"The Song Goes On"...Ivan Parker
The
first time Ivan Parker stepped on stage to sing was in a Pentecostal
church in Sanford, North Carolina. One Sunday night his father, the
pastor, asked, "Does anyone have a song to sing?" Immediately, 2
-year-old Ivan jumped off his mom’s lap, ran to the microphone and
started singing, "On the wings of a snow white dove, He sends His pure,
sweet love."
That was my first solo, Ivan said.. ’I just kept
singing until my dad finally said, OK, I think that’s enough." Today
when Ivan steps to the microphone, whether it’s in a church or in an
arena packed with thousands of admirers, he will never hear anyone say,
"OK, Ivan, that’s enough."
With the same enthusiasm and passion
that sprang forth from that 2-year-old’s heart, Ivan continues to sing
gospel music. After recording a total of 30 projects and ten videos -
15 with the Gold City Quartet, three with The Trio and the remainder
solo projects - the song goes on.
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.
Signature Song
The
song, "It Is Well With My Soul," has ministered to Ivan many times
because of the circumstances surrounding the writer of the lyrics.
Looking over the place where his four daughters had perished earlier
when their ship collided with another ship, Horatio Spafford penned the
words...
And Lord, haste the day when my faith shall be sight.
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll.
The trump shall resound and the Lord shall descend,
Even so, it is well with my soul.
The
same message is echoed in Ivan’s all-time favorite 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, ŒDo 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."
Unique Ministry Opportunities
One of the greatest ministry opportunities to come Ivan’s way is
being
a part of most of the Gaither Homecoming Videos and singing in 70 to 80
Gaither Concerts a year, which average around 15,000 attendees each, in
addition to his own solo schedule. In all, his calendar shows an
average of 200 performances a year. One of the highlights of his
ministry in 2002 was when he stepped on stage at Carnegie Hall and sang
not "On the wings of a snow white dove" but "God Bless the USA."
Accomplishments
Ivan
was voted Favorite Lead Vocalist by the readers of The Singing News
Magazine six times and Favorite Male Vocalist nine times. The Southern
Gospel Music Association honored him with ’Soloist of the Year’ award
in 1998, and The Singing News Fan Awards voted him ’Soloist of the
Year’ in 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, and 2006. But one of his most
cherished awards came in 1996 when he received the Distinguished
Soloist award presented by the Department of Music Ministries of the
Church of God.
Family
Ivan
and his wife, Teresa, have two sons - Ryan and Josh. Ryan is happily
married to Sandy Hagee and they are the proud parents of baby Olivia.
Josh is in college and is actively involved in music at both the school
and church. The Parkers attend River of Life in Nashville, TN.
Greatest Influence
The
two people who have had the greatest influence on Ivan’s life are his
mom and dad. "My mom, Katie Parker is a real prayer warrior. She has
always prayed for God to use her children in the ministry. Reflecting
back to my dad’s life, I see a lot of what I’m doing and the way God is
using me as a fulfillment of his ministry. My dad was a singer and a
musician, but when he was called to preach, he put his music on the
back burner. It’s almost like he passed the mantel to me, and I’m
fulfilling the musical side of his ministry."
Some of the great
singers who influenced Ivan’s career are Bill Gaither, who reintroduced
the wonderful old songs of the church and southern gospel music to the
entire world, and Jake Hess, who says that Ivan is his favorite
"crooner."
Unfulfilled Dreams
Like
most Christians, Ivan has known some "ups and downs," but he has lived
with his favorite passage of scripture, Psalm 23. "I believe God does
His greatest works in us when we are in the valley. It is there that we
are more open to what He has in store for us." When Ivan was asked if
he had any unfulfilled dreams, he said, "You never stop dreaming about
where your ministry is going. I just pray that God will take what I am
presently doing and increase it. I am living my dream...but the dream
is not completed yet." The song will go on!
