Paula Michelle White-Cain (née Furr; born April 20, 1966) is an American pastor, televangelist, author, and spiritual advisor known for her prominent role in evangelical Christianity and her close association with former President Donald Trump. She was born in Tupelo, Mississippi, and grew up in Maryland after her mother married a two-star U.S. Navy admiral. White converted to Christianity in her teens at the Damascus Church of God in Maryland, where she said she received a vision from God shortly after her conversion.
White co-founded Without Walls International Church in Tampa, Florida, with her then-husband Randy White in 1991, serving as co-pastor before becoming its senior pastor in 2009. The church grew to 20,000 members by 2004 but later faced financial difficulties and filed for bankruptcy in 2014, which White stated she was not involved in as she had already resigned. From 2011 to 2019, she served as senior pastor of New Destiny Christian Center in Apopka, Florida, which was later renamed City of Destiny and is now led by her son.
She is the founder and president of Paula White Ministries, which launched in 2001 and by 2006 aired her show Paula White Today on nine television networks, including Trinity Broadcast Network and BET. She has ministered to celebrities such as Michael Jackson, Darryl Strawberry, and Tyra Banks, and considers T.D. Jakes a spiritual mentor.
White became a spiritual advisor to Donald Trump after he contacted her in the early 2000s following her television broadcasts. She chaired the evangelical advisory board during his 2016 presidential campaign and delivered the invocation at his January 20, 2017, inauguration, becoming the first female clergy member to do so. In November 2019, Trump appointed her as special advisor to the Faith and Opportunity Initiative. On February 7, 2025, Trump announced the creation of the White House Faith Office, which she was appointed to lead, a decision that sparked controversy within parts of the Christian community.
White has been associated with the prosperity gospel and the New Apostolic Reformation, teachings that emphasize material blessings through faith and financial giving, though she denies promoting prosperity theology as commonly defined. Critics, including some Christian organizations, accuse her of doctrinal distortions, misusing Scripture, and promoting a false gospel centered on wealth and success rather than salvation by grace. She has also drawn attention for incorporating Hebrew rituals into her services, such as observing a Christianized Passover and wearing a tallit.
White has been married three times: to Dean Knight (1984–1989), Randy White (1990–2007), and Jonathan Cain, the keyboardist for the band Journey, whom she married in 2015. She has one son and holds no formal academic degree, having attended National Bible College and Seminary without graduating.
Why Paula White Should Be Regarded as a False Teacher and Avoided
1. Promoting the Prosperity Gospel
One of the most glaring issues with Paula White’s teachings is her promotion of the Prosperity Gospel, which asserts that God’s will for believers is to be financially wealthy, physically healthy, and successful in all areas of life. White frequently teaches that faith, positive confession, and financial giving—particularly to her ministry—will result in material blessings and personal success. This message appeals to the desires of the flesh, encouraging people to pursue material wealth and financial gain rather than focusing on a life of faithful obedience to Christ.
However, the Bible does not teach that God guarantees health and wealth to His followers. In fact, Jesus Himself warned against storing up earthly treasures and emphasized the dangers of pursuing wealth: “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal” (Matthew 6:19). Paul also wrote, “But godliness with contentment is great gain, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content” (1 Timothy 6:6-8). Scripture consistently warns that the love of money is “a root of all kinds of evils” (1 Timothy 6:10).
By teaching that financial prosperity is a sign of God’s favor or that giving money will result in blessings, Paula White promotes a false gospel that focuses on temporal gain rather than eternal life in Christ. This leads people away from the true message of the Gospel, which is about repentance, faith, and a relationship with God, not material wealth.
2. Misusing and Manipulating Scripture for Personal Gain
Paula White frequently misuses and twists Scripture to support her teachings on prosperity and financial giving. She often takes verses out of context, using them to justify the idea that sowing financial “seeds” into her ministry will result in a harvest of blessings. For example, she often cites passages like Luke 6:38 (“Give, and it will be given to you…”) to support her claims that financial giving will lead to material gain.
The Bible warns against those who twist the Scriptures for their own purposes, and Peter wrote that such individuals do so “to their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:16). Paul instructed Timothy to “rightly handle the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15) and warned about teachers who would exploit others for financial gain (Titus 1:11). By misusing God’s Word to manipulate people into giving money, White demonstrates that she is more concerned with enriching herself than with faithfully proclaiming the truth of Scripture.
3. Affiliating with the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) and Promoting False Prophecies
Paula White has strong ties to the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR), a movement that emphasizes modern-day apostles and prophets who claim to receive direct revelations from God. She has made numerous prophetic declarations and statements that are unbiblical and have not come to pass, demonstrating that she is not speaking with the authority of God. For example, she has made bold claims about political events, personal success, and financial prosperity that did not come true.
