Rich Wilkerson Sr. is an American evangelist, author, and Senior Pastor of Trinity Legacy Center (Trinity Church) in Miami, Florida.
Born in the early 1950s, Wilkerson has spent more than five decades preaching to youth and families, first as a traveling school evangelist and later as the leader of one of South Florida’s most recognized Pentecostal congregations.
He is the founder of Peacemakers, an evangelistic ministry that has reached over 1.5 million students across 1,600 public school campuses in the United States and Canada.
Wilkerson is also known as the father of Rich Wilkerson Jr., the celebrity pastor who officiated Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s 2014 wedding, and as a cousin of the late evangelist David Wilkerson, author of The Cross and the Switchblade.
Rich Wilkerson Sr. at a Glance
| Personal | |
| Full Name | Richard “Rich” Wilkerson Sr. |
| Born | Around 1952 (Wilkerson was reported as 58 years old in April 2011) |
| Age | Approximately 74 (as of 2026) |
| Nationality | American |
| Spouse | Dr. Robyn Wilkerson (married 52+ years) |
| Children | Four sons: Jonfulton, Rich Jr., Graham, and Taylor |
| Grandchildren | Ten |
| Parents | Father: John Wilkerson (missionary and pastor) |
| Cousin | David Wilkerson, author of The Cross and the Switchblade |
| Education | |
| Bible College | Attended Bible college in Texas |
| Early Pastorate | Pacific Coast region, Tacoma, Washington |
| Ministry | |
| Title | Senior Pastor |
| Church | Trinity Legacy Center (Trinity Church), Miami, Florida |
| Denomination | Assemblies of God (Pentecostal/Charismatic) |
| In Miami Since | 1998 |
| Founded | Peacemakers, evangelistic school ministry (1973) |
| Other Role | Chancellor, North Central University, Minneapolis (with Robyn Wilkerson) |
| Career | |
| Books | I Choose Honor (2019); Inside Out (with Robyn Wilkerson) |
| Reach | Over 1.5 million students, 1,600+ school campuses (US and Canada) |
| Website | richwilkerson.com |
Early Life and Family Background
Rich Wilkerson Sr. was born into a family that had been preaching the gospel for generations. His great-grandfather, a Tennessean who battled tuberculosis, found faith through a Pentecostal community and passed that conviction down through the family line.
Wilkerson’s father, John Wilkerson, became a missionary and pastor who crisscrossed the world on mission trips throughout his life.
Wilkerson grew up attending his father’s church in Tacoma, Washington, where the family put down roots for years before their move to Florida.
He later attended Bible college in Texas, then returned to the Pacific Northwest to pastor a church in Tacoma. Those early years in youth and family ministry shaped the evangelistic style he would carry for the rest of his career.
The family’s ministry heritage runs deep. Wilkerson often describes the Wilkerson name as “always connected with the down-and-out,” a value passed to him by his father and grandfather and one he later handed to his own sons.
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Founding Peacemakers and the School Evangelism Years
In 1973, Wilkerson began the work that would define much of his career: ministering directly to teenagers and families through evangelism and local church outreach.
He founded Peacemakers, a ministry built around presenting the gospel inside public schools rather than waiting for students to walk into a church building.
Wilkerson became known through the 1980s and 1990s for what admirers called “illustrated sermons.” Instead of a straightforward talk, he staged live-action versions of Bible stories complete with roaring motorcycles, simulated gunfire, and dramatic set pieces designed to hold a teenager’s attention.
The approach worked. Over the decades, more than 1.5 million students have attended his presentations across over 1,600 public school campuses in the United States and Canada.
Peacemakers eventually expanded into a weekly television broadcast, tackling contemporary issues facing young people through a biblical lens.
That media presence, paired with his school tours, made Wilkerson one of the more recognized youth evangelists of his generation.
Moving to Miami and Leading Trinity Church
In 1998, Wilkerson felt a clear call to leave Tacoma and move his family across the country to Miami, Florida. He took over a small, struggling inner-city congregation.
