spendyourself.org

Final Thoughts as we Move.

Danny Iverson — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 12:30:18 +0000

My wife Kimberly wanted me to post this as a final farewell to Newark from her. I love reading what she writes… I am so glad I married such an amazing woman…

Final Thoughts From The Mommy

Its been a few years now (and a few kids!!) since our desktop died, thus destroying my blog, and therefore destroying any momentum I had towards recording the wealth of emotions that arise from raising one’s family in the inner city. I was OK with that, too busy with my three kids and (now) one on the way to notice….until Sunday morning. Our last Sunday here in Newark. So now it is 3:00 am and despite the fact that my fatigued pregnant body is longing for sleep, my mind is whirring with so many thoughts and emotions that elicit at least one final blog post (we’ll just sneak it into Danny’s blog).

It started like every other Sunday morning….me, dog-dead tired, trying to get the kids ready and keep clothes clean and hair pulled back AT LEAST until I got dressed and got everyone out the door. We got everyone out the door (triumph #2!) and the kids were doing their normal “run ahead of Mommy” (but always stopping at the telephone pole before we neared busy Ferry St.) and then it surged up within me “This is the last time you’ll be making this short walk around the corner for Sunday worship. This is your last Sunday.” I made a very quick decision then, before tears could flood my eyes…”Carry on!” I commanded myself, “and don’t think about it.” Well, I got to the church building and managed to busy myself for a while setting up the nursery area (teams are occupying our nursery classroom), checking on the kitchen crew, greeting people, etc. I was doing alright.

But then the worship band started. I looked around at the vast array of skin colors, sizes, ages, socio-ethnic backgrounds, all singing around the big baptismal tank which had been assembled (partially by my four year old son) smack dab in the middle of our sanctuary. All of my children had scurried onto the laps of their favorite “church buddy”. I had no kids to chase, no emergencies to tend to, no lesson to get ready for. I couldn’t busy myself any more. I had to sit and soak up the beauty of the Body of Christ sitting around me, I had to absorb the fact that this would be my last time worshipping with them in this context, I had to recall the many years of struggle and hardship, and I had to acknowledge the absolute faithfulness and goodness of my God who had carried us through, furthered His Kingdom, and built up His Body right there in the ‘hood.

The tears wouldn’t stay back, they just streamed and streamed. Tears of joy, tears of grief, tears of aching over having to say goodbye. The pain of having to leave Newark and all the people we love here, can only be likened to the pain of sending your child off (to college, or boarding school or something of that sort). You know you have spent yourself on them. You know you have failed in many ways, but you also know you gave them and entrusted to them every bit of love, teaching, and instruction you could. You send them off and pray that what was done was good enough. You pray that the seeds that were planted over and over again WOULD grow in your absence and would bear fruit without your watchful eye and tending hand. Its not so much like a death, because no one is dying, there is just that painful separation that feels like a death but you know that you are both still there….just apart.

Praise God for comic relief…for as I absorbed the pain of it all and cried and cried throughout the worship time, someone came up and told me that Joyce, an elderly woman who was always having health problems (some real and some concocted) was asking to go to the hospital. So, as I called the ambulance to get her, and went outside to wait for it, I was thankful that the Lord provided a diversion from the pit of emotion that could have sucked me under. *I call it comic relief, because when the EMT got there they were wondering if they needed the stretcher or not, but when we went inside to get Joyce she hopped right up out of her seat and b-lined it for the door, I tried to hold her hand to at least act like it was more of an emergency than I was quickly realizing it was, but it was more like SHE was dragging me out the door, than ME helping her. Mind you, I was so exhausted and thirsty, myself, (being 7 mo. pregnant in an un-airconditioned 100 degree church building) I kept wondering if it wasn’t ME that should me going to the hospital instead of her, but I had to chuckle because it wasn’t the first time that precious, eclectic Joyce had gotten me into similar situations.

I caught the last part of Danny’s last sermon at Trinity and then we baptized an infant, several teenagers, and an adult into OUR church family. Then onto round two of the tears…after our community lunch, different people had to get going and I cried with each embrace as I knew that with each person I hugged I could write a book about all the things we had been through together. Many of them, with horrible pasts and more baggage than you want to deal with, had finally come in contact with HOPE in the person of Jesus Christ, in His story of redemption, and in the friendship and love that we had poured out over the years.

As I stood in the doorway saying goodbye to a family who had lived with us for 6 months, come clean from their drug addiction, gotten a job, learned to pay rent, brought a baby into the world (their other kids are in custody of the state), baptized her that morning and are trusting the Lord to provide for their needs and carry them through, I realized I had gotten to participate in a miracle…the miracle of redemption.

Redemption is painful…it comes at a cost…first the cost of Jesus blood and life on the cross, and then the cost of my own life and selfishness, so that HIS LIFE could flow through me to minister to families such as these. Its painful but its beautiful, miraculous and worth every minute of the heartache, blood, sweat and tears.

I stand it awe and thankfulness to the Lord for allowing me to be part of such a beautiful metamorphosis of individual’s lives, of whole families, of an entire community.

And as painful as it is to have to say goodbye to our “child”, our flock, our friends, our family, I believe God has called us to leave so that this “child” can learn things that we no longer can teach it. This season here is done. The Lord has called us out, and I believe by faith that He is the great I AM for my neighborhood, and if us leaving will put His All-Sufficiency on display even more, then I will hurt, I will mourn, I will cry, I will surrender, so that

HIS GLORY MAY BE KNOWN.

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“Thank you, Newark. Thank you, Jesus “

Thank you, Newark, for your smell, your trash, your inconvenient road systems, and for all the parking tickets we’ve gotten throughout the years.

Thank you, Jesus, for weaning me off the comforts of a physical place to live, so that I could be reminded that your Kingdom is so much better than smoothly paved roads, perfectly manicured lawns, and a parking spot just for me in front of my house.

Thank you, Newark, for all the people living right on top of each other, who I always see either at my doorstep, in the grocery store, or during the wee hours of the night when I’d rather not see them.

Thank you, Jesus, for PEOPLE, and for the ways that they work in our lives (even if it feels like a raw chaffing rather than a soft embrace) and help us learn to love.

Thank you, Newark, for always providing families or individuals who needed our money, our groceries, or our time a little bit more than we did.

Thank you, Jesus, for sstttrrreeetching my faith by calling us to give away so much, not have money to pay bills or buy groceries, and then after me sweating it out for a while, miraculously providing for our needs.

Thank you, Newark, for all of the horribly disfunctional families that these children and adult come from.

Thank you, Jesus, for causing Your Gospel and Your Redemption to shine so brightly, in light of the tremendous heartache and sin that this flock has had to deal with.

Thank you, Newark, for all the crazy, eclectic, people who have been forced to be my neighbors, my friends, and the people I lean on.

Thank you, Jesus, for the chance to become best friends with people I previously NEVER would have sought out a friendship in.

Thank you, Newark, for all those who are impoverished who live inside your city limits.

Thank you, Jesus, that I have witnessed a generosity among the poor toward one another, that trumps any check I could write and put in the offering plate.

Thank you, Newark, for all your faults, all the hardship you’ve forced me into, all the deaths you’ve forced me to endure.

Thank you, Jesus, for the miracle of LIFE in death, for gaining in losing, for the saving of my own soul through my failed attempt to save others.

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Note:

People have been asking how they can help with our move. Safe Haven made a page for that if you want to help go here.

The Confession of a Nation

Danny Iverson — Thu, 15 Jul 2010 11:36:22 +0000

I finally got this song somewhat recorded. For all those who have been bugging me to do this, thanks for pushing me to just get it done. I hope this song moves us all to die to ourselves and live for Jesus.