The Bible is clear that false prophets are to be identified and rejected. Deuteronomy 18:20-22 states, “But the prophet who presumes to speak a word in my name that I have not commanded him to speak… that same prophet shall die.” Jesus also warned about false prophets who would deceive many (Matthew 24:11). By claiming to receive prophetic messages that do not align with Scripture or come to pass, White reveals herself to be a false prophet who should not be trusted or followed. In a sermon, White claimed to have been taken to the “throne room of heaven,” where she saw God’s face and received a new “mantle” of authority. Such claims of personal revelations are inconsistent with the Reformed emphasis on the sufficiency of Scripture as the final authority for faith and practice.
4. Undermining the True Gospel with a Man-Centered, Works-Based Message
Paula White’s teachings often emphasize the power of positive confession, works, and financial giving as means of obtaining God’s blessings, favor, and prosperity. This man-centered, works-based message distorts the true Gospel, which teaches that salvation and blessings come by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ, not by our efforts or giving (Ephesians 2:8-9). White’s focus on what individuals must do to receive blessings shifts the emphasis from God’s grace and provision to human effort and merit.
The Bible clearly teaches that we are justified by faith, not by works (Romans 3:28) and that all our righteousness comes from Christ alone (2 Corinthians 5:21). By promoting a message that emphasizes works, positive confession, and financial giving, Paula White leads people away from trusting in the finished work of Christ and encourages them to rely on their efforts to obtain God’s favor.
5. Failing to Address Sin, Repentance, and the Need for Holiness
Paula White’s teachings often focus on themes of success, personal empowerment, and self-fulfillment while neglecting the essential biblical truths of sin, repentance, and the pursuit of holiness. This leads to a superficial version of Christianity that fails to confront people with their need for a Savior and the call to live a life of obedience to God’s Word.
Jesus began His ministry by calling people to “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand” (Matthew 4:17), and the apostles consistently preached a message of repentance and faith in Christ (Acts 2:38, Acts 3:19). The Bible teaches that true faith in Christ leads to a transformed life marked by holiness and obedience (Titus 2:11-12, 1 Peter 1:16). By failing to address these crucial aspects of the Gospel, White promotes a message that offers temporary comfort without leading people to the eternal hope found in Jesus. White has been quoted saying, “Anyone who tells you to deny yourself is from Satan.” Of course, this contradicts Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 16:24, where He instructs His disciples to deny themselves, take up their cross, and follow Him.
6. Denial of the Great Commission: Refusing to Evangelize the Jewish People
Paula White’s assertion that Christians should learn from Jews rather than seek their conversion represents a significant departure from the biblical mandate to evangelize all nations, including the Jewish people. In an interview, she stated, “I do not want to convert Jews… The plan for salvation for the Jews is God’s.” This perspective contradicts the apostolic example and teaching, as the Apostle Paul, himself a Jew, emphasized the necessity of proclaiming the gospel to both Jews and Gentiles, declaring, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Romans 1:16). By discouraging evangelism toward the Jewish people, White not only undermines the universality of the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) but also neglects the biblical truth that salvation is found exclusively in Jesus Christ (John 14:6; Acts 4:12). This stance reflects a broader pattern in her ministry of deviating from core scriptural doctrines, further affirming concerns about her theological reliability.
7. Questionable Ethical Practices
Paula White’s ministry has been plagued by serious ethical concerns, including allegations of financial mismanagement, personal enrichment through ministry funds, and questionable moral conduct. Reports have surfaced accusing White of misusing church donations for lavish personal expenses, including luxury travel, expensive homes, and even cosmetic surgery. Such practices stand in stark contrast to the biblical qualifications for church leaders, which emphasize self-control, integrity, and financial accountability (1 Timothy 3:2-3; Titus 1:7). Rather than exemplifying the humility and stewardship required of Christian leaders, White’s extravagant lifestyle and alleged misuse of ministry funds mirror the behavior of the false teachers condemned in Scripture—those who “suppose that godliness is a means of gain” (1 Timothy 6:5).
Additionally, White’s personal life has been marked by controversy, including allegations of an inappropriate relationship with fellow televangelist Benny Hinn, which led to public scrutiny after they were photographed together in Rome. While both parties denied an affair, the incident raised further doubts about White’s adherence to biblical moral standards, particularly as a leader who claims spiritual authority over others. The Bible warns that church leaders must be “above reproach” (1 Timothy 3:2) and calls believers to avoid even the appearance of evil (1 Thessalonians 5:22). White’s repeated entanglements in financial and moral scandals demonstrate a pattern of conduct that is inconsistent with the character of a true shepherd of God’s people, further confirming the dangers of following her ministry.
