Perhaps the thing Rich Wilkerson was best known for before the Oxygen Series program, "Rich in Faith" was officiating the wedding of Kanye West and Kim Kardashian. Wilkerson pastors Vous Church (Vous is French for You) in Miami, Florida, which appears to be aimed more at urban millennials and the unchurched, but also seems to be focused on being multicultural. It's a spin-off from the Rendezvous young adult ministry he led when he was still working with his dad at Trinity Church. So there are some ways in which he has put a bit of a different twist on things.
Wilkerson's "Rich in Faith" docuseries was, "already in the works" works before Wilkerson officiating the wedding of Kayne West and Kim Kardashian, according to E! News Host Jason Kennedy. However, it appears that the publicity from the high-profile wedding certainly didn't hurt the launch of the reality show, which premiered Wednesday.
Wilkerson says that "I never expected that anyone would care who performed the ceremony. Celebrities get married all the time, and no one knows who their pastor is. I didn't tell anyone I was doing the wedding; I just went to Italy and did it. And then everything started moving really fast."
Wilkerson adds, "The wedding and now the reality show has given me a platform to give my message of redemption, which is for all people. That's why I'm here."
He sees reality TV in general as, "a language of our culture, and you can either run, or you can take a step to bring lightness in darkness."
As for his focus as the pastor of Vous Church, Wilkerson says, "I want to reach people who have given up, who are out of hope. I want to talk to people who haven't felt comfortable in church. But I'm going to tell the truth. And sometimes the truth isn't easy."
Wilkerson appears to be all about empowering people in the congregation to take the gospel to the streets. Perhaps the most notable evidence of that is the "Vous Crew." Many large churches offer regular attendees and members the opportunity to feel more connected through home Bible studies that take place in the homes of people who are fairly well established in the church and under the covering of the pastor. But Vous Crews work a bit differently.
They meet in different cafes around the Miami, Florida area in groups of 10-15 to relax, fellowship and talk about God's Word. The two-fold mission of the bi-weekly gatherings meets the needs of the people of Vous while also giving them an opportunity to be a presence in the community and reach people who might not otherwise be reached.
More information about "Rich in Faith can be found at the Oxygen.com website.
