On 5th April 1964, Ivan Foster was converted to Christ. As a twenty-year-old, his feet were already set firmly on the downward road to hell when God broke in upon his soul most unexpectedly. Within one week he was under the ministry of Dr Ian Paisley who was then in the zenith of his pulpit power. What blessed days they were for the young convert!

On 5th January 1965, he began studies for the gospel ministry in the Free Presbyterian Theological Hall. He will always be thankful that one of his lecturers was Pastor James Kyle Paisley, father of Ian Paisley. He was ordained to the ministry and installed as minister of Lisbellaw Free Presbyterian Church on April 20th, 1968.

There followed wonderful times of mercy and blessing which saw four new congregations formed within a short time, including one in Co. Monaghan in the Republic of Ireland and a part played in the formation of Newtown Square Free Presbyterian church in USA, now Malvern FPC, Pennsylvania.

But while the last fifty-two years hold many blessed memories for Ivan Foster, including that happy day he married Ann Beattie on March 8th 1968, no day can feature more clearly in his heart than that of the day when he became, by God's everlasting mercy, a child of God!

Just after his retirement in 2008, he was invited to give a word of testimony in Mullaglass Free Presbyterian Church on November 11th. He had to return on March 8th to complete that testimony.