'We've All Missed the Mark': Pastor Rich Wilkerson on Celebrities & People Who Judge Him for the Company He Keeps
Pastor Rich Wilkerson leads Vous Church in Miami. In 2015, he officiated the wedding of rapper Kanye West and Kim Kardashian, and is connected to other A-listers like Justin Bieber. But reaching celebrities was never Wilkerson's mission – the goal was always to "reach" and "love" people.
"I think God had a path designed for us and as doors open up you just walk through those," Wilkerson said.
He continued, "In many cases, some of those people God just opened up a door and relationships started."
"I think weather you are famous or if nobody even knows your name I think many times there is just very similar things that the human heart deals with – that humanity deals with," Wilkerson said.
Studio 5 recently caught up with the husband, new father and author whose latest book is called Friend of Sinners, Why Jesus Cares More About Relationship than Perfection.
"None of us can ever, ever, ever on our best day be perfect," Wilkerson said.
"The reason why I wrote this book was there are a lot of questions out there about people and God's heart towards people. I think we live in a world that is very polarizing, we live in a world today that if you disagree with one another it gives you an opportunity to disrespect each other," he said.
"This book is a cry for us to hear the heart of God – that God is a relational God. A God that came for friendship with all of us. That he is perfect, he is spotless, sinless, and yet he choose to come and associate with us," he explained.
Wilkerson says he has faced backlash, specifically from the Christian community, for the people he hangs out with.
"A couple years ago I took a photo with someone who was famous," said Wilkerson.
After posting the photo on Instagram he saw comments like, "How dare you take this photo?" and "How dare you be with this person?"
Wilkerson continued, "I remember one in particular said, 'How could you associate with someone like that?' It's such an easy reply – because Jesus chooses to associate with me."
He has this message to Christians who are critical of entertainers and Hollywood types, "What's your motive, what's your intention, what do you think you are accomplishing from what you are doing? Why are you so upset about other people? Why not take all that same energy, challenge yourself, take all that same energy, serve your local church, serve the people that are in your circumference your local sphere, love them with God's love and continue to walk out the convictions that God's given you for your life."
Wilkerson also believes there is an issue with the way "evangelical America" defines sin. "What happens is this term sin or sinner is so poorly defined."
He continued, "They think sin is all about their behavior and morality. There is no doubt that those parts play into it, but sin is about missing the mark it's an archery term. And we've all missed the mark," Wilkerson said.
For the latest in uplifting. entertainment news! Watch the latest episode it the player below:
