‘The harvest is here.’ Popular Miami church announces $32 million building renovation
One of Miami’s fastest-growing churches is beginning a major building renovation on its South Miami property — and partnering with a top luxury real estate group to make it happen.
VOUS Church broke ground earlier this month to begin transforming its South Miami property into a brand new 67,000-square-foot gathering space. In just 24 months, the church — lead by celebrity-adjacent pastor Rich Wilkerson Jr. — will have a new 17,000 sq ft auditorium which will fit over 1000 people, a new kids’ center and parking lot, according to the church’s website.
“We will also create additional amenities such as an indoor lobby, a resource corner, a broadcast control center, and more, all of which will provide our members and visitors with a seamless and comfortable experience,” the building plan on VOUS’ website reads. “At the completion of the project, our new facility will offer an unparalleled worship experience, inspiring and guiding all who come to find meaning and purpose in their lives through Jesus,”
VOUS, a nondenominational Christian church known for its bold branding and prolific social media presence, brought on Coral Gables-based architect WHAA to design the modern worship space.
“In designing a modern campus for VOUS Church Miami, we worked hard to capture the church’s dynamic, youthful energy while honoring its spiritual purpose and deep community roots,” WHAA wrote on its website.
WHAA has been working with VOUS since 2021 to design a nontraditional church that reflects VOUS’ distinct culture. The design focuses on open spaces, natural light and “creating environments that invite—not intimidate,” WHAA wrote on its website. “The central idea came from a mid-century concept of a ‘spiritual plaza’—a public, walkable campus where the central space would be a platform for connection.”
In a recent post on social media, Mocca Group, a luxury real estate and construction group, announced its involvement in the multimillion dollar renovation.
“Over the past few years, Mocca Group has partnered closely with VOUS Church—aligning vision, values, and design—to ensure this building becomes a beacon for worship, outreach, and connection,” reads a collaborative post on Instagram between Mocca Group, World Red Eye and Mocca founder Alex Pirez.
Mocca Group is responsible for the designs behind popular restaurants Carbone Miami and Catch in Miami Beach, as well as high-end residential real estate like a $27.5 million home in Coral Gables, which Mocca touted as the “most expensive non-waterfront property sold in Miami-Dade County.”
VOUS church and Mocca Group did not respond to the Herald’s request for comment.
The South Miami church project has been in the works for nearly four years.
In late 2023, the City of South Miami Environmental Review & Preservation Board approved the church’s construction project plans, including building permits for applicable zoning, land use, and environmental regulations. The final construction plan was approved by the state, county, and the city of South Miami in July 2025 and the church broke ground on August 4.
“Today we place shovels in the ground but make no mistake, this is more than a building project, this is a faith project,” lead pastor Wilkerson said in a video on YouTube that documented the groundbreaking. “Today as we break this ground, we aren’t just making space for steel and concrete, we are making space for souls.”
Located on 6767 Sunset Dr, just West of Sunset Place, the South Miami VOUS site was formerly a Texas-based church called Fellowship Church, until it was purchased by VOUS in 2021 for $6.5 million, according to Miami-Dade property records.
VOUS is projecting that the renovation will cost a $32.5 million, and the church is calling on its congregation to meet a fundraising goal of about half the total cost. A tracker on the church’s website shows that VOUS has already raised over $7.7 million in contributions.
During the ongoing construction, VOUS’s South Miami location will hold temporary services out of South Miami Senior High School.
‘Harvest is here’
VOUS Church, which has four other locations in Miami, was born out of a young adult gathering called “The Rendezvous,” according to a mission statement on VOUS’ website, a program that Wilkerson Jr. led out of his father’s church for several years.
But VOUS is a relatively new church — only nine years old — making its rapid success even more impressive, especially during a time when many legacy churches are closing their doors. Wilkerson Jr. established VOUS along with his wife and co-lead pastor DawnCheré Wilkerson in 2015 — back when the services were held in Jose De Diego Middle School in Wynwood. Since then, VOUS has expanded to permanent locations in South Miami, Little Haiti, the Design District and most recently, Miami Gardens.
READ MORE: Celeb pastor, savvy social media, chill vibe: How this Miami church keeps growing
Late last year VOUS purchased Trinity Church’s nine-acre lot in Miami Gardens for $12 million, according to Miami-Dade property records. It became the fourth VOUS church in January 2024 after Rich Wilkerson Sr. stepped down to take what he called a “medical sabbatical” to manage a severe health condition, according to a video announcement posted on VOUS’ website. Trinity Church plans to relocate to its original location in North Miami after renovating the original building.
For the growth of the South Miami or “SoMi” location, as the church calls it, husband and wife pastors Rich and Dawnchere Wilkerson expressed their gratitude for the community’s generosity, likening the building transformation to a farmer’s harvest.
“As we look back at the fruit of the past nine years, all we can say is thank you, Jesus. The harvest is here,” the Wilkersons wrote. “Farmers don’t hope for a harvest; they plan for one. The fields may change, but the sowing and reaping remain the same. This year, we have an opportunity to plant seeds of faith in fertile soil. As we prepare for this miracle we ask that you prayerfully consider putting your harvest hands to the plow.”
This story has been updated to include that the lead architect for the VOUS church renovation project is WHAA.
This story was produced with financial support from Trish and Dan Bell and from donors comprising the South Florida Jewish and Muslim Communities, including Khalid and Diana Mirza, in partnership with Journalism Funding Partners. The Miami Herald maintains full editorial control of this work.
This story was originally published August 31, 2025 at 5:30 AM.
