On my earlier post about Paula White, Bill Reichart left a link about Randy and Paula getting a divorce. In that post, based on the Tampa Tribune articles/expose on them, it seemed like this divorce was inevitable.
Such news is never good, and no cause for rejoicing. It is quite disappointing that 2 ministers could not find the power in the gospel to forgive, reconcile and keep going. No details were given in the article. The WFLA video gives a hint: “the landscape of life changes” Paula said in an April interview. In another interview around that time Randy got defensive when discussing his adult daughter who may die from a brain tumor if there is no miracle (‘it’s not supposed to be this way’). This crisis seemed the tipping point in their marriage. They found no comfort in the gospel. This is a big crisis in a marriage, and all the more reason to rely upon God’s grace through the partner He gave you. But … they think this gives them an out.
What next for the surgically modified former couple? “I’m gonna pastor this church (Church Without Walls).” said Randy. “Paula’s gonna preach the gospel around the world.” Huh? Isn’t divorce without adultery a sin? Don’t they think they should be subject to proper church discipline and restoration prior to continuing in ministry? This is the problem of the independent megachurch. They are autonomous, accountable to no one. This is fraudulent and the 23,000 members need to leave, and TV viewers need to turn the channel, unless these 2 people repent of their sin. As a result, this is a sad day in the evangelical church- for more reasons than we can think. This action is a denial of the gospel they claim to preach.
Update for their defenders: Consider 1 Timothy 5
19 Do not entertain an accusation against an elder unless it is brought by two or three witnesses. 20 Those who sin are to be rebuked publicly, so that the others may take warning.
They publicly announced their divorce, so there are plenty of witnesses. They need to be publicly rebuked, so others will take warning and stop treating marriage so lightly.
A big amen. I feel sad for both of these people. Ministry seems to be nothing more than a job. They are continuing with the job regardless of their actions.
The media did point out the legal problems. They own four homes, one in NY valued at over 3 mil. They also have a jet for ministry purposes. All of this will have to be divided up.
but many will simply forgive and ask Randy, “When is Paula coming to preach?”
One has to wonder if those following Randy and Paula fit into Jesus’ description in Matthew 7:13-21
Now pass me some chicken, would you, please?
Oh Cavman, you are so Puritanical.
Let Paula do her thing man, let her preach, let her travel, let her bring in the $$$
Let Randy stay… he said he was sorry didn’t he?
After all, they both bring in alot of money, and isn’t that what this is all about?
“Show me the $$$”
Tom,
Stick to what you do best, and lead us to another SB victory baby (and my fantasy team to victory!)!!!
Randy White Makes Emotional Return To Without Walls Pulpit
By JEFF SCULLIN The Tampa Tribune
Published: Aug 27, 2007
TAMPA – Days after its founders announced they plan to divorce, Without Walls International Church got back to business Sunday.
The 9 a.m. service drew about 1,000 people – a typical crowd for the early service during summer months. After a typically high-energy service, few members wanted to talk about the impending split between Randy and Paula White, though.
One woman who did speak after the service, Katrina Singleton, 35, of Brandon, said the couple’s separation might affect the church. Some members tend to follow Randy, while others follow Paula, she said.
“I was really surprised,” Singleton said.
After a rare joint appearance Thursday night, when the co-founders delivered the news to a stunned congregation, Randy White returned to the pulpit alone, as expected. White told the Tribune last week that his wife had returned to New York Friday morning, after they made their announcement.
That wasn’t unusual. In the past year, as her own ministry has evolved, Paula White’s appearances at the North Grady Avenue church have become sporadic.
No mention was made of Thursday’s announcement at the 9 a.m. service, where White preached for a few minutes before turning over the pulpit to Ralph Messer, a Messianic rabbi from Denver who teaches about the Hebrew roots of the Christian faith.
Messer preached about the Torah and Jewish entrepreneurship and spoke again at the 11 a.m. service, where he led the congregation in a prayer that ended emotionally for White.
“I declare today that my bishop has entered into a new season, a new season, a new season,” Messer intoned, prompting White’s followers. “Now, give him glory. Praise God.”
As emotions in the sanctuary reached a high point, Messer hugged White, telling him, “I love you. I love you so much.” White, a prayer shawl draped over his shoulders, stood clutching a Torah scroll, head bowed, with a pained expression on his face.
Then White made his way to the podium, as his congregation cheered, buried his face in a black cloth and appeared to sob. Shortly after receiving a supportive hug from Messer, White appeared to crumble completely. His shoulders sagged, and he laid his head on his arm at the podium and gave way to even deeper sobbing. Eventually, Messer and a host of black-suited ministers gathered, laid their hands on White and formed a tight prayer circle around him.
On the video monitor behind White, the words “international church” appeared to hover over White’s prostrate body, as though he were carrying them on his back.
Intended or not, the symbolism may prove prophetic.
In his interview with the Tribune last week, White said he plans to resume his role as the church’s senior pastor and that he has put on hold plans to start another church in Malibu, Calif.
The Whites founded Without Walls in 1991 as the South Tampa Christian Center. Since then, the church has become one of the nation’s biggest and fastest-growing churches, boasting 23,000 members and nearly $40 million in revenues last year.
The Whites, who’ve been married nearly 18 years, said last week that the split is amicable and comes after visits to counselors over several years.
They blame two lives going in different directions.
Now, they will have to find a way to separate their interests without damaging the church they built.
Those logging on to Without Walls’ Web site Sunday to watch services saw no signs of a separation. The site continues to display a picture of the Whites together and to promote Paula White Ministries, which contributes between $50,000 and $80,000 a week to the church, Randy White said last week.
