The History of the International Bible Baptist Church

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 her 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 was Danny Decena. His wife, Agnes, soon also received Christ as her Savior and both later obeyed the Lord in the water of baptism. This couple became instrumental in establishing the International Bible Baptist Church in Alameda County.

On January 2, 1988, the Decenas invited the Pastor to preach in a house in the city of Alameda owned by a friend, Gil Toribio, a strong Catholic. More than a dozen of people attended that night and at the invitation about 10 individuals received Christ, including Gil Toribio, his family plus his other relatives. That was a glorious night. With obedient hearts, all ten followed Christ and were baptized at the Fellowship Baptist Church in Vacaville, CA, within the month. Through this core group of God’s people, the Alameda congregation was born, which later became the Main congregation of the International Bible Baptist Church. Both congregations in Fairfield and Alameda continued to increase in number by God’s grace. On February 7, 1988, the International Bible Baptist Church was formally established as an independent Church with 103 in attendance with Dr. Brad Weniger giving the challenge and representing the sending Church, the Bible Baptist Church in Marysville, CA. Thirty-five adults signed the Charter as IBBC pioneers and members of the newly born Church.

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 last location proved to be a blessing despite the difficulties it brought. After renovating the whole place to make it fit as a place of worship, Pastor Abante received a letter from the city of San Leandro requesting to cease from occupying the property because it was not “zoned as a Church”. Threatened with a suit, possible jail term, and not having a place, the Church took the risk of continuing to meet in this location. The city backed off when Pastor Abante warned that if ever the Church would be forced out of the facility, the people would be having the worship services in front of the city hall every Sunday. This experience challenged the hearts of the people that within 2 months the Church was able to find a property to purchase. With the people’s faithfulness in giving and the Martinez family’s help in providing money for down payment, the Marcella property was purchased and the Church finally occupied the said property in May 1996.

Several changes have been made on the said property: a bigger mobile Sunday school building, playground for kids, paved ground, parking spaces, newly renovated parsonage, automatic iron fence and gate. Most recently Pastor Abante had purchased a home next to the Church facility, which is now serving as his primary home and also as a guest home for special guests. This year the Church has decided to build a 300-seat auditorium and additional Sunday school classrooms.

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. More souls are being added and baptized that led to the increase of Church workers and leaders. Lifting higher the banner of the cross, IBBC was able to expand to other cities. Currently, IBBC has congregations in Sacramento; Las Vegas; Falls Church, Virginia; Virginia Beach, Virginia; Jacksonville, Florida; National City, San Diego; and three more congregations in the Philippines (Paranaque; General Trias, Cavite; and Lubao, Pampanga). The IBBC National City, San Diego has now been organized as an independent Church, now led by Re. Benjamin Plata as the Pastor, More congregations are being planned to begin in Toronto, Canada; Hawaii; and the city of New York.

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 start more IBBC congregations in other states and foreign lands. “To God be the glory. Great things He hath done.”