Pastor Viralasseril Abraham Varughese (V.A. Varughese)
Rev. Dr. V.A. Varughese is a man of God who walks with Him and leads a life that is full of passion for God's mission. His whole life is dedicated to perfect the saints and equip God's people for worship and witness. He is a missionary, pastor, teacher, preacher, and counselor. He has a pastoral heart that cares for the congregation, a missionary fervor to train and send out missionaries to the unreached areas, a great academician for intellectual excellence, and a teacher always counseling his students.
He was born on April 12th, 1958 at Merpal, Thiruvalla, Kerala. His parents were good Bible-believing Christians who followed the Lord closely. However, it was the trauma of his father's illness that made his family turn wholly to the Lord. He accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior at the age of thirteen. His parents also encouraged him to follow His calling. Brought up within the Pentecostal tradition he spent his childhood learning Sunday School and growing with much spiritual fervor. He was baptized by the Holy Spirit and leads a godly life.
After his schooling, he went to Mumbai, Maharashtra, India, and was employed as a stenographer in the Public Works department. While he was working for the government of Maharashtra, God called him for the full time ministry. To fulfill God's purpose in his life, God provided a number of mentors to guide and mould the youthful believer.
The first major influence was Mr. Alphy Franks, the Director of Operation Mobilization. God's ways are mysterious for it was merely by chance that Varughese met Mr. Franks. Sick and tired by the chicanery and bribery in his work place, Varughese decided to go and meet Mr. Frank and ask him for a ministry opportunity in any Christian organization. Mr. Frank prayed and went straight to Varughese and prophesied to him, "The Holy Spirit clearly told him that He had chosen V. A. Varughese for His work and that his place was there with him in the Operation Mobilization. Mr. Franks sent him to Ranchi, Bihar, India to work under Mr. John K. Brown from Ireland, who was the State leader of the Operation mobilization in Bihar. It was there that Pastor Varughese started his mission work and began to grow spiritually.
He married Mercy Varughese on September 9th, 1989 and was blessed with four children: Timothy V. Abraham, Grace Ajo Varughese, Titus V. Varughese, and Christa Ann Varughese.
List of churches and organizations Pastor V.A. Varughese served during his four decades of ministry:
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Missionary in Bihar with Operation Mobilization (June 1981-May 1983)
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Master of Theology in Theological studies (June 1983-April 1990)
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Bachelor of Theology from Calcutta Bible College, India (June 1983-April 1987)
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Master of Theology from Evangelical Theological Seminary, India (June 1987-April 1990)
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Two years of pastoral ministry at Revival Centre Church, Bangalore, India
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Instructor at COTR Theological Seminary, India (June 1990-April 1992)
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One year of pastoral ministry in the seminary church
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Doctoral Research (D. Miss) at the South Asia Institute of Advanced Christian Studies, Bangalore, India (June 1993-April 1995
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Instructor at the Gospel for Asia Biblical Seminary, Thiruvalla, Kerala (June 1996-April 2001)
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Instructor at the India Bible College and Seminary Kumbanad, Kerala, India along with pastoral ministry (2001-2007)
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Instructor at the IPC Hebron Bible College Kumbanad, Kerala, India (2001-2007)
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Instructor at the IPC Kottayam Theological Seminary Kottayam, Kerala, India (2004-2007)
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Senior Pastor (June 2001-Present)
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IPC Tabor Church Trivandrum, Kerala, India (June 2001-May 2004)
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IPC Philadelphia Kottayam, Kerala, India (June 2004-May 2007)
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IPC Hebron Houston, Texas, USA (June 2007-May 2012)
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Indian Christian Assembly New Jersey, USA (June 2012-July 2016)
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IPC Hebron Dallas, Texas, USA (August 2016-December 2020)
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Grace Christian Assembly Dallas, Texas, USA (September 2021-Present)
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He stands for the cause of Christ and His Mission. He travels extensively to preach and teach in different states of India as well as Europe, Canada, and Middle Eastern countries like Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, UA, Bahrain and Oman. He is always available for prayer and counseling.