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Without Walls Says Interest In Properties Spurred Sale Talk
Tribune photo by VICTOR JUNCO
A written statement released by Without Walls International Church says the decision to list church properties did not require board approval but that a contract to sell would.
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Published: March 6, 2008
Updated: 03/05/2008 11:37 pm
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TAMPA - Interest from potential buyers of Without Walls International Church's campuses here and in Lakeland caused church leaders to put the buildings up for sale, a church representative said in a statement Wednesday.
"The church's two properties are situated in areas of significant development and have appreciated significantly," said the written statement from Tucker/Hall Inc. public relations. "To keep the church's expansion options open, the executive leadership of Without Walls International Church decided that the time was right to list both properties."
Without Walls leaders had declined to comment for a story in Wednesday's Tribune about their hiring real estate agents to sell the 13.3-acre Tampa property near International Plaza and the 75-acre campus in Lakeland.
The statement did not elaborate on what expansion options the church may be considering. Attendance at Without Walls, once touted as the nation's fastest-growing church, has declined in recent months.
Lakeland Campus Bought For $15 Million
The church wants $30 million for the Tampa property. It's unclear how much it wants for the Lakeland property, for which it paid about $15 million in 2005.
In May, the Tribune reported about financial troubles at the church and broken promises made by its founders, Randy and Paula White. In August, the Whites announced they were divorcing.
In November, U.S. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, launched an inquiry into Without Walls and the teleministry it spawned, Paula White Ministries, along with five other multimillion-dollar ministries. The senator is concerned that the ministry leaders could be using money from their tax-exempt organizations to finance lavish lifestyles.
The Whites have refused to answer the senator's questions.
Without Walls' statement suggested the future could include a smaller church building.
"The church could consider using the proceeds on a more focused, functional church facility to meet the needs of its congregation," the statement said. "It could decide to use any excess proceeds to continue and expand its many current community outreach programs."
Board's Approval Not Needed Yet
The fact that the campuses are on the market came as a surprise to some congregants and at least one church board member.
"I had no clue this was on the table," said Alick Clark, a board member from Acton, Calif. "You can't make a decision like that without the board's approval. Right?"
The church statement Wednesday said the decision to list the properties did not require board approval, but a contract to sell would.
Reaction to the potential sale was mixed and fueled speculation about the church's future.
Sonja Krout, a former congregant who left the church when she moved to Riverview, said she wasn't bothered by the fact the decision to sell was made quietly.
"The members don't always have to be told everything," she said, adding: "I learned so much while I was there. My heart goes out to" the Whites.
Jill Wells, a private investigator in the Tampa Bay area, started taking an interest in the church about a year ago. She said she thinks the potential sale indicates that Randy White is in the final steps of shutting down the ministry.
Reporter Baird Helgeson can be reached at bhelgeson@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7668. Reporter Michelle Bearden can be reached at mbearden@tampatrib.com or (813) 259-7613. Keyword: Without Walls, for past stories, video and to post comments.
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Reader Comments
Posted by ( rippedoff ) on March 6, 2008 at 1:28 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Hey Randy,
2 stories back to back front page. Wow you are Dandy. Go read the forums I posted back in Nov. 2007 that you were selling and I gave the Brokers name. It took four months to get all the documents together for this story. "Ran=tini" you have no clue the storm that is a brew. I see your staff is crumbling. You like the documents that I posted all 150 of them on the forums. The Government and News is having a field day with "RANDYSWORSTNIGHTMAre" AND MY DOCUMENTS. He is the left and I am the right. No, we are not the same person.
The best is yet to come! Peeling the onion one layer at a time.
Safe to say you have cancelled your subsccription to the Tribune?
How is that those makes and models magazines ended up in the dumpster? all 7.500.00 worth. How you going to buy your way out of this one? I am not for sale. You put a bounty on me for 5k I think I was worth at least a million.
Sleep well lil man. Safe to say you are more selective in what you throw away? LOL
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Posted by ( rippedoff ) on March 6, 2008 at 1:33 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Since your attorneys banned my rippedoff id on the forums. Are you going to waste more tithe money to ban from post a comment? Just because I was banned does not mean that I am gone.
Been a busy behind the scenes the last three months. I have a feeling the wrath of rippedoff is waking up the last of the kool-aid drinkers. Read the forums folks. Go see my 150 documents and tell me this RANDY is a honest.
Hey Randy now that Bubba the love sponge is back on the air are you going to hhave women flash for toys again?
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Posted by ( gatormb ) on March 6, 2008 at 5:32 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Hey,rippedoff, would love to read your forums. How do I get to them? For every "hypocrit" like Randy, there are thousands doing the Lord's work with humility and making a difference. He will separate the good fish from the bad fish; the wheat from the chafe.
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Posted by ( joeschmoe ) on March 6, 2008 at 6 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Don't bag on poor Randy too much. The Bishop is probobly going to end up in jail with a cell mate named Ben Dover. As for Paula, at least the poor girl has her previous profession to fall back on. I'll bet that she has some sweet skills. I've got a twenty spot in my pocket and am heading for Nebraske Ave. right now!!!!!!!!!!
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Posted by ( Harley2008 ) on March 6, 2008 at 7:01 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
http://www.tboforums.com/index.php/forums/viewforum/30/
Above is a link to the forums. Lots of reading there folks.
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Posted by ( rckmajs ) on March 6, 2008 at 8:06 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
WOW members...You better fire this man or you may end up with no church AND no building. If he were any kind of leader, he would step down on his own. The fact that he continues to duck and run tells me how little he cares for you and the work of the Lord.
