“We tend to think of miracles as the exceptions to the rule, and that’s one kind of miracle. There are miracles that defy the laws of nature, but the laws of nature are miraculous and mysterious in and of themselves. ‘We should always endeavor to wonder at the permanent thing, not the mere exception, said G. K. Chesterton. ‘We should be startled by the sun, and not by the eclipse.’” So writes Mark Batterson in his new book, A Million Little Miracles: Rediscover the God Who Is Bigger Than...

“One of my biggest pet peeves is hearing shepherds say, ‘Ministry would be great if it weren’t for the people,’” writes Craig T. Owens. “In essence they are saying, ‘I am happy to do this, as long as there aren’t any difficult sheep to deal with.” He goes on to conclude: “Sheep are your ministry! Even the sheep that bite you, kick you, betray you, and abandon you.” The question pastors need to ask is how to minister to people who cause them pain. That’s the question I ask Owens in this...

"Establishing the Church among all peoples everywhere by reaching, planting, training, and serving” is the mission of Assemblies of God World Missions. AGWM divides its work into five regions: Africa, Asia Pacific, Eurasia, Europe, and Latin America. Over the next few months, I plan to interview AGWM’s five regional directors about the challenges, opportunities, and key initiatives they lead. I’m George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host. In this episode of the...

Happy Reformation Day! On this date in 1517, Martin Luther, an Augustinian monk and theology professor at the University of Wittenberg, posted his famous “Ninety-five Theses” protesting the sale of indulgences on the door of Wittenberg’s Castle Church. Luther intended to reform the Catholic church from the inside. His critique of the church went beyond its corrupt practices to the bad theology underlying them, however. Over time, this critique led Luther and like-minded reformers to break...

“Evangelical giving is down. Way down. Nearly every measure. Across the board.” So states The Giving Gap: Changes in Evangelical Generosity, a new report from Grey Matter Research and Infinity Concepts. The report goes on to say: “The numbers paint an increasingly bleak picture of evangelical generosity — a situation which has the potential to impact every church, every denomination, every parachurch ministry, and even many secular nonprofits.” In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I...

“Today, we see real trouble in America’s churches, and many wonder whether Christianity can survive,” writes Joseph Castleberry. “I believe that we will not only survive, but we will see our greatest numerical growth, our greatest season of anointing, and our most important time of influence in the next 30 to 40 years — if Jesus tarries.” Impressive revivals will come to American churches over the next 25 years, setting the stage for the next Great Awakening —the sixth such Awakening in...

“Despite the Western church’s slow pace developing women leaders, Western culture is increasingly producing women leaders in business, the academy, entertainment, medicine, and government,” writes Anna Morgan. “If we do not provide leadership development opportunities for gifted young Christian women inside our local churches, then they may well pursue leadership opportunities outside the church, thus weakening it.” In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk to Morgan about how...

“Establishing the Church among all peoples everywhere by reaching, planting, training, and serving” is the mission of Assemblies of God World Missions. AGWM divides its work into five regions: Africa, Asia Pacific, Eurasia, Europe, and Latin America. During the fall of 2024, I plan to interview AGWM’s five regional directors about the challenges, opportunities, and key initiatives they lead. I’m George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host. In this episode of the...

“As parents and followers of Christ, few areas of our lives can prompt more guilt, insecurity, and anxiety than discipling our children,” writes Brian Dembowczyk. “We want to disciple. We try to disciple. But more often than not, we fail to disciple.” In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk to Dembowczyk about why we fail to disciple our kids and how we can begin to do so effectively. I’m George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host. Brian Dembowczyk, Ph.D.,...

“Studying the Bible is of essential importance in our Christian discipleship; therefore, we need to take seriously the interpretive enterprise.” So write Jacqui Grey and Paul Lewis in their new book, Introduction to Biblical Interpretation, part of the Foundation for Spirit-Empowered Christianity series published by BakerAcademic. In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk to them about what Pentecostals bring to the task of biblical interpretation, and how to do it well. I’m George...

“History is, paradoxically, unalterable and in constant need of revision. The past does not change, after all, but we can change our understanding of it based on new facts or better interpretive frameworks. Daniel Isgrigg carefully examines stories (and myths) of Assemblies of God origins in this book, providing the kind of revision AG history needs today.” That’s what I wrote in a back-cover blurb for Isgrigg’s forthcoming book, Aspects of Assemblies of God Origins. In this episode of the...

