Questions That Are Shaping My View of Youth Ministry
By Jeff Grosskopf, Youth Pastor
I’ve been sitting with new research from Fuller Youth Institute. I mentioned this research in a previous article back in February, and it is still impacting my thoughts. Over the years, Fuller has become a trusted voice for me because they take time to study Gen Alpha, faith, and what is shaping our next generation. Their findings have given me a lot to think about.
As I’ve been reflecting on it, a few questions have been rising to the surface:
How Can BCC Build a Youth Ministry That Feels Like Home?
This research reminds me that students are looking for something surprisingly simple: trusted adults, real relationships, and places where they feel safe, known, and valued.
That gives BCC a huge opportunity. We don’t need to compete with every trend or constantly entertain. We can offer something many students deeply need...a community that feels like home.
How Can We Shape Programs Differently?
What if we focused less on events and more on connection?
Small groups, shared meals, intergenerational Sundays, service projects, summer trip experiences, and honest conversations about faith and life may matter more than flashy programming. Students often come back, not because they were entertained, but because they felt known.
How Can Volunteering With Youth Look Different?
This research reminds me that we need to stop recruiting only for tasks and start recruiting for presence.
Sure, we need drivers and people who help behind the scenes. But even more, we need adults who know names, ask good questions, show up consistently, and genuinely care.
And I want to say this clearly: parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and older siblings may be a perfect fit for student ministry.
I see the proof of that every single week. Right now, we have a dad of a middle schooler who is leading our boys in significant ways. An older sister serves alongside us and has a natural way of making students feel welcomed, known, and loved. A high school mom makes it a priority to serve on Sundays with our middle schoolers. A mom of two middle schoolers has become one of our best gatherers, helping students feel seen and connected.
So families, give yourself permission to step in. You may be exactly the kind of presence our students need.
Where Do We Go From Here?
Our church has a real opportunity to meet this generation right where they are.
If we build ministries marked by warmth, consistency, and genuine relationships, students will notice.
The future of youth ministry for us looks less like programs and more like hospitality... and I think that’s a really good thing!
In Christ,
Jeff
*BCC Youth is growing, and we are looking for adults who are willing to journey alongside our students. If you feel a nudge to get involved, reach out to me for a conversation about what that might look like for you! jeffg@bellinghamcov.org
By Jeff Grosskopf, Youth Pastor
I’ve been sitting with new research from Fuller Youth Institute. I mentioned this research in a previous article back in February, and it is still impacting my thoughts. Over the years, Fuller has become a trusted voice for me because they take time to study Gen Alpha, faith, and what is shaping our next generation. Their findings have given me a lot to think about.
As I’ve been reflecting on it, a few questions have been rising to the surface:
How Can BCC Build a Youth Ministry That Feels Like Home?
This research reminds me that students are looking for something surprisingly simple: trusted adults, real relationships, and places where they feel safe, known, and valued.
That gives BCC a huge opportunity. We don’t need to compete with every trend or constantly entertain. We can offer something many students deeply need...a community that feels like home.
How Can We Shape Programs Differently?
What if we focused less on events and more on connection?
Small groups, shared meals, intergenerational Sundays, service projects, summer trip experiences, and honest conversations about faith and life may matter more than flashy programming. Students often come back, not because they were entertained, but because they felt known.
How Can Volunteering With Youth Look Different?
This research reminds me that we need to stop recruiting only for tasks and start recruiting for presence.
Sure, we need drivers and people who help behind the scenes. But even more, we need adults who know names, ask good questions, show up consistently, and genuinely care.
And I want to say this clearly: parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and older siblings may be a perfect fit for student ministry.
I see the proof of that every single week. Right now, we have a dad of a middle schooler who is leading our boys in significant ways. An older sister serves alongside us and has a natural way of making students feel welcomed, known, and loved. A high school mom makes it a priority to serve on Sundays with our middle schoolers. A mom of two middle schoolers has become one of our best gatherers, helping students feel seen and connected.
So families, give yourself permission to step in. You may be exactly the kind of presence our students need.
Where Do We Go From Here?
