Randy White (pastor)
Encyclopedia
Randy Alan White is a Christian
pastor and church leader. He is co-founder of Without Walls International Church; a large, influential, non-denominational, charismatic church with two locations in Florida
. His ex-wife, Paula White
co-founded the church with him and is well-known pastor and evangelist. He retired from the ministry in 2009 and began volunteering as a community activist for the Kristen Renee Foundation in Frederick, Maryland
.
, to Frank White and Darlene Masser. Randy was the first born and he has a sister, Sandy. Frank White was a pastor of a small church in Frederick, Maryland
, under the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee)
denomination.
Randy White began working in Christian ministry at the age of 13 years old. He worked in the church's coffeehouse, went on prison ministry trips, and preached on the streets and in the parks. Moving out of his parents' home at an early age, Randy attended Lee University
after high school.
Afterward, Randy was hired by Dr. T.L. Lowry as an associate minister, while also working as a traveling evangelist. Randy credits Dr. T.L. Lowry as a spiritual father and mentor.
in 1991.
The church struggled financially at first, and it could not afford to pay Randy and Paula White a salary for the first two years. As a result, Randy and Paula lived on government assistance and the kindness of others. Soon the church began to grow quickly through the various outreach programs. From 1991 to 1998, the church changed locations three times until they secured the property located at 2511 North Grady Avenue in Tampa, Florida
and changed the name of the church to Without Walls International Church.
While the church was holding services in an outdoor tent in 1999, they reported 5,000 attendees a week and 10,000 ministered to outside of the church with 230 outreach ministries.
Without Walls International Church then purchased the property next to them at 3860 West Columbus Drive expanding their Tampa campus. The property acquired was a Canada Dry
warehouse which they remodeled and is now today the main sanctuary for the church.
In 2002, Without Walls International Church began to expand to its second location in Lakeland, Florida
. At this time, the church reported 14,000 members and 200 ministries including job training, evangelism among public housing projects and a teen club. On August 3, 2002, Without Walls International Church began to hold Saturday night services at Carpenter's Home Church
in Lakeland renting the property. Carpenter's Home Church would later on be purchased by Without Walls International Church in 2005 for $8 million renaming the church to Without Walls Central Church
.
In 2004, Without Walls International Church reported a congregation of 20,000 as the largest congregation in the area making the church the seventh largest church in the United States
.
The Tampa Tribune
reported on March 5, 2008 that Without Walls International Church has put its 4,500–seat Tampa church up for sale, along with its 13.3 acres (5 ha) grounds and 94000 square feet (8,733 m²) offices and television studio, asking $30 million.
Chuck Grassley
of Iowa
announced an investigation of Without Walls International Church by the United States Senate Committee on Finance
along with five other ministries. Grassley asked the ministries to divulge financial information. When CBS News
reported the story, Paula White's ministry denied any wrongdoing, and on March 31, 2008, the Senate Finance Committee received a joint financial report from Without Walls International Church and Paula White Ministries. Without Walls International Church was one of four ministries that refused to provide the full information Senator Grassley requested.
On January 6, 2011, Senator Grassley concluded the three year investigation with no penalties and no definitive findings of wrongdoing. The Alliance Defense Fund
protested the investigation and the National Religious Broadcasters
said the questions Senator Grassley asked were too broad. The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
plans to create a national commission in response to the Grassley report to lead a review on accountability and policy. Paula White interpreted the conclusion of the investigation to mean that Without Walls International Church was cleared.
Christian
A Christian is a person who adheres to Christianity, an Abrahamic, monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth as recorded in the Canonical gospels and the letters of the New Testament...
pastor and church leader. He is co-founder of Without Walls International Church; a large, influential, non-denominational, charismatic church with two locations in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
. His ex-wife, Paula White
Paula White
Paula Michelle White is a Christian author, speaker, and church leader. She is co-founder of Without Walls International Church; a large, influential, non-denominational, charismatic church with two locations in Florida...
co-founded the church with him and is well-known pastor and evangelist. He retired from the ministry in 2009 and began volunteering as a community activist for the Kristen Renee Foundation in Frederick, Maryland
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
.
Early life and youth
Randy Alan White was born January 11, 1958, in Frederick, MarylandFrederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
, to Frank White and Darlene Masser. Randy was the first born and he has a sister, Sandy. Frank White was a pastor of a small church in Frederick, Maryland
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
, under the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee)
Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee)
The Church of God, with headquarters in Cleveland, Tennessee, is a Pentecostal Christian denomination. With over seven million members in over 170 countries, it is one of the largest Pentecostal denominations in the world...
denomination.
Randy White began working in Christian ministry at the age of 13 years old. He worked in the church's coffeehouse, went on prison ministry trips, and preached on the streets and in the parks. Moving out of his parents' home at an early age, Randy attended Lee University
Lee University
Lee University is an American accredited, private, four-year liberal arts college located in Cleveland, Tennessee, United States. It is historically affiliated with the Church of God, a Pentecostal denomination, and was the denomination's Bible Training School from 1918 until 1947, when the name...
after high school.
Early Pastoral Positions
Randy White's first pastoral position was as with a small rural church in Maryland. In his own words, "After college I was assigned to a small, struggling church with lots of problems. In my zeal to succeed as a minister, I worked as if I were driven, going almost night and day. But the congregation's difficulties were resolved, and the church's growth broke all attendance records in my state."Afterward, Randy was hired by Dr. T.L. Lowry as an associate minister, while also working as a traveling evangelist. Randy credits Dr. T.L. Lowry as a spiritual father and mentor.