White said his wife would come back as a guest speaker and continue supporting the church for a while.
She will have bases in New York, and San Antonio, Texas, where she has homes, and in California. White said he would remain in the couple’s Bayshore Boulevard home.
The couple, who are using the same law firm for their divorce, plan to file as soon as they can work out the details of dividing their assets, Randy White said. That could happen as early as this week, he said.
I worked my butt off on special teams for years, I never achieved a status in my profession where I was considered a successful position player, but I kept working and I was quite a success on special teams! I have no respect for any of this, Cavman!
Paula and Randy meanwhile have for years lived off of other people’s hard work. They say absolutely nothing of any substance when the “preach”. They show no understanding of Scripture, no work, no study. They are clueless.
All they have done is get people to send them money, telling people when trouble comes to trust God anyway and send them money, but they themselves go their separate directions, run from trouble, run from working, trusting God, loving one another.
This is already going to be the second divorce for both of them isn’t it? Randy is a leader, using the Bible and still doesn’t understand that people die and suffer in this life because we live in a fallen world, and Paula, she simply gets idiots stirred up, and all you end up with then is motivated blind idiots.
And their followers are dumb enough to keep following and sending them $? The woman interviewed is from Brandon? What in the world is she doing going to that church anyway? How many churches does she pass on her way from Brandon into Tampa anyway to listen to those two clowns? She is an idolator, and has no clue herself what she is doing.
The blind leading the blind, Cavman.
The blind leading the blind.
At least in my career I earned my keep, I was respected.
These two… no way.
Mosi,
You broke my heart when you dropped that ball. All season long…. you were like a lock box with that ball. Then at a key moment in a playoff game….
broke
my
heart!
Since we are in to breaking Cavman’s heart…
Bill,
It was not your fault. Dave Stapleton should have been in there. That wasn’t your call.
I knew Paula through her Tv Program, I am shocked and disappoited reading your article , Doesn’t Gospel means love ,forgiveness and committement to one another.
I am sorry really
The gospel is that we are sinners, but Jesus, as the Substitute of all who trust in Him, obeyed the Law and bore the penalty of our sin. The Holy Spirit applies Christ’s work so we more and more die to sin and live to righteousness.
Our response to the gospel is one of faith and repentance for our sin. I have compassion for the Whites. But I haven’t heard them repent, or ask forgiveness. They have only justified their sin. People around them need to stop excusing their actions and call them to repent. That is part of loving commitment to other Christians.
How many times do you read a rebuke of a person or church in the New Testament? Too many to count. Why do we think this is hypocrisy, evil, mean, unloving etc.?
Love does cover a multitude of sins… those relatively minor things we all do to one another. Some sins do more to destroy the relationship, and they aren’t just passed over- but reconciliation calls for us to rebuke/admonish, and them to repent (Mt. 18).
I’m sorry you are more shocked and disappointed in this blog post than in their blatant disregard of God’s will.
Hi cavman,
May be you didn’t understand what I meant, I was sorry in what happened but not your article. me too I really hope that they will come to deep repentance and have the right attitude and motivation in serving God. Sometimes people think that they are under grace but not law and they become lawless christians.
Bless.
I don’t think that we should be criticizing Paula and Randy right now…we should pray for them. There are a lot of things that probably happened (that we don’t know about) that led up to this, so we really shouldn’t be juding them and saying “They should work it out” because we really don’t have the whole story here. Please keep in mind that they (like everyone else) would like a little privacy, so you can’t expect them to give you every little detail which led to this. Why is everyone focusing on them? People get divorced everday. It happens! I know that these people are preachers, but even they are not perfect. All of you people who are “judging” them need to get a life! Don’t you have something better to do then to sit around and criticize others?
Paula White:
the LEECH has two daughters which say continuously “GIVE GIVE” Proverbs 30:15
All this week when I turned on her show to see what’s up, they were bellowing “GIVE GIVE GIVE GIVE”
Ok let’s not judge.
Keep sending your offerings; as soon as payday comes, send it right away.
And remember special events: Sept send your best atonement offering
Oct send your best succoth offering
Nov send your best thanksgiving offering. You want to be thankful to God, don’t you?
Dec send your best Christmas offering
Jan send your best first fruits offering
Feb send your best Valentine’s offering
Ok let all not use any wisdom and keep being idiots…oops, I mean let all not judge
[…] This is an important issue in our day, particularly as we see the utter confusion regarding very public divorces among Christians. We really do need to better understand and apply what Jesus says about divorce and remarriage […]
Wow – he looks like the addicted to plastic surgery addicted character that was in the latest Nip Tuck episode … repellent.
Shame on everyone of you who condemn them for their decision, for while we may not condone divorce, it is not our place to condemn any couple regardless of their position or relationship to God and those they serve. To condemn is to judge. Thou shalt not… So I ask those who criticize and condemn Randy and Paula, “Who made you God?” Careful. We are here to love one another, not judge, for we do not know the heart of man as God does, nor do we know the full scope of why people do as they do; only God knows. Love the person and give what ails you to God. Get off your “high and mighty” high-horse of intolerance, people. Give it up!
Brenda,
I don’t think anyone condemned them for their “decision”. They called it what it was, sin. Sin is not to be ignored- especially public sin. The hope is that they would repent of their disobedience. No one has judged or condemned them- but done what Scripture does, confront sin in the hopes of repentance.
To be clear, are you confronting or condemning? If you are confronting people for confronting someone else … why is okay when you do it? I fail to see the logic here.