WeAreIBC

Join Pastor Allen Bonnell for a celebratory message, "Grace on the Move," delivered on the first Sunday in the new Immanuel Baptist Church Williamsburg building. The message, drawn from Acts chapter 13, recounts Paul and Barnabas's first missionary journey, commissioned by the Holy Spirit from the diverse church in Antioch.

The sermon focuses on the theme of grace as the core of the Christian life:

The Grace of God Cleanses You: Preaching to Jews and Gentiles in the synagogue, Paul contrasts the Law of Moses (which only points out sin) with the Grace of God (which offers forgiveness and frees believers). This is a call to honesty, rejecting the "mask of pretension," and finding freedom in the finished work of Christ.

The Grace of God Commissions You: Paul, once a zealot who murdered Christians, was not only saved by grace but sent by grace. His life illustrates the urgency of sharing the Gospel with the whole world, driven by a deep understanding of God's unmerited favor.

The Grace of God Causes Celebration: When the Gentiles heard the message of full inclusion in the family of God, they began rejoicing. Persecution followed, but Paul and Barnabas were "filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit" because they were being faithful.

Pastor Allen uses powerful testimonies of transformation and a compelling invitation to encourage listeners to become "trophies of grace" by receiving Christ, getting baptized, and becoming an active owner of the local church family.

Join Pastor Allen Bonnell as he examines the formation and characteristics of the New Testament church in Antioch from Acts chapter 11, in a message titled "A Clear Picture of an Early Church." This church, born outside of Jerusalem and the Jewish context, becomes the blueprint for the mission-focused, grace-filled body of Christ.

Pastor Allen highlights three marks of a healthy New Testament church:

-- They Pass It On: Scattered by persecution after Stephen's martyrdom, ordinary disciples preached the Gospel to Hellenists (Greeks/Pagans) in the decadent city of Antioch, demonstrating that evangelism is the responsibility of every believer.

-- They Come Alongside: The Jerusalem church sent Barnabas—the "Son of Encouragement"—who found a place where grace abounds and exhorted them to remain faithful. This illustrates the necessary parakaleo—coming alongside one another to speak truth (rebuke) and offer mercy (encouragement).

-- They Bring Others: After a year of intense discipleship by Barnabas and Paul, "they were first called Christians," a term initially derogatory but embraced as a badge of honor, signifying they were "soldiers of Christ." This church was diverse in ethnicity and socioeconomic status, reflecting that the Gospel is for all people.

The sermon concludes by emphasizing a fourth mark: Giving Graciously. The Antioch church immediately demonstrated generosity by raising relief for the brothers in Judea, modeling sacrificial giving—for "God so loved the world, He gave."

Join Pastor Allen Bonnell as he teaches from Acts chapter 10 on the groundbreaking conversion of Cornelius, a Roman Centurion, in a message titled "Boundary Breaking Grace." This chapter is pivotal, signaling that the Gospel is for all people of all places, not just the Jewish people.

Pastor Allen breaks down the account into three main points:

-- A Devout Seeker, God Notices: Cornelius was a highly moral, pious, generous, and prayerful man—yet he was still missing Jesus. The sermon emphasizes that being "good" is not enough, as we are all "dead in our transgressions and sins" and need the resurrection life of Christ.

-- A Reluctant Apostle, God Redirects: God uses a vision of "unclean" animals, repeated three times, to teach Peter that what God has cleansed, he should not call common. This vision, alongside the Spirit's clear direction, compels Peter to cross the threshold into a Gentile home, shattering deeply held cultural and theological barriers.

-- A Public Confirmation, God Provides: Peter preaches that God shows no partiality. The message is one of peace—reconciliation with God through Jesus' atoning sacrifice—and the declaration that Jesus is Lord of all. The Holy Spirit falling on the Gentiles is the undeniable public verification that salvation is now through rebirth, not birthright, and is for everyone who believes.

Join Pastor Allen Bonnell for a message titled "A Transformed Life," diving into the radical conversion of Saul (Paul) on the Damascus Road in Acts chapter 9. Pastor Allen contrasts the dramatic, immediate conversion often associated with a "Damascus Road experience" with the equally powerful, quiet transformation experienced by faithful, lifelong followers of Christ.

The sermon first highlights the cruel depravity of the human heart as seen in Saul, who was "breathing murderous threats" and ravaging the church—a picture sadly reflected in modern-day persecution. It then focuses on Saul's surprising, radical encounter with the Way, as Jesus personally defends His followers, stating, "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" The three days Saul spent blinded is presented as a metaphor for dying to self, underscoring that we must die before we can be resurrected. Finally, the sermon celebrates Paul's life transformed by the power of the gospel, which immediately turned him from persecutor to proclaimer.

Pastor Allen uses the humble figure of Ananias and the story of Billy Graham's conversion to encourage listeners that while we may not be the next Paul, we can all be an obedient "usher" or a faithful follower used by God to impact the world. He closes with an invitation to lay burdens down and accept the abundant life that Jesus offers, even amid suffering.

Join Pastor Bob Russell for a profound and practical message on marriage, titled "Modeling a Godly Marriage," delivered after 60 years of marriage experience. Pastor Bob asserts that the best thing a married couple can do for their children, church, and community is to model a godly marriage. He notes that the traditional family is disintegrating under a relentless attack from culture.

