First Baptist Church of Lake Orion, MI

Adult Bible Fellowships

What is an ABF?

ABF is simply an acronym for Adult Bible Fellowship.

You might think of an ABF as "Sunday School and more for adults!" Like many churches, we offer a Sunday School program for children, teens, and adults. We gather together for "Sunday School" in rooms throughout our church building from 9:15am to 10:15 on Sunday mornings.

Sunday School is a great way for one to be instructed from the Bible and about the Bible, which is something that we all need--from early childhood right on through the "golden years." We're never too old to learn (or re-learn!) truth from the Word of God.

What is the function of an ABF?

So, our Adult Bible Fellowships include Sunday School, but they are much more than just Sunday School.

Adult Bible Fellowships are designed to help adults build relationships and experience true Christian fellowship in a caring environment as we seek to apply the truth of God's Word to our everyday lives. Most of us experience camaraderie with others based on common interests (work, sports, hobbies, etc.). True Christian fellowship centers on Jesus Christ and the spiritual blessings that believers have in Him. As we study the Bible to learn how to strengthen our own personal relationship with Jesus Christ, we, at the same time, build loving relationships with others within the body of Christ--the church.

Through our Adult Bible Fellowships we seek to foster the ongoing development of a network of smaller "care groups" made up of people who are actively involved in the lives of others--praying with and for them, and helping to meet each other's needs.

What happens outside of class?

View this week's ABF Newsletter

Each of our Adult Bible Fellowships plans a number of activities throughout the course of the year. These often revolve around Food, Fun, and Fellowship. These fellowship activities help us to build loving relationships, and they provide a great opportunity for us to invite other friends and family members to come and witness true Christian fellowship in action.

If you are looking for a place where you can join other adults in studying and applying the Bible, and also enjoy Christian fellowship, then come and check out one of our Adult Bible Fellowships this Sunday!

Find the ABF that is right for you

50s, 60s, & 70s The Ambassador class is led by Bob Moore and is comprised of both singles and couples, most of whom are nearing or have reached retirement. Rather than decreasing our activity and "phasing out" of ministries, those in the Ambassador class realize our role of promoting the ministry of First Baptist Church and to grow personally in our walk with the Lord. In our class we systematically study various books of the Bible, Bible characters, and discipleship books. The members of the class demonstrate a deep concern for meeting the needs of those in the class, as well as the needs of those throughout the church. We participate in "Golden Heirs" activities and trips with the members of the Christianaires class. We also have periodic activities where we can fellowship with each other. If you would like to fellowship with a group of growing Christians who understand that retirement can give increased opportunity for ministry, we invite you to join us. Please contact us if you have any questions.		30s & 40s Like the Berean church from the book of Acts, the Berean ABF seeks to please the Lord by searching His Word for His truth. As we try to learn what is pleasing to the Lord, we will proclaim truth, build loving relationships, pray for one another, serve one another, and labor together in ministry. The Berean Class is taught by Pastor Jim, and is open to those who believe that study and implementation of God's Word is an invaluable and excellent tool for raising children, building the marriage relationship, admonishing fellow believers, and growing our testimony for a confident and passionate witness. Let us know how we can help you. Come join us as we experience the blessings of Bible study, fellowship, and learning to live a life of obedience to the Lord!

Senior Saints The Christianaires class is led by Ron Ludy; we are an ABF that is geared toward FBCLO's Senior Citizens. Our class has both singles and couples who comprise about a dozen attendees on any given Sunday. This class has a great love of our Lord and for Scripture, and the concern for others is easily observed. Scripture is presented in an unrushed style, accompanied by insights from time-tested sources. Class is conducted in a roundtable discussion style rather than a lecture format, and participation by students is typical and encouraged. A recurring theme in our study is the believer's dependence upon God. We meet in the church library, and all are welcome to visit us. We look forward to seeing you soon.		Young Single Adults Cornerstone is a ministry for single adults in their 20s and 30s. -- In a world that moves at break-neck speed, a purpose-filled life and meaningful relationships are hard to find . While we make no claims on perfection, we are interested in exploring and growing in faith and enjoying real fellowship. Don't expect meaningless platitudes, shallow friendships, or fuzzy psychobabble at Cornerstone. Anticipate real answers, life-changing friendships, and honest communication. Cornerstone is the place for you to grow in your spiritual journey--no matter where you are now. Contact us, or just come and discover God's purpose for your life! Read more by visiting our web page.