This is a song I wrote in 2004 after coming back into wealthy suburban America after living in a poor and marginalized community of inner city Newark NJ. This is my confession as well as our country’s as we look at the ridiculous addiction to self we all display. I am always perplexed at how selfish we truly are with all of our resources; our time, our talents and of course our treasures.
Jesus said in Luke 9:23 that we lose out on true life when we seek to gain the fake treasures of this world. All these things that will ultimately break and disappoint that eternal longing we all have for significance. But when through faith we are willing to die to all the vain things that seek to charm us and are willing to actually lose them, then we gain real treasure and can experience an existence that matters: an eternal significance and purpose for God’s glory and the joy of others.
If you look at the life, death and resurrection of Jesus you see what real life is. He chose to give up everything, even His own life, so that we could be redeemed and made right with God. He was willing to be poor so we could be rich and He found the greatest joy in living a selfless life… He did this because He is love and He loves us and wants to see see the hell in our lives disappear. I believe His love is doing that to me. I want to be more like Him… To the extent we believe this Good News we get to see our lives transformed in real time and space. Our lives become beacons of hope to a hurting and addicted world searching for purpose…. “I have been crucified with Christ never the less I live. But the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

“…Flesh of my Flesh…”

Danny Iverson — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 09:39:17 +0000

It’s 3:08 am as I write this… I can’t sleep… I woke up at about 2:00 am or so, my heart so burdened, the weight of leaving Newark becoming heavier and heavier on my heart as our departure draws closer. I find myself asking God why? “Why are you leading us away from this place where we have spent the last seven years of our lives pouring into the kids of this community, building a youth center, changing a neighborhood….?” Each one of these kids has become like our own children, each one so important to us. Flesh of our flesh, fellow human beings, made in the image of God.

Some of these kids have been raped… violated by adults and others who where supposed to care for them… Many of these kids are fatherless, abandoned by an earthly father of selfishness…. All of these kids are poor… Maybe not compared to the kids in Haiti, but compared to the way I grew up and the standard of our country, poor… All of these kids need Jesus. I think of their lives and imagine them in 20 years. Are we abandoning them… Am I turning away? Is leaving them to further my education so I can church plant and duplicate better what has been done here the right choice? I keep asking myself that question. I keep checking my motives… This is the hardest thing I have ever done. Yesterday a kid hugged me and said he wasn’t going to let me leave… I wept… I don’t want to leave, how can I leave…? But God keeps reminding me to trust Him, and trust His people to step up and continue to serve the poor, broken and marginalized kids of Newark while we are gone.

Looking into the eyes of my youngest daughter Katy-Grace in the picture above, I can’t imagine going away from her. I mean look at her. She’s beautiful. (Not to be proud or anything) I see her mother’s feature and I love her and would never want to leave her… As I look at all these pictures of these precious kids below attending our summer camp my heart aches in a similar way. I see their Father’s Features…Yes, they are not my very own, my DNA does not run through their blood, but God’s does… They are His children and He will never leave them. This ministry belongs to God and even though I leave, God will not. He will still work in this place. “Greater things have yet to come in this city…”

These kids are our flesh and blood…. they belong to all of us. They are made in the image of God and precious to their Father in heaven. They are the least of these in our country, the marginalized and forgotten… They are inner city kids of Newark NJ… As of right now, 39 of these precious kids still need to get sponsored for summer camp. Our summer camp starts in 8 days and as usual we have no idea how we are going to fund it. God has supplied an amazing team of people who are stepping up to pour their hearts into these kids, but it seems He has not raised up the people to fund it. yet….

So now I ask the people of God, on behalf of my children here in Newark… your children here in Newark… ”Will you turn from your own flesh and blood?” You may not know these kids personally, but I do, and I plead on their behalf. I ask for your help. I am asking the Church of Jesus Christ, and everyone I know for that matter to come along side us and redeem Newark by redeeming the next generation… Join us in this mission to make right what has been broken by the sin and the selfishness of the human condition. As Isaiah says later in the 58th chapter: “Spend Yourself on the hungry.” This is an invitation to join God in the amazing redemption work He is going to do this summer. The amazing work He already has done when He spent Himself by coming to our broken planet in the person of Jesus Christ to lay down His life on the cross for our sin.

There are so many ways to help. Right now our biggest need is $15,000 to run this summer camp for the 45 kids and 12 teen staff God has brought us. Can we raise that in 8 days? I believe God can. That seems like a lot, but it really isn’t if you think about it.

If half the people reading this were willing to sacrificed a pizza, or a trip to the movies, or a few trips to Starbucks than all these kids would have a 6 week long summer camp experience permeated with the love of Christ developing them for God’s Glory and the redemption and joy of their community.