Our church has a real opportunity to meet this generation right where they are.
If we build ministries marked by warmth, consistency, and genuine relationships, students will notice.
The future of youth ministry for us looks less like programs and more like hospitality... and I think that’s a really good thing!
In Christ,
Jeff
*BCC Youth is growing, and we are looking for adults who are willing to journey alongside our students. If you feel a nudge to get involved, reach out to me for a conversation about what that might look like for you! jeffg@bellinghamcov.org
Welcoming Others to Our Family
It All Begins Here
By Pastor Adria
Growing up as a child of missionaries, I was often the outsider in the room. In Mexico I was the foreigner who spoke mangled Spanish. In the U.S. I was the kid who didn’t know the popular songs on the radio and wore out-of-style clothes. We also moved a lot, so I often was the new kid in the class. Suffice it to say that I was often uncomfortable and lonely; I longed to be included and to belong.
I have been deeply moved, therefore, by the verses in Scripture that talk about our true home in Christ (John 14:2-3); how we are adopted into the family of God (Romans 8:15-17); and how Christ took down the dividing walls of hostility that exist among people (Ephesians 2:11-22). I live through and by the God’s grace and love extended to us: while we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8).
Because of my experience as an outsider and of God’s grace toward me, I have become convicted of the sacred calling of welcome. One of our essential roles in the world as followers of Jesus is to welcome others, no matter who they are, because we have been graciously welcomed by Christ.
What might this sacred calling of welcome look like on Sunday mornings and in our life as a church? Do our groups have a few open chairs for those seeking to find their place at the table? Do we communicate clearly about who we are and how to participate in our life together or do we assume everyone should know what is happening? Are we open to the ideas and gifts of newcomers and younger generations—perhaps bringing the fresh wind of the Spirit—or do we march to the drum of “the way things have always been done”?
“When we are at our welcoming best, our welcome is not simply a courtesy, but a true invitation into shared life,” writes Anita Bauman in her book, Becoming Neighbors: Five Values for a World of Welcome.
Here are some other ways to welcome the new faces among us:
Wear your name tag regularly, so we can learn each others’ names and so that new people don’t feel left out. (If you need a name tag, sign up on clipboard near mailboxes by front office.)
Consider moving one pew forward in the sanctuary and moving toward the center of the pew. It is uncomfortable for newcomers to sit in the front or climb over people to find a spot.
Commit to talking to newer people for 5 minutes before you talk to your friends.
Invite someone you don’t know to join you for lunch after church.
If you aren’t sure how to talk to people you don’t know, here are some questions to ask:
“How did you find BCC?”
“Have you found the information you need (about our church)?”
“How do you spend your time during the week?”
“How long have you lived in this area?”
“What do you do to relax?”
What a witness to Jesus we are when we welcome into our building those whom we don’t know or invite the new person into our circle. What a testimony it is when we break bread with those who look, think, vote, or believe differently than we do.
May others experience the grace and welcome of God in and through our church family.
FROM YOUR BCC LIBRARY, April 2026
By Nancy Henderson
Interested in missions? What about an armchair mission adventure? What about an armchair mission adventure in a sovereign nation right here within the borders of the U.S.?
What?!
Where?
“The Navajo Reservation is another country, a sovereign nation within the U.S., …larger than all the New England states put together….We have heard it said that you could go anywhere in the world and not find a place more different from what we call normal… than the Navajo Nation. And… we believe this to be true. We also know that God loves these folks deeply and has caused us to love them, too.”
In July of 1986, Allan and Donna Schultz left their “palace in the pines” for the adventure to which God had called them with the Navajo people in and around Hardrock, Ariz. In her memoir, Centipedes in the Bathtub, Donna (a BCC member recently called home to Jesus) recounts “stories of life, work, and Jesus with the people of the Navajo Nation.”
Their first assignment with The Navajo Gospel Mission was as “dorm parents, trusted with the care of 21 Navajo girls who attended the Navajo Christian Academy.” As you might imagine, the majority of the care of the girls fell to Donna, but that didn’t mean Allan wasn’t involved. He was kept busy from morning to night taking care of the myriad tasks involved in maintaining the mission compound, transporting locals to and from appointments, leading Bible studies, and more.
