how did we get here?
the history of radiant church
After serving as youth pastors at Savior’s Community Church in Visalia, and also responding to opportunities to serve in a variety of different churches, Travis & Tiffany Aicklen embarked on the adventure of launching Radiant Church with a group of friends.
Radiant Church begins to lease its first “official building" in North Visalia, at 110 N.E. 1st Street.
The church officially installs and ordains its first pastors/elders. Travis Aicklen, Mike Young and Eric Riley were set in as elders and served communion that Sunday to the nearly 150 people who called Radiant their home church at that time.
Radiant purchased its first building, located at 316 N.W. 3rd Street. This enabled us to put our creative touch on display within our location and also to lean into greater responsibility for our city. During this season the church goes to two services due to considerable growth in a relatively small building.
After a long and involved conversation, Radiant joins Confluence, which is part of the Newfrontiers family of churches internationally. We are excited to join in partnership with other churches with similar spiritual DNA and values.
Through God’s clear direction, Savior’s Community Church, started by Mark & Kathleen Condie in 1980, and was the home church for Travis & Tiffany Aicklen, joins Radiant Church. Since Travis & Tiffany grew up in Savior’s Community and left to start a Radiant 8 years earlier, this reuniting for God’s mission seemed nothing short of miraculous.
Radiant blesses and sends a small group to Sacramento to share the gospel and explore the planting of a new church.
As we have grown beyond a “family-size" church, we sense God’s direction to implement church membership.
Radiant Tulare is launched.
Sanctuary Church is planted in San Francisco
Radiant Tulare officially installs its first elders. Ryan Turner and Sam Mendes were set in as elders to serve the over 150 people who called Radiant Tulare their home church.
Exeter Valley Church joins our regional network.
Exeter Valley Church becomes Radiant Exeter.
We celebrate what God has done among us, as we look back at what started as a handful of friends meeting in a living room, and has now grown to over 800 people! It is beautiful and miraculous to see God continue to stir people with vision and faith, and to see Him extend us to plant new works around our valley, our state, and our world!