Bair Lake Bible Camp 
The information on this page was last updated 2/5/2026. If you see errors or omissions, please email: [email protected]
Summary
Bair Lake Bible Camp is an independent, evangelical Christian, camp and retreat center located in southwestern Michigan. Founded in 1957, Bair Lake Bible Camp owns 90 acres of land positioned on Bair Lake.
Contact information
Mailing address:
Bair Lake Bible Camp
12500 Prang St.
Jones, MI 49061
Website: www.blbc.com
Phone: 269-244-5193
Email: [email protected]
Organization details
EIN: 386088246
CEO/President: Drew Gardner
Chairman: John Beaghan
Board size: 12
Founder: Plymouth Brethren churches
Ruling year: 1958
Tax deductible: Yes
Fiscal year end: 09/30
Member of ECFA: Yes
Member of ECFA since: 2000
Purpose
Bair Lake Bible Camp exists to inspire this generation to encounter God.
Mission statement
Bair Lake Bible Camp provides a safe place for families, churches, groups, and individuals to come and experience the truth and love of God in an authentic community through Christian camps and retreats.
Statement of faith
- We believe the Bible is the inspired, infallible, authoritative Word of God.
- We believe that there is one God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
- We believe that God created the universe and everything in it. The culminating work of His creative activity was the creation of human beings, male and female, who are made in His image. Therefore, from the moment of conception until natural death, human life should be cherished and protected.
- We believe the Lord Jesus to be both truly God and truly man. We believe in His virgin birth, His sinless life, His miracles, His vicarious and atoning death through His shed blood, His bodily resurrection, His ascension to the right hand of the Father, and in His personal return in power and glory.
- We believe that every person is fallen, sinful and lost. We firmly maintain that no one is saved by an act of his own will alone. The Holy Spirit brings about the new birth and works in the soul of the sinner, convicting him of sin, repentance toward God and faith in our Lord Jesus Christ.
- We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, by whose indwelling a Christian is enabled to live a godly life.
- We believe that the Gospel should be proclaimed to every person on earth, and that it is the responsibility of all who hear the Gospel to repent of their sins and rebellion against God, to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and receive justification and the forgiveness of sins.
- We believe that redemption is wholly by the blood of Christ; that salvation is by grace through faith in our Lord Jesus Christ; and that every true child of God possesses eternal life and will never perish.
- We believe in the resurrection of both the saved and the lost; those who are in Christ will receive glorified bodies and dwell forever with the Lord in Heaven. Those who are spiritually lost will be consigned to Hell, the place of everlasting punishment.
- We believe the marital relationship, instituted by God, is between one man and one woman only, and establishes the only proper pattern of sexual relations. Furthermore, we believe that gender is ordained by God and cannot be changed or altered by human will.
- We believe that the universal church, a living organism known as the body of Christ, is composed of all believers of every age since its inception at Pentecost. We believe that Christ is the head of the church and is Himself its Savior. We believe that local churches are composed of believers in any community who assemble in Christ's name.
Articles
| 3/6/2026 | Orange County Rescue Mission Resigns from ECFA |
| 5/7/2021 | MinistryWatch Podcast: Josh Duggar Arrest, Jerry Falwell Jr. Update, and Donor Advised Funds Explained |
Donor confidence score
Show donor confidence score details
To understand our donor confidence score, click here.
Transparency grade
C
To understand our transparency grade, click here.
Financial efficiency ratings
Sector: Camps/Conference Centers
| Category | Rating | Overall rank | Sector rank |
| Overall efficiency rating | | 1064 of 1420 | 30 of 37 |
| Fund acquisition rating | | 406 of 1420 | 12 of 37 |
| Resource allocation rating | | 1092 of 1420 | 27 of 37 |
| Asset utilization rating | | 1237 of 1421 | 33 of 37 |
To understand our financial efficiency ratings, click here.
