Light of the World Congregation Remembers Pastor Greg Varney's 'Commitment to God' After His Passing
Members of Light of the World Christian Center, a megachurch in Topeka, Kansas, say they'll remember Pastor Greg Varney for his "unwavering commitment" to God after it was announced that he died on Monday.
Local news station WIBW reported on Wednesday that Varney's wife, Debbie, shared the news of her husband's passing in an email late on Tuesday, but did not provide a cause of death.
The Topeka Capital-Journal noted that close to 200 people gathered Wednesday evening for a regularly scheduled service at the church, where they remembered the 61-year-old pastor, who founded the Christian Center alongside Debbie in 1985.
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Pastor Scott Webb said that Varney demonstrated "unwavering commitment to his family, church community and God." Webb added that Varney suffered from kidney failure in the last years of his life, which he said could cause psychiatric side effects, including behavioral changes and depression.
Varney was arrested twice in the space of a week in October 2016. The Shawnee County Sheriff's Office said that Topeka police arrested the pastor allegedly for using a vehicle in an assault against his daughter, though Light of the Word Christian Center insisted at the time that the pastor was not trying to harm anyone.
The church said in its statement that Varney's medical condition was "directly responsible for the actions leading to these charges."
"In the last few years, Pastor Greg has had health concerns resulting in kidney failure. He took a sabbatical from the church to focus on his health, and he is receiving dialysis. During treatment, however, Pastor Greg's family began to notice unexplained cognitive and behavioral changes they believe were caused by the toxins released in his body when his kidneys were not functioning," the statement added.
A few days later Varney was arrested again, however. Topeka police spokeswoman Amy McCarter told the Journal back then that the pastor had left an area hospital behaving erratically, and was cornered by police. Officers had to take him into custody because he was "resistive to assistance," McCarter added.
The pastor was later booked on charges of disorderly conduct — brawl or fight; obstruction of official duty; and battery on a law enforcement officer.
Church members attested on Wednesday that they will remember Varney as a "very good person" who was "full of smiles."
"He was happy go lucky," Danny Belisle said. "Once you know Greg, you never forget him."
Belisle added that what he will remember is Varney's "love and compassion for people" and his "powerful ministry."
"He never wavered from the word," he said.
Jeff Taylor, who said he's been a member of the church for the past 25 years, commented on the pastor's troubles with police last year, saying, "That was completely 180 degrees out of his character."
A service for Varney has been scheduled for 10:30 a.m. on Monday, July 24 at Light of the World Christian Center.
