Introducing People To The Life God Intended

Brandon Goff. Lead Pastor of Radiate Church in Columbia, SC. Married to Megan, 2 kids - Brody and Kiley.

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Why Are We Doing Thursday Services?

Since my wife and I, along with a few others began Radiate Church 3 years ago, we've always believed God to do something HUGE! Large vision requires large risks with then results in God sized results. We've never thought Radiate Church would be a single location church, that worries about those within it's walls, stuck at 100-200 people. We've always seen a very large, multi-cultural, multi-generational, life-giving church that exists, promotes, and helps it's community! And we are doing everything we can, regardless of risk, to reach as many as possible and introduce them to the life God intended!

A month ago, during a Team Leader's meeting, we discussed how God has doubled the amount of people that we are introducing to the life God intended in 3 months. We discussed how God has provided us a phenomenal structure to facilitate ministry, and we discussed what we could do to continue to give God room to show off within us! We came to a conclusion... Sunday mornings on Thursday nights!

Here's why:
- During the summer many people take vacations from Friday-Sunday. We want to always give our families room to enjoy each other's company, lives, and memories, so give them a chance to go on vacation and NOT MISS CHURCH! Thursdays was the answer.

- We are within 40 minutes of 3 major hospitals, along with an orthopedic hospital just across the street. Many of their employees work on weekends therefore they can't attend Sunday services. Why not bring Sunday services to them! Thursdays was the answer.

- Why not do it on Wednesday? Around here many churches have Wednesday night service along with a myriad of kids opportunities. We wanted to do Sunday mornings reborn...so instead of fighting the Wednesday night mindset, let's create a new night. Thursdays was the answer.

- We want to be consistently and actively introducing 400 people to the life God intended by the end of August. In order for us to chase that vision we had to create more room. Thursdays was the answer.

- We wanted to create a chance where people could get a quality encounter with Jesus during the week to be encouraged to live the life God intended. Thursdays was the answer.

You see, for every church there's different styles, risks, and decisions that must be made in order to grow into the vision God has given them. For us, our next step (not only do we ask you to take your next step, the church takes next steps as well), for the summer, is Thursdays. Because for us, introducing more and more people to the life God intended, means that Thursdays are the answer!

We kick of May 28 at 6pm with a cookout, service begins at 7pm and we have a special gift for everyone in attendance. It will continue every Thursday night at 7pm for June-July... Sunday morning on Thursday night. Are Thursdays your answer?

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Fast Five - Recap of Psalm 23:4

Here's a Fast Five for week 4 of our series, Psalm 23!

1. Just because you're walking right, doesn't mean it won't feel wrong sometimes.

2. When you begin to dwell in your darkness, it's no longer a walk, it's a destination.

3. The shadow in your life is proof of the existence of the light!

4. Valley's are the most fruitful moments of your life, don't miss the valley for the mountaintop.

5. Once Jesus gets you where you need to go, you'll pass under His rod and HE will make you better!

Share them. Enjoy them. Digest them!

Thursday, May 21, 2015

3 Things To Know Before You Grow

Everyone in life seeks to get get bigger and better at different areas of life. For some it's in their job, for some in their marriage, for others it's in sports. Whatever you have it set to get bigger and better at in life, I believe there are 3 things you need to know BEFORE you get bigger and better.

1. Some People Won't Like It
We've all been there. We were doing something, making decisions and acting on them and everything felt great! Everything was going smoothly until Negative Nancy steps up and becomes your first and loudest critic. In that moment it seemed as though everyone was suddenly against you. You began to question everything you were doing, why you were doing it, how you were doing it, and whether you should continue doing it. But, just 24 hours ago you KNEW you were doing everything correctly. What happened? You (or at last I have) expected everyone to like what you were doing, the growth you were encountering, and the decisions you were making. You have to understand that not everyone will like it when you begin growing and making decisions to get bigger and better. They don't get it, they are jealous, or some just straight don't understand. Either way remember the old saying "If you strive to please everyone, you'll please no one."Decide who you're trying to "please" and listen to them, everyone else... keep their thoughts at a distance.

2. It Takes Work
Michael Jordan was Lebron James before Lebron was born. Michael was the greatest basketball player on the planet, and in my opinion always will be. (that doesn't mean Lebron isn't equal or great too) But Michael didn't just wake up as the greatest player on the planet. Lebron didn't wake up with incredible skills on the basketball court. They both spent countless hours in gyms, driveways, friends houses shooting shots, learning their "sweet spots" for their shot, learning ball handling skills, and more. What happens a lot of times when we want to get bigger and better is most people want the reward without the work. The reward ALWAYS comes after the work! Don't look at the reward someone else is encountering and forget that somewhere along the line they have put in MUCH work, and are probably still putting in the work. That CEO that you work for that you get mad because he's playing golf today while you're working...He spent years upon years sitting in offices working while you were home with your family. Anything great that ever happened happened after work! What do you need to do to increase your personal capacity to handle/do more? What do you need to do to help your organization increase? What are you WILLING to do to make that happen?

3. Deception Is Deceptive
It's popular to think that if we fudge the numbers a little, make people think things are happening that aren't, or some other forms of deception that everything will turn around. In the church world we say "we're speaking it as if it were." - or you're just lying. Be real about where you are. I mean, really you can't get to where you want to go until you know where you currently are. When you allow deception to creep in to your thoughts of where you currently are, you're being distracted from how to get where you want to go. If you're not very good at something right now...that's ok! Own it! Change it! Or work on what you are good at - but stop deceiving yourself!

I believe within every one of us there are great things locked up (Ephesians 3:20), the key is doing our part to unlock it. Understanding these 3 things before you get there will help you when you do get there! It's helped me! What do you think?

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

8.5 Reasons Thursday Services Are Awesome!

Maybe you've heard, maybe you haven't... we are beginning services on Thursdays at 7pm on May 28! Below are 7.5 reasons you should join us on Thursdays this summer!

1. Everyone needs a vacation. And now you don't have to miss church too!

2. Sometimes you have to work on the weekends, now you don't have to miss church!

3. It's the same thing as Sunday morning, only on Thursdays!

4. Sometimes you just want to sleep late on a Sunday!

5. Everyone says "You're a little different" anyway...now be different and go to church on Thursdays!

6. Livewire Teens will be meeting at the same time each Thursday! Now your entire family can enjoy church!

7. Radiate Kids is amazing, now they can get a mid-week fix!

8. Our kickoff service (May 28) we will have a cookout for everyone starting @ 6, and everyone that attends gets a free gift!

8.5. Because Jesus would! (BOOM!)


Invite someone to join you! Most of us don't like doing anything else alone, don't come to church alone! See you on May 28!

Monday, May 18, 2015

Fast Five - 5.17.15

Yesterday Pastor Chuck Barrineau from Durant, OK delivered an awesome message to us on Psalm 23:3! Here's 5 bite sized pieces for you to take away and use! Tweet these, Facebook them, share this post - get it moving around - you never know... it could change someone's life!

1. If you're having a bad day, it's ok, even King David had bad times!

2. Acknowledge your situation, but never lose sight of who can bring you through it!

3. Sometimes you need to tell the voices that aren't the shepherd's (God's) to SHUT UP!

4. You can't expect to effect a generation if you aren't willing to serve your generation's church!

5. Just because you've been "cast down" doesn't mean you're dead, it means God can pick you back up and help you walk again!


Have a great week!