Mature Me w/ Rich Wilkerson Jr.

This week I’m excited to share a message straight from The Assembly ’26

The Assembly is a space where we get pastors and leaders together in one room to equip the saints. The year I shared a message titled “Now & Later.”

Jesus says, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” He lived with the cross in His sight, showing us that real love finishes what it starts.

So much of leadership lives in that tension. The uncertainty of now, while trusting God with what He’s building later. We can get so focused on what’s right in front of us that we forget where we’re going. But speed without direction is reckless. And discipleship is choosing what you want most over what you want now.

Tune into the premiere tonight at 7:30PM on the Rich Wilkerson Jr. YouTube Channel 🔗

This week on Mature Me, I sit down with @davidnasser — an author, pastor, and friend whose story and conversation holds both weight and wonder.

David grew up in Iran during political unrest, watching his father be taken at gunpoint and learning at a young age what fear, loss, and displacement feel like. Over his life the battle has shifted — from physical survival to emotional survival. Bullying, insecurity, and the pressure of trying to belong.

But everything changed when he encountered Jesus.

We talk about the difference between religion and relationship, why what feels like guilt is often conviction, and how real transformation doesn’t stop when the message ends — it keeps preaching through your life.

David shares a powerful perspective: his story isn’t about an Iranian who got saved… it’s about a Christian becoming more like Christ.

We also dive into the theology of hospitality — how Jesus didn’t just preach truth, He made space at the table. Because love is a magnet. People don’t just want answers… they want to belong.

This conversation is about dying to yourself, choosing kindness when it’s costly, and realizing that maturity isn’t just what you know — it’s how aware you are of God moving around you.

Tune into the premiere tonight at 7:30PM on the Rich Wilkerson Jr. YouTube Channel 🔗

I love conversations that challenge the way we think about leadership and who we’re becoming.
On this episode of Mature Me, I sit down with my friend @ryanleak, a husband and father of two, New York Times best selling author and speaker.
We talk about the moments that shape you- from his surprise wedding that gained national attention to his connection to Kobe and practicing with the NBA. We talk what it looks like to actually process loss and how stillness before God becomes essential in seasons of pressure.
Ryan shares the shift that changed everything. Moving from chasing success to chasing failure. Letting go of fear and stepping into rooms believing God has already gone before you.
If your communication is about you, it’s ego. If it’s for others, it’s impact. Maturing is learning how to lay down the crown you were never meant to carry.

This week I sat down with one of the coolest people I’ve ever met. @scottharrsion is the founder and CEO of @charitywater, a nonprofit organization that has
funded over $1 Billion for clean and safe drinking water projects for over 20 million people
around the world

From being a top nightclub promoter to becoming the recipient of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Humanitarian Award in 2024 Scott is one of the most influential social entrepreneurs of our time

We talk about how calling often finds you when you stop chasing it, why proximity to pain changes everything, and how a simple ideas can make the biggest impact. His idea of “what if 100% of donations went straight to the work” helped spark a global movement bringing clean water to millions of people

Scott shares about building a culture of generosity, raising kids with perspective, dreaming again at 50, and why comfort might give you everything except your calling

This conversation is about purpose, conviction, and refusing to live in apathy when the need is so great.

Tune into the premiere tonight at 7:30PM on the Rich Wilkerson Jr. YouTube Channel 🔗

On this episode of Mature Me, I sit down with a longtime friend in the faith @markpettus

Mark preached his first sermon just one month after getting saved and now serves as lead pastor of one of the biggest churches in America @churchofthehighlands. His life has been marked by faith, obedience, and a quiet commitment to stay planted when many people would move on.

We talk about 15 years of friendship, the power of staying, and the transition to the role of lead pastor.

Sometimes you’re the quarterback… sometimes you’re the long snapper 🤣 Either way, the goal is the same: serve the mission.

Mark shares stories about trusting spiritual authority, learning to lead through “no,” and discovering the grace God gives for today. Because maturity isn’t about chasing position — it’s about stewardship.

This conversation is about planting your life in God’s purpose, embracing the challenge, and becoming more like Jesus along the way.

Tune into the premiere tonight at 7:30PM on the Rich Wilkerson Jr. YouTube Channel 🔗