VOUS Church exists to bring those who are far from God close to Him. This is not just a mission — it’s a movement, rooted in individual transformation and collective impact. We believe everyone belongs, even before they believe.
Our lead pastors, Rich and DawnCheré Wilkerson, have a heart to reach our city and beyond with the life-transforming message of Jesus. We believe in the next generation and value the wisdom and guidance of those who have gone before us.
Encountering God is the foundation of all growth. You can’t grow in your faith without encountering Jesus.
Sin breaks our close relationship with God. It causes us to fear God and try to live our lives outside of His will.
But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. — Romans 5:8
“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ... may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know Him better...” — Ephesians 1:17–18
God has already done His part to restore our relationship to Him. He took the initiative. Now He waits for each of us to individually accept what He has done for us.
We believe there is ONE God, eternally existent in three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. These three are coequal and co-eternal. We call this the TRINITY.
References: John 1:1, 14, 20:28; 1 Timothy 3:16; Isaiah 9:6; Philippians 2:5–6; 1 Timothy 2:5
Salvation is one of the most important concepts in Christianity, but what does it mean? Salvation is a GIFT FROM GOD. You are saved from the eternal consequences of your sin and given eternal life. It’s not about what you can do for God, but what God has already done for you.
“For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith — and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God.” — Ephesians 2:8
Now, we need to understand why we need salvation in the first place. Sin causes a SEPARATION between humans and God. God is perfect and holy, and when we act in ways that are out of line with His nature, we create a divide between ourselves and our Creator.
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” — Romans 3:23
This sin creates a barrier between us and God. But the good news is that God didn’t leave us in our sin.
All have sinned and fall short of God’s standard. JESUS is God’s answer to sin. He came to bridge the gap and RESTORE our relationship with God.
Jesus died not just for us, but AS US, taking our place on the cross.
For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. — John 3:16
Surrendering your life to Jesus is the greatest decision you can ever make. Through Jesus, you are given a living hope (1 Peter 1:3–6).
Your sin is ______ and your relationship with God has been ______.
Salvation begins the process we call ______.
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation, the old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” — 2 Corinthians 5:17
Jesus is, in fact, the only way to the Father and the only way to receive salvation. Accepting Him gives you access to everything that God has for you.
The Bible is the ______ written by faithful men and women chosen by God under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. While humans were the vessels God used to write down the passages, the truth of the Bible did not come from human understanding or knowledge.
“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness.” — 2 Timothy 3:16
God’s intention from the very beginning was for humans to share in His royal position and carry His ______ in the world.
But He gave us the choice to live according to His wisdom and share in His inheritance, or to follow our own wisdom and live according to what we think is best. He gave us ______.
Jesus died the death that we deserve so that we could live FOREVER in relationship with God.
In doing this, Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies about the one who would suffer on BEHALF of humanity.
“The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.” — Romans 6:23
Salvation happens when you TURN AWAY from your sin, repent, believe in Jesus, and confess Him as Lord. You don’t have to work for salvation; you just believe in what Jesus has done. This is the first and most crucial step in your journey.
Real Christianity is about ______, not ______.
Fasting is the ancient practice of choosing to ______ from food for a certain period of time. It is a spiritual discipline, the purpose of which is training to become more like Jesus. The motivation of our fasting is to draw closer to the heart of God. Fasting is a Christian discipline to break the power of the ______ in our life — our desires, sins, and cravings — and to feed on the Holy Spirit.
Jesus observed the Sabbath — a time to pause and rest from work.
God’s plan to completely RESTORE humanity back to a perfect relationship with Him is done through Jesus’ sacrifice, and through the empowerment of His Church. God’s Kingdom is in part here now, but also still to come. The advancement of God’s Kingdom is carried out through His Church. The hope of the world is the LOCAL CHURCH.
Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy temple in the Lord. And in him you too are being built together to become a dwelling in which God lives by his Spirit. — Ephesians 2:19–22
The Bible teaches that we should be baptized in water in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We believe in water baptism because Jesus himself ______ it for us.
“When all the people were baptized, Jesus was baptized too. As he was praying, heaven was opened.” — Luke 3:21
Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” — Acts 2:38
Doctrine can be defined as a set of BELIEFS and PRINCIPLES. Our doctrine of God should lead to a deeper love and understanding of God — right believing leads to right living.
Your next step is to read and sign the VOUS Church Statement of Faith, and keep the New Believers Guide on hand.
This is a resource for YOU. Culture happens by default or by design, and we believe in being purposeful about building the environment we believe will help all of us on our journey of faith. The Culture Guide talks ALL things VOUS. Download it and keep it on hand.