Drawing from Ephesians 5:22-33, Pastor Bob outlines God’s design for the home:

-- Husbands are commanded to love their wives as Christ loved the church. This love, agape, is a commitment to doing the right thing regardless of feeling. It is expressed by sacrificing for her, focusing on her positive qualities, and being perceptive of her needs (affection, conversation, trust, financial security, and family commitment).

-- Wives are commanded to respect their husbands. This respect is an act of submission to the husband's delegated leadership, even if the wife is more capable, acknowledging the Lordship of Christ. It is expressed by responding to his needs (including sexual fulfillment and admiration).

The sermon is a candid call for authenticity, reminding couples to stick together even through disagreements, and emphasizing that forgiveness must always trump divorce. Pastor Bob closes with a heartfelt invitation for couples to come forward for prayer to strengthen their marriage or for individuals to accept Christ as their Savior.

Join Pastor Scott Cannon for a challenging message from Acts chapters 6 and 7, exploring The Cost of Following Jesus through the life of the first martyr, Stephen. Pastor Scott breaks down Stephen's journey into four 'M' phases: The Men (the first deacons) who paid the price of Service; the Man (Stephen) who paid the price of Standing Up; the Message he paid the price of Speaking Out; and the Martyr who paid the ultimate price of Complete Surrender.

Pastor Scott emphasizes that while salvation is free, following Jesus will cost you everything. He challenges the notion of the comfortable Christian, urging believers to move from being spiritual consumers to contributors. The message culminates in Stephen's vision of Jesus standing at the right hand of God—a powerful image interpreted as Christ rising to acknowledge and honor Stephen's sacrifice. Pastor Scott encourages all believers to live with the readiness to suffer for Christ, assuring them that the worth of eternal glory far outweighs the sufferings of this present time.

Join Pastor Allen Bonnell for a powerful message from Acts chapters 4 and 5, titled "The Word Spread and the Church Grew." The sermon explores the contrasting lives of generosity and hypocrisy in the early church, challenging believers to examine their own hearts. Pastor Allen contrasts Barnabas, the "son of encouragement," who gave willingly and graciously, with Ananias and Sapphira, who were judged by God for pretense and lying to the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Allen uses the judgment of Ananias and Sapphira as a sober reminder that God demands the purity of His church, caring more about our holiness and character than our comfort. He clarifies that their sin was not compulsory giving, but lying and trying to earn favor—a heart issue. The message transitions to the apostles' incredible boldness before the Sanhedrin, where they proclaimed the name of Jesus despite beatings. This sermon is a powerful call to be a bold witness, sharing personal testimony and prioritizing the Lord's work while the Spirit of God is moving and the "night is coming."

Join Pastor Allen Bonnell for a powerful message from Acts chapter 3, titled “Rise Up and Walk.” The sermon begins with a powerful testimony of true conversion, which serves as a backdrop for the core theme: the power of the Holy Spirit to bring spiritual and physical healing. Pastor Allen dives into the first recorded miracle by the apostles after Jesus’s ascension—the healing of the man lame from birth at the temple gate.

This sermon explores three key truths from this passage: First, Jesus alone has the power to bring true healing, transcending the world’s temporary answers of politics, education, or relationships. Second, we are all called to be living witnesses to that power, sharing our own stories of resurrection from spiritual death. Finally, Pastor Allen delivers a challenging but life-giving invitation to “come and die”—to surrender completely to Christ, because only when we lose our lives for His sake will we truly find them.

Join Pastor Allen Bonnell as he delivers a powerful message on the book of Acts, titled “The Fullness of the Spirit.” Beginning with a compelling testimony from a church member, Pastor Allen uses the story of Brian to illustrate that true salvation leads to a transformed life and a new understanding of God’s Word. He then addresses the question of living in the “end times,” assuring us that in our waiting, we are not left without a Helper and a Counselor—the Holy Spirit.

Pastor Allen dives into Acts chapter 2 to explain the significance of Pentecost. He clarifies that this was not when the Holy Spirit first came into existence, but when He began to dwell permanently within believers. This is a critical distinction, as the Christian worldview teaches that the problem is internal, and the solution, the Holy Spirit, comes from an external source—heaven. He explains that the Holy Spirit’s presence is our “birth certificate” and “guarantee” of salvation, identifying us as children of God.

The sermon concludes with a powerful reminder that the hope of the gospel is for all people, transcending language and culture, a reversal of the Tower of Babel. Pastor Allen challenges listeners to recognize that the true miracle is not signs and wonders, but a life resurrected from spiritual death. He invites all to repent and be baptized, to receive the forgiveness of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Join speaker Shannon Cannon from the Journey '25 Women's Conference as she encourages women to surrender control and find courage and purpose in Christ. Drawing from the book of Esther, Shannon uses the powerful story of an unlikely queen to remind us that God places us exactly where we need to be for a divine appointment.

Shannon explores Esther’s famous line, "if I perish, I perish," as a model for courage in the face of adversity. She contrasts our human efforts to control life, symbolized by paper clips and post-it notes, with making Jesus the true center. Using the metaphor of a magnet, she explains that when Jesus is at the center, He pulls all our chaotic circumstances together.

This message is a heartfelt call to recognize our God-given purpose and to trust in Him, even in uncertain times. Shannon shares a powerful personal testimony about her journey with community and vulnerability, and she introduces a friend who shares her story of finding hope and salvation through a life group. The session concludes with an invitation for every woman to take her next step in faith, whether it's giving up control for the first time or simply seeking to make Jesus the center of her life.