Randy White (pastor)

Early life and youth

Randy Alan White was born January 11, 1958, in Frederick, Maryland, to Frank White and Darlene Masser. Randy was the first born and has a sister, Sandy. Frank White was a pastor of a small church in Damascus, Maryland, under the Church of God (Cleveland, Tennessee) denomination.

Randy White began working in Christian ministry at the age of 13 years. 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.

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 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. 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.

Then, 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. 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-acre (5 ha) grounds and 94,000-square-foot (8,733 m²) offices and television studio, asking $30 million.

Senate inquiry

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. 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. The conclusion of the investigation was that Without Walls International Church was cleared.

Retirement from Ministry

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.

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

DUI Arrest

On March 18, 2011, Tampa police stopped White, 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. Randy White went on to attend rehab later in 2011.

Activist Work