KIRBYVILLE, Mo. – Branson-area residents now have the option to attend an old-fashioned tent revival set up by local entertainer Rich Watson, his wife and local evangelists.
Three years ago, Watson of “The Sons Music Celebration” show in Branson and his wife Anna purchased a property in Kirbyville. The couple knew it was for God’s glory, but were unsure what they wanted to do with the land. The duo decided to wait on God to speak to them.
A few years later, the Watsons met local evangelist Lynnea Chasteen and her husband Del, both of whom had the same vision and owned the perfect tent for the mission.
The Chasteens bought their 76-foot-wide revival tent the same year the Watsons bought their property in Kirbyville. Chasteen says she and her husband ran a successful two-month revival in Oklahoma in 2020, and knew God was moving in big ways.
The couple had been searching for a Missouri property to place their tent, but came up short until meeting the Watsons through a church friend. Chasteen ran her tent revival idea by Anna Watson, and the rest is history.
“She perked up and said, ‘You have a gospel tent? Well, we have a piece of property outside of Branson,’” Chasteen said. “We got to talking about that and put it on the back burner because it was December. We prayed about it and ended up coming to look at the property. The vision for the ministry seemed to be lining up to where it would fit together really well.
“We decided to put the tent up here and hold revival meetings over the summer. We are just out here teaching the truth of the Bible.”
Sermons inside the big white tent happen seven days a week beginning at 7 p.m. Guests can expect non-denominational teaching, multiple genres of Christian music – and healing. Watson jokes that contrary to some Facebook comments from outsiders, there are no rattlesnakes involved.
Chasteen says upon starting this new mission, she realized God was telling her she would have to change her idea about what true success looked like.
“The problem I was running into is, at seminary they pound it in your head that if you have a lot of people coming, you are successful. If you don’t have a lot of people coming, you are not. You have to decide what makes it worth it,” Chasteen said. “Is it all about bringing in crowds and money or is it about reaching people for Christ? In my mind, if one person gives their life to Jesus then it’s worth whatever I had to endure and whatever time investment went into that.
“Whether I get big crowds or not, whether I make enough to live on while I’m doing it or not, I trust the Lord and whatever money I need to live and get by, He’s going to provide. He always does.”
The tent revival offers periodic miracle and healing worship sessions equipped with senior evangelists, and will host another round of miracle night services on July 7-8.
“I believe very much in healing and deliverance. When we have miracle nights, we gear the whole service towards receiving healing and deliverance. The altar call is geared towards that, and we encourage people to come out who need healing in their body, mind and emotions or need to be set free from addictions and things in their life.”
The tent is manned from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily and is open for guests to stop by for prayer or to talk about the Lord. Watson says the turnout for services and prayer have been phenomenal thus far.
“Our intent,” Chasteen adds, “is to be here for as long as we can into the summer. Right now the tentative plan, unless something happens, is that we will be here again next year, setting up sometime in April or May and doing these revival services again.”
The revival will host a gospel music festival on July 1 beginning at noon. Visitors will be provided hamburgers, hot dogs and drinks. The tent can be found on East Highway 76 near the Taney County Regional Sewer District office in Kirbyville.
