Recently, during a Thursday night Bible study session on faith and pressure, Pastor Paula White asked 39 men to come onto the stage. The number of men was representative of 39 total life crises her and former Senior Pastor of Without Walls, Bishop Randy, experienced over the past several years. She asked one man to step forth. The volunteer had no idea he would be used in such a unique way to demonstrate how pressure weighs you down in life and in ministry. After identifying the person, Pastor Paula began calling each man a crisis (federal investigation in which they were cleared, daughter dying from brain cancer, son abused at the house of a church staff member, etc.) and advised each man (a crisis) to jump on the back of the volunteer carrying the pressure. By the end of the visual demonstration, there were 39 men all piled on, over and around the volunteer who was now pinned to the floor, sweating and gasping for air. Pastor Paula explained that this was a true example of how she felt while going through her various crises. “The weight of pressure kills some people because they just can not see light in the midst of a crisis situation. In the midst of it all, I never gave up, never stop loving God and my heart remained tender,” she said. “I see crises as opportunities!”
In life, there are very few people who leave lasting impressions and make you smile whenever you think about their journey, their words of encouragement and/or their good works. Pastor Paula White is one of those people. She is a phenomenal author, pastor, preacher & TV personality who is grounded and keeps God at the center of it all. However, it all comes with a price. A price many are unable to pay. I had a chance to speak one-on-one with the remarkable Paula White and she opened up to me about her ministry, pastoring, challenges, inspirations and “Transformation 2011!”
NtoU: When I think of ministry, I think of seminary. Did you go through seminary?
Paula White:
“I did not. I went through (chuckle) the University of the Holy Spirit. No, I came from a very educated family. A Master’s was a minimum of education for us but when I was in college I didn’t know what I wanted to pursue. I was about 18 years old and decided on a degree in business administration and then I got radically saved. I had never heard of the gospel and had never been in a church. I had, however, heard of the name Jesus but, with no disrespect, it was synonymous with Santa Claus; it was just a name and I didn’t know he was the Son of God.
So, when I got saved I dropped out of college. And when I dropped out, of course, my family wouldn’t have anything to do with me. They thought I had become a Jesus freak and had lost my mind because they felt I wasn’t doing it the way I should’ve; go to school, become educated, and become successful. And for two years following, I literally did nothing but stay in the word of God. I later went back and pursued more formal education, but I literally just pursued God.
NtoU: Let’s talk more about when you got saved.
Paula White:
When I was younger, I had to deal with being sexually and physically abused, along with my dad committing suicide. When my dad died, our socioeconomic status changed drastically and we went from ‘pretty well-to-do’ to ‘extreme poverty.’ So it was authentic for me to experience all the diversities of life. My stepfather was Chief of Medical Core, a 2-Star Admiral, and my mom had two Master’s and a Doctorate Degree. As our family came out of the extreme poverty stage and back to the well-to-do stage, we were still extremely dysfunctional. I became a typical over-achiever and was a straight A student up until the 12th grade [that’s when I started messing everything up].
When I was 18, I was waiting for a friend at his grandmother’s house after we had gone out partying that night. His uncle looked at me and said, “I have the answers you’re looking for and the solution for all your pain and problems.” I had this confused look on my face. I was thinking ‘what does he mean pain and problems?’ He opened up what I called a book (it was the Bible) and he started reading to me words of life. He introduced to me the concept that I was more than just a mind and a body, and more than just an academia and talent; I was a spirit. He literally led me to salvation. I didn’t realize at the time, but he was operating in a world of discernment and knowledge. He would call things out to me about my life and then would open the Bible and show me what God said about it with scriptures. He said all I had to do is pray this simple little prayer he gave me. When I walked outside, for the first time in my life, the grass was green and the sky was blue; it was almost as if I had lived in black and white all my life and could suddenly see color. I just felt I knew love for the first time. I mean really knew love and my life was forever changed.”
NtoU: Pastor Paula, what’s your main focus when it comes to pastoring your (congregation) flock?
Paula White:
“I fulfill several different offices in the body. God’s been very, very good to me. When it comes to pastoring, it’s really about developing people to the full potential of who they are in Christ. It is making sure that they have a word to live life by, and to fight forward with, when they walk outside those doors. So, it is making sure they individually fulfill their purpose corporately and collectively, and that we do our assignment in the body of Christ. I believe we’re a part of a bigger picture. Terrance, as you already know, our vision words are Restoration, Evangelism, Empowerment, and Transformation. I’m called to bring forth the word of God for life transformation and to bring spiritual truth to equip people. I believe that plays a part in a bigger purpose of bringing a true reformation in the earth.”
NtoU: What or who inspirations you?
