiritual, emotional and physical needs. They help us understand Scripture; provide a place for accountability; provide a safe environment for confessing sin; and provide opportunities for meaningful, authentic fellowship.
As An Answer To Superficial Living
Many people today live lonely, unconnected lives. They may have weak, powerless relationships termed "friendships," but most of these leave people as strangers to their hopes, dreams, fears and sin. Small Group Ministries, when well done, are the answer to superficial living, and the perfect way to help the people come to know the Lord. It is the ideal way for people that don't find "church" attractive to associate with "church" people.
Small Groups Ministries are essential to a congregation's spiritual and numerical growth. We strongly encourage all of our church family to belong to, and to participate in our Small Group Ministries.
Connect to a Small Group
Jesus himself led the small group of Twelve as the first disciples, as well as the smaller group of personal relationships with Peter, James and John, in addition to Mary, Martha and Lazarus.
Jesus spent most of his time with the small group, using this method for leadership training.
Relationships, not organization, were central to His ministry.
The only substantial way to fulfill the multiple Biblical mandates about "one another" is through relationships built in various kinds of small groups, whether they are informal or more structured. Throughout the Scriptures, we are instructed to: love one another, honor one another, pray for one another, submit to one another, forgive one another, bear one another's burdens, look out one for another, teach one another, admonish one another, build up one another, be kind to one another, encourage one another, and have fellowship with one another.
Small Group Ministries Available at Bear Lake Christian Church
SAM'S Ministry - This is our Senior Adult Ministry for those ages 55 and up. They meet monthly for lunch and fellowship. as well as planning trips, and growing spiritually and more close as the family of God at BLCC.
2:42 YAM'S Ministry - This is our Young Adult Ministry for those ages 20 through 55. They meet regularly for the purpose of fellowship, prayer, learning more of God's Word, and service to the church family and the communities about us.
Youth Group Ministry - This is for youth ages 9 and up. They meet each week throughout the school year for Worship, Bible Study, Fellowship, and Fun. There are separate classes for the Pre-teens and the Teen-agers. They also plan and attend outings that are designed to be both entertaining and service related.
Women's Group Ministry - This ministry meets on the third Saturday of each month, and works diligently to support the church family through organizing social functions, fund-raising efforts for special projects, and providing a forum for growth for all the women in our church family.
Mighty Men of God Ministry - We uphold the Biblical mandate calling men to be spiritual leaders in their homes, their work-places, their communities, and their church. Yet, we also recognize that many men have never had any practical training or education in how to be a "mighty man of God". To this end BLCC provides a Men's Ministry to help men and older teens to become the men that God has called them to be. It is a time of study, prayer, and open, honest sharing as we fulfill the Word that says: "Just as iron sharpens iron, so does one man sharpen another" (Proverbs 27:17)
Women's Refresh Ministry - This vital ministry is open to all women, both from within the BLCC family and from the community, and is offered in a half-day seminar format, usually meeting one Saturday each month. This ministry is designed for all women who need to be REFRESHED, RENEWED, and BLESSED. It is meant to be a time of growing closer to the Lord and to other women, as they share their experience, strength, and hope, relying on the power of the Almighty God to transform their lives, that they become strong women of God, fully ready to serve their families, their church, and their community.
Prayer Ministry
Why Pray?
Imagine taking a soldier onto the battlefield, pointing out the enemy, wishing him a lot of luck and sending him off to fight the enemy without a weapon. When we enter the world, which our enemy Satan controls, the only weapon we have with which to fight off Satan is the power of prayer.
Our Prayer Ministry provides prayer coverage for members, pastors, ministries and our community. We want to involve all members in intercessory prayer for the church family, the community and each other.
Jesus spent hours every day talking to His Father. We challenge you to rise above "wish list" praying, where we treat our Father like he was our butler or Santa. In order to go deeper in your prayer relationship with God, we challenge you to start praying for the needs of others. Pray for families at BLCC, families in your neighborhood and for the businesses you frequent.
Join us in our Mid-Week Prayer Time on Wednesdays at 5:30 p.m. in the sanctuary. This Prayer Time includes Praise and Worship, Scripture Reading, and Prayer Requests from the church family, along with spontaneous prayers from those attending as the Holy Spirit leads them. To add your request to our list, fill out the Green Prayer Request Card in the pew backs. And be assured that we will be praying for you!
Counseling Ministry
Everyone can benefit from counseling at various times in their lives. Whether the need is for non-professional care, prayer, or spiritual help with marital issues, abuse or addiction recovery, depression, family difficulties, personal trauma, loss, or any of a host of issues, it is the Biblical mandate for the Church to provide for these needs: "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ" (Galatians 6:2).
Throughout the Bible, God's heart is revealed as passionately desiring that people reconcile with Him and each other (Jeremiah 31:31-34; Romans 3:23-25, 5:10; Colossians 19:22). In 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, Paul describes the work God has given him (and us) to do as "the ministry of reconciliation". The Counseling Ministry at Bear Lake Christian Church is fundamentally about this horizontal and vertical reconciliation, because reconciliation is always a central factor in wholeness and healing - body, soul and spirit. Please see the Pastor or Nancee Monsees for more information regarding our Counseling Ministry.