We have made it as easy as ever to sponsor kids or even form an online team that can raise funds for them if you can’t personally give. I stayed up many a night building this website so I could leave an effective tool to help people help kids in Newark.

Please go to our summer camp website and help… in any way you can.

For the King and the Kingdom,

Danny Iverson

The “Failure” of the Cross…

Danny Iverson — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 09:25:55 +0000

“Count it a blessing that you’re such a failure… Your second chance might never have come…” – David Bazzan (Pedro the Lion)

If I wasn’t such a failure at almost everything I do, than I wouldn’t get the chance to witness and appreciate the miracles of Jesus. Our failures and lack of faith open up authentic opportunities for us to see the glory of the Lord shine even through our darkest nights… Jesus’s supposed “failure” when he was crucified painted the black background that makes the resurrection masterpieces all the more gloriously beautiful. At the cross, our darkest sins and most hideous failures as humans are mixed together to form the blackest background imaginable. The painting looks grim, the canvas stained by utter darkness, the viewer can not help but get the sense of hopelessness. Three days later we see our God paint a masterpiece over such a background. The colors of redemption shine forth as the resurrection mural comes to life on the canvas. From the blank expressionless darkness erupts a glorious masterpiece with every stroke. God laughs as He paints over our sin, as the very thing that once damned us becomes the backdrop that makes his pardoning grace so real and magnificent. What a story! The cross and the resurrection is God’s best work, since He himself is personally involved. His paint is His own blood, covering our sin forever… At the cross God “fails.” In the resurrection, He conquers sin and death forever and His glory is displayed to every generation and on the canvas of every Christian’s life. For each of us who have believed this message and trust in the redemptive work of Christ, we are now God’s workmanship and his artwork, a beautiful display of His splendor for His Glory .

As my heart hears and believes such a message I cannot help but have hope. This is good news for a sinner such as me. It means that I don’t have to be the one to try and make a beautiful and worthwhile picture of my life… because I know I can’t. All I really do is taint the background with my darkness, giving our redemptive God the chance to paint on the canvas of my life the very image of the risen Christ. Maybe that is what repentance really is… recognizing our role as the dark background that makes the beautiful face of our savior stand out all the more. Maybe that is what faith is… believing that God through the work of Christ is indeed painting a beautiful picture over the mess we create.

This continues to baffle’s me. In my weakness, that is when Jesus is the strongest. To the extent I realize that my sin and weakness covering the canvas of my life is merely the background for the redeemer to paint a masterpiece over, to that extent I am able to have hope even in the midst of failure. A hope that everything is working for the good of those who love God and are called to His purpose. Everything… even my sin… even the cross…

From the Hood to Disneyland… What? An Iverson Update

Danny Iverson — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 18:24:12 +0000

Click here for full Newsletter

This fall Danny Starts classes at Reformed Theological Seminary in Orlando, FL. We plan on being there for three years and coming back to Newark to plant more churches. We will still be working for Safe Haven…. read on to learn more about this new season in our lives.

What is going on? The Iversons are leaving Newark?

For a season… Let me explain… A year and a half or so ago, at my sister’s wedding, my grandfather, dad, and uncles challenged us to start praying about going to seminary, leaving Safe Haven in good hands, and finishing my Master’s of Divinity. It seemed a bit crazy at the time but as we prayed God gave us a vision of the future He has for us in Newark. It involves seeing what He has done at Trinity Church being duplicated around the city. I started praying hard and looking into church planting movements and realized how little church planting was happening in Newark. I realized (and continue to realize) that I have a passion and gifting for starting things, whether businesses or ministries, and that God wants to use that for bringing forth His Kingdom here. I see the wisdom of the many mentors in my life who are encouraging me to withdraw from this place that is so dear to us, become better equipped for long term strategic ministry, and return to Newark with a team, a plan, and a deeper passion to see the city redeemed. July 16th we pack up and move, with great sorrow in leaving a community full of people we have come to deeply love, but with great joy and expectation already in what is going to happen when we return in three years.

So Why Orlando? Trust me, it is not to see Mickey Mouse. Three main reasons helped us make this choice.

