Welcome to Immanuel Baptist Church! We are happy that you have an interest in our church family. At IBC, we turn out hearts toward God and our hands towards people.One of our desires here at IBC is not only to reach our local community but also to reach the global community.
Sunday school is one of the best opportunities to teach our children and learn as adults the truth of God’s Word.
Classes led by capable & faithful teachers for all ages start at 9:30 each Sunday Morning:
Several occasions during the year classes also enjoy times of fellowship at homes or parties at the church.
“Awana teaches youngsters the importance of being team members, responding to authority, and learning discipline” (a pastor from Michigan). “I like the structured, well-prepared program. Materials are superbly written” (a mom from Washington). “Parental encouragement makes a big difference in a clubber’s success in Awana” (a leader from Florida).
Why do hundreds of thousands of kids attend Awana Clubs each week? Awana is fun! That’s the bottom line for most kids. Of course, they are learning & growing while they’re having fun.
Awana club meetings are brimming with life-enriching experiences for young people! Clubbers learn that God is real, that he loves them, & that He has expressed that love through Jesus Christ. They also learn how to apply the truths of the Bible for their daily lives. In a world desperate for high standards of morality & ethics, Awana uses the Bible to teach children to honor God & their fellow human beings.
The goal of Awana is to reach boys & girls for Christ & train them to serve Him. Since 1950, churches have been using Awana to reach out to the youth in their communities. The program is distinctively Christian & Bible-centered. Of course, Awana Clubs do not exclude kids based on their religious affiliation. The club meetings are open to all.
Three segments provide start-to-finish adventure in every club meeting! Each has a purpose.
Game Time: Every Awana Club meeting includes a high-energy Game Time featuring individual & team competition. The Awana game circle has universal appeal. Kids evermore love Awana Games!
Handbook Time: Using achievement-oriented curriculum materials, Awana emphasizes memorization & understanding of key Bible verses. With a trained leader alongside to encourage & guide, clubbers develop a Bible-based view of how to know & serve God. Clubbers are rewarded for their achievements as they progress through the handbooks.
Council Time: The whole club gathers for a Bible message, singing, & announcements of upcoming events. One highlight of Council Time is the presentation of awards for individual progress & team competition.
The Awana Club Programs
All clubs & programs meet weekly at Immanuel on Wednesday evenings from 6:30 to 8:00 (doors open to clubbers at 6:15), through the school year. Over 20 trained & dedicated leaders are involved in serving the needs of the children.
We recognize that young children were created by God with short attention spans, & were made to wiggle & squirm. During our regular morning service young children who would otherwise have trouble sitting all the way through the regular morning service, & yet are a bit too old to be in the nursery, can still have a time of Bible learning in their own “children’s church.” They stay with their families in the sanctuary until the final congregational hymn before the pastor’s message, & then are dismissed to their own service.
This ministry was begun back in the mid-1980s by a group of dedicated teachers, who serve on a rotating schedule so that no adults miss out on the regular service for any length of time. Children are taught the Bible on their level of comprehension & also how to properly participate in the “big” service.
Curriculum Overview for Parents
One of the highlights of the entire year & among the most fruitful ministries is our Vacation Bible School at Immanuel Baptist Church in the summer. We gear up for several months in preparation for this exciting, fun-filled week of intensive Bible training for children up through the 6th grade. Each year follows a different theme, & the week includes lots of Bible instruction, games, crafts, missionary stories, Bible memorization, & daily refreshments.
PURPOSE: Teens In Step at Immanuel Baptist Church offers opportunities for kids to learn from God’s Word, to grow spiritually, and to fellowship with other Christian teens.
KNOWLEDGE: Each youth group, teenagers at Immanuel will receive a challenge from God’s Word that will help them in their daily lives. They are asked to spend time with God each day in Bible study and prayer. Our goal is to equip each teen fully so they will be strong in any circumstance. Bible knowledge is integrated into every part of the meeting.
STAFF: Our staff at Immanuel is what makes the youth group run so well. Our leaders love the Lord Jesus Christ and they truly love the teens. They come each night excited to share with the teens one-on-one or in small groups. In the small groups, the leaders are able to dig a role deeper and help the teens to use God’s Word in a practical way.