Financial ratios
| Funding ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Return on fundraising efforts Return on fundraising efforts = Fundraising expense / Total contributions | 8% | 5% | 1% | 4% | 3% | 3% |
Fundraising cost ratio Fundraising cost ratio = Fundraising expense / Total revenue | 3% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Contributions reliance Contributions reliance = Total contributions / Total revenue | 30% | 28% | 65% | 39% | 39% | 52% |
Fundraising expense ratio Fundraising expense ratio = Fundraising expense / Total expenses | 3% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
Other revenue reliance Other revenue reliance = Total other revenue / Total revenue | 70% | 72% | 35% | 61% | 61% | 48% |
| Operating ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Program expense ratio Program expense ratio = Program services / Total expenses | 81% | 78% | 75% | 78% | 77% | 77% |
Spending ratio Spending ratio = Total expenses / Total revenue | 95% | 99% | 72% | 95% | 72% | 90% |
Program output ratio Program output ratio = Program services / Total revenue | 79% | 77% | 54% | 74% | 55% | 69% |
Savings ratio Savings ratio = Surplus (deficit) / Total revenue | 5% | 1% | 28% | 5% | 28% | 10% |
Reserve accumulation rate Reserve accumulation rate = Surplus (deficit) / Net assets | 3% | 0% | 2% | 1% | 9% | 2% |
General and admin ratio General and admin ratio = Management and general expense / Total expenses | 15% | 21% | 24% | 21% | 22% | 21% |
| Investing ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Total asset turnover Total asset turnover = Total expenses / Total assets | 0.38 | 0.27 | 0.05 | 0.25 | 0.23 | 0.21 |
Degree of long-term investment Degree of long-term investment = Total assets / Total current assets | 3.70 | 9.55 | 6.81 | 5.42 | 4.59 | 4.51 |
Current asset turnover Current asset turnover = Total expenses / Total current assets | 1.56 | 2.58 | 0.36 | 1.37 | 1.04 | 0.97 |
| Liquidity ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Current ratio Current ratio = Total current assets / Total current liabilities | 5.45 | 3.93 | 5.92 | 7.18 | 9.12 | 9.72 |
Current liabilities ratio Current liabilities ratio = Total current liabilities / Total current assets | 0.18 | 0.25 | 0.17 | 0.14 | 0.11 | 0.10 |
Liquid reserve level Liquid reserve level = (Total current assets - Total current liabilities) / (Total expenses / 12) | 4.37 | 3.47 | 27.83 | 7.56 | 10.28 | 11.13 |
| Solvency ratios | Sector median | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
Liabilities ratio Liabilities ratio = Total liabilities / Total assets | 8% | 7% | 8% | 3% | 2% | 4% |
Debt ratio Debt ratio = Debt / Total assets | 0% | 5% | 5% | 0% | 0% | 2% |
Reserve coverage ratio Reserve coverage ratio = Net assets / Total expenses | 256% | 343% | 1753% | 386% | 431% | 446% |
Financials
| Balance sheet | |||||
| Assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Cash | $499,251 | $785,740 | $900,250 | $1,065,039 | $1,018,472 |
| Receivables, inventories, prepaids | $46,593 | $42,205 | $43,083 | $17,598 | $13,600 |
| Short-term investments | $126,394 | $117,602 | $100,430 | $131,231 | $112,911 |
| Other current assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total current assets | $672,238 | $945,547 | $1,043,763 | $1,213,868 | $1,144,983 |
| Long-term investments | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Fixed assets | $5,744,324 | $5,490,295 | $4,609,188 | $4,082,405 | $4,017,856 |
| Other long-term assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $273,459 | $0 |
| Total long-term assets | $5,744,324 | $5,490,295 | $4,609,188 | $4,355,864 | $4,017,856 |
| Total assets | $6,416,562 | $6,435,842 | $5,652,951 | $5,569,732 | $5,162,839 |
| Liabilities | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Payables and accrued expenses | $42,511 | $44,148 | $53,192 | $62,996 | $28,136 |
| Other current liabilities | $128,712 | $115,583 | $92,265 | $70,062 | $89,703 |
| Total current liabilities | $171,223 | $159,731 | $145,457 | $133,058 | $117,839 |
| Debt | $290,992 | $335,631 | $0 | $0 | $109,679 |
| Due to (from) affiliates | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Other long-term liabilities | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total long-term liabilities | $290,992 | $335,631 | $0 | $0 | $109,679 |
| Total liabilities | $462,215 | $495,362 | $145,457 | $133,058 | $227,518 |
| Net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Without donor restrictions | $5,802,315 | $5,468,727 | $4,716,794 | $4,574,384 | $4,125,411 |
| With donor restrictions | $152,032 | $471,753 | $790,700 | $862,290 | $809,910 |
| Net assets | $5,954,347 | $5,940,480 | $5,507,494 | $5,436,674 | $4,935,321 |
| Revenues and expenses | |||||
| Revenue | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Total contributions | $487,357 | $304,812 | $580,313 | $686,534 | $638,879 |
| Program service revenue | $1,221,989 | $154,115 | $914,979 | $759,086 | $453,583 |
| Membership dues | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Investment income | $18,340 | $8,841 | ($19,673) | $25,659 | $100,329 |
| Other revenue | $19,782 | $670 | $21,398 | $291,531 | $38,127 |
| Total other revenue | $1,260,111 | $163,626 | $916,704 | $1,076,276 | $592,039 |
| Total revenue | $1,747,468 | $468,438 | $1,497,017 | $1,762,810 | $1,230,918 |
| Expenses | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Program services | $1,348,743 | $252,712 | $1,108,476 | $969,314 | $853,439 |
| Management and general | $361,177 | $81,556 | $297,020 | $273,776 | $238,142 |
| Fundraising | $23,681 | $4,554 | $20,701 | $18,367 | $16,096 |
| Total expenses | $1,733,601 | $338,822 | $1,426,197 | $1,261,457 | $1,107,677 |
| Change in net assets | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 |
| Surplus (deficit) | $13,867 | $129,616 | $70,820 | $501,353 | $123,241 |
| Other changes in net assets | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Total change in net assets | $13,867 | $129,616 | $70,820 | $501,353 | $123,241 |
Compensation
| Name | Title | Compensation |
| Drew Gardner | Executive Director | $69,600 |
Compensation data as of: 12/31/2024
Response from ministry
No response has been provided by this ministry.
The information below was provided to MinistryWatch by the ministry itself. It was last updated 2/5/2026. To update the information below, please email: [email protected]
History
Established in 1957 by the Plymouth Brethren churches, Bair Lake Bible Camp has expanded to incorporate various evangelical groups in its leadership and constituency.
Program accomplishments
Needs
While one-time gifts are a huge blessing, we also have a need for consistent monthly gifts to help us plan and prioritize our budget. Regular monthly giving provides us with a predictable cash flow to fund future renovations and infrastructure upgrades. Please prayerfully consider partnering with us by joining the Bair Necessities Monthly Giving Club! We offer a variety of different options for your monthly gifts.