Greg Varney, Topeka Pastor, Jailed for Second Time in a Week after Wednesday Night Incident
By Phil Anderson
For the second time in a week, a Topeka minister found himself behind bars Thursday morning after being arrested Wednesday night in the city’s midtown area, authorities said. Pastor Greg Varney, who with his wife, Debbie, founded Light of the World Christian Center in 1985, was arrested by Topeka police following an incident at 1901 S.W. 10th. The address is that of the Mexican Taco Shop. Topeka police spokeswoman Amy McCarter said officers were sent to that location on a “welfare check.” McCarter said it appeared Varney had left an area hospital and was behaving erratically. He ended up at the address on S.W. 10th, where officers made contact with him. McCarter said Varney “was resistive to assistance” and eventually was taken into custody. He was transported about 8 p.m. Wednesday to the Shawnee County Jail, where he was booked in connection with: disorderly conduct — brawl or fight; obstruction of official duty; and battery on a law enforcement officer. His bond was set at $1,000. Varney also was arrested by Shawnee County sheriff’s deputies and jailed last week in connection with aggravated assault. In that incident, for which details haven’t been released, Varney was booked into jail at 2:39 a.m. Sept. 28. After Varney’s arrest last week was reported by local news outlets, the church announced via Facebook on Sept. 30 that the pastor didn’t harm or attempt to harm anyone in connection with the incident. On its Facebook page, the church asked for prayer for the pastor, as family members said he had been displaying erratic behavior following a series of health problems that resulted in kidney failure, for which he is undergoing dialysis. The Facebook post noted that during treatment, his family began noticing “unexplained cognitive and behavioral changes” they believe were caused by toxins released when his kidneys weren’t functioning. The family said Varney’s medical condition was “directly responsible for the actions leading to these charges.” Additionally, the church said “Pastor Greg and his family have been working with multiple doctors to determine a solution to these issues, and they will continue to aggressively pursue the medical treatment he needs.” Varney has been on sabbatical from the church, located at 3301 S.W. Gage Blvd., as he addresses his medical issues. Varney has served as the non-denominational church’s senior pastor since its founding in 1985 and since that time has been active in a number of city-wide efforts involving other evangelical and Pentecostal leaders in Topeka. The church in April 2004 opened a new $5 million worship center seating some 1,600 worshipers. The large building is visible to the south of Interstate 470 at the Gage Boulevard exit. Phil Anderson can be reached at (785) 295-1195 or phil.anderson@cjonline.com Contact: phil.anderson@cjonline.com
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