That church grew into Trinity Church, now known as Trinity Legacy Center, a Miami megachurch affiliated with the Assemblies of God.
The relocation uprooted the entire family. His son Rich Wilkerson Jr., then a young teenager, has spoken publicly about the difficulty of leaving Tacoma at 14 years old to start high school in a new city.
Looking back, the younger Wilkerson has described the move as a step of faith his father took after hearing directly from God.
Under Wilkerson Sr.’s leadership, Trinity Church built a reputation for community outreach in Miami Gardens, blending traditional Pentecostal worship with programs aimed at reaching the city’s most overlooked neighborhoods.
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Family Connection to David Wilkerson
One of the most searched facts about Rich Wilkerson Sr. is his family tie to David Wilkerson, the evangelist behind the bestselling book The Cross and the Switchblade and founder of Times Square Church and Teen Challenge.
Yes, Rich Wilkerson Sr. and David Wilkerson were cousins, connected through a shared family line of Pentecostal preachers.
Rich Sr. spent childhood summers working alongside his cousin in New York, starting at age 12. He recalled ministry outreaches on Fox Street in the Bronx, where police would rope off the block so David Wilkerson’s team could build stages and set up sound equipment for open-air gospel presentations among a community battling addiction.
When David Wilkerson died in a car accident on April 27, 2011, it was Rich Wilkerson Sr. who broke the news to his own congregation at Trinity Church that Saturday night.
He later said he never felt truly successful in ministry until he began working with the disenfranchised, the same calling he had watched his cousin live out since childhood.
“The Wilkersons have always been connected with the down-and-out.” — Rich Wilkerson Sr.
Personal Life: Wife, Sons, and Grandchildren
Rich Wilkerson Sr. is married to Dr. Robyn Wilkerson. The couple has been married for more than 52 years, and Robyn co-pastors Trinity Church alongside him. Together they also serve as chancellors of North Central University in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Rich and Robyn Wilkerson have four sons, all of whom are involved in ministry:
- Jonfulton (JF) Wilkerson — pastors Pacific Coast Church in Tacoma, Washington, with his wife Ashley. They have two children, Israel and Fulton.
- Rich Wilkerson Jr. — leads Vous Church in Miami with his wife DawnCheré. They have four children: Wyatt, Wilde, Waylon, and Wolfgang.
- Graham Wilkerson — based in Miami, Florida.
- Taylor Wilkerson — leads Trinity New York with his wife Kristen. They have four children: Nora, Hudson, Eva, and Rosie.
Across the family, Rich and Robyn Wilkerson now have ten grandchildren. The Wilkersons often describe their ministry as a family business built on four generations of pastors, a legacy that began with Rich Sr.’s father and grandfather and now continues through his sons.
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Books by Rich Wilkerson Sr.
Wilkerson has authored and co-authored two well-known books that draw on his decades in ministry:
- I Choose Honor: The Key to Relationships, Faith, and Life (Charisma House, 2019) — Wilkerson argues that honoring the people around us, family, authority figures, colleagues, and even strangers, is itself an act of worship that deepens intimacy with God.
- Inside Out: How Everyday People Become Extraordinary Leaders — co-written with Robyn Wilkerson, this book collects stories of ordinary servant leaders the couple encountered in hospitals, prisons, and high-crime communities.
Inside Out carries endorsements from figures including Mark Batterson, lead pastor of National Community Church in Washington, D.C., and Christine Caine, founder of the A21 Campaign.
Theology and Ministry Philosophy
Wilkerson’s ministry sits within the Pentecostal and Charismatic tradition, reflected in Trinity Church’s affiliation with the Assemblies of God.
His preaching style favors direct, humor-filled communication over academic theology, a trait he credits with helping thousands of young people respond to the gospel over the years.
Central to his teaching is the theme of honor. Wilkerson teaches that honoring others, regardless of their status, is a spiritual discipline that builds healthier families, churches, and communities.
He has also built his ministry philosophy around servant leadership, insisting that anyone, regardless of age, background, or education, can lead by serving others first.
