The New Wave of Stylish Pastors

Miami’s Jackie Gleason Theater is packed. Not just with thousands of people, but with the din of excitement and anticipation. “Make some noise!” cries Rich Wilkerson Jr. clutching not one, but two microphones. The crowd answers his request with a swell of applause and cheers. From his perch on a balcony above the crowd, Wilkerson makes his way down to the main floor to stand before an eagerly awaiting public. He takes the stage sporting suede boots, skinny drawstring Fear Of God pants, a reverse-layered faded black T-shirt and sweater, and a thin silver chain. With help from a world tour-ready sound system, Wilkerson commands the crowd like a charismatic conductor, motivating them to both thunderous cheers and introspective silence. But it’s not a rock concert, and Wilkerson Jr. isn’t a world-renowned musician. “Who’s happy to be in church?” Wilkerson half asks, half proclaims. It’s the first night of the 2015 Vous Conference (short for “rendezvous”), a 6-year-old “half ratchet, half righteous” three-day Christian meet-up that brings in guests from around the world to the iconic South Beach stage, and Wilkerson Jr. is just getting warmed up.