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.

Monday, June 29, 2015

Fast Five Review: Are We There Yet week 2

Here's five "Tweetables" you can Facebook, Tweet, or Instagram to share the truth of Jesus with others!

1. Your past doesn't determine your future!

2. God can use where you've come from to build you for where you're going.

3. We have to let God do powerful things IN you before He will do powerful things THROUGH you!

4. You're never too much of anything for God to do something with!

5. Even when your faith feels low... remember you're still called


Share. Post. Invite.
See you Thursday @ 7 or Sunday @ 9:30 or 11:00

Saturday, June 27, 2015

God Wastes Nothing

As most of you know when I was 23 I was diagnosed with WPW (Wolfe-Parkinson White). A heart condition that creates extra pathways in your heart and can cause your heart to skip beats, speed up unannounced, and more. Most of the WPW cases are never diagnosed, because it's typically not too bad of a condition. But, of course, I'm not MOST people. Through a course of surgeries, being shocked on the table 3 times, heart kept beating through a catheter, my AV Node being blocked off, and spending a night in CCU, as well as a pacemaker being implanted... I gave my heart back to Jesus, in a hospital and invited Him to take me where He wanted. Ministry it was. (This is just a portion of my testimony)

I spent the next 5 years in youth ministry, watching God take me higher, change more lives, and increase my walk with Him in ways I could never have actually imagined. Then God called me to begin a church in Columbia, SC... Radiate Church. The church that is changing lives daily. The church that is shaking a city. The church that is growing leaps and bounds each week...in every way possible. The church that doesn't care as much about "religious correctness" or "political correctness" as much as we do "loving God and others". The church that changed my life...and hundreds of others.

A few months ago I had to go back to my cardiologist due to some a-typical symptoms. After some tests and discussions... what I thought was "fixed" and "taken care of" for the past 8 years, had returned. I was informed I'd developed Cardiomyopathy (in easy terms: basically very early heart failure) due to my pacemaker pacing my heart 100% of the time. My blood flow rate in my heart had dropped, over the past few years, to right around 40%, the normal healthy person is right on 60%. I had experienced symptoms for a little over a year, and had just pushed through because I thought they were "just because I had a heart issue".

My energy level had dropped. My stamina was lessening. All while I was actually getting healthier in my life. After discussion it was determined everything could be reversed with a surgery, of a 3rd wire added to my heart muscle, and a new pacemaker/technology that will reverse it back to 60%, and "prolong my life". July 6 is the day that I pray that I will get back to normal. After a several week layout I'm told I'll be able to see a difference "quickly". Until then I have to "take it easy and relax" when I feel my heart and my energy level do something abnormal. Something that's difficult for me to do.

Here's why I write this (and it has NOTHING to do with you feeling sorry for me) - that recent diagnosis ran a gambit of emotions in me. Anger, fear, hurt, confusion, sadness, fear, death, uncertainty, and did I say fear? Why fear? You sit in a doctor's office at 31 years old, thinking your heart issues were controlled and hear that you have early heart failure. I have a growing church to lead, kids to love, a wife to adore, a family to make proud, and a vision to fulfill. I don't have time to "take it easy and relax", and I sure don't have time to be dealing with early heart failure!

Then God broke the emotions with a word... "No one knows how much time they have left. You don't know how much time you really have left. What are you going to do to make the most of what you know you have in front of you?" Reality check much? ABSOLUTELY!

As we argue about pieces of fabric we call flags. As we argue about the right to marry whomever we want. As we argue about denominational differences/beliefs and as we fight back and forth about whether or not we should drink alcohol to be saved... I've realized something - We don't have time for that!?

Now that I've offended you let me explain. In Matthew 28 Jesus gives a going away command. "Go into all the nations and make disciples. Baptizing them in the Father, The Son, and the Holy Ghost. Teaching them to obey all that I command." Now I don't know about you but I've heard/read that my entire life but it became real to me. Why? Because it doesn't tell me one thing about walking around and yelling at everyone until they agree with me. It tells me to make disciples - EVERYWHERE I GO! I make a disciple by investing in them and loving them - EVERYWHERE I GO! That means when I disagree or agree. When I like them and when I don't.

Baptize means to "submerge into" - so I am to SUBMERGE them into the love of the Father, the forgiveness of the Son, and the guidance/power of the Holy Spirit - EVERYWHERE I GO! And to teach them to obey all that He commands means that I show them what it looks like - EVERYWHERE I GO! And here's the kicker... none of what's going on in this world is a surprise to God.

Here's where I'm going. I don't know how much time I have left on this earth. I'm told that the surgery will prolong my life - I believe the doctors when they say that, but they aren't God. And reality check for you too... You don't know how much time you have left either! My concern isn't you agreeing with me or liking me anymore. My concern isn't fulfilling people's expectations or thoughts of me. My concern is one thing... LOVE PEOPLE TO JESUS AND LET HIM FIGURE OUT THE REST! I'm determined to SHAKE MY CITY by introducing as many as possible to the life God intended. If that offends you, you'll be ok I promise. But understand something... I love you! But more importantly, Jesus loves you - and because of that - we will ALL love Him and others EVERYWHERE we go!