Rich Wilkerson Jr. and Vous Church
No conversation about Rich Wilkerson Sr. is complete without his most famous son. Rich Wilkerson Jr. worked alongside his father at Trinity Church for years before launching his own congregation, and much of what Vous Church became traces directly back to the ministry model his father built.
Why Is It Called Vous Church?
Rich Wilkerson Jr. led Trinity’s young adult gathering, originally named “The Rendezvous,” starting in 2007. Attendance grew from about a dozen people to more than 1,000 within a few years.
The name was eventually shortened to “The Vous,” and when Wilkerson Jr. and his wife DawnCheré spun the ministry into its own independent congregation in 2015, they carried the name forward as Vous Church.
Rich Wilkerson Jr.’s Family and Kids
Rich Wilkerson Jr. married DawnCheré in 2006. The couple faced years of infertility before welcoming their first child. Today they have four children: Wyatt, Wilde, Waylon, and Wolfgang.
Rich Wilkerson Jr. and Kanye West
Kanye West first attended a Vous service after being invited by Chris Julian, a Trinity Church member who co-owned a Miami boutique Kanye frequented.
That connection grew into a friendship, and in 2014, Rich Wilkerson Jr. officiated Kanye West and Kim Kardashian’s wedding in Florence, Italy.
The two stayed close in the years that followed; Wilkerson Jr. later hosted a Sunday Service with West in Miami ahead of Super Bowl LIV in 2020.
Rich Wilkerson Jr. Net Worth and Salary
Rich Wilkerson Jr.’s exact salary from Vous Church has not been publicly disclosed. Various unofficial estimates place his net worth somewhere between $1.5 million and $5 million, drawn from his pastoral salary, book sales, and speaking engagements.
These figures come from public wealth-estimate trackers rather than church financial disclosures, so they should be read as rough estimates rather than confirmed numbers.
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Influence and Legacy
Rich Wilkerson Sr.’s influence stretches across two distinct eras of American evangelism. In the 1980s and 1990s, his school assembly ministry reshaped how a generation of evangelicals thought about reaching teenagers, trading pulpits for gymnasiums and auditoriums. Since 1998, his leadership of Trinity Church has helped establish one of Miami’s most recognized Pentecostal congregations.
His clearest legacy, though, may be generational. Four of his sons now lead or serve in ministry across the country, from Tacoma to Miami to New York.
Vous Church, the congregation his son built out of a youth group he once led at Trinity, has become one of the most talked-about young-adult ministries in the country, known for blending faith with contemporary culture and reaching celebrities and everyday young adults alike.
Criticism and Public Scrutiny
The Wilkerson family’s high-profile ministry style has drawn media scrutiny over the years, most of it directed at Rich Wilkerson Jr.’s celebrity connections rather than Rich Sr. himself.
An Esquire profile once described the younger Wilkerson’s ministry as representing “the next stage of the prosperity gospel,” a characterization the family has pushed back against, insisting their focus remains relationship-driven evangelism rather than material teaching.
Rich Wilkerson Sr.’s own ministry has faced less direct criticism, though his theatrical “illustrated sermon” style in the 1980s and 1990s, complete with staged motorcycle stunts and simulated gunfire, drew mixed reactions from more traditional corners of the evangelical world at the time.
Net Worth and Financial Overview
Rich Wilkerson Sr. does not have a confirmed, publicly reported net worth figure. His income sources are tied to his role as senior pastor of Trinity Legacy Center, decades of evangelistic work through Peacemakers, and royalties from his published books, I Choose Honor and Inside Out. Unlike his son, no reputable financial tracker has published a specific net worth estimate for Wilkerson Sr.
Interesting Facts About Rich Wilkerson Sr.
- He comes from four generations of pastors on both sides of his family.
- His 1980s and 1990s school assemblies featured roaring motorcycles and simulated gunfire as part of his “illustrated sermon” preaching style.
- He and his wife Robyn serve as chancellors of North Central University in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
- He broke the news of his cousin David Wilkerson’s death to his own congregation the same night it happened.