8. Rebellion Against Biblical Gender Roles
While men and women are equally created in the image of God and are of equal worth before Him (Genesis 1:27; Galatians 3:28), Scripture is unequivocal that the roles within the church are distinct. God has ordained that the office of pastor, elder, and overseer is reserved for qualified men who meet the biblical requirements laid out in passages such as 1 Timothy 2:12-13 and Titus 1:5-6. Paul, writing under divine inspiration, explicitly states: “I do not permit a woman to teach or to exercise authority over a man; rather, she is to remain quiet” (1 Timothy 2:12). This is not a cultural artifact but a divine order grounded in the created order, as Paul immediately follows by appealing to the priority of Adam’s creation before Eve (1 Timothy 2:13). To reject this instruction is to reject the authority of Scripture itself.
Paula White, by assuming the role of a pastor and exercising authority over men, openly defies the clear biblical witness on this matter. Her continued leadership as a “pastor” is not merely an issue of preference or denominational distinctives, but of rebellion against God’s ordained structure for His church. The qualifications for church leadership are not subjective or negotiable; they are a divine standard meant to protect the purity and function of the church (1 Timothy 3:1-7). By taking upon herself a role that God has explicitly reserved for men, White follows in the footsteps of those who seek to revise or override Scripture rather than submit to its authority. This pattern of defiance is yet another indication that her ministry is not grounded in biblical fidelity, but in personal ambition and cultural compromise.
9. Unqualified for Biblical Leadership
In addition, the biblical qualifications for a pastor or elder are not arbitrary; they are divinely established to ensure that those who shepherd God’s people do so with integrity, sound doctrine, and a Christ-centered heart (1 Timothy 3:1-7; Titus 1:5-9). Among these qualifications, a pastor must be “the husband of one wife,” demonstrating fidelity and stability in marriage. Paula White, however, has been married multiple times, revealing a pattern of relational instability that is inconsistent with the biblical model for church leadership. While divorce is not an unforgivable sin, the repeated failure to uphold a biblical marriage covenant raises serious questions about one’s ability to serve as an example to the flock (Ephesians 5:22-33).
Additionally, Scripture mandates that a pastor must be “able to teach” (1 Timothy 3:2), rightly handling the Word of God and clearly articulating the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Yet, Paula White has repeatedly demonstrated a profound inability to accurately convey who Jesus is, what He accomplished, and how sinners are saved through faith in Him. From her denial of core biblical doctrines to her promotion of aberrant theology, she has twisted Scripture to fit the narrative of her prosperity gospel message, rather than faithfully proclaiming the biblical Gospel of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9).
Furthermore, a pastor must “not [be] a lover of money” (1 Timothy 3:3), but Paula White’s decades-long ministry has been defined by the pursuit of financial gain. Through her relentless promotion of the prosperity gospel—promising divine favor and wealth in exchange for financial contributions—she has exploited countless followers, preying upon their hopes and fears. Her teachings align more with the condemned greed of false teachers described in 2 Peter 2:1-3, who exploit the vulnerable “in their greed… with false words.” Rather than serving Christ and His church with humility, she has built an empire of self-enrichment, demonstrating that her heart is set not on shepherding souls, but on accumulating wealth.
10. Conclusion from Scripture
The Bible repeatedly warns believers to beware of false teachers who distort the truth, exploit others for financial gain, and lead people away from the true Gospel. The Apostle Peter wrote, “But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies… And in their greed they will exploit you with false words” (2 Peter 2:1-3). Paula White’s prosperity gospel, misuse of Scripture, false prophecies, and alignment with the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) place her squarely in the category of those whom Scripture warns against—those who serve their own appetites rather than the Lord Jesus Christ (Romans 16:17-18).
Paul also warned, “The time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions” (2 Timothy 4:3). White’s teachings appeal to human greed, self-fulfillment, and worldly success, but they do not represent the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The true Gospel calls sinners to repentance, self-denial, and faith in Christ alone (Luke 9:23). It is not about claiming earthly prosperity, but about being reconciled to a holy God through the atoning sacrifice of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:21).
For these reasons, Paula White must be regarded as a false teacher whose influence is spiritually dangerous. Her teachings do not save; they deceive. The Bible commands Christians to “test everything; hold fast what is good” (1 Thessalonians 5:21) and to avoid those who twist Scripture for personal gain (Titus 1:11). Instead of following White’s man-centered, prosperity-driven message, believers must remain anchored in the unchanging, all-sufficient Word of God, which is “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword” (Hebrews 4:12).
The true Gospel is not about chasing wealth or worldly success—it is about the redemption of sinners, the call to holiness, and the transforming power of God’s grace. Jesus Christ is not a means to material gain but the only way to eternal life (John 14:6). Therefore, Christians must reject Paula White’s false gospel and stand firm in the unshakable truth of God’s Word, the only source of salvation and eternal hope.
