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About Us

Round Lake | Welcome

Our History

Round Lake Bible Camp is a ministry of Rural Life Mission. In 1936, a young, single, school teacher (Mae Brooks), from the Hagersville area of south-western Ontario responded to God’s call to be a home and school missionary in the rural areas southwest of Fort William Ontario. (Fort William and Port Arthur on Lake Superior later became Thunder Bay).

Mae had prepared herself by training as a nurse and attending Toronto Bible College. In the following years other ladies joined her to help organize Daily Vacation Bible Schools and Sunday Schools. The majority of the people in the area were of Finnish background.

In June of 1945, Rural Life Mission was incorporated and Board appointed. Mae and her husband, Art Waters, started a Sunday School in Hagersville in 1958, and operated a nearby camp, Waterbrook Camp, for 25 years(1962 – 1987).

Round Lake Camp

Why We Exist

Round Lake Bible Camp exists to challenge people to commitment to Jesus Christ and to aid them in their quest for Christlikeness.

God is the acknowledged Head of Rural Life Mission. Under His leadership there is a Board of Christian Directors and a group of faithful Missionaries, all of whom seek to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

To take the Gospel to the people among whom we minister by teaching, preaching, and personal visitation. It is our purpose to share Christ with people in remote places as well as those in the areas of our churches. Not only do we seek to share Christ with people, but also to teach, by word and example, so that they might grow in grace and in the knowledge of God. (Matthew 28:18-20; Acts 2:42; Romans 12:1-13;1 Corinthians 12:12-28; Ephesians 4:11-16; 1 Peter 3:15-16; 1 John 1:1-3)

By humility, obedience, prayer, and faith we shall ever seek His power and guidance for all aspects of the work to which God has called us.

We Believe:

The Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments are the inspired Word of God, inerrant in the original manuscripts, and infallible, and the final authority in all matters of faith and life. (Psalm 119:89, 105; Matthew 5:18; 24:35; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; Hebrews 4:12; 2 Peter 1:19-21)

One true God eternally exists in three persons, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. (Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; John 10:30; 15:26; Acts 5:3, 4; 1 Corinthians 12:4 6; Galatians 4:4 6; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Corinthians 13:14)

Jesus Christ is true God and true man and was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:18-25; John 1:1,14; Philippians 2:5-11; Colossians 1:12-17)

Jesus Christ, being sinless, died in our place for our sins, was buried and rose again bodily from the dead, ascended to heaven where He now intercedes at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. (Isaiah 53:4,6; John 1:29; Romans 8:3, 34; 1 Corinthians 15:3,4; 2 Corinthians 5:21;
Hebrews 1:1- 3; 2:9; 4:15; 7:26; 1 Peter 3:18)

All men are sinners and separated from God until they are born again by the grace of God through faith in Jesus Christ, and evidenced by repentance of sin. (Isaiah 55:6-7; John 3:16-17; 14:6; Romans 3:10 12, 23, 24; 5:12, 18; 6:23; 10:9, 10; Ephesians 2:8, 9; 1 Timothy 2:3-5)

The Holy Spirit indwells each believer and seals each believer until the day of redemption. (Ezekiel 36:26; John 3:5; Romans 8:9, 15, 16;
1 Corinthians 2:12; 12:13; 2 Corinthians 1:21, 22; Ephesians 1:13, 14; 4:30)

The Holy Spirit enables the believer to live a victorious life through faith in and obedience to Jesus Christ. (Ezekiel 36:27; Romans 8:5, 6; Galatians 5:22 24; Colossians 3:1 3; 1 Thessalonians 5:23.24; Titus 2:11,12; 1 Peter 1:1,2; 2Peter 1:3,4)

The Holy Spirit gives to each believer one or more spiritual gifts to be used to edify the body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:7, 11; Ephesians 4:11-13)

The righteous are resurrected to eternal blessedness and the unrighteous to everlasting punishment. (Daniel 12:2, 3; Matthew 25:46; John 3:18, 36; 5:28, 29; 12:47, 48; 1 Corinthians 15:42-44; Revelation 20:11-15)

In the imminent and visible bodily return of Jesus Christ for His church. (Matthew 24:30, 31, 42; John 14:1 3; Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:13 18; Titus 2:13, Hebrews 9:28; Revelation 1:7)

The Lord has ordained two ordinances for all born again believers in the local church:

  1. Water baptism in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit as an act of obedience, testimony and identification with Christ.
    (Matthew 3:16; 28:19, 20; Acts 2:38, 41; 8:12, 36 39; Romans 6:3-5, Colossians 2:12)
  2. The regular observance of the Lord’s Supper as an active remembrance of His sacrificial death on our behalf.
    (Luke 22:15 20; 1 Corinthians 11:23-29)
Bryan and Susanne Zietsma

Camp Directors

We have the privilege of directing Round Lake Bible Camp. Our names are Bryan and Susanne Zietsma. We currently live in 20 minutes outside of Brantford, ON, in a small place called Bealton. We have 7 kids and a sweet daughter in law. We also have some pets. We love nature and God’s great creation. We also love children and people. God has created us for a purpose and we pray that we will always bring glory to Him each day as we walk according to His calling. He has been such a kind and gracious Father to allow us to be at Round Lake Bible Camp. We give Him all the praise and the glory.

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