Mature Me w/ Rich Wilkerson Jr.

Your spirit may be willing… but your flesh will still get tired. How are you going to respond? This week we are dropping a staff meeting talk - unpacking a message that’s been stirring my heart. From the garden of Gethsemane to our everyday decisions, God isn’t looking for perfection—He’s looking for willingness. As we wrap up 2025 I think it’s important that we go into the new year with a willing...

Last week I sat down with the VOUS team as we wrap up 2025 and God put this topic on my heart - Legacy Leaders A Legacy Leader is a leader whose life, faith, character, and decisions produce fruit beyond their own lifetime Tired eyes miss burning bushes. Busy spirits miss Holy ground. Miracles can be messy. Legacy leaders don’t focus on the mud while miracles are happening Staff Meetings are some...

My friend @amesa is on the pod this week 🎧 Husband, father, and pastor of Patria Church, Adam carries a story shaped by transition and trust. We talk about the moments that stretch you, the wrestle with God, and how clarity begins to rise when you keep bringing your questions back to Him. We dig into his upbringing, the early days of Patria, how he and his wife met, and the grace that’s guided th...

My friend from across the pond @petertoggs is back on the pod for round 2️⃣ Husband to Laura, pastor of Parable Church, and a man who has been faithfully building for decades. From leading Young & Free in his early ministry years to planting Parable Church, Peter shares how every position of leadership brings a new threshold of pain, and why staying planted, embracing the process, and trusting...

My friend @lecrae told me he would be in town so you know we had to get him on the pod 🎧 Husband, father, Grammy and Dove award winner, New York Times best seller…the list goes on. Who remembers Lecrae preaching at VOUS back in 2019 🤯 In this week’s pod we talk about his story, chasing validation, suppression, success feeding insecurity, and how easily we can make God too small. We also talk abo...

Let’s talk end times. There are few people you can sit down and talk about eschatology with, and Dr. Allen Tennison is one of them. Professor, teacher, doctor, and counselor of theology, Dr. Tennison has discipled our community through so many teachings in VOUS spaces. I wanted to sit down with him to talk about the gray areas we all get scared to bring up: the end times, what the Bible calls esch...

Round ✌️on Mature Me and today is the day my friend @joeltudman releases his brand new book “Fight to Find Yourself." He’s on the pod tonight talking the art of preaching, the weight of manhood and fatherhood, and learning to embrace who you are without performing for it. This pod was a rollercoaster 😂 We laughed. We got deep. We even played Pick It Up & Preach Joel shared what it means to tr...

This week I sat down with someone I’ve admired for a long time - my friend Touré Roberts. Pastor of The Potter’s House & founder of One Church , Touré and his wife Sarah Jakes Roberts have been influential and impactful voices in this generation. Along with being a leader of faith he is a brilliant author and entrepreneur. We talk suffering, seasons of life, and what’s worth your fight. “You d...

What if social media is the new cigarette? What if the greatest thing you got from your Pastor was a no? This week on Mature Me, I sat down with  @MikeSignorelli_  on his way to Breakers Conference happening this Saturday. Husband, father, Founder and lead pastor of V1 Church, Mike has made dynamic impacts in every space he steps into. It was about time we moved our conversations over DMs on Insta...

A calling from God will cost you everything but it’s worth everything. This week I sit down with Bobby Chandler—husband, father, and founder of Authentic Church, now a full-time evangelist—to talk about calling, surrender, and the seasons that shape you. From waiting tables to planting a church, Bobby shares how God gives direction without details and how every waiting season is an invitation to s...

This week I’m joined by one of my favorite evangelists, @keenanclark_, alongside @dakotaduron—two voices calling a generation back to truth. Keenan’s a husband, father, and author who preaches with fire and conviction. His words carry weight, reminding us that preaching isn’t about performance; it’s about obedience. That fasting is training for the fight. That boldness is born in prayer and knowin...

“Singleness is a piece of cake, it’s layered.” 🍰 This week on Mature Me, Rich sits down with Manouchka Charles—preacher, location director, and a leader in many capacities at VOUS Church. Together they unpack what it means to be single & secure —content in the present while secure enough to believe for what’s ahead. Manouchka shares about the layers of singleness, the pressures and temptation...

