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Pain and shock usually accompany declarations of impending divorce. Always a tragedy, it hurts all involved, especially the children. Christians that divorce publicly hurt other Christians and challenge their faith. When Christian leaders behave badly, other people of faith must keep their eyes on God and the things of eternity, not on people. Randy and Paula White are, first, people subject to the same foibles and weaknesses as anyone else.

Either difficult times can bring people closer to one another, and to God, or they can pull away, travel their own pathways, and blame God for their misfortunes. Evangelical Christians put high value on marriage, the cornerstone of a Godly life and it is appalling to see it compromised.

At their church, Without Walls International in Tampa, Florida, the Whites fell into the trap of making money their God. The church became a big business with 23,000 church members and church finances of $40 million a year, but the church is reportedly $22 million in debt. The Whites have grossed from $600,000 to $1.5 million dollars a year income from co-pasturing the church and own expensive homes and a private jet. Rev. Hector Gonzales, a former staff member who left the church stated, "The church is all about fortune and fame now."

They have been involved in questionable financial deals. According to the Tampa Tribune, the couple failed to repay a loan from a widow for $170,000, which they used for a down payment on a home. In addition, a woman said that she never got possession of a home she won in a contest run by the church in 2002.

Jesus told a rich man that if he wanted to enter heaven, he must sell all he has and give the money to the poor. Matthew 19:16-26. Matthew 6:24 says that no man can serve two masters, God and money.

In the Bible 1Tim. 6:10 states "For the love of money is the root of all evils; it is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced their hearts with many pangs." The love of money leads to the sins of idolatry, which is worshipping it as your God, and pride, which is considering yourself better than others.

Although rumor says they both are involved with other people, they deny it, and attribute the breakup to poor decisions and bad financial deals, along with stress caused by the illness of Randy White's adult daughter who lingers from a brain tumor.

Christians everywhere should pray for those who fall away from their God. Most start out in good faith to serve and honor God, but become waylaid somewhere along the journey. That appears to be what happened to the Whites. People in their congregations must keep their eyes upon Jesus and not upon the things of this earth. God is just and quick to forgive the repentant and these things will work out to the good of the White family. Their divorce is a symptom of a much bigger problem, but nothing is too hard for God. "With God all things are possible." -Matthew 19:26

Learn more about this author, JoAnne Windsinger.
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