A houseful of girls of a totally foreign culture and a foreign language—most of the girls spoke at least reasonable English, but many of their families spoke only Navajo—made for countless stories and adventures. Interactions with their family members added even more challenges, excitement, and rewards as they all learned to trust and communicate with each other. Prepare to laugh and to weep with the sometimes hilarious and sometimes desperate circumstances surrounding the lives of the girls and their families.
At the end of the second school year, with enrollment down significantly, Allan and Donna’s responsibilities changed dramatically. They relinquished their role as Dorm Parents and moved into more varied work: both with students at the school and with adults and families scattered over a much larger area. They assisted in the school, attended revival meetings throughout the area, helped with numerous Vacation Bible Schools, hosted visitors, attended and ministered at funerals, and continued to share the Gospel wherever and however they could.
This all may sound a little dry, but believe me, Donna’s descriptions of the desert—dusty in the dry seasons and unbelievably muddy in the rainy season—the antics of the children, and the customs and concerns of the adults, are detailed, descriptive, and always told with love and compassion.
Donna’s book is located in the Biographies section. All quotations are from the book.
By Nancy Henderson
Interested in missions? What about an armchair mission adventure? What about an armchair mission adventure in a sovereign nation right here within the borders of the U.S.?
What?!
Where?
“The Navajo Reservation is another country, a sovereign nation within the U.S., …larger than all the New England states put together….We have heard it said that you could go anywhere in the world and not find a place more different from what we call normal… than the Navajo Nation. And… we believe this to be true. We also know that God loves these folks deeply and has caused us to love them, too.”
In July of 1986, Allan and Donna Schultz left their “palace in the pines” for the adventure to which God had called them with the Navajo people in and around Hardrock, Ariz. In her memoir, Centipedes in the Bathtub, Donna (a BCC member recently called home to Jesus) recounts “stories of life, work, and Jesus with the people of the Navajo Nation.”
Their first assignment with The Navajo Gospel Mission was as “dorm parents, trusted with the care of 21 Navajo girls who attended the Navajo Christian Academy.” As you might imagine, the majority of the care of the girls fell to Donna, but that didn’t mean Allan wasn’t involved. He was kept busy from morning to night taking care of the myriad tasks involved in maintaining the mission compound, transporting locals to and from appointments, leading Bible studies, and more.
A houseful of girls of a totally foreign culture and a foreign language—most of the girls spoke at least reasonable English, but many of their families spoke only Navajo—made for countless stories and adventures. Interactions with their family members added even more challenges, excitement, and rewards as they all learned to trust and communicate with each other. Prepare to laugh and to weep with the sometimes hilarious and sometimes desperate circumstances surrounding the lives of the girls and their families.
At the end of the second school year, with enrollment down significantly, Allan and Donna’s responsibilities changed dramatically. They relinquished their role as Dorm Parents and moved into more varied work: both with students at the school and with adults and families scattered over a much larger area. They assisted in the school, attended revival meetings throughout the area, helped with numerous Vacation Bible Schools, hosted visitors, attended and ministered at funerals, and continued to share the Gospel wherever and however they could.
This all may sound a little dry, but believe me, Donna’s descriptions of the desert—dusty in the dry seasons and unbelievably muddy in the rainy season—the antics of the children, and the customs and concerns of the adults, are detailed, descriptive, and always told with love and compassion.
Donna’s book is located in the Biographies section. All quotations are from the book.
Sanctuary Expansion Proposal: April 2026
Hi BCC Family,
At our congregational meeting on April 26, we shared an updated proposal for expanding our sanctuary to make room for growth at BCC. We wanted to summarize the highlights from this proposal for those who were unable to attend. We are planning to vote on this proposal after the service on May 31.