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Posted by ( dennisjb ) on March 6, 2008 at 8:18 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Wow.....could almost write a whole column on the hows and whys......people are so hungry for success and fortune and these types of ministers feed on that....They build up these huge impressive buildings and facades for ministries and live lavish lifestyles Then when their nakedness is exposed ,not only does it spur ammunition for the anti christian folks but ,leaves in its wake a sea of new christians ,young christians who never really got deep enough into the gospel to understand what it all really meansand aren't rooted deep enough to survive the fall. Geez...maybe I need to start my own blog to explain my take on things...
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Posted by ( rckmajs ) on March 6, 2008 at 8:50 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
dennisjb...That has been my point all along. The witness provided by this man (guilty or not) is a huge stumbling block to new Christians and non-Christians alike and does more damage to the Church in general than anyone will ever know. A good strong Christian leader would step down...at LEAST until the mess is sorted out.
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Posted by ( boston85 ) on March 6, 2008 at 9:03 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Religion is evil
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Posted by ( john0954 ) on March 6, 2008 at 9:56 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Randy White HAS NOT COMMITTED A CRIME! Perhaps he has made mistakes, but no crime has been committed. We all make mistakes no matter what are statue in life may be. The nimrods that wrote negative comments need to think about that!
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Posted by ( john0954 ) on March 6, 2008 at 10 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
To boston85,
Appearantly you have no real conviction of Jesus Christ. RANDY WHITE HAS NOT COMMITTED A CRIME! He has not been convicted in a court of law! What gives nimrods like you the right to convict without knowing the facts!
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Posted by ( Harley2008 ) on March 6, 2008 at 10:20 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
john0954, and just how do you know that Randy White has committed no crimes? He has not YET been convicted in a court of law. There, I corrected what you meant to say. Some of us obviously know more than you do about this. Get out of his church before you have been had too!!
Randy White is a huckster, as is Paula White and the other pimps of the pulpit. Randy White IS NOT a bishop, Randy White is not all that, he is merely a man using the name of God to gain for himself monetarily.
Does he look good in stripes, or should we just let him wear the orange jumpsuit? Either way, he'll be singing JAILHOUSE ROCK soon, and that's the only kind of rockstar he will be.
Read the forum and learn some things for yourself. I know I have learned a lot there!
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Posted by ( Harley2008 ) on March 6, 2008 at 10:28 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
I'm so sick and tired of hearing "Randy made mistakes. We all make mistakes.". Randy is a mistake and his ways are not right. He is supposed to be a man of the clothe but he knows nothing about God or His word. Does Randy still drink like a drunken sailor? Does Randy still partake with smoking pot or allow that in his presence? Does Randy continue to beg for money from his congregation?
It was Larry yesterday and John today. Randy, just give it up dude. You are done and over with now. Go ahead, cooperate with the nice Senator if you have nothing to hide! You won't because you do have things you are trying to hide.
The sad thing is that it is people like Randy and Paula White who do things as they have and it turns people away from God and the Church. I thank God that not all churches and pastors are greedy like these nimrods.
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Posted by ( JOBERT3RD ) on March 6, 2008 at 10:47 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Randy White preys on the ignorant, poor, and lonely. He's sure to lose everything in the end, hucksters that don't learn the lessons of history are doomed to repeat it.
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Posted by ( Shauna ) on March 6, 2008 at 11:43 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
JOBERT3RD, but equally certainly two more snake-oil salesmen will appear to take his place, and the people will once again throw their money and say "Hallelujah!"
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Posted by ( truthseekers ) on March 6, 2008 at 1:58 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( Shauna ) on March 6, 2008 at 2:22 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( Trish ) on March 6, 2008 at 2:36 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
People do not need to go to church to learn to earn money, but this is what Randy & Paula White have promised their flock. God is not Santa Claus.
This church will not gain favor in God's eyes by preaching their prosperity gospel. Now -- more than ever -- people need to learn how God's love can free them of their lust for money. That's what every church should preach...and take care of the SPIRITUAL needs of their parisioners.
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Posted by ( OPTIMUSPRIME ) on March 6, 2008 at 3:05 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
DOES IT COME WITH WALLS- THE BUILDING???
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Posted by ( OPTIMUSPRIME ) on March 6, 2008 at 3:06 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
MAYBE NEXT TIME YOU SHOULD MAKE A CHURCH WITH WALLS!!!
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Posted by ( mnivek ) on March 6, 2008 at 3:06 p.m.
(This comment was removed by the site staff.)
Posted by ( Shauna ) on March 6, 2008 at 3:23 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
mnivek, what a lovely fantasy. Thanks.
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Posted by ( kimbo ) on March 7, 2008 at 7:38 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
Yuck too all of this. People who feel guilty about their money and give it away in hopes of salvation are ripe targets. Easy plunder...
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Posted by ( rjc59 ) on March 7, 2008 at 10:13 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
A lot of the comments that are made, are not those of people that went to the church. They are mostly people that feel that god did not move fast enough in their life. We pick our leaders, and if they fall short it's not for some other leaders followers to say whats right or wrong. I feel that TECO would make a good public target.
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Posted by ( Shauna ) on March 7, 2008 at 11:06 a.m. ( Suggest removal )
rjc59, it's ironic, but when it suits a church - particularly a large one like this - to bilk the community, whether in donations or tax breaks, it presents itself as a valuable part of the community. But when it's misdeeds are exposed, all we hear is the scurrying of church mice back into the building, the slamming of the church door, and squeals of "it's our problem, go away!" Can't have it both ways. It was the same pattern with St. James.
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Posted by ( tampaguy69 ) on March 7, 2008 at 1:39 p.m. ( Suggest removal )
Do you suppose the serfs will finally wake up and realize the emperor has no clothes???? I doubt it. If they were that intelligent he wouldn't have gotten so rich to begin with by scamming those feeble minded souls out of their hard earned cash. Sad.
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