Millionaire pastor reveals why he walked away from lucrative kava trade

Yaqona is not the source of life, God is.

This message was shared by local multimillionaire, businessman and All Nations Christian Fellowship (ANCF) senior pastor Reverend Peni Moi during the All Nations Christian Fellowship 2025 Generation Youth Conference and annual international conference at Churchill Park in Lautoka earlier this week.

Rev Moi, who recently celebrated the housewarming of his multimillion-dollar residence in Navua, said he has no regrets about quitting the yaqona business years ago, despite its profitability.

He is the senior pastor of ANCF in Serua and the owner of the $20 million enterprise, Ben’s Trading Limited.

Rev Moi shared how he started his kava business while serving the ministry and how it flourished.

“Despite being a church pastor, I continued doing business locally,” Rev Moi said.

“I was leading praise and worship, and the money from the business supported transportation for evangelistic meetings around Fiji. I even bought a carrier to transport instruments for the ministry.”

However, deep down he felt it was not the right path.

“On one hand, the income supported the church and evangelistic work, but I knew it was not right,” he said.

The All Nations Christian Fellowship members gathering for a church service at Churchill Park, Lautoka.

Photo: Supplied

Rev Moi said he later received a call from ANCF General Superintendent Reverend Epeli Ratabacaca, who requested a personal meeting.

“Rev Ratabacaca began with an illustration. He compared my yaqona business to a basin of dirty water. He said if you pour clean water into a dirty basin, it remains dirty until the basin is emptied and cleaned.

“The Qase Levu (Senior Reverend Ratabacaca) gave me the ultimatum to choose between the yaqona business and my calling from God.

“At that time, my kava export market had just opened. I had to make a difficult decision . I quit the yaqona business despite its profitability and focused on other food crops.”

Rev Moi said obedience gave him the confidence to walk away from yaqona.

“I told Rev Ratabacaca that if I quit that day, 10 to 15 generations after me would be saved,” he said.

“Obeying God and remaining in His presence has sustained and increased me over the years. I did not fear quitting that business because God had something greater in store. Yaqona was not my source, God was.”

All Nations Christian Fellowship (ANCF) senior pastor Reverend Peni Moi (right) during the All Nations Christian Fellowship 2025 Generation Youth Conference

Photo: Supplied

Rev Moi said he is now seeing the fruits of that decision.

After his address, Rev Ratabacaca told the gathering that Rev Moi was the most obedient of all ANCF pastors in Fiji and abroad.

“Sometimes I discipline him very strongly, but he humbly submits to authority,” Rev Ratabacaca said.

“Despite his wealth, he remains humble and obedient. That day, he chose to pour out the dirty water, and his business continued to thrive until he became a millionaire.”

The church services and crusades were held at the Mount Zion Cathedral church, Shirley Park and Churchill Park over the four days.

It was attended by church members from the across the country and abroad.

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