An Independent Baptist Church · Houghton Lake, Michigan
Pointing people to Christ
Under the dome at the corner of US-127 and M-55, our church family has gathered around the Word of God since 1942. Whether you’re looking for a church home or just visiting the lake — come be our guest this Sunday.
Est. December 7, 1942
80+ years on the lake
Gather with us
A church that still gathers — morning, evening, and mid-week.
Sunday
10:00 AM
Sunday School
Classes for every age, two years old through senior adults.
Sunday
11:00 AM
Morning Worship
Congregational singing, Scripture reading, prayer, special music, and the preaching of the Word.
Sunday
5:00 PM
Evening Service
A less formal gathering — hymn singing, preaching, and the Lord's Supper each month.
Wednesday
7:00 PM
Mid-Week Service
Adult Bible study and prayer, teen Bible study, and children's clubs during the school year.
Also weekly · Soul-Winning & Outreach — Thursday or Friday at 11:00 AM
Why we exist
Houghton Lake Baptist Church exists to glorify God through our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ —
01 Connect
with God and with His people in genuine fellowship
02 Grow
toward spiritual maturity through the Word of God
03 Serve
one another with the gifts God has given each of us
04 Share
the gospel and make disciples in our community and the world
A new chapter at the lake
Meet Pastor Bonner & family
In March 2026, after twenty years of ministry in the Saginaw area, Pastor Bonner and his family came to Houghton Lake with a heart for shepherding and a passion for strengthening church families — and a desire to invest in this community for years to come.
He and Katrina have three children — Katelyn, Autumn, and Caleb — and you’ll find the whole family most at home around a campfire.
Get to Know HimUnder the dome
An unmistakable building.
An unchanging message.
Raised in 1980, our dome sanctuary is a Houghton Lake landmark — you can’t miss it coming through the corner of US-127 and M-55. Inside, beneath its beams, you’ll find something even more remarkable: reverent, Christ-exalting worship and the straightforward preaching of the Word of God, week after week.
- Preaching that explains the Bible and applies it plainly
- Congregational singing you can actually sing along with
- Sunday School classes for every age, 2 to 92
- A family that will know your name by your second visit
What we hold to
Five convictions that shape everything we do
I
The Priority of the Word
1 Timothy 3:15–16
The Bible is the Word of God, and it has the power to build the church. We are born again by the Word and grow up in Christ by the Word — so preaching here explains God's message clearly and applies it practically.
II
The Practice of Love
John 13:34–35
Christ said the world would know His disciples by their love for one another. We aim to live that out through selfless service, grace-filled relationships, and honest care for each other.
III
The Purity of Worship
John 4:23–24
God desires worship in spirit and in truth. Our services are reverent, Christ-exalting, and God-centered — worship directed at Him, not entertainment directed at us.
IV
The Participation of Believers
1 Corinthians 12:7
Every believer has been gifted by God for the good of the whole body. Church membership here means far more than attendance — every member has a part in the work.
V
The Proclamation of the Gospel
Mark 16:15
We embrace the Great Commission — witnessing by life and by word, baptizing those who repent and trust Christ, and walking with them as disciples.
Our story
It started with seventeen people in a living room. In 1942.
On December 7, 1942, a handful of neighbors gathered in the W. Hose family home for Sunday School. From a building raised out of salvaged lumber to the dome that stands on M-55 today, God has been faithful to this church for more than eighty years — through every name, every building, and every pastor.
Read Our Story
From the church archives
“...Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest.”
John 4:35 · Photographed over Houghton Lake
For the searching
Looking for hope?
Everybody is looking for hope — in better circumstances, better health, better finances, better relationships. But our deepest problems don't start with our circumstances. They stem from a deeper and more fundamental issue: a broken relationship with our Creator.
Come see us
This Sunday. The dome on M-55.
We’re at the corner of US-127 and M-55 on West Lake City Road — minutes from anywhere around the lake. Park anywhere in the lot, come in the front doors, and we trust you’ll be warmly received.