AUGUST CONCERT

Ivan was saved at age 9 in his daddy’s church in Sanford, when an evangelist preached a fiery sermon on the rapture of the church and heaven. "I remember that night well," he said. "I was sitting on the back row with all my friends. When the invitation was given, I couldn’t get to the altar fast enough. My mom and dad had always told me that whenever it came to salvation, I couldn’t get to heaven on their experience - I had to have my own."
This decision that Ivan made at age 9 stayed in the forefront of his mind, even though he admits that he made a lot of mistakes along the way. "But I knew Jesus loved me and had His hand on me. I didn’t know what God had planned for my life; I just knew I wanted to sing."
In June 2003, "It’s True" - the title song on one of Ivan’s CD’s - climbed to number 2 on The Singing News top 10 list. This is one of Ivan’s favorite songs, because it talks about how loved ones (including his dad) made the crossing.
As they are passing from here to there, they are saying, "It’s true...it’s true. All the things you’ve heard about heaven are true." With permission from the writer, Ivan rewrote parts of the song to make it express his sentiments.
Testimony Song
In 2008 Ivan recorded a very special song entitled "I Choose" which topped the charts at the number #1 position. This message became universal for Ivan and his audience as the lyrics of hope and encouragement rang out to a hurting world that they have the power to choose life over death, joy over sorrow and Faith over hopelessness. "The choice we have to follow God in the good times and the bad is easy once we make the decision to simply chose God."
The same message is echoed in Ivan's Signature Song, "Midnight Cry." He remembers the incredible feeling he had the first time he heard the song. "I just could not get away from the message in the song. It meant a lot to me, because it was the message that tugged at my heart the night I gave my heart to the Lord. This message is repeated in so many songs." Several years ago, Ivan was asked to sing for the Church of God General Assembly in San Antonio, Texas. As he was placing his luggage in the car, he had a muscle spasm in his back. "The pain was so intense, I thought I was having a heart attack. I could hardly move. My wife asked, "Do we need to cancel and take you to the hospital?" "No", I said. "We’re going to San Antonio. The Lord will help me."
When they arrived in San Antonio late that afternoon he was still in a lot of pain. But a group of people started praying and Ivan went on to the service. As they introduced him, he was still hurting. But when he took the very first step to walk on stage, he didn’t feel any pain. "When I began singing ’Midnight Cry,’ the wave of the Holy Spirit started on one side and moved across that arena. The whole time I was singing, I felt no pain. When I came back offstage I felt the pain again, although not as bad as it had been. I think the Lord blessed me because He saw how determined I was to minister and put His Word before the people."
Ivan's Signature Song, "Midnight Cry" has been sung by him literally all over the world. Ivan recalls singing in Africa and looking over the crowd. "It was amazing seeing all of these people on the other side of the world singing this song word for word and worshiping God. When I was notified in 2007 that this song had gone to the number one position on the radio charts in Europe I was astounded but was reminded that all things are possible through God.