Reformed Theological Seminary (RTS) is considered one of the best seminaries in our country teaching scripture from the Reformed perspective. My father graduated from an RTS campus in Jackson, Mississippi, and my brother, Jon, graduated from the Orlando campus, where my brother-in-law and other friends are currently attending as well.  RTS gave us an awesome scholarship, has wonderful professors, some who are also family friends, and will challenge me academically like I have never been challenged before.

Family!  This is a huge reason for choosing Orlando.  My sister Sara-Beth, her husband, Eric, and their three beautiful girls are there.  They are hoping to do overseas missions after Eric finishes at RTS. This may be our last time to spend some time with them before we go our separate ways to do Kingdom work.  That is very important to us.

There will be many opportunities to recruit churches, students and businesses to be involved in Safe Haven.  As many of you know, I like to network, and I love spreading the passion God has given me for His glory displayed through the redemption happening in Newark. I love inviting people to participate with God and us in this mission, whether it be supporting us from afar, coming on a short term team, interning or becoming long term ministry partners. There are over 40,000 college students 3 miles from the seminary, lots of great churches, and I have hundreds of students at RTS to get to know and dream with about future ministry.  It seems like the best place to grow a team for the vision God has given us.

DJ (4), Katy-Grace (1), Trinity (2)

How will your family be supported?

Well, that is where the faith comes in for us.  I will continue to be the executive director for Safe Haven, but my focus will switch to more fundraising and networking as well as strategic planning and leadership development of the amazing staff God has raised up.  That being said, if you are currently financially supporting our ministry, we ask you to kindly continue. If you would like to join our support team please visit www.safehaven911.com.

Other News

NEW IVERSON BOY

Our 4th child is due Sept. 18th, our 6th year anniversary.   We usually like surprises, but since we were leaving and wanted our community to know what was cooking in the oven…we found out ahead of time.  We are naming him Benjamin Zion.  This has been the hardest pregnancy yet for us, (more for Kimberly) but God has been so faithful in getting us through.  People from our community and surrounding partner churches have really stepped up to bless us.  Last month Kimberly had a three week spell where she was on bed rest.  My sister Hannah (19) came up to nanny and help us.  It was a blessing.  Please continue to pray for us as we say our goodbyes, move to Orlando, and begin a very different type of life than what we are accustomed to.

Danny’s Book

Last November  I (Danny) started writing a book entitled “Spend Yourself.” It is primarily stories as well as some deep thoughts about how the Gospel is actualized in our lives as we radically seek to enter into, engage, and “spend ourselves” on redeeming the brokenness of this world. Most of it is coming from the perspective of serving the poor, broken and marginalized of this community, but there are many applications and challenges to all to live Christ-centered, Gospel powered, radical and faith-filled lives for God’s Glory and the joy of others.  I have a good chunk of the manuscript done and am hoping to begin submitting proposals to publishers this summer.  Please pray for focus as I finish it, and God’s leading and purpose for it as we seek to distribute it to encourage God’s people.

New Websites

Safe Haven has launched three new websites  to help people connect with the redemption happening in Newark.  Please check them out, sign up for the Safe Haven News Letter and join the missions network if you like.

Safe Haven Homepage: www.safenewark.org

Donation Page www.safehaven911.com

A missions blog/social network where I will be posting my blog. writings and resources for missions. www.spendyourself.org.

How will the ministry Transition?

By God’s Grace, of course, and with the amazing team he has raised up to carry on the work in the community…

Meet the Team. Each of them have huge hearts for the people here in our community and are doing amazing work.

Please go to our website and visit our staff page to meet all the Safe Haven Staff

Final Thoughts…

As we prepare to transition out of Newark, we can not help but feel sorrow. This has been our home for so long and we love our community more than we ever imagined possible… Leaving is going to be hard. We have many nights of weeping; praying and asking God if He is sure this is a good idea to leave this ministry into which we have poured ourselves. He continues to lead and show us that this is the season for us to step away to prepare and become better equipped for the future ministry in Newark to which He is calling us. We feel a strong burden to church plant in Newark after seminary and will be using this time away to effectively plan, raise up a team and become better trained in taking a city for the Glory of God and the joy of all people. We thank you all for your prayers and support and we ask that you continue to step up and support this ministry, especially in this season of transition. We couldn’t have come this far without God leading each of you to partner with us in His mission to redeem Newark by redeeming the next generation. Thank you and we love you.