Since 2022, our average attendance has grown on Sunday from 186 to 275 people! After adding an additional 40 seats this past summer, our sanctuary can comfortably host approximately 285 people. Over the past 5 months, our average attendance has continued to be 275 people. Here is the month-by-month breakdown: December - 289, January - 265, February- 258, March - 281, April - 292. We have had 8 Sundays above the 285 capacity limit over the last five months. We are grateful to see the way God is drawing people to our church community, and we want to continue to make room for what God is doing!
We are proposing adding an additional 14 rows of seating (7 rows on each side), which will allow for an additional 80 permanent seats. The sanctuary was designed to expand to the right and the left. The slant floor exists below the classrooms that are currently in this part of the church.
These bump-outs would result in the loss of classroom B and the reduction of the size of classroom C. We would retain two mid-size classrooms of about 400 square feet that could accommodate groups of 15-20 people. On the next page, you can see the new floor plan. The pink sections represent new seating.
View fullsize
View fullsize
We also explored the feasibility of framing in our back patio to add a mid-sized classroom space. We have discerned that this is not going to be a feasible and cost-effective way to add space. The proposed cost for the back patio addition grew to $300,000. A major obstacle we ran into was related to our fire detection system. Our current system is not on the market, and in order to tie the new space into the existing space, the city's permitting department was going to require us to change our entire fire system, with a cost of around $70,000.
While we believe we could raise the funds needed for this addition, we do not think this is the best way to steward our resources. We would like to begin by seeing how we can steward our existing space for groups and classes. We envision our larger mid-week groups using spaces like the multi-purpose room, dining room, foyer, or youth room. On Sunday mornings, we envision larger life together classes gathering in the sanctuary in one of these new bump-out sections. We may opt for chairs instead of the pews to allow for more flexibility in these spaces. If we determine that we do need more classroom space in the future, we have learned that the patio extension is not our best way to proceed. We think we could get more for our investment by exploring other expansion options on our back lawn. This would also preserve the patio, which is used regularly by our youth program.
The proposed budget for the sanctuary expansion project is between $200-$250 thousand dollars. We are still awaiting some final bid numbers from a couple of subcontractors and plan to have a final budget before we vote on May 31. We are proposing using half of the covid relief funds we have recently received from the IRS, which amounts to $75,0000. We’d like to put aside the other half for future maintenance and capital improvement needs. This leaves us with a fundraising goal of $125-$175 thousand dollars. If we vote to approve this project, we will embark on a capital campaign in June and July of this year.
After reviewing multiple bids, we are proposing that we hire Dave Carlson as our general contractor. He has indicated a high likelihood that he could complete this project during the summer months. We are hoping that this will allow us to avoid disruptions when our fall programming starts up. We do not envision our regular services being disrupted during construction.
We invite you to prayerfully consider this proposal as we move towards a vote after the service on May 31. We will host a Q/A time after the service in the sanctuary on May 3 and 17 if you would like to talk with members of the Lead Team.
God Bless,
Pastor Phil
Hi BCC Family,
At our congregational meeting on April 26, we shared an updated proposal for expanding our sanctuary to make room for growth at BCC. We wanted to summarize the highlights from this proposal for those who were unable to attend. We are planning to vote on this proposal after the service on May 31.
Since 2022, our average attendance has grown on Sunday from 186 to 275 people! After adding an additional 40 seats this past summer, our sanctuary can comfortably host approximately 285 people. Over the past 5 months, our average attendance has continued to be 275 people.
Here is the month-by-month breakdown: December - 289, January - 265, February- 258, March - 281, April - 292. We have had 8 Sundays above the 285 capacity limit over the last five months. We are grateful to see the way God is drawing people to our church community, and we want to continue to make room for what God is doing!
We are proposing adding an additional 14 rows of seating (7 rows on each side), which will allow for an additional 80 permanent seats. The sanctuary was designed to expand to the right and the left. The slant floor exists below the classrooms that are currently in this part of the church.
These bump-outs would result in the loss of classroom B and the reduction of the size of classroom C. We would retain two mid-size classrooms of about 400 square feet that could accommodate groups of 15-20 people. On the next page, you can see the new floor plan. The pink sections represent new seating.