Paula White
“One of my greatest mentors and motivators is my spiritual father, Bishop T.D. Jakes; that’s a 23 year relationship of depth. I watched him walk from humble beginnings in West Virginia, going through a storefront where the floor caved in, to see what God is doing in his life right now. But I have everyday heroes that have inspired me such as my great grandmother Annie; they called her a crazy woman. They locked her away and of course they used to say she was religious. She loved me and I know she must have dedicated me to the Lord. She would rock over me and because they told me she was crazy, I thought her talk was babble. She was very frail, arthritic and bent over; she must have weighed barely 90 lbs. As a young little girl (3-4 years old) I can still remember her holding me rocking me and now I know she was praying in the spirit. She was praying over me! That inspires me!
I am also inspired by some of our heroes in the past that have fought through, not just in the Bible, but people like Rosa Parks, who made a difference in life. Nelson Mandela is another tremendous inspiration and hero to me. I tend to gravitate toward people who have the odds against them. Despite everyone telling him “he can’t,” he becomes President of South Africa after being locked up in prison for 27 years because God said he can!”
NtoU: What’s your biggest obstacle or frustration as a pastor?
Paula White:
“You’re asking great questions by the way, that’s a good one!! It changes during the different seasons. The reason I say that is because there are some things that are situational or seasonal that you know is only a “now obstacle.” You know that it’s just a temporary thing. But really the biggest obstacle and frustration to me is the system of religion. Religion! The Bible says the tradition of men makes the word of God a non-affect. Sometimes the biggest frustration is not giving someone a word but getting out of them what’s been ingrained in them for so long. Sometimes it’s the obstacles of systems, which can serve us in life. Strongholds are mindsets that are resistant to change. There are also mindsets in the world that discriminate; we’ve been protested as of recent because I’m a woman. God knew when he created my gender exactly how to package me for my purpose. I tend to look at challenges and obstacles as opportunities. It’s not in my nature to let them frustrate me too much. I can always see greatness but it’s getting people into that greatness that serves as an obstacle to me.”
NtoU: As folks are protesting you being a woman pastor, I’d like to say that I think you’re a phenomenal woman! And as a young African- American male following a female, Caucasian pastor, to me, that just speaks volumes.
Paula White:
“Thank you Terrance, and that speaks volumes to me, as well. I can’t tell you how grateful I am. I’ve always been called to break down barriers and to be a person of reconciliation. I am a person that bridges barriers, whether those barriers are economics, ethnicity and/or gender in Christ. I know there are distinctions here on earth but in Christ we are really one.”
NtoU: Let’s talk about how “Release” and the “Transformation Conference 2011” coming to Lakeland, FL March 17-20, 2011.
I am excited about it!! I’ve never been this excited serving God. I feel I’ve been born again, all over again. It’s a new season! Really “Release” is that which is pinned up and that which has been waiting on the inside of you. Little did I know that God would call me back to the ministry over a year and a half ago; Bishop Randy called me and said, “Paula I’ve been fasting and praying and I really believe you’re ready to take this ministry.” That within itself was like heaven opening up; it was completely unexpected. Immediately, I went to my spiritual father, Bishop Jakes, and sought his counsel. He said “absolutely!” We prayed together and I heard the word of the Lord say, “Go back! You will bring me glory and restore the integrity and honor of this ministry.”
There are over 40-50 pastors gathering in Lakeland, FL., “Release” entails an army coming forth that God strategically positioned his agents in the Earth. So, “Release” is that next level and out of that the Lord really put on my heart – “Transformation 2011!”
This is our 10th year! Ten is very strategic. Ten is the number of divine completion; full cycle. Ten years ago in the month of March, I went on BET and had my very first television show. The Lord clearly marked my life and I believed my voice. Strategic impact of life transformation, I believe in this kind of “Release.”
Transformation is an organic move of God for a people that are so hungry for the pure presence of God. I think that’s just a natural offspring and outflow of what’s happening within me, what’s happening within our church, and what’s happening within the churches in the area that are really moving. It’s not something that we developed; it’s something we just walked into. I strategically, very prayerfully, fasted. God, who do you want to come together? This is not just another conference. This is three days of what I believe will be a release of God’s glory.
We are bringing His greatest Generals together; my spiritual father (Bishop TD Jakes), along with my older brother Bishop Noel Jones. Of course, Darlene Bishop, a woman of faith, Vicki Winans, Pastor Clint Brown, and myself all together for that next level release in people’s lives. I believe when people come for those 3 days, they’re going to come back transformed. It is “Transformation 2011!” That’s the word God put in my spirit. It’s all about the butterfly affect. I believe when people come to Lakeland, FL March 17- 20th it’s going to have a ripple impact that’s going to go back and nations will be shaken.
NtoU: Pastor Paula, thank you for being candid, honest & transparent! You are a beacon of light during blackouts that take place on this journey; it is much appreciated!! May God continue to bless, release and use you to elevate His Kingdom.
You may reach Pastor Paula White on facebook, twitter and/or www.paulawhite.org.
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