Podcast appearances and mentions of gary wilkerson

This week, J.John is joined by Gary Wilkerson, who reflects on a remarkable family heritage of Christian ministry, from a chaplain in the American Civil War to generations of revivalists and church leaders. As the son of David Wilkerson, Gary shares the story behind his father's ministry, including his work with young people in New York, the well-known account of Nicky Cruz, and the founding of World Challenge, which Gary now leads as President. In this conversation, he offers insight into the ongoing work of World Challenge in supporting and resourcing the global Church, and reflects on themes from his book The Jaw-Dropping Beauty of Jesus, based on the book of Hebrews, exploring a deeper understanding of Christ and its relevance for faith today.

Gary Wilkerson's first message at Spiritual Emphasis began with a powerful call to worship, inviting the room to slow down, praise Jesus with real words, and behold the beauty of the Savior. Drawing from the hymn “Fairest Lord Jesus” and the writings of Samuel Rutherford, Gary reminded us that Jesus is more beautiful, more glorious, and more sufficient than anything creation can offer. Preaching from Romans 5:15–21, Gary then unpacked the difference between Adam's trespass and Christ's free gift. Through one man, Adam, sin entered the world and brought death, guilt, condemnation, and separation from God. But through one man, Jesus Christ, grace abounded, righteousness was given, and eternal life became available to all who believe. “The free gift is different,” Gary said. Adam unleashed sin into the world, but Jesus absorbed it on the cross. Adam's disobedience made many sinners, but Christ's obedience makes many righteous. What Adam brought through sin, Jesus reversed through grace. This message calls us to receive the full confidence of what Jesus has done. In Christ, we are not simply trying to act righteous. We have been made righteous. We are not the old person we once were. We are a new creation, cleansed by the blood of Jesus and held securely in His hand. The application is simple and life changing: do not call unclean what God has made clean. Start speaking, believing, and living from the truth of who you are in Christ. The old has passed away, the new has come, and grace reigns through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Romans 8 opens with one of the most powerful declarations in Scripture: “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.” Gary Wilkerson preached a message about freedom from condemnation, freedom from self-effort, and freedom from the exhausting cycle of feeling “in and out” with God. Many believers wrestle with the thought that they are in the Spirit when they are doing well, but back in the flesh when they stumble, struggle, or feel weak. Romans 8 gives us a better word. Gary reminded students that the law of the Spirit of life has set us free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death. The flesh could not save us. Trying harder could not save us. Religious effort, stronger promises, and moral performance could not deliver us. “For God” did what the law could not do by sending His own Son. “This is true all the time,” Gary said of the promise of no condemnation. He also declared, “You, however, are not in the flesh, but you're in the Spirit.” This message teaches that Jesus not only removes our sin, but gives us His righteousness. He changes the operating system of our lives. In Christ, we are not living in and out, up and down, condemned one day and accepted the next. We belong to Him. His Spirit dwells in us. His life is at work in us. The application is simple and powerful: stop trying to do in your own strength what only Jesus can do. Believe that there is no condemnation in Christ. Set your mind on the Spirit. Trust the righteousness Jesus has placed within you, and walk in the life and peace He has already won.

Our only solution in accomplishing God's purposes is through the Spirit-empowered love of Christ.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

True faith chooses not by what looks appealing to the flesh, but by keeping our focus fixed on Jesus.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

Jesus's teaching on love is a deep, sacrificial love that calls us to lay down our lives for others.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

When we step forward in faith, trusting God's plan, he leads us to victory.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

Sometimes when God calls us into impossible situations, he's calling us to take the first step by faith.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

Step out in faith and trust God to provide the strength needed to cross into the promises he has prepared for you.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

Spiritual growth requires courage to move beyond disappointment and trust God enough to step into the unknown.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

God calls us to walk in faith toward his purpose, trusting that he will be with us as we obey him.

