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Paula White

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Paula White
File:Paula White Doing it big.JPG
Pastor Paula White
Born (1966-04-20) April 20, 1966 (age 59)
Tupelo, Mississippi, U.S.
Occupation(s)Televangelist, Missionary, Author, Inspirational Speaker
Children4 (3 step children)
WebsitePaula 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, have announced on August 23, 2007 that they will divorce. Randy White will continue as head pastor of Without Walls International Church. Paula White will continue work in her for-profit and non-profit entities, including Paula White Enterprises, and PWM Life Center, and Paula White Ministries[1] which currently has a presence in New York, Tampa, and San Antonio.

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 and White's mother refused, and later that night Donald Furr hit a tree with his car, killing himself.[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 6 to 13 years old.[3] [4] While living in Maryland with her new born baby she says after partying and living a wild lifestyle at 18, she was introduced to the gospel which breathed life into her, she then decided to become a Christian.

Young adulthood and growing ministry

Paula's father committed suicide when she was a young girl. She had a baby out of wedlock but soon married the baby’s father. 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 favor and 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]

A quote from Ebony magazine said of her, "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]

She has 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]

File:Paula White and Tyra Banks.jpg
Paula White and Tyra Banks during 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 had dialogue 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.[citation needed] 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, has 22,000 members,[1] more than 200 outreach programs and is the 7th largest church in the United States.

Divorce

In an article published in TBO.com 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."[8] 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." [9] 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 at Without Walls International Church, stated that "They grew at an unbelievable speed. It became less about God and more about self-promotion." [1]

Controversy and criticism

Finances

Paula White has received criticism from some Christians for preaching too much about prosperity. 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. [10] 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."[8]

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.[11] Grassley asked for the ministry to divulge financial information [12] (Grassley's letter)[13] 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. The investigation also scrutinized five other televangelists: Benny Hinn, Kenneth Copeland, Eddie Long, Joyce Meyer, and Creflo Dollar. When CBS News broke the story, Paula White's ministry denied any wrongdoing.[14]

Ms. White has also been criticized because she has no formal accredited theological degrees or education (source: Interview with Larry King/CNN, Nov. 26, 2007 (http://transcripts.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0711/26/lkl.01.html).

Bibliography

  • White, Paula (1998). He Loves Me, He Loves Me Not. Lake Mary: Charisma House. ISBN 9780884195658.
  • White, Paula (2003). Birthing Your Dreams : God's Plan for Living Victoriously. Nelson Reference. ISBN 9780785250697. {{cite book}}: Check |isbn= value: checksum (help)
  • White, Paula (2006). Deal with It!. Walton-on-Thames: Thomas Nelson. ISBN 9781599510088.
  • White, Paula (2007). You're All That!. Nashville: FaithWords. ISBN 9780446580236.

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d Michelle Bearden and Baird Helgeson (2007-08-24). "Without Walls Founders Divorcing". Retrieved 2007-09-11.
  2. ^ Steve Hubbard and Lisa Ryan (2007). "Turning Trash into Treasure: The Testimony of Paula White". Christian Broadcasting Network. Retrieved 2007-09-11.
  3. ^ "Pastor Paula White". Retrieved 2007-09-11.
  4. ^ a b c d Sherri Day (2007-07-15). "Questions tarnish rise to top". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2007-09-11.
  5. ^ "Renowned Life Coach 'Paula White' Offers Transformational Advice". Christian Communication Network. 2007-02-22. Retrieved 2007-09-11.
  6. ^ a b "Paula White: Unable to Blush". 2006-10-21. Retrieved 2007-09-11.
  7. ^ "Paula White Profile" (PDF). Paula White Ministries. Retrieved 2007-09-11.
  8. ^ a b Michelle Bearden and Baird Helgeson (2007-05-20). "Of Faith, Fame & Fortune". TBO.com. Retrieved 2007-09-11.
  9. ^ Sherri Day (2007-08-24). "Megachurch founding pastors to seek divorce". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 2007-09-11.
  10. ^ "Paula White Ministries Financial Reports".
  11. ^ "Televangelists Living Like Kings?". CBS News. November 6, 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-17.
  12. ^ "Senator Probes Megachurches' Finances by Kathy Lohr". npr.org. December 04, 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  13. ^ "Read Grassley's Letters" (PDF). npr.org. December 04, 2007. Retrieved 2007-12-10. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
  14. ^ "Televangelists Living Like Kings?". CBS News. November 6, 2007. Retrieved 2007-09-17.

Critical

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