Without Walls International Church
Without Walls International Church, originally named South Tampa Christian Center, was founded by Randy White and Paula WhitePaula White
Paula Michelle White is a Christian author, speaker, and church leader. She is co-founder of Without Walls International Church; a large, influential, non-denominational, charismatic church with two locations in Florida...
in 1991.
The church struggled financially at first, and it could not afford to pay Randy and Paula White a salary for the first two years. As a result, Randy and Paula lived on government assistance and the kindness of others. Soon the church began to grow quickly through the various outreach programs. From 1991 to 1998, the church changed locations three times until they secured the property located at 2511 North Grady Avenue in Tampa, Florida
Tampa, Florida
Tampa is a city in the U.S. state of Florida. It serves as the county seat for Hillsborough County. Tampa is located on the west coast of Florida. The population of Tampa in 2010 was 335,709....
and changed the name of the church to Without Walls International Church.
While the church was holding services in an outdoor tent in 1999, they reported 5,000 attendees a week and 10,000 ministered to outside of the church with 230 outreach ministries.
Without Walls International Church then purchased the property next to them at 3860 West Columbus Drive expanding their Tampa campus. The property acquired was a Canada Dry
Canada Dry
Canada Dry is a brand of soft drinks owned since 2008 by the Texas-based Dr Pepper Snapple Group. For over a century Canada Dry has been known for its ginger ale, though the company also manufactures a number of other soft drinks and mixers...
warehouse which they remodeled and is now today the main sanctuary for the church.
In 2002, Without Walls International Church began to expand to its second location in Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 94,406...
. At this time, the church reported 14,000 members and 200 ministries including job training, evangelism among public housing projects and a teen club. On August 3, 2002, Without Walls International Church began to hold Saturday night services at Carpenter's Home Church
Carpenter's Home Church
Carpenter's Home Church was a prominent Assemblies of God megachurch in Lakeland, Florida. At its peak, the charismatic church claimed 5,000 attendees. The church closed amidst financial scandal and dwindling membership...
in Lakeland renting the property. Carpenter's Home Church would later on be purchased by Without Walls International Church in 2005 for $8 million renaming the church to Without Walls Central Church
Without Walls Central Church
This campus is now under the leadership of Senior Pastor Paula White.Without Walls Central Church was founded in Auburndale, Florida, in January 2004 under the vision of Bishop Randy White of Without Walls International Church in Tampa, Florida. Pastors Scott and Cindy Thomas were set forth as...
.
In 2004, Without Walls International Church reported a congregation of 20,000 as the largest congregation in the area making the church the seventh largest church in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The Tampa Tribune
The Tampa Tribune
The Tampa Tribune, published in Tampa, Florida, is one of two major newspapers published in the Tampa Bay area, second in circulation and readership to the St. Petersburg Times. The paper's tagline is "Life...
reported on March 5, 2008 that Without Walls International Church has put its 4,500–seat Tampa church up for sale, along with its 13.3 acres (5 ha) grounds and 94000 square feet (8,733 m²) offices and television studio, asking $30 million.
Senate inquiry
On November 6, 2007, United States senatorUnited States Senate
The United States Senate is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the United States, and together with the United States House of Representatives comprises the United States Congress. The composition and powers of the Senate are established in Article One of the U.S. Constitution. Each...
Chuck Grassley
Chuck Grassley
Charles Ernest "Chuck" Grassley is the senior United States Senator from Iowa . A member of Republican Party, he previously served in the served in the United States House of Representatives and the Iowa state legislature...
of Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
announced an investigation of Without Walls International Church by the United States Senate Committee on Finance
United States Senate Committee on Finance
The U.S. Senate Committee on Finance is a standing committee of the United States Senate. The Committee concerns itself with matters relating to taxation and other revenue measures generally, and those relating to the insular possessions; bonded debt of the United States; customs, collection...
along with five other ministries. Grassley asked the ministries to divulge financial information. When CBS News
CBS News
CBS News is the news division of American television and radio network CBS. The current chairman is Jeff Fager who is also the executive producer of 60 Minutes, while the current president of CBS News is David Rhodes. CBS News' flagship program is the CBS Evening News, hosted by the network's main...
reported the story, Paula White's ministry denied any wrongdoing, and on March 31, 2008, the Senate Finance Committee received a joint financial report from Without Walls International Church and Paula White Ministries. Without Walls International Church was one of four ministries that refused to provide the full information Senator Grassley requested.
On January 6, 2011, Senator Grassley concluded the three year investigation with no penalties and no definitive findings of wrongdoing. The Alliance Defense Fund
Alliance Defense Fund
The Alliance Defense Fund is a conservative Christian nonprofit organization with the stated goal of "defending the right to hear and speak the Truth through strategy, training, funding, and litigation." ADF was founded in 1994 by the late Bill Bright , the late Larry Burkett , James Dobson The...
protested the investigation and the National Religious Broadcasters
National Religious Broadcasters
National Religious Broadcasters is an American organization that represents Christian religious broadcasters on American television and radio, including several high-profile televangelists and Christian radio show hosts. It claims a membership of more than 1700 organizations...
said the questions Senator Grassley asked were too broad. The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability
The Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability is an accreditation agency to promote fiscal integrity and sound financial practices among member organizations. Founded in 1979, it comprises over 2,000 evangelical Christian organizations which qualify for tax-exempt, nonprofit status and...
plans to create a national commission in response to the Grassley report to lead a review on accountability and policy. Paula White interpreted the conclusion of the investigation to mean that Without Walls International Church was cleared.