Megachurch pastor to pay ex-wife staggering monthly alimony fee after after 33 years of marriage

A North Carolina megachurch pastor has been ordered to hand over $12,000 in monthly alimony over the next nine years.

Gilbert Andre Thompson Jr., known to congregators at his World Overcomers Christian Church as 'Pastor Andy,' filed for divorce on June 10, records show - putting an end to his 33-year union with 57-year-old Dequilla LaShawn.

The pair have been separated for more than a year, the filing first obtained by The Roys Report showed - while also laying bare some of the church-leader's assets.

Most notable was a $2.8million manse in Mebane that Thompson gets to keep, along with two other properties, valued at $444,000 and $154,000. The latter, a three-bedroom in Rocky Mount, will go to LaShawn - along with $50,000 when the other sells.

Thompson is still on the hook for payments on his four adult children's cars, however - a 2021 Kia Forte, a 2024 Kia Seltos, a 2016 Jeep Cherokee and a 2013 Cadillac STS. He will also have to fork over a $25,602 debt to the IRS, the agreement showed.

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Reasons for the sudden split provided were 'unfortunate differences and incompatibilities which now exist between', said the two parties that wed in June 1991.

In the 33 years since, Thompson has surfaced as one of the most successful pastors in the country, thanks to a 15,000-member following within his rapidly rising church.

He started it in 2003, after moving his family from Boston, where he grew up and started preaching at age 15.

His first move was starting a television ministry that would eventually make way for his megachurch - a broadcast that featured the Christian pastor proudly preaching. 

After 4 months of this, the church in Durham was launched - and Thompson has yet to look back.

He has penned several books about faith, started media campaigns, and is the owner of a communications firm, Thompson Communications Group, LLC, which he will also keep under the terms of the split.

His church, meanwhile, claims to be the fastest-growing in America on its website, which, in conjunction with the pastor's television program 'The Truth,' impacts more than a million people weekly, the divorce agreement stated.

Court records in the state, meanwhile, show how the church and pastor have faced two negligence lawsuits since 2017  including a contract dispute and a complaint involving a minor. No further details were provided.

Moreover, the extent of Thompson's wealth was hinted at in the newly unveiled divorce document, despite it still remaining largely unknown. He was ordered to hand over a total of $1.3 million in alimony, broken down into the monthly payments.

For perspective, figures like Alex Rodriguez and Kanye West - who each have a net worth of around $400million - each shell out well over $100,000 in child support payments each month.

Thompson's payments clock in at a little over ten percent of those, suggesting his net worth is still somewhere in the millions.

Moreover, unlike figures like West, his kids are already grown - but that did not stop him from buying a car for each of them, at the collective cost of at least $100,000, according to their respective evaluations on Kelley Blue Book. 

The terms of the divorce will see him 'retain ownership' of all four cars, while LaShawn will be allowed to keep her 2010 Kia Soul - the cheapest car of the lot.

He will also keep ownership of his Ford 150, which has an MSRP of around $67,00.

Aside from the fleet of cars, both parties will also retain their respective businesses, with LaShawn the owner of a nonprofit started after her co-pioneering of the largest church in Durham, in 2012.

Dubbed Projects of Hope, the firm's purpose, as stated on its website, is to carry out missions to places around the world such as Kenya, while accepting donations in the process. 

Thompson, on the other hand, will retain the rights to his communications firm, which stands separate from the business surrounding his church, which purchased the 14,000-square-foot home where the family once resided in 2018, for $1.5million.

They had lived there since - at least until March of last year when the pair separated.

According to Zillow, the home is now worth close to $3million, thanks to amenities like a cobblestone driveway, infinity pool, a gym, theatre, and outdoor hot tub. 

The home is reminiscent of a villa that might be found in the South of France, rather than rural North Carolina.

It boasts four bedrooms and six baths, as well as stunning statues, gardens and artwork that all emanate affluence.

The compound is also located next to its own private pond, and is surrounded by several lush acres of idyllic scenery.   

Despite the scale, the divorce stipulates that Lashawn only be given a onetime $50,000 payment from her soon-to-be ex when all is said is done - while he keeps the house and all of its features.

That sum, however, is mandatory, and will be doled out when Harris sells another property owned by the family a few miles north - the one valued at $444,000.

Thompson will also have the option to keep that home in lieu of a sale, but will still responsible for the $50,000 payment.

LaShawn will be able to keep the $154,000 property as her own residence, but will be on the hook for a little over $100,000 from an outstanding mortgage, the agreement showed.

Neither spouse have commented on the split since Roys first reported on it a week ago - nearly a year-and-a-half after the couple seemingly stopped living together.

Less than a year before, LaShawn posted to Facebook to ring in the pair's 31st anniversary, where she appeared to hint their relationship had become somewhat stormy

We’ve lived a lot of life together,' she wrote at the time. 'The road has been wonderful and its most definitely been challenging. 

'We are 2 strong but imperfect people who’ve faced it all & HERE WE ARE. 

'My love still belongs to u[sic],' it concluded.

Three months later, in September 2022, she bid her beloved a happy birthday, writing, 'After saying happy birthday to you for 31+ years, this one means so much more.'

She went on to thank the preached 'For the life we share' and 'for [his] strong leadership.'

She also talked up his 'bold faith' and 'bigger than life vision. 

'I honor you today my love.'

Other posts from the pair show how they have given life and relationship advice, while Thompson himself is the author of several books like Real Love Dating and Real Love Marriage on how to cultivate healthy relationships.

He has penned multiple religion-based books as well, including More, billed as a Overcome Doubt and Understand How Faith Really Works.