According to 2020 Assemblies of God statistics, approximately one in five AG adherents is a kid 12 years old or younger. In a Fellowship with three million adherents, that amounts to roughly 600,000 kids who cycle through churches’ ministries on a regular basis. Does your church have a discipleship strategy in place to help these kids become lifelong followers of Jesus Christ? KidminRoadmap was designed to help your church answer that question with an enthusiastic and well-prepared “Yes”!...

In Matthew 28:19–20, Jesus gave the Great Commission to the Church: “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.” Jesus’ words are well known, but how well is the Church carrying out His commission? The Lausanne Movementexamines that...

“God is infinitely powerful; people are not. Your physical, emotional, and spiritual health affect the well-being of those Jesus has called you to serve. In this way, doing your part to care for yourself is not an act of selfishness — it is a necessary component of selflessness.” So writes Hal Donaldson in his new book, What Really Matters: How to Care for Yourself and Serve a Hurting World, cowritten with his daughter, Lindsay Donaldson-Kring and published in June by Baker Books. In this...

“As ones who have been shown mercy, may we [Christians] demonstrate God’s compassion toward those who embrace all things LGBTQ” writes Linda Seiler in Transformation. “At the same time, may we hold fast to God’s Word, refusing to compromise on His sacred design for sexuality that images the gospel. Such compassion without compromise reflects God’s heart and leads to transformation.” In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk to Seiler about her former desire to become a man, and how...

On June 3, 2024, Rick Ross began serving as general treasurer of the Assemblies of God, succeeding Choco De Jésus, who became executive director of AG U.S. Missions. In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk with Ross about what the general treasurer does and how well the AG is doing financially, as well as financial advice for AG congregations and ministers. I’m George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host. Rick Ross, D.Min., has deep roots in the AG, and...

“Crisis communication is a crucial aspect of managing any organization’s reputation and maintaining public trust during a time of great challenge,” writes Phil Cooke in Church on Trial. “For churches and Christian ministries, crisis communication is particularly important because they are often viewed as trusted institutions in their communities, and their responses to calamity can significantly impact their church members, donors, supporters, and the public’s perception.” In this episode...

“Do you find your inner life compromised by repeated yielding to sexual temptation?” So asked Arnold Fleagle and Don Lichi in their book, Broken Windows of the Soul. They went on to say: “You are not alone. The moral fabric of our culture is being ripped apart as large numbers of men and women are indulging in infidelity, perverted sexuality and pornography. … It is becoming increasingly difficult to find any individuals who are healthy and whole in their lifestyle.” In this episode of the...

“Christian Nationalism has garnered significant attention in recent years, owing to the potential dangers it poses for American democracy. Its specter has spurred newfound interest in the role of religion in American public life with fresh considerations of familiar questions: Is religion resurging as a force in politics? Will America’s Christian majority restrict the rights of religious minorities? Is Christian nationalism a real threat, or a small, extreme faction with outsized press...

On May 2, 1870, a baby was born in Centerville, Louisiana, to formerly enslaved parents. Raised in poverty, segregated by a white supremacist society, he nonetheless went on to lead one of the most significant revival movements of the twentieth century. I’m talking about William J. Seymour, of course, and the Azusa Street Revival he led from 1906–1909. This revival was a critical node in the social network of early Pentecostalism. Today is the 154th anniversary of Seymour’s birth; in honor...

“God didn’t call the perfect version of you, the version that has years of experience or the version that has it all figured out.” writes John Zick. “In fact, He has no desire for a version of you that does not desperately need him. Paul understood this when he said in 2 Corinthians 12:9 [NLT], ‘I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me.’” In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk to Zick about being called into ministry, recognizing...

“Church size matters to us far more than it should. From the pride it brings when the numbers are up to the shame and frustration it causes when the numbers are static or down, none of this provides a healthy foundation on which to build a healthy church body,” writes Karl Vaters. He goes on to suggest a solution: “We need to de-size the church.” In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk to Vaters about why bigness is a problem, why de-sizing the church is a solution, and how to do...

“To invest one’s life in the next generation for the sake of the kingdom of God is to do the work that Jesus did,” writes Lee Rogers. “Few will notice the nobility and spiritual richness of the work, yet for those who minister to the next generation, the value is high — and the impact is eternal.” In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk to Rogers about what NextGen ministry is, why it’s important, and what factors contribute to long-term effectiveness. I’m George P. Wood, executive...

“The entire second half of 1 Samuel is the story of an abuser hunting down a victim,” according to Jim Bradford. The abuser is King Saul, and his intended victim is David. “Saul literally threw spears,” Bradford notes; “abusive leaders do so figuratively. I recently heard Bradford preach a sermon about responding to abusive authority based on 1 Samuel and thought it would make an excellent podcast. After all, it seems that every few weeks news breaks about a pastor who has used their...