Influence Podcast

Assemblies of God USA
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The Influence Magazine Podcast is a chance for you to hear from the premiere voices in church leadership…voices who are redefining what church leadership looks like. It's the audio companion to Influence Magazine, a resource full of practical tools, informative news and powerful biblical principals aimed at empowering all leaders. Visit us online at InfluenceMagazine.com

  1. vor 2 Std.

    428. Dangers Ministers Don't See

    Welcome to the Influence Podcast! I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host. In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk Assemblies of God General Superintendent Doug Clay about themes in his new book, Blind Spots: The Invisible Vulnerabilities Shaping Your Leadership, published by Gospel Publishing House. Introducing the topic of his book, Clay writes: "The most dangerous threats to spiritual leaders are not external opposition or cultural pressure, but rather the invisible vulnerabilities that distort calling and quietly erode faithful obedience. Every leader carries these invisible vulnerabilities — these blind spots — and no amount of spiritual maturity or leadership experience makes someone immune to them. … "Because blind spots are invisible by nature, recognizing and treating them requires disciplined reflection, honest feedback, and a corrective community. Paul echoes this truth throughout the New Testament. He warns those in positions of spiritual authority to 'keep watch over yourselves' (Acts 20:20) and cautions Timothy to 'watch your life and doctrine closely' (1 Timothy 4:16). It is my belief that many spiritual leaders fail not because they lack divine calling, but because they struggle with awareness of their blind spots."   Sponsor Ad This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by Gospel Publishing House, distributors of Trusted with Treasureby Assemblies of God General Secretary Brad Kesler. Just as nautical charts and lighthouses guide captains safely past hazards, this handbook on ministerial ethics will help equip you to build healthy relationships, avoid unwise behaviors, and serve with integrity and the highest ethical standards. For more information about Trusted with Treasure visit GospelPublishingHouse.com.   Show Notes 00:00 — Introduction and Sponsor Ad 02:42 — What is a blind spot? 03:44 — The first blind spot is confusing calling with comparison. How does this blind spot work, and how can we overcome it? 08:38 — Mistaking familiarity with spiritual maturity is the second blind spot we're going to talk about. Same question: how does this blind spot work, and how can we overcome it? 11:38 — Losing curiosity about God is the third blind spot I want to talk about. How do ministers lose curiosity about God? And how do they recover it? 13:40 — The fourth blind spot I want to talk about is drifting from integrity to image management. In a world saturated with social media, this one seems especially important. What would you like Assemblies of God ministers to know about this one? 17:51 — In the book's Conclusion, you write: "One theme runs through all eight blind spots in this book: Healthy leadership requires embracing weakness, not projecting strength." Why is that? 21:02 — America celebrates its 250th anniversary this week. How should we be praying for our country in the lead up to July Fourth … and every day thereafter? 26:54 — What are you reading right now that is interesting, helpful, and/or personally challenging? 31:24 — Conclusion

    32 Min.

  2. 28. Mai

    427. Solving the Dishonesty Problem

    Welcome to the Influence Podcast! I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host. "Honesty matters, and people care a great deal about it," writes Christian Miller. Yet we are facing an unprecedented erosion of honesty today — what I call an honesty crisis. Indeed, we are facing not just one crisis, but a variety of honesty crises in different parts of our society. … Fortunately, in many cases, there are concrete steps we can take to turn the tide." In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk about those steps with Christian Miller. He is the A. C. Reid Professor of Philosophy at Wake Forest University, president of the Society of Christian Philosophers, and author of The Honesty Crisis: Preserving Our Most Treasured Virtue in an Increasingly Dishonest World, published by Oxford University Press.   Sponsor Ad This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by Gospel Publishing House, distributors of Trusted with Treasureby Assemblies of God General Secretary Brad Kesler. Just as nautical charts and lighthouses guide captains safely past hazards, this handbook on ministerial ethics will help equip you to build healthy relationships, avoid unwise behaviors, and serve with integrity and the highest ethical standards. For more information about Trusted with Treasure visit GospelPublishingHouse.com. Show Notes 00:00 — Introduction and Sponsor Ad 02:25 — What is honesty, and why do you think we're having an "honesty crisis"? 07:30 — How honest are most people typically, and why do we lie? 13:24 — What's the "online infidelity" crisis, and what can we do about it? 25:58 — What is the "fake news and politics" crisis, and what can we do about it? 35:30 — What is "sermon plagiarism," why is it wrong, and what can we do about it?? 46:23 — Pastors sometimes fall to the temptations of "online infidelity" and "celebrity." What's going on here and what can we do about it? 50:44 — As a Christian philosopher, what general advice would you give pastors about helping their congregations become more honest both individually and corporately?? 57:40 — What are you reading right now that is interesting, helpful, and/or personally challenging? 1:00:16 — Conclusion

