VOUS Church

Dakota Duron — Hebrews: Unshakeable Kingdom

Rich Wilkerson Jr. — Hebrews: You Are Surrounded

When we’re frustrated with our circumstances, we may become discouraged in our faith. We can be triggered by simple distractions that hinder us from our destiny. These are all challenges that tempt us to quit, run back, and just give up completely. 

In the fifth week of the collection of talks “Not Going Back” from a study of the book of Hebrews, Pastor Rich Wilkerson Jr. reminds us of what great faith looks like in his message titled “You Are Surrounded.”

The journey of faith will require us to persevere, and we must always consider our reward, Jesus, who has provided the ultimate sacrifice for us to live by faith through his grace. 

Remember that no matter what, we are never alone, and when we surrender, we are surrounded with love and strength. We can look to those who have already crossed the finish line, providing us with valuable examples on how to stay encouraged, push through, and run until the end. We must not back down, but remember God has given us everything we need to keep going.

Rich Wilkerson Jr. — Hebrews: Once and For All

In our day-to-day, it is easy to get consumed with ourselves and the many avenues by which our worldly troubles affect us. Viewed through the lens of the law, our sins and imperfections are on full display, almost to the point of distraction. Our faith journey can become burdensome if we turn to the law looking for forgiveness.

In “Once and for All,” a talk from our Book of Hebrews study “Not Going Back,” Pastor Rich Wilkerson Jr. tells us to shift our focus from ourselves to Jesus, the perfect one who paid the ultimate price.

The enemy tries to keep us in bondage by pointing out that we can never measure up. It is a constant assault that seeks to prevent us from moving forward in true freedom. 

But remembering Jesus is the fulfillment of the law gives us what we need to withstand those old tactics. Staying fixed on the new mercy and grace of Jesus sets in us the truth that our sins⁠—past, present, and future⁠—have been forgiven once and for all.

Luke Barry — Hebrews: I’m Not Letting Go

Everyone wants a better life, but what do we mean by better? Usually, we define better as being whatever's most convenient to us. But that's not what God has in mind.

Diving deeper into our study of the book of Hebrews, Luke Barry shares the message ”Not Letting Go,” the third talk in the “Not Going Back” collection.

Christianity isn't exactly known to make life easy or comfortable. So, why be a Christian if it appears not to fit our definition of better? The decision to live a life set apart doesn't come from a place of convenience, but of conviction.

The events of the Bible aren't metaphors to be applied to life, rather they're moments that happened in order to change our lives. The most pivotal of all being the sacrifice and resurrection of Jesus. The anchor of our faith.

History cannot be rewritten. It reveals "his story," the truth of Jesus. We must hold on to that truth. While Jesus did all that was needed to be done for us, he didn’t do everything that needed to be done by us. The better life we desire requires us to stand firm in faith and belief of God’s promises.

Rich Wilkerson Jr — VOUS Conference 2019: No One Else Is Coming

What if the hope of the Gospel was on the shoulders of a singular people? What if no one else was coming to deliver the Gospel? We are that hope. We are that people.

Pastor Rich Wilkerson Jr. kicks off VOUS Conference 2019 by laying the groundwork to this year’s theme, "No One Else is Coming." In it, he speaks on Jesus’ final prayer before the cross for believers to come together as the body of Christ.

As Christ followers, we need to bring the broken home. To complete our mission we need unity but comparison, competition, criticism, and character flaws hinder us.

The Church needs a new narrative. One that speaks of a community helping those with problems, loving beyond mistakes, and caring without judgment. The Church where people can belong before they believe and behave.

We cannot wait for others to spread the good news because no one else is coming. Let us rise to the challenge, showing the world that Jesus didn’t come to condemn us, but rather to love and save us.

A Conversation on Mental Illness and Suicide with DawnCheré Wilkerson and Kayla Stoecklein

In a powerful conversation on life, loss, and mental health, Pastor DawnCheré Wilkerson interviews special guest Kayla Stoecklein.

Kayla openly shares her story of redemption and hope in the midst of tragedy, the death by suicide of her husband Pastor Andrew Stoecklein. Andrew who, with a deep love for family and a passion for ministry, did not seem a likely candidate for such a heartbreaking end will always be remembered by Kayla for the way he lived and not the way he died.

Kayla serves notice to us all that we shouldn’t allow our secrets to be our downfall, that if we’re struggling, to let someone know.  We’re loved and valued by God and he has a great plan for our lives. Through any trial we may face, God’s got it.

If you or anyone you know are dealing with suicidal thoughts, don’t ignore it. Call the suicide prevention hotline at any time: 1-800-273-8255

Rich Wilkerson Jr. — Hebrews: I’m Still Not Over It

There are times when we face resistance and situations that we are entirely over. Ready to throw the towel in on our troubles, we can often find ourselves ready to quit the faith journey altogether. In these times, we are challenged to not go back to our old ways of relying on ourselves. 

Entering the second installment of our collection of talks from the book of Hebrews, Pastor Rich Wilkerson Jr. implores us to stand firm and not waver in the purpose that God has called us for in “I’m Still Not Over It.” 

When it comes to walking in our purpose, we should remain encouraged to see the process through. Since our calling is connected to people, it’s important for us to share the responsibilities with others and stay committed to where God has placed us.

Fixing our minds on Jesus, he renovates our perspectives and transforms our thoughts. Staying in his presence helps us to not get over who he is, but instead to lean completely into him regardless of the hardships as we continue on the journey of faith.

Rich Wilkerson Jr. — Hebrews: Superiority Complex

As with anything in life, our faith will be challenged. When doubts come our way, we can either set our eyes on Jesus or return to our old crutches.

Pastor Rich Wilkerson Jr. shares the message “Superiority Complex” a kick off to the "Not Going Back” collection of talks centered on the Book of Hebrews.

We all have a slight superiority complex. It shows up when we don’t recognize God as greater than other influences in our lives. When we don’t place God first. The problem with that is, if we don’t place him in the right order, our lives will be out of order.

 To set God first, we must hear his voice, see his example, and be pleasing him. These tasks can seem overwhelming, but we should remember our faith is quite simple. Everything begins and ends with Jesus.

By listening to Jesus’ words, looking to how Jesus led his life, and loving Jesus we confirm there’s nothing that can replace God being superior in our lives. Once we get our priorities right there’s no going back to lesser, unsatisfying distractions. Jesus is all we need.

Rich Wilkerson Jr. — Single and Secure

Taylor Wilkerson — Get Your Joy Back

Sometimes we forget emotions are fleeting and aren’t the best tools to live by. However, we can build our lives on a foundation of consistent joy.

Pastor Taylor Wilkerson of Trinity Church Harlem speaks on the theme of joy in an inspirational message titled “Get Your Joy Back.”

The Bible tells us to rejoice in the Lord always, but how can we be joyful in the midst of chaos life throws at us? We’ll begin to see purpose behind our pain when we understand that God equips us for the journey we’re on. It’s trust in his power to change our circumstances.

When we get discouraged, the prescription to a heavy heart is praise. Turning our focus away from our problems and toward our God in praise, unlocks our capacity to remain joyful in the face of obstacles.

Joy is a fruit of the Spirit. When we translate our trust into praise, the Holy Spirit restores our joy.