If there is any institution that stands as a testimony of the magnificent work of God, it is the International Bible Baptist Church. Throughout the years of its existence, one can find the fingerprints of God’s handiwork in all facets of the ministry of IBBC.
It was in the year 1987 when the Lord led the then Assistant Pastor and Music Director of Bible Baptist Church in Marysville, CA, Rev. J. Hernes M. Abante, to the San Francisco bay area to canvass for a place to start a new Church. Through the Lord’s guidance, Pastor Abante was led to Bro. Paul Kellogg who later consented to have a Bible Study in his home with his family and friends. The Lord blessed that night on September 13, 1987, with 8 in attendance and 2 persons saved. Immediately the following Sunday, these 2 converts followed the Lord Jesus Christ in water baptism in Marysville, CA, which is 76 miles north east of Pastor Abante’s residence.
The Lord continued to bless the weekly services, which was later moved inside the garage of Pastor Abante’s residence in the city of Suisun, CA. The weekly services produced a good harvest of souls, one of them is Danny Decena and soon after, his wife, Agnes Decena also received Christ as her Savior and both later obeyed the Lord in the waters of baptism. This couple became instrumental in establishing the International Bible Baptist Church in Alameda County. With the birth of the Alameda congregation, Pastor Abante found himself commuting to two locations, Fairfield and Alameda. For nearly 2 years, the Abante family commuted and ministered to these two congregations until a decision was made to have joint services on the first Sunday of each month at the Filipino Community Center in Vallejo, CA.
The greatest challenge that IBBC encountered through the years was the place of worship – not having its own Church facility. The Church, which had her humble beginning inside a garage in Suisun City, relocated more than 10 times. From the Pastor’s garage and Bro. Gil Toribio’s living room, the Church also occupied a Senior Center, Community Center, Country Club facility, another rented garage, and the facilities of Calvary Baptist Church, San Lorenzo Baptist Church, Evangelical Church of Alameda and finally a rented storefront in San Leandro, CA. The trials of faith and persecutions along the way made the leaders and members of IBBC more faithful and committed in the tasks given to them by God.
IBBC continues to grow steadily as the Lord leads and has several congregations in the United States, Canada and worldwide. With God’s grace and as the Lord tarries His return, it is the desire of the founding Pastor, Dr. J. Hernes M. Abante, to continue planting more IBBC congregations in other states and foreign lands.
It was in the year 1987 when the Lord led the then Assistant Pastor and Music Director of Bible Baptist Church in Marysville, CA, Rev. J. Hernes M. Abante, to the San Francisco bay area to canvass for a place to start a new Church. Through the Lord’s guidance, Pastor Abante was led to Bro. Paul Kellogg who later consented to have a Bible Study in his home with his family and friends. The Lord blessed that night on September 13, 1987, with 8 in attendance and 2 persons saved. Immediately the following Sunday, these 2 converts followed the Lord Jesus Christ in water baptism in Marysville, CA, which is 76 miles north east of Pastor Abante’s residence.
The Lord continued to bless the weekly services, which was later moved inside the garage of Pastor Abante’s residence in the city of Suisun, CA. The weekly services produced a good harvest of souls, one of them is Danny Decena and soon after, his wife, Agnes Decena also received Christ as her Savior and both later obeyed the Lord in the waters of baptism. This couple became instrumental in establishing the International Bible Baptist Church in Alameda County. With the birth of the Alameda congregation, Pastor Abante found himself commuting to two locations, Fairfield and Alameda. For nearly 2 years, the Abante family commuted and ministered to these two congregations until a decision was made to have joint services on the first Sunday of each month at the Filipino Community Center in Vallejo, CA.
The greatest challenge that IBBC encountered through the years was the place of worship – not having its own Church facility. The Church, which had her humble beginning inside a garage in Suisun City, relocated more than 10 times. From the Pastor’s garage and Bro. Gil Toribio’s living room, the Church also occupied a Senior Center, Community Center, Country Club facility, another rented garage, and the facilities of Calvary Baptist Church, San Lorenzo Baptist Church, Evangelical Church of Alameda and finally a rented storefront in San Leandro, CA. The trials of faith and persecutions along the way made the leaders and members of IBBC more faithful and committed in the tasks given to them by God.
IBBC continues to grow steadily as the Lord leads and has several congregations in the United States, Canada and worldwide. With God’s grace and as the Lord tarries His return, it is the desire of the founding Pastor, Dr. J. Hernes M. Abante, to continue planting more IBBC congregations in other states and foreign lands.