Rich Wilkerson Jr — Stand Firm

With the 3-year anniversary of VOUS Church approaching, Pastor Rich Wilkerson, Jr. laid out the vision of the church in this next year, with the day appropriately called “Vision Sunday.”

In his talk, “Stand Firm,” Pastor Rich illustrates the story of Moses leading the Israelites out of Egypt. As the Israelites get closer to the Promised Land, they begin to reminisce on their past, believing that their current journey will only lead to their demise. Moses encourages them to have faith, be courageous and remain planted in order to move forward.

With a new vision for the life of VOUS Church, Pastor Rich encourages the community to stand firm even when obstacles arise. As the church continues to expand, we should honor the journey that led to this point but stay committed to what’s up ahead.

Although reaching our destiny in life is the goal, it comes at a cost. The cost may mean ridding ourselves of old habits and toxicity but if we learn to stand our ground in faith, God will deliver us. Then we will be able to take on what he has for us. We also have to be willing to absorb the attacks, knowing that they will come but having the confidence that the opposition will produce growth.

We may be in a season where we aren’t sure we can take on more because of stress. But stress is not our issue, it’s our capacity. We’re able to handle everything in our lives only when we ask God to expand our capacity. And let’s never forget that we stand firm to hold others up. With so many in the world hurting and feeling lost, we as a community need to be a place where they are built up, not broken down.