We can experience true happiness through trusting God's Word and living in his presence.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

When faced with fear, Jesus meets us with patience, speaks peace, and calls us to believe.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

Because Christ is risen, our faith is not futile, our sins are forgiven, and our hope is alive, both now and for eternity.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

Because Jesus paid it all through his death and resurrection, his finished work defeated death and gives believers new life.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

Because Jesus rose from the dead, believers are not only forgiven but empowered to live each day in newness of life.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

A life that reflects the glory of our Lord's giving nature is by giving our all for others with agape love.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

Jesus takes us from blessedness to brokenness because it's the only way to bring us to real spiritual maturity.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

There is something much better than a blessed life of getting, and that is a broken life of giving.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

Jesus Christ told his disciples that just as the Father had given to him, he would give power, unity, and the Holy Spirit to his followersSubscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

A holy and majestic God not only prepares a home for us but dwells in us.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

Believers won't ‘go to Egypt' when times are tough or the world turns on us, if we have truly seen the nature of the God who has called us.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

Encountering God should always change some part of our lives and move us toward what he wants for us.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

When God speaks of separating from the world, he doesn't mean removing ourselves from it. The separation he desires takes place in the heart.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

In this urgent and sobering message from Fire in Our Bones, Gary Wilkerson delivers a prophetic warning to the church about the spiritual condition of the culture and the danger of mistaking outward improvement for true transformation. Preaching from Matthew 12 and Romans 1, he warns that temporary moral cleanup, political shifts, or cultural corrections are not the same as revival. If a generation is merely swept and ordered on the outside but remains empty on the inside, darker forces will return with even greater intensity. As Gary says, “We have not had a real revival,” and the church must not be lulled into comfort by appearances. At the same time, this message is not one of fear, but of holy resolve. Gary calls believers to prepare for a darker hour by becoming a stronger, purer, more Spirit-filled church. Rather than shrinking back, the people of God are called to stand, resist, pray, fast, and live with uncompromising love and holiness. One of the strongest burdens of the message is his conviction that “These are not going to be the darkest days for the church. I believe they're going to be the brightest days for the church,” because when evil rises, God raises up a people who are ready to shine. This is a call to spiritual resistance, deep consecration, and courageous faith for the days ahead.

In this sobering and deeply pointed message from Fire in Our Bones, Gary Wilkerson calls the church to honest repentance and spiritual wakefulness. Drawing from the life of Samson, he warns against the subtle compromises, tolerated sins, and repeated moments of disobedience that slowly drain spiritual strength and dull discernment. This is not a message of condemnation, but of mercy—a call from the kindness of God to deal with what has been left unchecked before it destroys intimacy, authority, and anointing. As Gary says, “The Holy Spirit is now trying to grab you by the scruff of the neck and pull you out of that fire,” and that urgent call is meant to rescue, not shame. With gravity, tenderness, and clarity, Gary reminds us that compromise rarely begins with a dramatic fall, but with small agreements, subtle seductions, and the false belief that sin can be managed. He warns that many can continue preaching, leading, and ministering without realizing how much strength has already been lost. Yet even here, grace is still reaching. In one of the strongest threads of the message, he points listeners back to the goodness of God, reminding us that “He wants you to leave here tonight knowing he's going to restore you,” and urging us to stop lingering near the fire and return fully to the presence of the Lord. The call is simple and urgent: “Deal with it tonight.”

In this deeply personal and faith-filled message from Day 3 of Fire in Our Bones, Gary Wilkerson weaves together testimony, mission, and exhortation to remind the church that prayer and compassion remain central to the heart of God. Sharing powerful stories of healing in his own family and testimonies of rescue among widows and orphans through World Challenge, Gary points the church back to a simple but urgent biblical call. At the center of the message is Paul's short but weighty appeal: “Brothers, pray for us.” Through that lens, Gary reminds believers that ministry is sustained not by activity alone, but by prayer, focus, and a heart aligned with what matters most to God. With tenderness, clarity, and conviction, Gary also reflects on the importance of clarifying calling in a distracted age. Rather than trying to do everything, he emphasizes the power of identifying the one thing God has especially entrusted to you and giving yourself fully to it. The message is filled with compassion for the vulnerable and gratitude for what God continues to do through surrendered lives. One of the clearest themes throughout is that “pure and undefiled religion” is not mere performance or appearance, but love expressed through prayerful, practical care for those in need. This session becomes both a testimony of God's faithfulness and a call to keep praying, keep focusing, and keep serving where God has truly called.