MEETINGS /ACTIVITIES: Regular meetings are held every Sunday night at 6:00 PM. Other special events can be a lot of fun, but don’t expect to sleep much if you come! Activities range from bowling/skating all-nighters in Columbus to canoe trips in Indiana. There are avenues of worship for the musically inclined and those who enjoy drama. For those who enjoy sports, there are volleyball and basketball competitions. Service opportunities are scheduled for the teens as well; for example, ministering in nursing homes and the Dayton Gospel Mission.
EVANGELISM: Our greatest goal is to make sure every teen who comes to youth group understands salvation so they can spend eternity with our Lord. We also teach the youth that they, too, are to witness to others wherever they go.
Women’s ministry is a cluster of ministries, meetings, & events focused on women. This includes women at Immanuel Baptist Church & their visitors. With hearts toward God and hands toward people, they purpose to study God’s Word & serve Him by ministering to women.
Small group Bible studies are scheduled periodically as well as evangelistic teas. These meeting are usually held in various homes. Special events may include a Valentine’s Banquet, Women’s Retreat, and the annual Mother / Daughter Banquet in May.
“Heart To Heart” is the name given to the ladies’ prayer partners ministry. All interested women are coupled together for special spiritual support & encouragement throughout the year.
Other areas where our women serve include the following:
John 10:10 says: “I have come that they may have life, and have it to the fullest.”
First Place – A Christ-Centered Health Program For Women: This unique thirteen-week health program applies Christian principles to personal fitness. Based on biblical insights and the latest nutritional information, the program utilizes the accountability-group process.
This proven, practical program has grown from its beginning in 1981 at a local church in Houston, Texas, to a nationwide program that has helped thousands of women to develop a healthy lifestyle based on what God desires for their lives.
First Place focuses on strengthening four areas of women’s lives – spiritual, emotional, mental, as well as physical. The program is based on the following Nine Commitments:
1. Attendance 2. Prayer 3. Scripture Reading 4. Memory Verse 5. Bible Study 6. “Live It” 7. Fact Sheets 8. Encouragement 9. Exercise
The food deletions are based on American Diabetes Association recommendations.
Although most people are attracted to the program to lose weight, it has accomplished so much more than that in many lives. We began First Place at Immanuel Baptist Church in August of 1997 and have continued on with the thicken-week sessions year round. There is a monetary charge for enrolling in the program.
Every strong church needs men who have been influenced by the gospel, who are involved in discipleship and one-on-one relationships…men who are the spiritually mature, & still growing, spiritually-minded, godly men, who make up the male leadership in the local body of believers.
Our men’s ministry finally came together in an organized way in 1998, and its goal is to help men fulfill their leadership responsibilities in the church, at home, & on the job in a godly manner.
We schedule periodic small group Bible studies that usually prompt good discussion as we grapple with various issues, and also include a time of prayer. Our first men’s Retreat in the fall of 1998 was a very enriching time spiritually for those who attended, & all of us look toward to more retreats in the future. From time to time other events, such as Ping Pong tournaments, prayer breakfast, & the Father / son brunch are planned as well.
“Worship the Lord with gladness; come before Him with joyful song.” (Psalm 100:2)
Ever since the time of creation, music has been a part of worship of our Almighty God. Down through the ages people have always had a song. Immanuel Baptist Church is a singing church. It might be a Scripture song or a great hymn of the faith; a gospel song or a contemporary praise chorus; whatever the style the goal is always the same — to lift up Jesus Christ.
People have always commented that we have a high amount of aimed musicians for a church our size, and we offer musical opportunities for just about every age. Our adult choir is a vital part of the worship experience. They focus on preparing for special numbers for Sunday mornings, as well as the annual Christmas and Easter cantatas. Practice times are usually on Sunday afternoons before the evening service & briefly prior to Sunday school.
Vocal solos, piano, instrumental & other combinations of special music numbers are also implemented into our worship services for anyone (adults, teens, & children) who would like to be included on the special music or offertory rotation lists.