The story behind International Baptist Church

The life of Salvador Nava is a living testimony of God’s amazing grace and power. Even now, He is continually showing His supremacy in accomplishing His purposes using a seemingly 

insignificant servant like Salvador in the region of Bicol, Philippines. 

He was born in a family with 5 siblings and the breadwinner is merely a daily wage earner working as a regular laborer in a furniture business. At a young age, he experienced life in survival mode. His family used to live in the tenement housing development of the government for lower-middle-income families in Manila. Although, they were not the poorest among the poor, 

financial distress was intolerable and almost a natural occurrence. To the same extent, he realized that much that he was willing to be of help, he could not assist his parents in meeting their daily basic needs because he was still in his early high school. Until he realized that by selling cigarettes and newspapers in buses and busy intersections, he can help minimize the weights that his parents were carrying. So he became a teenage street vendor during afternoons and weekends to merely help himself, his schooling, and his family.

As he struggled to survive his schooling every day and at the same time wrestled with the hardships and risks in the street, for which he was unaware, his teenage life was hampered by wrong escape from the painful realities of life. He found himself sniffing solvent and became involved in useless, careless, and risky fraternity activities. Truly Satan’s strategy to 

destroy his life was gradually going to the point of no return.

Until one day, a young minister who lived in the same tenement building where he live shared with him the gospel of Jesus Christ. He was invited to attend a Bible study that was being conducted in that building. As the sharing of God’s Word unfolded he realized that there is Someone who can save Him from completely decaying. Someone Who unconditionally loved him despite who he is.

November 30, 1979, he admitted how sinful he was before the Lord, asked for His forgiveness, and believed that God loved him so much to the point that He gave His only Son Jesus 

to die for his sins as stated in John 3:16.

By faith, he accepted Jesus as his Lord and Saviour and believed His promise in John 

1:12 that those who received Him, He gave them the power to become the sons of God. Since that day, he continued attending Bible Study. Unknowingly, he became gradually detached from those street friends who were then replaced with godly ones.

After he graduated high school, he completely surrendered his life to the Lord. By 

faith, he enrolled in the Bible School in International Baptist Theological College (IBTC) in 

Mandaluyong City despite silent opposition from his parents. In the year 1984, he graduated 

Bachelor of Theology. To God be the glory!

  HOW DOES THE LORD DISPLAY HIS POWER THROUGH HIS HUMBLE SERVANT? 

Salvador and his wife Elisa who was also a graduate of the same Bible School were married in 1985. After a year, they were sent to Naga City, a place where both of them were total strangers, to start God’s mission. 

Through a Bible Study in a rented apartment where the newlywed couple lived, God’s work has started. Naga City which is the center of Marian devotion in the Bicol region Philippines has shown great hunger for the truth. After a year, the work which started as a bible study was then organized as a church. The name International Baptist Church-Naga City was given after the name of their sending church.

Years later several ministries were opened to cater to the growing spiritual needs of the new believers and the community as a whole. Home Bible study, visitation and follow up, Discipleship, and Feeding program, Youth camps, and establishing mission churches were the ministries being worked together to fulfill the church mission “Helping people know the Savior and discover the fruitful life with God.”

The ministries have grown even more. An academy was opened last 1998. Blessed Light Int’l Christian Academy (BLICA) a school from preschool to elementary was tremendously used by God to reach the community. It has extended its impact even up to the local leaders of Naga City. Every year souls of both parents and students were added to the church through the school.

A Bible school, Baptist Missionary Training Institute (BMTI) was also opened in 1998. This humble institute has already trained several men and women of God who are now actively working in the mission field. Now, eight (8) local churches were sent out by IBC-Naga City in the different parts of the Bicol region, fulfilling the great commission.

The other ministries that the Lord is using to reach out to the community are the Feeding Program for 4-14-year-old indigent kids, Youth Ministry, Cross-over Youth Outreach, Bible study with 

the Philippine National Police, Bible study with the employees in business establishments like Mitsubishi. 

The Lord is continually reaching out to people in all walks of life through His humble servant, Salvador Nava to show His power that overrides human limitations and weaknesses.