For the King and the Kingdom,

The Iversons

True Missions = becoming all things to all men, just like Jesus did.

Danny Iverson — Fri, 04 Jun 2010 10:30:04 +0000

As I was driving back up to Newark today from Virginia I listened to this great sermon from the Gospel Coalition by DA Carson. It is long, academic/professor sounding, a few humorous moments, but most importantly rich with great support, encouragement and admonishment for Christians to really be to this world as the God of heaven was when He became a man in the person of Jesus Christ. I feel this is a great resource to help persuade/defend/ the radical contextualization that happens in true incarnational ministry for the sake of the Kingdom and this sermon gives great biblical and christocentric backing/training for why we need live this way as Christians. Enjoy…

http://thegospelcoalition.org/resources/video/That-By-All-Means-I-Might-Win-Some

Form My Heart

Danny Iverson — Fri, 21 May 2010 04:46:31 +0000

Form my heart oh Triune God according to your Word
Form it for your purpose, form it for my good
Form it in your image, may every heart beat be
A pulse of heavenly glory, on display in me

Form my Heart oh Father, to listen and obey
To always seek your loving face, and never go astray
To trust your faithful promises, and trust in all your plans
To walk beside you faithfully and always hold your hand

Form my heart Oh Jesus, to trust in love divine
To know my sin was placed on you, and your righteousness is mine
Let your atonement change my heart to daily die for you
Make my life a sacrifice in all I say and do

Form my heart Oh Spirit, make me pure and true
Make my life shine forth a light reflecting all of you.
Deform me from this world, take out my heart of stone
And give this beating heart a rhythm that moves for you alone

Help Support Tara Thompson’s Mission to Newark

Danny Iverson — Sat, 15 May 2010 10:47:46 +0000

Tara Thompson is a student very committed to coming to Newark and serving the kids of the community this summer.

Here’s a blurb from her support letter.

“The first time I stepped into the Housing Projects of Newark, New Jersey I knew I had been completely mistaken in what I had expected. Some of my expectations were accurate of course, it was very poor looking, there were win- dows that were cracked and broken, trash scattered everywhere you turned, and everything seemed to be withering, all the doors, stairs, etc.. However, what I hadn’t expected was the laughter I heard when I entered into the court- yard, laughter that was so innocent and beautiful! It was then, when I saw these beautiful, innocent children laugh- ing as they threw snow balls at each other, that I could take a sigh of relief. Despite the sadness, and the living con- ditions, there was laughter, which meant there was hope.”

Connect with Tara on FaceBook

Here’s Tara Thompson’s support letter. It is an awesome letter and so inspiring. So support her if you can to help her reach her fundraising goal by Clicking Below.

The Womb

Danny Iverson — Fri, 07 May 2010 14:59:50 +0000

Yes, it is true. Kimberly is pregnant again with number four. And we just found out it is a boy. Benjamin Zion Iverson is the name. I guess I can do something right… We are due September 18th (our 6th year anniversary) God is so faithful and I am amazed at the beauty of new life. I never would have imagined that we would have four kids in six years but it looks like this is indeed happening. I’ll never forgot our conversation in December of 2003, a month or so after we started courting… I asked Kimberly what she thought about big families. She said she was all about it… So I said. “What about ten kids?” (Cause I really want to beat my dad) And she gave me a beautiful smile and said: “If that’ is what God wants to give me.” I knew I had a winner…

This was a really important question since I am the oldest of a family of nine and have a huge desire to have as many kids as possible. My dad always told us that the best way to impact the world is through your kids. I look at him and my mom, and the way they sacrificed and poured themselves into their kids as they raised us, and believe he is right. I look at the fruit of their sacrifice and see God’s promises fulfilled. It is amazing how faithful God has been through all the struggles of being in a big family. If I had to go back, I wouldn’t change a thing. I do remember as a teenager getting angry at my dad for having so many kids. It was usually around christmas time when I looked under the tree and saw a lot of presents but had to divide them by nine. Even my math was good enough to calculate how few were mine. My friends always had more presents, more stuff and our family was always pinching pennies, just trying to survive and make it. I would get so mad in those selfish moments and ask him why he had to have so many kids. He always did the same thing: grabbed the youngest little booger running around and put him/her on his lap and asked me: “Can you imagine life without _______? Is he/she worth it.” I could never argue with that, because in my heart of hearts I always knew what really mattered…