    1 Std. 1 Min.

  3. 21. Mai

    426. Holy Worldliness?

    Welcome to the Influence Podcast! I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host. "Paul didn't want believers to detach themselves from life in this world," writes Nijay Gupta. "He didn't want 'otherworldliness' only. He also didn't want them to be preoccupied with only temporary and fleeting things, 'cheap worldliness.' He wanted believers to imitate Christ and walk in the Spirit here and now — 'holy worldliness'." In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk to Gupta about what this means, based on his new book. Nijay Gupta, Ph.D., is Julius R. Mantey Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary and author of Paul for the World, published by Brazos Press.   Sponsor Ad This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by Gospel Publishing House, distributors of What Paul Really Taught About Women in Ministry. In this insightful study, New Testament scholar Waldemar Kowalski carefully examines the historical and cultural contexts behind Paul's most challenging statements about women in ministry. By placing these passages within their proper setting, Kowalski helps readers see a clearer picture of Paul's intent. The result is both thoughtful and compelling: Paul's message about women in ministry was ultimately one of affirmation, not restriction. For more information about What Paul Really Taught About Women in Ministry visit GospelPublishingHouse.com.   Show Notes 00:00 — Introduction and Sponsor Ad 01:49 — For many listeners, "holy worldliness" is an oxymoron. So, what do you mean by that phrase? 07:45 — Why do you think Paul was a good exemplar of holy worldliness? 11:03 — How does Paul inform Christians on the topic of ethnic equality? 20:21 — What does a first-century Roman have to say to 21st-century Americans about economics? 26:02 — Paul rarely if ever used the Greek terms for friendship. So, what does he have to say about a topic he seemingly wrote nothing about? 30:33 — What does Paul say to us about sports? 38:08 In your opinion as a seminary professor, what is the spiritual and intellectual value of doing research for yourself? Do you have concerns about ministers using AI? 44:58 — What are you reading right now that is interesting, helpful, and/or personally challenging? 46:18 — Conclusion

    48 Min.

  4. 14. Mai

    425. Would Anyone Notice if Your Church Disappeared?

    Welcome to the Influence Podcast! I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host. "Regardless of your Sunday attendance numbers, your church can become one of the most influential organizations in your city," writes Kevin Foster. "As culture drifts further from the local church, one of the most powerful ways to become relevant again is to engage with the brokenness in the community around you." In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk to Foster about his book, Run to the Brokenness. We discuss the relationship between evangelism and compassion, better metrics for measuring ministry effectiveness, how to operationalize compassion in your congregation, and much more. Kevin Foster is the founding pastor of LifeBridge Community Church in Fresno, Calif., and author of Run to the Brokenness: How Your Church Can Be the Center of Your Community, published by Avail.   Sponsor Ad This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by Gospel Publishing House, distributors of Trusted with Treasureby Assemblies of God General Secretary Brad Kesler. Just as nautical charts and lighthouses guide captains safely past hazards, this handbook on ministerial ethics will help equip you to build healthy relationships, avoid unwise behaviors, and serve with integrity and the highest ethical standards. For more information about Trusted with Treasure visit GospelPublishingHouse.com.   Show Notes 00:00 — Introduction and Sponsor Ad 01:53 — What does "Run to the brokenness mean," and what was the impetus for this concept in your life and ministry? 09:06 — Why do we need to do redefine success in the local church? And what are better metrics for measuring success? 11:48 — Different communities have different needs, so how does a church identify points of brokenness in its community? 16:19 — How do you address the brokenness within a church? And how do you operationalize your ministry to those points of brokenness? 22:20 — How do you respond to these three objections: (1) My church isn't big enough to do this. (2) As a pastor, I don't have enough capacity. (3) We don't have enough money. 24:31 — How do we create the culture that wants to address the points of pain and need in a community? 30:20 How do you keep evangelism and compassion together? 33:28 — What are you reading right now that is interesting, helpful, and/or personally challenging? 34:43 — Conclusion

