three sons and a daughter.Whit said he makes mistakes andhas regrets, as do his family members.But they are aware of their frailties anderrors, and try to learn from them andgrow. God has been with them as theygo through their struggles.I don’t know the answers. I just helppeople ask questions and say, ‘I wonderwhat the Bible would say about that?How can we seek that out?’And then God will step in and providedirection. So, hopefully, it’s Godshepherding people, not me.”Rev. Mark Haverdink, pastor ofcongregational life at First ReformedChurch, has known Whit for 20 years.Haverdink has been at First Reformed,the church where he was baptized andgrew up, since 2011. He has high praisefor Whit.“He’s a wonderful man, very biblicallycentered, very Gospel centered,”Haverdink said.He said Whit strongly believes God’sgrace is responsible for all good things,since “we are all sinners.”He said Whit honors God in allthings and sets a great example in hischurch and the community.Whit appreciates the support andfriendship he has with other local pastors.They are “spiritual friends” andmeet on a regular basis to talk, shareand pray together.John Swart, an elder on New Hope’s10-member church board, has knownof Whit for 25 years and been a part ofthe congregation for 15 years.“Jeff is a very gifted teacher,” Swartsaid. “But more than that, he is a veryhumble person who is a very good listener.”‘Front-row seat’Whit said there have been some veryspecial times in his career, includinggoing to the bedside of a woman whowas near death more than 20 years ago.Her brain activity had mostly ceased,and it was a matter of time before shepassed away. She was just 42.As he and his wife walked towardher room to pray with her, they heardher teenage son singing a hymn to hismother as tears streamed down hisface. Her family had found comfort inthe Lord even as they walked throughthe shadows of the valley of death.“And it was just beautiful, and obviouslysad,” Whit said.Whit also knows the pain of losingsomeone precious to him. His 27-yearoldson died a few years ago. It was apainful time for their family, but theyfelt God was with them during that difficultperiod.“In the midst of that pain, God hasbeen real and worth trusting,” he said.“Until Christ comes back, it’s going tobe hard for us at times. The churchhas been very willing to let us be realpeople. We’re very thankful for that.”He and his wife had four children,Pastor Jeff’s messageWhit loves to travel in his free timeand renew ties with old friends whilemeeting new ones. He has an interestin other cultures and languages.He can read Old Testament passagesin Hebrew and Koine Greek, an ancientlanguage, studied French for two yearsin college, can speak and read someCreole, a form of French used in Haiti,and has a modest grasp of Spanish.Whit also enjoys time in the outdoorsand exercising. He’s a TennesseeTitans fans, and shares his interest inthe NFL with his sons.He also finds time to renew himselfand recharge his batteries by spendingtime at home reading the Bible, prayingand resting. It’s vital for a pastor todo that, he said, and he appreciates thefact that his church allows him to do so.Whit plans to continue to work at hiscurrent pace for five or six years, andthen might accept a reduced role. Thatwill sort itself out, he said.“I don’t know that I can determinethat,” Whit said.There have been times he wonderedif the Lord was calling him to otherjobs, other communities. But after talkingwith his wife and church members,he has chosen to remain at New Hope“They’re not looking for the perfectpastor,” Whit said with appreciation,“because they don’t have him.”For now, he focuses on helping peoplethrough their own journey. 44 OC MAGAZINE | SPRING 2022
Service THAT’S JUST ASDEPENDABLE AS THE PowerSTOP IN AND SEEWHAT'S COOKIN'!819 Lincoln Pl SE | Orange City, IA 51041Ph. (712) 737-2889Commited to ThoseWe Serve !SPRING 2022 | OC MAGAZINE 45
Change language