C. Florida Church On Verge Of Foreclosure Gets Boot Over Unpaid Electric Bill; Fire Marshal: Lack Of Power To Premises Makes Sanctuary Unsafe For Use

In Lakeland, Florida, The Ledger reports:

• Polk County's largest church sanctuary sits idle, its power turned off and its future uncertain. Without Walls Central, the 9,000-seat sanctuary in North Lakeland formerly known as Carpenter's Home Church, has not held services since at least August, when Lakeland Electric disconnected electrical service because of missed payments by its owner, Tampa-based Without Walls International Church.



• Rev. Randy White, a co-founder of Without Walls International and the ex-husband of its senior pastor, Paula White, told The Ledger in November that the Lakeland property was on the verge of either being sold or going into foreclosure and that an announcement on its future would come soon.

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• Lakeland Electric discontinued electrical service to the property in August, city spokesman Kevin Cook said. He said Without Walls owed more than $50,000 in unpaid bills at the time. Lakeland Electric applied the church's deposit of $51,180, he said, leaving the owners with a balance of $2,953.79.



• Lakeland Fire Marshal Frank Bass posted notices at the property in late September reading, "This structure is unsafe for human occupancy and ordered vacated. This structure must remain vacant and unoccupied until all violations are corrected."



• Bass said he posted the order because the lack of power to the sanctuary makes it unsafe for use.

For the story, see Future In Doubt for Without Walls Central Church Property (Without Walls Central has not held services since at least August).