Randy White (pastor)

Randy White's first pastoral position was with a small rural church in Maryland. 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.

Randy White has been married twice; both marriages ended in divorce.

Randy and his first wife Debra Ellis (m. c.1970s; div. 1989) had three children. One daughter, age 30, died in 2008 from brain tumour complications. White started the Kristen Renee Foundation in her memory to advocate for the community and sue for her wrongful death.[1][2] Debra Cross née Ellis died of cancer in 2010.[3][4][5]

White met Paula Michelle White (née Furr) in 1987, as an associate pastor at his father's Maryland church. They divorced their spouses in 1989 and married each other a year later. Shortly after, they moved to Tampa, Florida and together started Without Walls International Church.[3] He and Paula White divorced in 2007.

Without Walls International Church, originally named South Tampa Christian Center, was founded by Randy White and Paula White 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. 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.[6]

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.[7]

Without Walls International Church 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 was the main sanctuary for the church until September 2014.

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.[8][9] 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.[10]

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.[11] In 2008, it 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]

In 2011 Without Walls Central Church was vacated due to debts. In 2014 United States bankruptcy court required a sale of properties;[13] next year the building was purchased and demolished by developers.[14][15][16]

Without Walls International Church restructured and remains active.

On November 6, 2007, United States senator 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.[17] Grassley asked the ministries to divulge financial information.[18][19] When CBS News reported the story, Paula White's ministry denied any wrongdoing,[20] and on March 31, 2008, the Senate Finance Committee received a joint financial report from Without Walls International Church and Paula White Ministries.[21] 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.[22] The Alliance Defense Fund protested the investigation and the National Religious Broadcasters said the questions Senator Grassley asked were too broad.[22] 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.[22] The conclusion of the investigation was that Without Walls International Church was cleared.[23]

On July 12, 2009, Randy White resigned as pastor and bishop of Without Walls International Church, and Paula White, his ex-wife, was named the successor. Randy White states he was stepping down as pastor because of health and would still remain connected with the church in a different position.[24][25]

Since then he has returned as senior pastor once again at Without Walls International Church.

On March 18, 2011, Tampa police stopped White, then 53, around 11:30 p.m. near Ashley Drive and Interstate 275. Police recorded his blood-alcohol level at 0.093 and 0.095 percent, records show. Florida law presumes a driver impaired at 0.08 percent.[26] Randy White went on to attend rehab later in 2011.[27]

On March 14, 2018, White filed with the Florida Department of State to run for Bill Nelson's seat in the United States Senate for the 2018 election, challenging the incumbent senator in the Democratic primary.[28] He later withdrew his candidacy.