We're doing a series right now called "Torn—Of Pain, Suffering and God" and it's a four-week series through the Book of Job. It's been a fantastic experience. It's like every weekend is really heavy, definitely dealing with pain and those sorts of core issues. The Book of Job is so rich and so challenging at the same time because Job doesn't ever really answer the question of suffering. It just upholds the question—that God is sovereign and that He's good and that we suffer. Just going through the text though, and letting the Bible speak; and trying to apply it to people's lives has been so much fun.
That's where I feel like, more and more, my teaching and my preaching is going. I'm less concerned about being creative even though I'm in a highly creative church. Less concerned about people walking away saying, "Man, that was an amazing speaker." I'm way more passionate and concerned about them saying, "We have an amazing God; and that was amazing what He communicated in His Word, and I want to get to know Him more."
Preaching: Most of us that don't live in the Vegas area would think of that as an overwhelmingly secular environment. Do you find yourself taking a different approach in your preaching, given that environment, as compared to being in another area of the country?Wilhite: Absolutely. Everything's got to be explained. Absolutely nothing can be assumed every weekend. And that's a challenge because even our basic language that we use as Christians has to be clarified.
I'll never forget—I did this message, and I had a glass mirror and wrote on the mirror. It was a message based on the book Eyes Wide Open. And so I wrote on the mirror all the things that we see when we look in the mirror—
failure, unworthy, unloved—whatever it may be. I went down a whole lot of different perspectives people have. And the whole message was about seeing ourselves as God sees us.
So at the end of the message I smashed this mirror, and behind the mirror is the word
grace on the mirror—it was a double mirror. So the mirror behind it is the reveal, and it says
grace. So when you look in the mirror, you see God's grace, see His mercy, see His forgiveness.
And I had a guy come up to me after service. He says, "That was so great, that was powerful. I just have one question: What is grace?" Even words like
grace, you just assume after awhile; and I slip into it.
I still have to fight it. So everything has to be explained.
At the same time I do feel like the more you challenge people, and the more honest you are about the Bible being your guide and teaching the Bible authentically, you don't have to compromise. You don't have to cut all the corners on it. You don't have to answer all the questions. You don't have to dumb it down and make it easy. You can explain it in everyday language, but you can explain it in such a way that it doesn't dumb it down; and you can challenge people with it. I think the more people are challenged, the more we're seeing people respond and step up and follow that kind of leadership in their life.
Preaching: What do you love most about preaching in the church where you are now?Wilhite: One of the dynamics that I appreciate about this specific church is there really isn't much of a pallet for Christianity or for the faith, so they truly are looking to me to paint that picture for them. We get to start at ground zero with people in their spiritual journey. There are challenges to that. It's very messy because it takes years to develop spiritually mature people. I definitely feel like we've got a church filled with people just beginning their spiritual journey over the last few years.
So that's a challenge, but it's also a lot of fun because you feel like you're empowered to make disciples and to have a real input in how those disciples are made. You're not inheriting everybody else's perceptions and baggage and problems and issues as much as you're creating your own now. And my whole thing has been, point them to the Word of God. Point them to the Bible as the Word of God. Teach it consistently and authentically. Teach it according to historic Christianity. And let God's Word not come back void.
Just don't underestimate how broken people are who you're going to be working with. I pastored in Texas for many years; and you see people come in, and they have their suits and their ties in that culture. They maybe put a little more pretty face on it, and church is a little more a part of the culture there. But don't underestimate how broken that family or that individual may really be beneath the veneer.
The benefit I get in Las Vegas is there's no veneer. They just walk right in, and there it is. So my challenge there would be: Speak to the broken, and you'll always have an audience.
