In this powerful episode of the Fatherhood Foundation Podcast, Pastor Brandon Sanders shares his raw and redemptive journey—from witnessing his mother’s murder as a child to ultimately forgiving the man who took her life… his own father. #father #god

What begins as a story of trauma and abandonment transforms into a testimony of healing, grace, and the life-changing power of forgiveness. Pastor Brandon opens up about addiction, fatherlessness, marriage struggles, and how God met him at his lowest to restore what was broken.

Whether you’ve been through pain, loss, or betrayal—this episode reminds us: no one is too far gone for redemption.

From Fatherless to Fathering | Pastor Brandon’s Redemption Story

“I didn’t know how to be a father… because I never knew how to be a son.”

In this powerful episode, Pastor Brandon shares his raw, redemptive journey from growing up fatherless to becoming a spiritual and practical father. He opens up about the wounds of his past, the mentors who showed up when he needed them most, and how God transformed his understanding of identity, masculinity, and love.

Whether you’re a father, mentor, or someone healing from your own story — this conversation is for you.

00:00 – Intro
00:28 – The impact of growing up fatherless
01:31 – Finding identity through scripture
02:30 – Why Pastor Brandon joined the Fatherhood Foundation
03:24 – Early mistakes as a father
04:32 – Learning to father through healing
05:08 – What a good father really provides
06:29 – Fathering vs. living through your kids
07:29 – Intentionality and being present
08:20 – Why masculinity becomes toxic
09:13 – A mentor asks: “Who are you?”
10:55 – Feeling like a failure as a father and pastor
12:22 – Love will always cost you something
13:37 – When they’re finally ready to receive
14:58 – Final encouragement: Don’t give up

What if leadership wasn’t about power, but about service?

In this episode of the Fatherhood Foundation Podcast, we sit down with Pastor Brandon from Mobile, Alabama, who shares his journey from growing up in foster care to leading global missions and mentoring at-risk youth. His take on servant leadership flips the script on everything the world teaches about success.

👉 You’ll learn:

Why true leaders serve first
How to lead without a title
The difference between Pharaoh leadership vs. Fathering leadership
Real stories of toxic vs. transformational leadership


01:00 – Introducing Pastor Brandon
02:25 – Birth of Urban Missionaries
03:55 – The Power of Intense Men & the Call to Lead
04:30 – Do Leaders Need Titles?
05:32 – Worldly Leadership vs. Servant Leadership
06:57 – Story of Toxic Leadership
08:29 – Mindset Shift: Learning from Bad Examples
08:58 – Good Leadership Modeled by Pastor Robert
09:58 – Fathering vs. Pharaoh Leadership
11:30 – First Steps to Leading Well
12:33 – Why Great Leaders Give Their Secrets Away
13:25 – Recap: The 3 Big Ideas on Leadership