Lakeland church may buy freedom from Without Walls

TAMPA -- Without Walls Central is poised to buy its 11,000-seat sanctuary in Lakeland — and its independence — from its mother church in Tampa, Without Walls International Church.

Scott Thomas, senior pastor of the Lakeland church, announced Sunday that his congregation was the unnamed buyer described last week by Randy White, Thomas’ counterpart at Without Walls International.

Thomas said Without Walls Central is conducting "due diligence,'' the standard period of study and verification between the time the parties agree to a sale and the day they close on it.

Thomas didn’t mention a price. But last week, White said the 74-acre Lakeland campus had been appraised at 27-million. Without Walls bought it in 2005 for $15-million.

"Pastor Randy actually began encouraging us ... in this plan towards autonomy more than three years now,'' Thomas said in a statement released Sunday.

The Lakeland and Tampa church campuses are listed for sale at $30-million apiece. But both pastors said the churches are financially healthy.

-- Bill Coats, Times staff writer