- Trinity Church, which he took over as a small inner-city congregation in 1998, is now known as Trinity Legacy Center.
- All four of his sons currently serve in pastoral or ministry leadership roles.
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Timeline of Key Life Events
| c. 1952 | Born into a multi-generational family of Pentecostal ministers. |
| 1973 | Begins full-time youth and family ministry; founds Peacemakers. |
| 1980s–90s | Tours public schools nationwide with his “illustrated sermon” evangelism style. |
| 1998 | Moves his family from Tacoma, Washington, to Miami, Florida, to lead a small inner-city church. |
| 2007 | Son Rich Wilkerson Jr. begins leading Trinity’s young adult ministry, “The Rendezvous.” |
| April 27, 2011 | Cousin David Wilkerson dies in a car accident; Rich Sr. informs his congregation that night. |
| 2014 | Rich Wilkerson Jr. officiates Kim Kardashian and Kanye West’s wedding. |
| 2015 | Vous Church is spun off from Trinity Church as its own congregation. |
| 2019 | Publishes I Choose Honor through Charisma House. |
| 2026 | Continues as Senior Pastor of Trinity Legacy Center with wife Robyn; family now includes ten grandchildren. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Pastor Rich Wilkerson Sr.?
Rich Wilkerson Sr. is an American evangelist, author, and Senior Pastor of Trinity Legacy Center in Miami, Florida. He founded the school evangelism ministry Peacemakers in 1973 and is the father of pastor Rich Wilkerson Jr.
Is Pastor Rich Wilkerson related to David Wilkerson?
Yes. Rich Wilkerson Sr. and David Wilkerson, author of The Cross and the Switchblade, were cousins. Rich Sr. worked alongside David in New York City ministry outreaches as a child and announced David’s death to his own congregation in 2011.
How many kids does Rich Wilkerson Sr. have?
Rich Wilkerson Sr. and his wife Robyn have four sons: Jonfulton, Rich Jr., Graham, and Taylor. Three of the four are married, and together the family has ten grandchildren.
Why is it called Vous Church?
Vous Church takes its name from “The Rendezvous,” the young adult ministry Rich Wilkerson Jr. led at Trinity Church starting in 2007. The name was shortened to “The Vous” and carried over when the ministry became its own church in 2015.
How much is Rich Wilkerson Jr. worth?
Unofficial estimates place Rich Wilkerson Jr.’s net worth between $1.5 million and $5 million, based on his pastoral role, book sales, and speaking fees. No official figure has been confirmed by Vous Church.
What is Rich Wilkerson Sr.’s net worth?
Rich Wilkerson Sr. does not have a publicly confirmed net worth figure. His income comes from his role as Senior Pastor of Trinity Legacy Center, his Peacemakers ministry, and his published books.
Who is Rich Wilkerson Sr.’s wife?
Rich Wilkerson Sr. is married to Dr. Robyn Wilkerson. The couple has been married for more than 52 years and co-pastors Trinity Church together.
What church does Rich Wilkerson Sr. lead?
Rich Wilkerson Sr. is the Senior Pastor of Trinity Legacy Center, formerly known as Trinity Church, in Miami, Florida. The church is affiliated with the Assemblies of God.
How many children does Rich Wilkerson Jr. have?
Rich Wilkerson Jr. and his wife DawnCheré have four children: Wyatt, Wilde, Waylon, and Wolfgang.
What books has Rich Wilkerson Sr. written?
Rich Wilkerson Sr. wrote I Choose Honor: The Key to Relationships, Faith, and Life (2019) and co-wrote Inside Out: How Everyday People Become Extraordinary Leaders with his wife, Robyn Wilkerson.
How is Rich Wilkerson Jr. connected to Kanye West?
Kanye West began attending Vous Church services after an invitation from a Trinity Church member. He and Rich Wilkerson Jr. became friends, and Wilkerson Jr. officiated Kanye’s wedding to Kim Kardashian in 2014.
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