BLCC also provides a Grief Support Class presenting a Christ-centered approach for all of God's children who are coping with the pain of grief and loss. These classes meet at various times throughout the year based upon need, and are open to everyone - both from BLCC and from the community.
Education Ministry
BLCC provides several opportunities for our church family to grow with regard to the Bible and God's Word for His people. We feel this is vital to our fulfillment of our mission and keeps with the vision of our church family. We feel it is vital that we grow as individuals and as a family, so to do this we offer several Bible Studies: Sunday School for all ages ( young children through adult); Women's Thursday Morning Bible Study; special classes offered on Wednesday evenings covering a range of topics relevant to Christian living. We expect all of our church family to be involved in at least on Bible Study program offered at Bear Lake Christian Church.
Missions Ministry
Our motivation for being involved in missions is the conviction that God is a missionary God, as reflected in every page of scripture, He is constantly seeking the lost of His creation to bring them back into His fold, and that God calls his Church to be a missionary Church. It is our firm belief that it is not only important to support our mission efforts prayerfully and financially - but we hold that it is even more important to send people forth on to the mission field - locally, nationally, and internationally.
Mission Philosophy Statement
The primary focus of mission efforts within the Bear Lake Christian Church family will be:
Supporting local missions efforts that meet the needs of those living in the communities that surround BLCC; including Crawford County Christian Help Center in Grayling, and K.A.I.R. (Kalkaska Area Interfaith Resources), along with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity, Right to Life, etc.
Supporting mission efforts and missionaries here in the United States through financial contributions, mission trips, and prayer coverage for these who are on the front lines for Christ in our country.
Supporting international missions efforts through financial contributions, prayer and joining hands with other organizations that reach out to those in third world countries with the love and compassion of Jesus Christ.
Serving in the BLCC Family
Ministry Involvement
Please consider the ways you plan to be involved in the vision and ministry of Bear Lake Christian Church. Please take into account the many areas that are all in need of people here at BLCC and let us know of your interests. You may even complete an involvement survey. Simply ask the pastor for a survey and we will review your info and get you started!
Areas of Involvement
Worship Ministry - Lending your voice to the Praise Team that leads our family worship times. This group meets each week to rehearse and prepare to lead worship on Sunday Mornings. The Psalmist exhorts God's people to: "Make a joyful noise unto the LORD" (Psalm 100:1 KJV) - this is for everyone, not just those with a talent for singing. We invite everyone to come and to be a part of this ministry - NO ONE IS TURNED AWAY! If you enjoy learning new songs, singing hymns and praise songs to the Lord, and having fun with others who love to worship the Lord - this may be a ministry for you.
Sound Ministry - This important ministry is vital to our church family. Those involved in this ministry handle all of the Audio/Visual programming for our church family. Without those willing to step-up to this ministry, our worship times would suffer greatly. While this has technical aspects and computer use - it is easily learned, and we can always use more help in this area.
Social Ministry - This ministry of our church family assists in the times we gather for GOOD FOOD, GOOD FUN, and GOOD FELLOWSHIP. These include: our time after morning services were we have snacks and beverages and a time to just relax and to get to know one another; our monthly potluck luncheon, celebrated on the last Sunday of each month, where we ask our family to bring a dish to share and to enjoy a meal together after the morning service; our Free Pancake Breakfast held on the third Saturday of each month, where we provide a wonderful breakfast of pancakes, eggs, sausage, juice and coffee to not just our church family but everyone from the community who might come by - this is a great outreach for BLCC; snacks following special events for those who attend, such as concerts and guest speakers.
Bus Ministry - Part of our church family outreach to the community around us is to reach the youth who are "at risk" due to the situation of the world around them. BLCC maintains a bus ministry to pick up and to return home all those who may have no other way to get to and to be a part of our church family. This includes Sunday mornings, Wednesday evenings, and other special events that are part of our family gatherings. We are always looking for dedicated servants, with clear driving records, who are willing to give just a bit extra of their time to work in this vital outreach ministry.
Visitation Ministry - A vital aspect of retaining closeness within a family is the awareness that each member of that family is valued and is missed when they are not present when we gather as the church family. To help build our family we encourage every member: to greet visitors warmly, offering to assist them in getting to know others in our church family; to become acquainted with everyone in our church family; to call on those of our family who are sick or in the hospital; to call those who you may not have seen for a week or two at church; to simply be a caring member of the BLCC church family making certain to do for others the things you would want done for you.
Usher Ministry - This ministry assists our church family in our services. Those serving in this ministry greet those coming to our services, pass out bulletins, assist in seating guests, pass offering plates, and take count of those attending our services. Often times those in this ministry are the very first people a church member or a visitor encounters as they come to BLCC, so it is vital they are greeted warmly and made to feel welcome.
