Paula White

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Paula White

Pastor Paula White
Born April 20, 1966 (1966-04-20) (age 42)
Tupelo, Mississippi, U.S.
Occupation Televangelist, Missionary, Author, Inspirational Speaker
Religious beliefs Non-denominational Christianity
Children 4 (3 step children)
Website
Paula White Ministries

Paula Michelle White is a preacher, life coach, author, motivational speaker, and former senior pastor of Without Walls International Church in Tampa, Florida. She and her husband, Randy White, divorced on August 23, 2007, ending their marriage of almost eighteen years. Paula White will continue work in her for-profit and non-profit entities, including Paula White Enterprises, PWM Life Center, and Paula White Ministries,[1] which currently has a presence in New York, Tampa, and San Antonio.

Contents

[edit] Biography

[edit] Early life

Paula White was born Paula Michelle Furr in Tupelo, Mississippi to Myra Joanelle and Donald Furr in 1966, before her parents' marriage began to fail when she was five years old, her mother took Paula to Memphis. Paula’s father followed with an ultimatum for her mother to give Paula to him or he would commit suicide, but White's mother refused, and later that night Donald Furr killed himself by running his car into a tree.[2] Paula’s mother, Myra Joanelle Furr, became an alcoholic. While her mother worked, White was looked after by caregivers, whom she said sexually and physically abused her for seven years between the ages of six and thirteen years.[3][4]

[edit] Young adulthood and growing ministry

She had a baby out of wedlock but soon married the baby’s father. At age eighteen, while living in Maryland with her new born baby, partying, and living a wild lifestyle, she was introduced to the gospel and became a Christian. This marriage ended after a short time.[4] She met her future husband, Randy White, when he visited a church where she was working as a cleaning lady. Paula says that some didn’t approve of their relationship because of their different backgrounds.[4] They married in 1989 and moved in March of 1990 to Tampa, Florida where they started South Tampa Christian Center, renamed Without Walls in 1997. It became one of the fastest-growing congregations in the nation. Paula White quickly overshadowed her husband in popularity. Randy and Paula did not have any children together but had four children from previous relationships: Kristen Hernando, Angie, Brandon, and Bradley. Two grandchildren, Drew and Emma, were born in June 2005.[4]

Ebony magazine said of White, "You know you're on to something new and significant when the most popular woman preacher on the Black Entertainment Network is a white woman."[5]

White hosts a TV show called Paula White Today (usually shortened to just Paula).[6] Her show is broadcast on Trinity Broadcasting Network, Black Entertainment Television, The Miracle Channel, The Inspiration Network, The Word Network, and Daystar Television Network. Paula White has also been a featured guest on numerous television broadcasts, including ABC's 20/20, Benny Hinn’s This is Your Day, Bishop TD Jakes’ The Potter’s Touch, The 700 Club, and others.[7]

Promotional picture of Paula White and Tyra Banks for White's appearance on the The Tyra Banks Show
Promotional picture of Paula White and Tyra Banks for White's appearance on the The Tyra Banks Show

Paula considers T.D. Jakes her spiritual father. Jakes invited her to speak at his Woman Thou Art Loosed Conference in 2000. She has also met with General Colin Powell, former Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, Former Prime Minister of Israel Benjamin Netanyahu, and Presidents George H.W. Bush and George W. Bush.[8] She is the personal life coach of Tyra Banks and appeared on her show the Tyra Banks Show in an episode concerning promiscuity on October 4, 2006.[6]

The church she co-pastored with her husband, Without Walls International Church, had 22,000 members,[1] more than 200 outreach programs, and was the seventh largest church in the United States.

[edit] Divorce, Home Purchase, and Ministry Realignment

In an article published in The Tampa Tribune on May 20, 2007, when Paula's husband (Randy White) was asked whether he's contemplating a divorce he replied, "No one can predict the future."[9] On Thursday, August 23, 2007, Pastors Randy and Paula White announced to their congregation (Without Walls International Church) that they would divorce. Randy White stated, "I take full responsibility for a failed marriage 100 percent. I don't blame Paula, and I don't blame other parties. But as the man of the house, I take full responsibility for that." [10] He also said, "I want to apologize for the poor decisions I've made in my life, to my congregation and to the body of Christ."[1] Dorreen Fawkes, a former administrator of Without Walls International Church, stated that "They grew at an unbelievable speed. It became less about God and more about self-promotion." [1]

In August of 2007, Paula purchased a 3,300 square-foot home in Cordillera Ranch, a master-planned community in the San Antonio metropolitan area, appraised at close to $700,000. The residence rests on 3.7 acres (1.5 ha) and includes a pool, guest house and three-car garage.[11]