We also explored the feasibility of framing in our back patio to add a mid-sized classroom space. We have discerned that this is not going to be a feasible and cost-effective way to add space. The proposed cost for the back patio addition grew to $300,000. A major obstacle we ran into was related to our fire detection system. Our current system is not on the market, and in order to tie the new space into the existing space, the city's permitting department was going to require us to change our entire fire system, with a cost of around $70,000.
While we believe we could raise the funds needed for this addition, we do not think this is the best way to steward our resources. We would like to begin by seeing how we can steward our existing space for groups and classes. We envision our larger mid-week groups using spaces like the multi-purpose room, dining room, foyer, or youth room. On Sunday mornings, we envision larger life together classes gathering in the sanctuary in one of these new bump-out sections. We may opt for chairs instead of the pews to allow for more flexibility in these spaces.
If we determine that we do need more classroom space in the future, we have learned that the patio extension is not our best way to proceed. We think we could get more for our investment by exploring other expansion options on our back lawn. This would also preserve the patio, which is used regularly by our youth program.
The proposed budget for the sanctuary expansion project is between $200-$250 thousand dollars. We are still awaiting some final bid numbers from a couple of subcontractors and plan to have a final budget before we vote on May 31. We are proposing using half of the covid relief funds we have recently received from the IRS, which amounts to $75,0000. We’d like to put aside the other half for future maintenance and capital improvement needs. This leaves us with a fundraising goal of $125-$175 thousand dollars. If we vote to approve this project, we will embark on a capital campaign in June and July of this year.
After reviewing multiple bids, we are proposing that we hire Dave Carlson as our general contractor. He has indicated a high likelihood that he could complete this project during the summer months. We are hoping that this will allow us to avoid disruptions when our fall programming starts up. We do not envision our regular services being disrupted during construction.
We invite you to prayerfully consider this proposal as we move towards a vote after the service on May 31. We will host a Q/A time after the service in the sanctuary on May 3 and 17 if you would like to talk with members of the Lead Team.
God Bless,
Pastor Phil
Partners in Caring for the Environment
It All Begins Here
By Heather Merchant
A big thank you to all who participated in last Saturday’s recycling drive-through event in honor of Earth Day. The City of Bellingham reported that nearly 200 cars drove through the BCC parking lot, dropping off various items for recycling! We estimate that 20 percent of those participants were from BCC. We received many appreciative comments from community members, glad for options to responsibly dispose of items cluttering their homes. Electronic recycling and document shredding were especially popular. The city staff members were very thankful and happy to partner with BCC to offer this event to the community.
BCC’s Creation Care team offered shoe recycling and plastic film recycling. The shoes were sent to “GotSneakers,” an organization that sorts the shoes, sending those in good condition to secondary markets for distribution or resale. Worn shoes are dismantled for materials recycling. The plastic film went to Ridwell for processing and delivery to TREX, to be recycled into plastic lumber. The statistics for these items are provided below.
Shoe Recycling:
55 total cars
13 BCC cars = 24% of shoe contributors
16 bags of shoes filled
214 pairs of shoes
Plastic Film Recycling:
4 large (39 gal) black leaf bags
16 BCC family participants brought plastic film
Up Next
It All Begins Here
Vespers Evening Service
Sunday, May 3
7:00 pm in the Sanctuary
*Vespers is a contemplative evening worship service of scripture, singing, and prayer, in the style of Taizé.
Global 6K for Water
May 9 and 16, various times and locations (see more info here)
Prime Timers
Thursday, May 14
12:30 pm in the dining room
*Join this great group of retired-age folks for a potluck lunch in the BCC dining room. Contact Jim Bruns for more information at (360) 393-1403.
Congregational Meeting
Sunday, May 31, 10:30 am-11:45 am
*We’ll be voting on the sanctuary expansion proposal
One Spirit Many Congregations
Sunday, May 24
10:00 am at Cordata Presbyterian Church
*There will be no worship service at BCC this day.
BCC Youth Retro Carwash Fundraiser
Sunday, June 14
10:30 am - Noon
*Come support our students as they raise funds for their summer trip! Think: car wash with a fun interactive radio presentation you can listen to in your car!