Posted: 11/25/2010 at 10:07am | IP Logged

Listening to a Varner sermon was like sitting down to a steak dinner. There was always plenty of meat.

Kelley Varner Ministries Leaves Its North Carolina Roots

by Steve Eastman, OpenHeaven.com TOP News

"I have found favor with you here in Eastern North Carolina.  I will personally come to visit you.  There will be a revival greater than the great Wales phenomenon (the Welsh Revival took place in 1904-1905).  There will be kings and leaders from north, south, east, and west that will come and study the Eastern North Carolina phenomenon.” — an interpretation of tongues given by Derek Prince at Deliverance Evangelistic Temple in Jacksonville, North Carolina on Sunday, April 6, 1975

RICHLANDS, NC - Recently Kelley Varner’s son, Jonathan, announced that Kelley Varner Ministries (KVM) is moving to Washington State.  This comes as a surprise given the older Varner’s long time presence in North Carolina.

Although Kelley Varner was born in West Virginia, he established Praise Tabernacle in Richlands in 1978 and lived in the Jacksonville area until his death on June 13, 2009.  Varner quoted Prince’s prophecy on his webpage adding, “I believe that we are beginning to see the mercy-drops of the Eastern North Carolina phenomenon, an unprecedented outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon this region.”   Varner established KVM in 2006 as a traveling and literature ministry.  It is located three blocks from the church.

Condensed excerpt of Kelley Varner's April 21, 2004 Praise Report with red highlights added

Listening to a Varner sermon was like sitting down to a steak dinner.  There was always plenty of meat.  I treasure the 30 minutes I was allowed to spend interviewing him close to 10 years ago after a powerful meeting in Greensboro, North Carolina.

Varner wanted to pass on the deep truths he had learned to others.  He did this through Carolina Leadership Institute (CLI) and Crystal Coast Conference Center, as well as through his traveling ministry.

Ministers in training could learn through the mostly correspondence-oriented CLI that also included monthly weekend training sessions.

Jonathan Varner is asking for thousand dollar donations to offset the cost of the move.

Varner raised funds for the Crystal Coast Conference Center in the final years of his life, showing an artist’s rendition of how the facility would look when finished. 

Jonathan Varner quotes his father in a recent email announcing the move.

“My father, Dr. Kelley Varner, always taught me: ‘When a great man or woman of God dies, never make a critical decision until the Lord speaks.’ With that being said, there is a new season approaching for KVM, and we want YOU to be a part! The Lord has spoken very clearly and has confirmed His word to us through Apostles and Prophets that we are to relocate KVM.”

It is significant that Varner’s widow, Joann, has given her blessing to the move.  Jonathan Varner will be relocating KVM to World Life Christian Center, at Broadmoor Outlet Mall in Pasco, Washington.  Oddly enough, it is located next to a town called Richland. 

Varner asks for prayer that the current KVM facility and his personal home sell quickly.  He and his wife, Angela, plan to start traveling as ‘Varner Family Ministries’ this spring.

Watch the video.

Posted: 12/01/2010 at 12:30pm | IP Logged

Editor's Note:  Many readers are wondering about the status of Praise Tabernacle, founded by Kelley Varner.  The following answer comes from an email sent by Pastors Wendall and Karen Ward.

A NEW BEGINNING FOR PRAISE TABERNACLE

Under the leadership of Dr. Kelley & Mrs. Joann Varner, what began as the humble work of a handful of hungry believers over 33 years ago, quickly grew to be a ministry that pioneered the gospel of the kingdom and the message of life throughout the eastern Carolina region and eventually the nations of the earth.  In the ensuing years, the names of Praise Tabernacle and Kelley Varner became synonymous in the minds of many who had both heard and received this gospel with great joy. 

It was part of Dr. Varner's apostolic burden to gather men and women into the covenant relationship and fellowship empowered by this gospel.   He was faithful to declare it without compromise, to demonstrate it without doubt but to always walk in the knowing that there was so much more to understand and experience together.

The foundation he established in so many of us will never be forgotten; it will continue as a living legacy in our hearts and ministries.  For that I am deeply grateful, and for the time we had as friends and partners in this gospel, I will always cherish.

I am deeply humbled by the trust he put in me over 8 years ago to lead this ministry as the "Set Elder in the house" (his words), and I am ever mindful of the responsibility before God to be led by the Spirit as I do. 

In the motion of life and local church ministry God brings change and new beginnings to every living thing.  That is why, at the instruction of the Lord and after independent prophetic confirmation, the elders and I believe that we are to prophetically declare in the heavens and upon the earth that it is a new beginning for this local house.  As part of that declaration, on January 1, 2011, the legacy of Praise Tabernacle will become the catalyst for a fresh vision and new ministry name:  Kingdom Life Fellowship.  The name exemplifies our purpose-advancing the kingdom; our passion-the message of life; and our people-a covenant fellowship.

I know the heavens rejoice with us and I trust you will also as we release this new ministry name as a testimony to the apostolic foundation we stand upon and the prophetic anticipation to which we are called.  As my great friend Kelley Varner once wrote:

"The priesthood is changing.  A new generation is crossing the river into the land.  The rending of the Jordan in the days of Joshua pointed to the rending of the veil in the days of Jesus.  Our Captain has cut off every hindrance from Adam's time forth (Josh 3:16).  As we follow the Ark, the Lordship of Jesus upheld by an ongoing priesthood, we must admit that we have not passed this way heretofore...We are passing over."  (The Priesthood is Changing, p.8)

We are passing over as a renewed people with a new name and a renewed sense of purpose and direction.  As we do, we are confident in the promise of Haggai 2:9, "The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house, says the Lord Almighty.  And in this place I will grant peace, declares the Lord Almighty."

Thank you for your prayers and encouragement as we move forward in the purpose and destiny set before us.