She is an American, but seems to be carrying the Nigerian burden all about. This is shown in her attitude and her regular visits to Nigeria.
For 10 years, Ives has had to visit Nigeria on a yearly basis sometimes twice a year. And she has been involved in training the trainers conferences with a view to preparing a generation that would be on fire for God. “Our vision is to reach the coming generation and we do this by training those who train the children”
Though she runs a thriving ministry in Michigan, USA alongside with her husband, Ives has since been involved in global outreaches with special interest in Nigeria. “I love Nigeria. I love the people and I love what God is doing in this country. I feel at home in this country” she told church times during her last visit to Nigeria.
She observes that Nigerians are hungry for God’s word adding also that “Nigerians are everywhere in the world. They are on fire for God and they are making positive impact” She however noted that things have not been the same with the Nigerian church over the last ten years.
She observes, “I have been visiting Nigeria for some time now, but recently I observe that many of the churches are involved in self glorification. I see signboards of pictures of pastors and church leaders. We see the faces of men all around the bill boards. Who are we promoting? I love the church in Nigeria but I’m afraid we are going off the track”
Ives noted further that the church in Nigeria is passing through a face that the American church had passed through. “In the US there is a dividing line. It is true there is more tolerance and silence over controversial issue but there is a remnant that stand for the truth and who are taking a stand for righteousness. The line is being drawn in the US. The question is: Are we going to stand for holiness or act for religion that is contaminated with compromise? We have to draw the line. The line has been drawn in the US and it is being drawn in Nigeria”
Recalling her salvation experience, Ives said she grew as a young woman who suffered abuse. “My heart was far from God. As a teenager I began to do drugs and alcohol and sometimes I lived in my car. One day God used a situation to wake me up to my need for Him. I cried for help and He saved me.”
Explaining further she said, “I was at an event and I saw a young girl doing drugs and alcohol. I saw that she had no sense of right or wrong. I cautioned her and asked her why she was doing what she was doing; she said she was copying me. That really broke me down and made me make up my mind to surrender to Christ”
Since she surrendered her life to Christ, she has been involved in reaching children with the gospel alongside her husband. She observes that parents have a great opportunity in reaching their children and bringing them up in the fear of the Lord. “Parents have opportunity through loving their children to train them in the ways of the Lord. Too many Christians think their children will become Christians just like that they fail to realize that they have to train them. Discipleship must begin at home”
At a ministration later in the course of her visit at the Christ Family Evangelical Church where pastor Wole Gboboade is the General Overseer, Ivis told the congregation the need for them to stay in the line of the Holy Spirit. She said, “ministry is not all about us it is about God. So we must not be too busy doing ministry work to forget the person we are working for”
She also urged her listeners to be willing to give up anything for the sake of the ministry adding that “those who are in ministry that they may be seen should quit. Take your face off your ministry” she stressed
She counseled further that ministers should stop thinking for God. “What we begin in the flesh must continue in the flesh and what we begin in the spirit must be maintained by the spirit. If we walk by the spirit we will see the awesomeness of God” she submitted.