The Tampa Tribune reported on March 5, 2008 that Without Walls has put its 4,500–seat Tampa church up for sale, along with its 13.3-acre (5 ha) grounds and 94,000-square-foot (8,733 m²) offices and television studio, asking $30 million.[12]

[edit] Controversy and Criticism

[edit] Finances

Paula White has received criticism from some Christians for promulgating prosperity.[13] Paula White’s ministries took in $39.9 million in 2006, according to an audit of Without Walls and Paula White Ministries released in June by an independent Clearwater accounting firm. [14] Paula White used about $28.6 million to help promote her church's programs, conferences and outreach efforts, the audit said. A former staff member for Without Walls International Church named Hector Gomez said, "Mansions, big planes, money, fame. That's what it's all about now; there are prophets for God, and there are prophets for profit. That's the category they fit in." and that he has received "more manipulation than inspiration" from them. Larry DeLaRosa, who left the church in 2000, stated that "They've [Randy and Paula White] built an empire and used it to gain their own financial wealth."[9]

[edit] Senate Investigation

On November 6, 2007, United States senator Chuck Grassley of Iowa announced an investigation of Paula White's ministry by the United States Senate Committee on Finance.[15] Grassley asked for the ministry to divulge financial information[16] (Grassley's letter)[17] to the committee to determine if White made any personal profit from financial donations, and requested that White's ministry make the information available by December 6, 2007. When CBS News broke the story, Paula White's ministry denied any wrongdoing,[18] and on March 31, 2008, the Senate Finance Committee received a joint financial report from Without Walls International Church and Paula White Ministries.[19]

The investigation also scrutinized five other televangelists: Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Eddie Long, Joyce Meyer, and Creflo Dollar.

[edit] Bibliography

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ a b c d Michelle Bearden and Baird Helgeson (2007-08-24). Without Walls Founders Divorcing. The Tampa Tribune. Retrieved on 2007-09-11.
  2. ^ Steve Hubbard and Lisa Ryan (2007). Turning Trash into Treasure: The Testimony of Paula White. Christian Broadcasting Network. Retrieved on 2007-09-11.
  3. ^ Pastor Paula White. Retrieved on 2007-09-11.
  4. ^ a b c d Sherri Day (2007-07-15). Questions tarnish rise to top. St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved on 2007-09-11.
  5. ^ Renowned Life Coach 'Paula White' Offers Transformational Advice. Christian Communication Network (2007-02-22). Retrieved on 2007-09-11.
  6. ^ a b Jackie Alnor (2006-10-21). Paula White: Unable to Blush. Apostasy Alert. Retrieved on 2007-09-11.
  7. ^ Paula White Profile. Paula White Ministries. Retrieved on 2007-09-11.
  8. ^ Paula's Life Story. Paula White Ministries. Retrieved on 2008-04-22.
  9. ^ a b Michelle Bearden and Baird Helgeson (2007-05-20). Of Faith, Fame & Fortune. The Tampa Tribune. Retrieved on 2007-09-11.
  10. ^ Sherri Day (2007-08-24). Megachurch founding pastors to seek divorce. St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved on 2007-09-11.
  11. ^ Abe Levy (2007-08-25). Evangelist power couple is splitting up. San Antonio Express-News. Retrieved on 2008-04-22.
  12. ^ Michelle Beardon and Baird Helgeson. "Without Walls wants to sell its sanctuary", The Tampa Tribune, 2008-03-04. Retrieved on 2008-04-22. 
  13. ^ Pastor Smith, Paula White, and the Prosperity Gospel (2007-10-22). Retrieved on 2008-04-22.
  14. ^ Without Walls International Church, Inc. and Affiliates Consolidated Financial Statements. Lewis, Birch, & Ricardo (2006-12-31). Retrieved on 2007-09-11.
  15. ^ Armen Keteyian. "Televangelists Living Like Kings?", CBS News, 2007-11-06. Retrieved on 2007-09-17. 
  16. ^ Kathy Lohr. "Senator Probes Megachurches' Finances", National Public Radio, 2007-12-04. Retrieved on 2007-12-10. 
  17. ^ "Read Grassley's Letters", National Public Radio, 2007-12-04. Retrieved on 2007-12-10. 
  18. ^ "Televangelists Living Like Kings?", CBS News, 2007-11-06. Retrieved on 2007-09-17. 
  19. ^ Bill Coats (2008-04-01). Without Walls sends financial data to Senate. The Tampa Tribune. Retrieved on 2008-04-22.

[edit] External links

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