The Sermonette
Meet Rev. Rod
Reverend Rodney Irving was born in Chicago, IL. He is the second eldest son of four brothers and two sisters. At a young age Rodney found Jesus and was introduced to the Bible, through his mother's teaching, and thus it stuck with him throughout his life. Rodney has never shied away from hard work to get what or where he wants to be, if there is something he didn't understand he made it his business to find a solution. As a youth Rodney shinned shoes to put himself through a private high school, where he excelled and graduated on the honor roll. He then took on the challenge of higher education and went onto college, where he remained on the Deans List every semester.
As Rodney began growing up he soon started dating a woman name Terri who later became his wife, and the mother of his 3 children; Christopher, Jennifer and Stephanie. He found this blessing to be one of the greatest joys of his life. They've held a steady bond for over 30 years. With the shinning examples his parents made for them (his parents were married 51 years before Jean passed away). Rodney always remembered his mother’s words "What God Brings together let no man tear apart"
Starting a family, and growing constantly in the Lord, Rodney found himself going through trails and tribulations. He knew he'd come to far to give up now. And thus kept on marching for the Lord. In Chicago, Rodney became a deacon at Avalon Park Community Church, under Pastor John Fairly - until June of 2000 where he and his family made the move to Texas. At that point Rodney began his quest to go higher in the Lord. As years kept going Rodney felt a nudge by God, testing him and his faith, and yet Rodney held stead fast to his belief and his faith in God. In 2006 Rodney finally found a church home that fed his spirit with the word of God. When Rodney was being called to the ministry, he wanted to confirm his calling. He placed a fleece before the Lord. he later says,"i don't know if it was a smart thing to do, but i truly received my answer on two different occasions." "Lord if you are calling me to preach, i need to know its you that's calling me. There are so many churches what can i do? His first request was to ask the Lord to make it rain. There had been a drought in the Texas area and he thought this would be a sure sign. That Sunday there was an unforecasted shower. While that was a sure sign, he thought maybe this was easily explained. he asked the Lord a second time, Lord can You make it so that it’s not raining on my block, but raining ahead and behind my block? "Even though GOD does not have to prove Himself to anyone, he did this day. Rodney pulled up on his block, the sun was shining, and yet it was pouring raining on the surrounding blocks.” Sure enough God proved and re-confirmed his will to Rodney. When God confirmed his calling Rodney moved forward to walk in the request of the Lord, acknowledging the call upon his life to the spread the Gospel. He received his Ministry License on October 2006 with the help of Pastor Anthony Braggs.
Even before Rodney received his ministry license he witnessed to his family and friends, and even co-workers. he didn't believe in hiding the Lord from people. He felt it was his responsibility to tell others about God. People that know Rodney will tell you that he is truly one that is called into the ministry because his life and light shows he is truly a man of God. Rodney makes sure he lives by the bible the best he can. He is aware that no one is perfect, but that doesn't mean you don't strive to be Christ like.
Minster Irving keeps in his house a poster that states:
(Mark 3:25 KJV) and if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. - Think about it, what a family member does affects the whole family; the same is true in what a family member fails to do. We all have a place. In other words, he not only teaches his children but his grandson, and nieces and nephews that a family that prays together stays together,
Remember this: God blesses us with Life, how we live our life is our gift to God, but is still up to us.
Rev Rod favorite saying is: What you do does matter, how you do it, is up to you. You create the world an event at a time. - RVI
As Rodney began growing up he soon started dating a woman name Terri who later became his wife, and the mother of his 3 children; Christopher, Jennifer and Stephanie. He found this blessing to be one of the greatest joys of his life. They've held a steady bond for over 30 years. With the shinning examples his parents made for them (his parents were married 51 years before Jean passed away). Rodney always remembered his mother’s words "What God Brings together let no man tear apart"
Starting a family, and growing constantly in the Lord, Rodney found himself going through trails and tribulations. He knew he'd come to far to give up now. And thus kept on marching for the Lord. In Chicago, Rodney became a deacon at Avalon Park Community Church, under Pastor John Fairly - until June of 2000 where he and his family made the move to Texas. At that point Rodney began his quest to go higher in the Lord. As years kept going Rodney felt a nudge by God, testing him and his faith, and yet Rodney held stead fast to his belief and his faith in God. In 2006 Rodney finally found a church home that fed his spirit with the word of God. When Rodney was being called to the ministry, he wanted to confirm his calling. He placed a fleece before the Lord. he later says,"i don't know if it was a smart thing to do, but i truly received my answer on two different occasions." "Lord if you are calling me to preach, i need to know its you that's calling me. There are so many churches what can i do? His first request was to ask the Lord to make it rain. There had been a drought in the Texas area and he thought this would be a sure sign. That Sunday there was an unforecasted shower. While that was a sure sign, he thought maybe this was easily explained. he asked the Lord a second time, Lord can You make it so that it’s not raining on my block, but raining ahead and behind my block? "Even though GOD does not have to prove Himself to anyone, he did this day. Rodney pulled up on his block, the sun was shining, and yet it was pouring raining on the surrounding blocks.” Sure enough God proved and re-confirmed his will to Rodney. When God confirmed his calling Rodney moved forward to walk in the request of the Lord, acknowledging the call upon his life to the spread the Gospel. He received his Ministry License on October 2006 with the help of Pastor Anthony Braggs.
Even before Rodney received his ministry license he witnessed to his family and friends, and even co-workers. he didn't believe in hiding the Lord from people. He felt it was his responsibility to tell others about God. People that know Rodney will tell you that he is truly one that is called into the ministry because his life and light shows he is truly a man of God. Rodney makes sure he lives by the bible the best he can. He is aware that no one is perfect, but that doesn't mean you don't strive to be Christ like.
Minster Irving keeps in his house a poster that states:
(Mark 3:25 KJV) and if a house be divided against itself, that house cannot stand. - Think about it, what a family member does affects the whole family; the same is true in what a family member fails to do. We all have a place. In other words, he not only teaches his children but his grandson, and nieces and nephews that a family that prays together stays together,
Remember this: God blesses us with Life, how we live our life is our gift to God, but is still up to us.
Rev Rod favorite saying is: What you do does matter, how you do it, is up to you. You create the world an event at a time. - RVI