DELIVERANCE TEMPLE HISTORY
"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor, he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captive, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty to them that are bruised, to preach the acceptable year of the Lord." - Luke 4:18-19
Superintendent Kelly Eugene Webb Sr., is the founding pastor of Deliverance Temple Church of God in Christ (COGIC) in Minnesota. At the age of 19, Supt. Webb was saved and filled with the Holy Ghost while he attended a Friday night revival service led by Pastor Joseph Webb at Free At Last COGIC in St. Paul, Minn.
During the revival service, Supt. Webb became discouraged and took his seat as he witnessed all others on the alter become filled with the Holy Ghost. He began to believe his sins were too great to be forgiven. Pastor J. Webb then said, “If you need God to do something for you, come back to the altar.” He returned to the altar and thanked God with his mouth and in his heart. The more he thanked God, the lighter he felt. He then fully surrendered to God and spoke in tongues as the Spirit gave him utterance.
Supt. Webb received the call to ministry three months later while at a Friday evening service. Internally he denied the call then the Lord took his breath away and he began to choke – twice. He stood and claimed his call in ministry during testimony service. One week following, he delivered a message titled Payday is on the Way, sighting the scripture Matt. 24:13. The Lord anointed his message and souls were blessed.
As his ministry grew, Supt. Webb was urged to find a holy wife. A relative introduced him to Debra Ann Carr of McComb, Miss., by phone. They began their long-distance courtship with frequent phone conversations and few in-person, chaperoned visits. During the third day of her visit to Minnesota, First Lady Webb accepted his proposal to marriage. They married two months later on November 8, 1986. Out of their blessed union came five children and many grandchildren.
In 1986, Supt. Webb received his minister’s license, was ordained an elder August 1988, and appointed superintendent on March 2017. While he served Pastor J. Webb for 12 years at Free At Last, the Lord said, “I want you to build me a ministry of deliverance.” He obeyed. On April 19, 1998, Deliverance Temple was opened at the Martin Luther King Jr. Center. On Sunday, May 31, 1998, the Lord instructed him to lay hands and walk seven times around a church building on Lafond Avenue. He and his 11 members did as he was told. Pastor Carlson of Zion Lutheran Church called and allowed them to rent the building they walked around.
Today, the Church has grown to more than 200 members. Supt. Webb founded the Mother Fannie Mae Webb Food Shelf in 2018 to serve the community and his members in various ways. We are proud to be under the leadership of a devoted couple that exemplifies holy living and remains rooted in the Lord.