20s, 30s, & 40s The Crossroads Adult Bible Fellowship, led by Dave Vawter, is a group of couples with young families. During our Sunday morning time, we study the Bible together and seek to apply it directly to how we live our everyday lives. It is our desire to support our church's mission of seeing people follow Christ, and to assist one another as we seek to become more like Him. We welcome you to come and meet with us! Please contact us or stop by to find out more about how we can honor God together. Find out more by visiting our web page.		30s & 40s The Discipleship Class is taught by Pastor Tony, and exists to exhort one another to love God wholly, to know Him intimately, and to serve Him faithfully; encouraging the men, women, and children of our fellowship to grow in maturity and ministry to our Lord. Our class is comprised of families with parents in their 30s and early 40s, most of whom have school-aged children. We get to know each other through our class fellowships, and various ministry opportunities. Our class times are informal and interactive, with much class participation. Class topics have included: parenting (with case studies), personal finances, and a study of God's providence in determining God's will for our lives. We also enjoy book studies such as our past studies in Titus and Philemon. All in all, we are families growing and ministering together. Please contact or visit with us and join in the fellowship.

Young Marrieds ~ 20s & 30s The Foundations class is often affectionately referred to as "the newlywed class," although our membership includes both those just married and those married for a few years with preschool age children. If your family is a little older than this, you are still more than welcome to come see what we're all about on Sunday mornings. Class Time brings us together once a week tod study God's Word. In 2008 we are doing a "Walk thru the Bible", so our lessons cover one or two books of the Bible each Sunday morning in survey fashion. Meanwhile, we are reading through the Bible using a daily reading plan, making it easier to share in class what the Lord has been teaching us individually. We hope you will feel welcome to jump in and learn with us at any point during this year-long study! Please contact us or stop by to find out more about how we can honor God together. Find out more by visiting our web page.		30s, 40s, 50s, & 60s The Harvest Class is a caring fellowship of believers who are dedicated to the goal of helping one another in our walk with Christ and bringing glory to God through comprehensive Bible study, focused prayer, and loving accountability. The Harvest class is comprised of a wide range of ages from the thirties through fifties, and we are instructed in the Word by Doug Verley. We meet at 9:15 on Sunday mornings and begin with prayer, followed by a Bible study and time of fellowship. If you would like more information regarding our ABF, please contact the teacher via email. We hope to see you there!

Mentally Challenged The Shepherds ABF (the SMILE Club) is designed for challenged adults. We are nurtured by Jeff & Dawn Davis, and it is our goal to focus not on the limitations but rather on the capabilities of this special group of people. Our class time are geared to the level of understanding and participation of those in the class. We seek to present the love of Christ in a warm, friendly, and enjoyable setting. The SMILE Club meets on the second Saturday of each month, usually from 1:00 to 3:00 pm, depending on the activity. These meetings include an activity (usually a field trip of some sort), a craft, a snack, and a Bible story. Past activities have included going to Big Red Orchard, Canterbury Village, Cook's Dairy Farm, and the Lionel Train Factory. The SMILE acronym represents what we want to promote through the SMILE Club: Spiritually Maturing, Inspiring, and Life Enriching. Please contact us for more information.		Overcomers Single Adults Singleaires is a ministry to adults who, for a variety of reasons, are single. We cover a rather wide age span from about 40 to 70 and come from many walks of life. Our class time is quite informal; student involvement and participation are encouraged. In addition to our Sunday morning class time, we enjoy a number of activities which are also open to singles from sister churches. On the second Thursday of every month we meet together in the evening at the office of our teacher, Dr. Mark Brett. We call these "Care & Share" nights, during which we enjoy a time of Bible study, prayer, and fellowship. We plan a number of social activities throughout the year. Events like biking, cross-country skiing, swimming, canoeing, and volleyball are available for those who enjoy vigorous activities. Picnics, concerts, sight-seeing adventures, dining out, and game nights are also included to "round out" our social calendar. We'd be glad to answer any questions you may have...just contact us for more info.

40s, 50s, & 60s The Victory class is composed mainly of couples, though not exclusively so, who range in age from mid-40s to mid-60s. We are raising, or have raised, children, and many of us have grandchildren. We are taught each Sunday by Pastor Moreno. We were a bit more active in our "younger days." Many of our class activities now revolve around eating and talking! We love to eat, and we love each other, so this works out great. Some of our annual activities include a winter sledding and skating party, a Men's Bake-Off, a mid-Summer gathering, and a Christmas Dinner. If you are a part of the Sandwich Generation (you are raising children and caring for aging parents) and are interested in getting together to learn about God and His Word with others who share your situation in life, we invite you to come and check us out. Email the teacher to find out how we can help you grow in Christ. We'd love to see you on Sunday morning!