And this is why I'm 100% certain... God never fastest a thing! He always takes what feels like the end for us, and makes it the beginning of something else! Join me... Let's shake this city and love people to Jesus!

Sunday, June 21, 2015

Fast Five: Father's Day



Here's a recap of Sunday's Father's Day service with 5 quick "Tweetables". Enjoy/Share/Invite

1. Although on the outside things may look bad. At it's core everything is good! Because God made it that way!

2. Noah was chosen to be favored by God, because he decided to live his life according to God's desires!

3. Righteousness is the act of clearing everything through the cross; not being perfect!

4. Righteousness is an inward act of God. Blamelessness is the outward example of righteousness.

5. The only way future generations will be world shakers is for fathers to reverse the course and become favored!

Based on the message "Favored Fathers" in Genesis 6:8-10,18-19.

Tuesday, June 9, 2015

Fast Five: 6.7.15



Here's a Fast Five recap for the last message of the Psalm 23 series - Psalm 23:6. Share, enjoy, and share again!

1. Our response to God's goodness is to sit still in it, or to share it with others!

2. The job of the sheep is simple: Leave this place better than you found it!

3. "The good men do, lives after them." Sir Alfred Tennyson

4. To dwell in the house of the Lord is to accept the cross of Jesus, to love Him, and to love others!

5. Our job is to love people to Jesus, not condemn them to my way of thinking.


Update us on the challenges given at the end of each message. Remember:
1. What is something you can do in 7 days to leave this place better than we found it?
2. What is something you can do in 24 hours to leave this place better than we found it?
3. Who are 3 people you need to do everything you can to bring with you to church?

Share your stories at YouMatter@radiatechurch.net, use social media and use "#youmatter" or "#radiatechurch", or message the church on Facebook!

Wednesday, June 3, 2015

3 Ways To Lead Differently

Leadership. It's a disease that infects and effects everyone around you. The deal is simple: you either become a leader or you don't. I wanted to take a few minutes and spell out 3 ways to be a more effective leader today, but before I do, let me begin with 3 things that leadership is NOT!

1. Leadership is NOT Authority!
That's right! If your leadership is dependent on the amount of authority you possess from a higher authority, you're not being a leader. You're being a dictator!
2. Leadership is NOT a Position!
If your leadership is dependent upon a position that you inhabit, you'll be taking a walk without a following very quickly. You can be a leader without a position!
3. Leadership is NOT Glamorous!
Most people look at successful leaders and have the misconception that it's glamorous! But what they don't see is the long hours, sleepless nights, stress attacks, and headaches caused by being a successful leader.

Now that we see what a leader is NOT, let's look at 3 ways we can lead differently and become better leaders...instantly!

1. Lead By Following.
Leading means you'll have people on your "teams" that are following you. They are following you to a destination that is scary, uncertain, and oftentimes makes others feel out of their comfort zone (or at least it should). The best way to lead someone to follow vision, is to show them how to follow vision. I've said it before and will say it again... you can NOT be a successful leader without being a selfless follower! And remember this, "More is caught than taught."
2. Lead With Humility
A humble leader is a confident/strong leader. Too many times we get caught up in the cycle of having to be the owner of the best ideas, the most successful risks, and the most impressive team members. Instead of taking the credit for that, give the credit to the ones that served their tails off for next to nothing to make it happen! Leading with humility means that you realize that nothing about who you are makes you special except 2 things: 1 - God, 2 - your team!
3. Lead By Delegation
This may seem counterproductive but this is one of the greatest keys to being a successful leader... DELEGATE! Don't give position without giving authority... in fact, I'd say don't give position UNTIL you've delegated authority. Ask your self a couple of questions: what is it that only I can do to further this organization? What is it that I'm weak at? Who is strong in the areas I'm weakest? How can I enable others to be most effective? If you can ask those questions and master them... you'll become a successful leader by allowing strong leaders to lead at what they are good at, while you lead/develop more leaders!
BONUS: Lead Through Celebration
Don't forget who's serving the vision with you! Andy Stanley, Lead Pastor of North Point Community Church in Atlanta Georgia says this: "What's celebrated is repeated." Celebrate what you want repeated, and don't pay attention to what shouldn't be repeated. Sure, you'll have to hold team members and other leaders accountable to things, but overall...spend more time celebrating your team than condemning them. Write thank you notes, buy them their favorite candy, schedule fun days, etc.

I hope these few points help you in leadership as much last they have and are helping me in my leadership endeavors! My job is to grow as a leader, because as I grow so grows the organization. Let's grow together... share some of your leadership ideas/concepts.

Monday, June 1, 2015

Fast Five - 5.31.15

Here's a Fast Five recap of this weekend's powerful message "Your Cup Runs Over"

1. You aren't on the same level as your enemies. Don't sit at the table, inhabit the table!

2. You become a product of your environment. Be careful of your environment!

3. Allow the Holy Spirit to become a continuous application in your life, He's a solvent that solves it all!

4. Just because you're bitter, cold, and "finished" doesn't mean God's finished with you!

5. God walks with you daily, and knows just when you need what you need. Your cup is running over!


Share! Post one a day. Whatever you want to do, share the promises in this!