I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better. I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people. — Ephesians 1:17–18
Paul’s prayer is that believers would receive wisdom, revelation, and an enlightened heart. Once we encounter God, we must continue the journey by being established in faith.
Encounter is about salvation. Establish is about sanctification — the process of healing, growing, and maturing.
Right BELIEVING leads to right living.
“You can take someone out of Egypt, but that doesn’t mean Egypt is out of them.” Just like the Israelites needed faith to walk into the Promised Land, we need God’s ongoing formation to walk in freedom.
At VOUS, the health of the church is built on two things:
Structure
Stewardship
Crews are VOUS’ primary tool for spiritual FORMATION.
“Freedom flows through connection.” From Bible studies and marriage groups to Soul Care and volleyball crews, there’s a crew for everyone — find yours.
“Even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.” — Mark 10:45
Giving is not an obligation — it’s an act of love and trust.
It’s not about equal amount, but equal SACRIFICE.
Maturity comes not from knowledge, but perseverance.
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. — James 1:2–4
Establishing is not what you do OCCASIONALLY, it’s what you do consistently.
“If I’m not happy with my living, it might be time to revisit what I believe.”
Faith grows in community. Establishment happens in crews, in habits, and in daily practices of faith. We’re proud of you for taking this step.
Prayer is our FIRST response, not our last resort.
“Rejoice always, pray continually…” — 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18
VOUS does corporate 21-day prayer + fasts in January and August — see Pray First.
The Bible is spiritual nourishment. Use the Born Again Journal and the SOAP method:
We believe that commitment lasts longer in community, and by agreeing to this covenant, you’re not just making a personal promise — you’re joining a group of people dedicated to growing, serving, and supporting one another in faith.
God gives us tools to develop and strengthen the body of Christ.
As Jesus ascended into heaven, He left us with a gift, the greatest gift we could receive on this side of eternity. That gift being the very SPIRIT OF GOD. We may be aware of His presence in the Trinity, but often we can treat the Holy Spirit as a supporting character, when it is solely through Him that we may come to know Jesus.
“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever — the Spirit of truth.” — John 14:16–17
Equip means God gives you tools for your purpose, and the first and greatest tool is the Holy Spirit.
Imagine being told to build a house, but you’re given no tools. That’s what life feels like without the Holy Spirit and intentional development.
God not only gives you vision — He gives you the tools to accomplish it:
The proof that the Holy Spirit lives in you isn’t just power — it’s character: Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness, Self-control. These fruits show the Spirit’s work in you.
“We are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” — Ephesians 2:10
The two greatest days of your life are the day you’re born — and the day you DISCOVER why.
Like Moses, you may feel unqualified, but God equips those He calls. When you know who God is and who you are, you’ll live with clarity and confidence.
The Holy Spirit has gifted each one of us to do good works. Take the Spiritual Gifts Test to discover yours, then record your top five gifts below.
God has designed every person with a UNIQUE personality. Each personality has strengths, and it is important to understand how to balance your natural abilities with those of others. This self-assessment will help guide you to specific areas to focus on as you collaborate with others.
Discovering your gifts is important, but the real transformation happens when you use them.
“You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” — Acts 1:8
Read more in Your Gifts in Action.
At VOUS Church, we want every person to serve on a team. Saved people serve people.
Just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many. — Matthew 20:28
You will never walk in the full contentment of your calling until you adopt the mindset and the principle of what Jesus taught: that real leadership is service.
If serving is beneath you, leadership is beyond you.
From the very beginning, God has been writing a story of redemption, hope, and restoration, and He’s chosen to use people like you and me to carry it forward.
Like farmers who plant seeds knowing they may never see the full harvest, God invites you to sow your gifts into His Kingdom and trust Him for the increase. The time to plant is now, and the fields are ready.
Just as a seed must be planted to bear fruit, your God-given gifts are meant to be activated through serving. When you step out to serve, you step into your calling.
The harvest is ready, but the workers are few. This isn’t just a call to action — it’s a divine invitation.
“The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” — Matthew 9:37–38
Our heart is for ALL people. All people are loved by Jesus. We make no apologies for being specifically focused on reaching those far away from God. We desire to bring the broken home at all costs. We believe that our light is best seen in the night.
Servant Leadership is our identity: if you’re too big to serve then you are too small to lead. We believe the greatest leadership is service to others. Every leader is a servant first. From the parking lot to the pulpit, everyone serves. Every role is different but they are all important. If you ain’t helping, you ain’t helping.
Every team at VOUS is listed in the Department Overview below.
If you’re too big to serve then you are too small to lead. We believe the greatest leadership is service to others. Every leader is a servant first. From the parking lot to the pulpit, everyone serves. Every role is different but they are all important. If you ain’t helping, you ain’t helping!