Now as a 32 year old looking down the ranks of my brothers sisters I am so thankful for our family. I am most thankful because I see God’s work through and in each of them. All nine of us love Jesus and love to serve others. I am amazed at the way He continues to use my siblings all over the world… I love the the fact that our covenant family get’s to be a part of the redemption story and it makes me so excited to continue to add to that by having kids. Psalm 37:25-26 comes to mind. ”I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his childrenbegging for bread. He is everlending generously, and his children become a blessing.”

Not everyone may agree, but in my mind I think this is the best Kingdom strategy for bringing light and hope into our world: Have lots of kids, love them and raise them well in a Gospel saturated home, and send them out into the world to live, struggle and bring Glory to God, and have lots of kids.

I am seeing that my main church I am called to be pastor of is my family, to love and shepherd them in grace and truth and lead them to Jesus. Not in my perfection (cause they definitely see I am not perfect) but in my weakness. You see, with all the other people in our community church their is a certain amount of superficiality. They don’t live with me day in and day out and so I can put on my best face sunday mornings or when they see me doing ministry. They don’t have to see all the sins of my private life. My family does. My kids get to see a dad who gets lazy sometimes and doesn’t use his time well, or doesn’t serve their mother, or loses his temper, or complains and moans over the woes of inner city life and ministry. They get to see my weaknesses. It is in that, on that platform, in open transparent struggle with the sin in my own life, that I am able to lead my family to the throne of grace. Not as a conquering hero, but rather as a humble sinner in need of saving, pointing them to Jesus who is the conquering hero that has and is dealing with their daddy’s sin. It is from such a platform I received the grace of God from my pastor, my father. One of the things our family does every night (we have been doing it for 5 generations as far as I know) is have family devotions. It’s nothing too complicated. In our home we just spend about 15 minutes reading the Bible together, talk about our day, work on a few memory verses and maybe sing a song. That’s how I grew up. But here is what made it so special. Good religious homes can do that out of their religious zeal and to try and feel better and holier than the family next door. What I really appreciate about my dad is that our family devotions was NOT a time for us to realize how good, religious and morally outstanding our family was. Rather, it was a time for us to realize how short we fall from even our own standards let alone God’s. Often, my parents would confess their own faults and failures of the day to us. It wasn’t rare for my father to ask us for forgiveness for ways he had overworked, or not loved us well, or lost his temper, or misspent our resources. He didn’t try to show himself to us as a perfect person who had it all together, but rather demonstrated in love and humility how much he needed Jesus and that the whole point of us having family worship each night was for us to connect with our savior and be changed from this inside out by His truth and grace…. I am so thankful for that. I want to be a dad like that.

Please pray for this pregnancy. It has been our hardest one yet. Kimberly and I still do believe having lots of kids is a great way to change Newark, but boy is it hard. Kimberly is tired a lot and trying to homeschool the other three while being so tired has been a challenge for her. She is tough and puts up with so much and we know God will give us strength. We are having an ultrasound next week so we will keep everyone updated on that.

H ere’s a video of Trinity doing a Bible verse at family devotions.

16 Kids and Teens baptized at Trinity Church

Danny Iverson — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 21:26:29 +0000

What a glorious day this was. Anthony Metrocavage, one of our youth just made a music video of the service. Next to my wedding, I would say this was one of the most spirit filled worship services I’ve ever been a part of. I really sensed the power of God as I baptized these kids. Trinity Church recently decided to both splash and dunk and I think that was good decision. While Reformed Churches as a whole usually only splash, in the city most people think of baptism as dunking. Our leadership figured it would be a good idea to let our people choose how they wanted to do it and to also use this as a chance to help show what really matters; that baptism is indeed an outward sign of an inner faith. That the mode through which you are baptize isn’t what makes it work, but rather is merely a sign of the seal of the Holy Spirt and the power of Jesus to cleanse us and make us new.

God is good! Oh how he loves us…