Contact: James Florez, 214-224-8411

APOPKA, Fla., Dec. 29, 2011 /Christian Newswire/ -- New Destiny Christian Center (NDCC) announced today that the Rev. Paula White has been named its new senior pastor. White will assume her new role when she takes the pulpit to lead the church's annual New Year's Eve services on Saturday.

"We celebrate the continuation of a vision, a vision launched back in 1996 with the founding of New Destiny Christian Center as a non-denominational church with a multi-cultural mission," said Board of Directors member Elder Marguerite Esannason. "The central directive of this ministry has always been to build people of purpose, power and prayer. We believe Pastor Paula will continue to make New Destiny a church for all people, reaching out to the hurting and the lost by touching lives and helping individuals overcome the disabling challenges of life."

White was selected after an exhaustive process conducted by the NDCC Board of Directors in close cooperation with the church's Board of Regents. White will serve as a non-voting member of the Board of Directors and will be subject to the oversight of the Board of Directors and the Board of Regents.

"We prayed fervently for guidance during our search which led us to ask Pastor Paula White to take over as Senior Pastor," said Harold Fuller, acting chairman of the Board of Directors. We were searching for someone who could understand the history of our ministry, one who had a close relationship with our members and our staff and one who knew the heart of our senior founder. We earnestly know that the Lord led us to select Pastor Paula White. We know she will honor the vision and the legacy on which this church is built."

White called her recent appointment a joyful and blessed moment in a life spent in service to God.

"I will come to my new assignment with a servant's heart, humbled by this great responsibility and grateful for the confidence the board has shown in naming me Senior Pastor," White said. "I will work tirelessly each day to ensure that the mission of this church is fulfilled and that its ministry and congregation remain united and strong."

As founder of Without Walls International Church and Paula White Ministries, White knows the needs and care that must be given to the local church. She understands how to support a ministry from the ground up and the sacrifice and prayer required to keep a church strong and moving forward in ministry to a world in turmoil. She has traveled globally for nearly three decades to share the gospel with literally millions of people and has a keen sense of the global mandate NDCC senior leadership envision for the church.

Church leaders from around the world have called White "one of today's great communicators and teachers" who "shares hard hitting, street wise, practical wisdom" on life, faith and service to God. She served as a mother to the leadership and body of New Destiny for 15 years. White has the passion, courage, dedication, experience, and the love of the Lord to lead the church forward and deliver New Destiny's continuing promise to serve the local congregation and the global community as well.

Members of the Board of Regents and Board of Directors called on all NDCC members to unite in support of White and to continue the church's work and ministry.

"We know that times of transition and change can often bring questions, concerns and uncertainties," Fuller said. "But we ask that all of our brethren in Christ would unite in prayer and support of Pastor White and to work with her to move our great church forward into a promising new future. Together we will continue to accomplish great things in the name of the Lord."