In this rich and practical panel conversation from Fire in Our Bones, Jonathan Skiles, Alberto Bello, James Force, Gary Wilkerson, and Ron Brown reflect on the church's calling to minister faithfully across generations. Together, they speak with honesty about the challenges facing the church today—division, consumer Christianity, fear of releasing younger leaders, and the tension of leading in a rapidly changing culture. Yet the heart of the discussion is deeply hopeful. Again and again, the panel returns to the conviction that God is moving powerfully in this moment, especially among younger generations who are hungry for truth, community, and the real presence of God. As one of the clearest themes of the panel puts it, “The message never changes, but the vehicle does.” With wisdom, humor, and pastoral depth, the conversation highlights both the burden and the beauty of ministry in this hour. The panelists emphasize the importance of sound theology, authentic discipleship, intergenerational unity, and a willingness to release the next generation into real responsibility. They also remind leaders not to lose sight of the joy of ministry itself—seeing lives transformed, families restored, and the gospel carried forward in fresh ways. At the center of the discussion is a call for the church to remain anchored in Christ while adapting its methods, building true community, and creating space for sons and daughters to carry the mantle into the future.

Christ made several clear distinctions between his kingdom and the world to his disciples, and it's important for us to recognize these too.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

God's cutting and pruning ends up producing joy, all from the hand of the expert gardener who loves us.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

God's pruning work in our lives isn't easy on us. In fact, it's painful, and it isn't pretty—but it yields glorious fruit that could not have formed any other way.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

If we are grafted into the vine that is Christ, we should all naturally start bearing spiritual fruit.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

Jesus is the vine, and we are branches extending from him; he is the source of all life flowing into us.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

If we want true guidance in life, we must get to know the good shepherd's voice. It may or may not come audibly, but it always comes through his written Word.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

When we are faced with a situation where the Bible gives a clear command, there should be no question of what God wants.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

All too often, worldly guides end up leading us in circles instead of into the rich and satisfying life Jesus designed for us.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

Only by immersing ourselves in God's pure Word will we become intimate with the look, sound, scent, and taste of that which comes from heaven.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

Jesus is up to more than just guidance; he is forming a relationship. He wants us to know more than just where to go. He wants us to know him personally.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcmin.us/ddsub

Today on The Dad Whisperer I'm joined by Gary Wilkerson, president of World Challenge and son of David Wilkerson (who wrote, “The Cross and the Switchblade”). He vulnerably shares about being a public figure while navigating the journey with a wayward daughter. If you need a story of HOPE and RESTORATION, you'll love hearing Gary share about his daughter Annie as they're now "on the other side after walking through good and bad times.”

Let every soul be loved and belong, and may we all be transformed by the amazing grace of our Savior.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcm.link/ddsub

Jesus loves you, accepts you, and forgives you; but there is very real fallout to sin. That's why sin is of great concern to God beyond the moral reasons of law-breaking.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcm.link/ddsub

Jesus had a very long list of things for which he could condemn all of us; but instead, he forgives and offers us grace.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcm.link/ddsub

God's light cut through legalism and condemnation to transform those who sought his Son.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcm.link/ddsub

All believers play John the Baptist's role in God's kingdom, paving the way for people to receive Jesus. When that is our singular focus, all else falls into its rightful place.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcm.link/ddsub

Jesus himself says that greatness is measured in how well we serve others.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcm.link/ddsub

Oftentimes it's the little, nagging issues that keep us from walking fully in God's calling to abundant life in him.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcm.link/ddsub

By revealing his covenant to us, God wants to remove any doubts we have about his ability to keep us.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcm.link/ddsub

Everything Jesus did on earth was for the purpose of fulfilling the terms of the covenant he had made with the Father.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcm.link/ddsub

God laid out the type of ministry his Son would undertake to redeem humankind.Subscribe to daily devotions e-mails: https://wcm.link/ddsub