Pastor Rodney Wilkinson Leads Boynton Beach, Florida, Church Born from Campus Bible Study

Rodney Wilkinson taught 7th-grade math and had planned to become an assistant principal. While a student at Florida Atlantic University, he was a new believer and started a Bible study in his dorm room with three students. He said it grew to more than 125. He called it a Bible study, but visiting pastors kept insisting it was a church, and that gathering became the basis for the church he now leads.

Wilkinson, who is also called Dr. Rodney, is lead pastor of Gospel Fellowship in Boynton Beach, a church launched from that study. He is also founder of South Florida Collective, which equips church planters to build churches that last. He described Gospel Fellowship as a gospel-centered, multi-ethnic, disciple-making church whose members include young professionals, young families, doctors and engineers. He said the church does not aim to produce a program for people to consume. During services, he said, the congregation may pause to interview a member who leads the church’s entrepreneurship group, or a lawyer, nurse or counselor who speaks about following Jesus in daily work in South Florida.

In his third year as pastor, Acts 29, a church-planting network, asked him to help assess church planters in the Southeast. He said that work led him to a deep appreciation for planters, and he described the challenges they often face. A planter may focus on preaching or worship without yet having systems, leadership development, financial stability or a discipleship strategy. He said some planters have seen solid churches close when rent rose sharply, and that the work can be lonelier than people expect. To address this, the South Florida Collective has sought to give planters ongoing community. He also recalled that his father worked overnight and planted a church by day, and said daytime resources for planters were out of reach for a man in that position. For men in similar situations, the organization created a Thursday-night cohort (Colossians 3:23).

Wilkinson said he is concerned that the church is not clear enough about mission, which he called “the tip of the spear.” He cited Barna’s estimate that South Florida needs 1,000 new churches to reach the lost. He said he views church planting as one of the healthiest things that can happen to a declining church, though he acknowledged that a new church gaining momentum nearby can be discouraging to an established pastor. He serves on the board of Church United, and he thanked Eddie Copeland and Brian Brookins, who lead that effort. He said the spirit of unity, patience, humility and cooperation among churches would be felt for decades.

Wilkinson said he has taken a Sabbath every week since the church began, a day without ministry work that he spends with his family and caring for his soul. Two years ago, he and his family took a three-month sabbatical. He said that without such intentional rest, it is easy to postpone it. He grew up as a pastor’s son, and he said his father was very driven and he saw little of him. He said he did not want the same for his own children. His oldest two missed some sports and activities other children had, but he said what he most wanted to give them was Jesus.

Wilkinson is married to Kiesha, whom he described as his high school sweetheart. She led worship at their Florida Atlantic University Bible study while students watched their two children. She is a nurse practitioner. When the church was planted, she was nervous about the role of a pastor’s wife, which he said is often expected to be very polished in the Black church tradition. She asked not to be called “first lady.” Their children are Jordan, 19, who attends FAU; Zion, in 11th grade; RJ, in eighth grade; and Gracie, in third grade.

For Gospel Fellowship, Wilkinson said the church is praying that God will open a door to purchase a school. He said this would be new for the congregation, offering a chance to serve not only students but their families. He also said he is encouraged that men involved with South Florida Collective are saying they want to use their lives to make much of Jesus, even at great cost to their families.

Source: Read the original report