This week on Mature Me, Rich sits down with his good friend Earl McClellan—a husband, father, pastor, and author—for a powerful conversation about faith, influence, and the battles we all face. Earl shares about his upbringing, a miraculous healing, and the early days of planting a church. He opens up about the daily fight for our identity in Christ, what it means to pick up your cross again and a...

This week on Mature Me, Rich sits down with Michael Koulianos — an old friend with a fiery love for Jesus and the founder of Jesus Image. In this conversation we walk down memory lane—preaching together in my first year at Rendezvous, the early days of ministry, and the lessons Michael learned traveling the world. Michael also shares the story of meeting his wife Jessica, planting Jesus Image Chur...

This week on Mature Me, Rich sits down with Christine Caine. Rich first met Christine 25 years ago, and her ministry has been shaping lives around the world ever since. She leads in many spaces as a communicator and an advocate – particularly A21 and Propel Women Christine shares her story of adoption, abuse, and the healing power of Jesus. She reminds us our history doesn’t define our destiny, an...

This week on Mature Me, Rich unpacks the story of Gideon from Judges 6 and reminds us that fear will try to bury your calling — but God sees more in you than you feel in yourself. He calls you mighty before you even fight the battle. He sends you out with the strength you already have. Whether you've been hiding your gifts, questioning your worth, or waiting until you feel ready, this message...

This week on Mature Me, Rich and DawnCheré host a panel from Pastors Assembly—VOUS Church’s two-day gathering created to equip pastors with practical tools, spiritual refreshment, and renewed vision for the long road of ministry. They’re joined by Joel Tudman, Dave Niblock, and Mariah McManus Goss for a conversation on the heart and cost of shepherding God’s people. Together, they explore the rela...

On the road to VOUSCon earlier this year, Rich led a staff meeting to celebrate wins, cast vision, and talk about where they’re headed. In this session, Rich unpacks a leadership principle inspired by Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: the Circle of Concern, the Circle of Influence, and the Circle of Control. He explains how great leaders focus on what they can actually lead,...

This week on Mature Me, Rich sits down with Dr. Dharius Daniels—pastor, author, and leadership voice—for a powerful breakout conversation recorded live at VOUSCon. In a room full of leaders, they unpack what it means to lead with longevity—spiritually, emotionally, and biblically. From soul wounds to stewardship, this conversation dives deep into the heart behind lasting leadership. They explore t...

This week on Mature Me, Rich sits down with Abbie Gamboa—worship leader, songwriter, and member of UPPERROOM. Abbie’s life is marked by surrender, spontaneity, and the presence of the Holy Spirit. She opens up about learning to lead before she felt ready, navigating the tension between excellence and expression, and how motherhood reshaped her view of worship and leadership. This conversation is a...

This week on Mature Me, Rich sits down with Joe L Barnes—husband, grammy award winning and platinum-selling songwriter, worship leader, and founder of For Every Dreamer. Joe shares the quiet, faithful road behind the songs that have shaped a generation. From hidden seasons of prayer and fasting to the heartbreak that deepened his worship, this conversation explores the weight of calling, the gift...

In this episode, Rich sits down with Sadie to talk about fear, calling, and the pressure to perform. From growing up on Duck Dynasty to competing on Dancing with the Stars, Sadie’s journey has been full of public moments—but the real transformation happened in private. She opens up about the fear that followed her into every season, the temptation to live a double life, and the freedom she found w...

In this episode of Mature Me, Rich sits down with Charles Metcalf—preacher, communicator, and author of the powerful new book God Chose Me—for an honest conversation about identity, insecurity, and the radical grace of being chosen by God. Charles opens up about:His battle with insecurity and impostor syndromeWhy being "chosen" doesn’t mean being "ready"The tension between publ...

This week on Mature Me, Rich sits down with Bryce Crawford—viral content creator and full-time evangelist—for a powerful conversation recorded during VOUSCON week. Bryce shares how he went from battling anxiety, depression, and bitterness toward God to boldly preaching the Gospel across Los Angeles and online. At 17, a supernatural encounter with Jesus changed everything. Since then, he’s been on...

On the road to VOUSCon, Rich sat down with worship leader and recording artist John Wilds for a powerful conversation about presence, purity, and purpose. John has led worship around the world—but his story starts far from the stage. Raised by a single mother, he experienced homelessness, church hurt, and deep rejection. At 17, he cried out to God—and one encounter changed everything. They talk ab...