Christ-centered community
Where Lives Change
Since 1946, Portage Lake has been a place where lives change. Nestled along the wooded shoreline of northwest Michigan, our 60-acre property features a private sandy beach, 40 acres of trails and adventure courses, and a full retreat and conference center. We invite campers, families, and guest groups to step away from the noise of daily life and into something better, real fun, real faith, and real friendship.
Our programs serve children, young adults, and families through summer camps, retreats, school groups, reunions, business meetings, and more. Whatever brings you here, our hope is that you leave hungry for something deeper and that you've seen Jesus more clearly in the process.
1946
Founded
60
acres of property
89
lives changed last summer
300+
recommitments last summer
Why Camp?
Why Parents Keep Sending Their Kids Back
We asked parents why they keep sending their kids back summer after summer. Here’s what they told us:
Spiritual Connection
Everything at camp, the games, the meals, the campfire conversations, the cabin devotions, revolves around the love and joy of the Gospel. Wednesday evenings, the Gospel is presented clearly and campers are invited to respond. Last summer, 89 campers gave their lives to Jesus Christ, and over 300 recommitted. These aren’t just program outcomes. They’re what happens when a whole week is devoted to pointing people toward a God who loves them.
Many people call camp a “thin” place, where the distance between Heaven and everyday life feels a little shorter. We think that’s because when all the energy and focus goes toward Him, He shows up.
Lifelong Friendships
Camp is a community, not just a place. Campers arrive on Sunday afternoon and by Monday morning they’ve got friends. There’s something about building relationships in a space where fun, love, and joy are at the center that makes them stick even years and thousands of miles later.
Experiencing Nature
Northern Michigan is stunning, and that’s not an accident. Being on the lake, hiking the dunes, watching a sunrise, getting caught in a summer storm all of it points back to the One who made it. Time outside has a way of opening people up in ways a screen never will.
Role Models
Every camper has a counselor who loves Jesus and genuinely pays attention to them. The connection between campers and counselors happens fast and lasts long. Our staff are carefully selected young adults who give their summers to love the kids in their care year after year, one of the top reasons campers want to come back.
Being Unplugged
No phones. No electronics. Real life, the kind involving people, creation, and actual conversations. A lot of campers struggle with this on day one. By the end of the week, most don’t miss their phone at all. Instead of charging from a wall, they spend the week getting recharged by each other, by nature, and by Jesus.
Our Team
Meet the People Behind Camp
Portage Lake is run by a small, dedicated team of people who aren't just doing a job, most of them have deep personal histories with this place.
Marc Eix
Executive Director
Marc grew up in Dearborn, Michigan, spending almost every summer of his childhood at Portage Lake. It's where he gave his life to Jesus, heard his call to ministry, and made some of the most important decisions of his life. Ordained in the Covenant Church in 1999, he served as a pastor in Chicago, Manistee, and Red Wing, Minnesota before returning to lead the camp that shaped him. He and his wife Sarah have three kids — Emily, Nathan, and Laura.
Eric EK
Director of Operations & Finances
Eric grew up as a pastor’s kid in the Covenant church, and family camp at Portage Lake was always the constant. He spent nine summers on staff before seminary at North Park, then served in youth ministry in Oregon and Michigan. He came back to camp in March 2022 — ordained in 2016, business degree in hand, and with his wife Erica, toddler Britta, new baby Annika, and dog Pippi along for the ride.
Matt Schmidt
Program Director
Matt is from Flint, Michigan, where camp in Northern Michigan was a fixture growing up. He studied Education, Business, and Bible at Clarks Summit University. Camp is where he gave his life to Jesus and was called into ministry — and since 2000, he’s only missed two summers. He’s spent the last decade in full-time camp ministry across the Midwest. When he’s not at camp, he’s in the woods or rounding people up for sports and board games.
matt@portagelake.org
Ruth Hendrick
Office Manager
Ruth grew up in Rochester, NY and Nashville before heading to North Park University in Chicago, where she earned a BA in Fine Arts — and spent all four college summers at PLCBC, which is also where she met her husband Jacob. They’ve been married since 2011 and have been bringing their three kids (Joel, Jack, and Chloe) to family camp since birth. For Ruth, this isn’t just a job. It’s her favorite place on earth.
Markus Tepandi
Media & Promotion Director
Markus is from Metro-Detroit and has been coming to PLCBC almost every year since 2012. He has an associate’s in Cinematic Arts and a genuine love for videography and photography. Outside of work, he’s happiest hiking, hammocking, playing guitar by a campfire, or getting into the lake. He recently married Jada (Samuels) Tepandi.
markus@portagelake.org
Randy Bennetts
Special Projects Manager
Randy has been with PLCBC since March 2014, bringing 25 years of experience running his own construction company. He has three sons and 9 grandkids, loves camping and family time, and says his favorite thing about working at camp is being in a Godly atmosphere every single day.
randy@portagelake.org
Todd & Courtney Struble
Facilities Director & Food Service Director
Todd and Courtney joined the PLCBC family recently and have hit the ground running. Todd keeps the grounds safe and beautiful as Facilities Director, while Courtney leads the kitchen part-time. They have two boys, Ike and Tommy, and are already an integral part of the camp community.
todd@portagelake.org • courtney@portagelake.org
Ready to Experience Portage Lake?
For more than 70 years, Portage Lake Bible Camp has been creating unforgettable experiences where faith grows, friendships form, and adventures never end.
Whether you're looking for the perfect summer camp for your child, a meaningful family getaway, or a transformative retreat for your group, we can't wait to welcome you to our corner of Northern Michigan.