    36 Min.

  5. 7. Mai

    424. A Biblical Case for Women Leading Churches

    Welcome to the Influence Podcast! I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host. Recently, a prominent Southern Baptist leader called on his denomination to end the confusion caused when Baptist churches allow women to be called pastors. "The vast majority of Southern Baptists … are absolutely clear and have been all along that the office of pastors is restricted to men as qualified by Scripture," he said. By contrast, the Assemblies of God position paper, "Women in Ministerial Leadership," says, "Scripture clearly advocates for women as ministers and leaders." Consequently, the Assemblies of God credentials those whom God has called and empowered, whether they are women or men. Both groups appeal to Scripture and argue about two passages in particular: 1 Corinthians 14:34–35 and 1 Timothy 2:8–15. In this episode, I talk to Waldemar Kowalski about what these passages actually mean. Waldemar Kowalski, Ph.D., is a global worker with the Assemblies of God, the teaching pastor at IES Bandung (AG) in Indonesia, and author of What Paul Really Taught About Women in Ministry: Matching Paul's Practice and Instruction, published by Logion Press. My conversation with Kowalski is coming up after a brief word from our sponsor.   Sponsor Ad This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by Gospel Publishing House, distributors of The Assemblies of God: Our Story by Daniel D. Isgrigg. Explore the inspiring history of the Assemblies of God from a handful of ministers to a worldwide fellowship of more than 85 million believers. Discover the legacy, mission, and Spirit-filled story that continues to impact the world today. For more information about The Assemblies of God: Our Story visit GospelPublishingHouse.com.   Show Notes 00:00 — Introduction and Sponsor Ad 02:17 — What does the biblical evidence say women did in Paul's churches? Why is what Paul did as important as what we believe Paul said? 06:07 — What are the basic hermeneutical rules that ought to guide us as we interpret Scripture? And what does 1 Corinthian 14:34–35 actually prohibit? 14:22 — Some New Testament scholars argue that 1 Corinthians 14:34–35 is not authentic. You disagree. Why do you think the verses are original? 16:42 — The biggest impediment to women serving as pastors or any other leadership role in the Church is the traditional interpretation of 1 Timothy 2:8–15. What is the traditional interpretation of those verses, Why do you think it fails? And what is the best interpretation of 1 Timothy 2:8–15? 27:02 — Another set of passages that seems to imply a prohibition of women leading churches is 1 Timothy 3:1–12 and Titus 1:5–9, which talk about elders and deacons being the "husband of one wife," which seems to imply that they're male. What's the best understanding of those passages? 30:45 — You and your wife serve together on the mission field. She is the senior pastor, and you're a Bible professor. Based on your experience, what do churches lose when they block half the church from living out the callings God has called and empowered them to perform? 31:54 — What are you reading right now that is interesting, helpful, and/or personally challenging? 35:14 — Conclusion

    36 Min.

  6. 30. Apr.

    423. The Church Friendliness Crisis

    Welcome to the Influence Podcast! I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host. In this episode I talk to Prof. Matthew D. Kim about his new book, Becoming a Friendlier Church: A Pathway to Genuine Community, forthcoming from Baker Books. Our focus is why churches are unfriendly and how they can become friendlier. "In this book, I want to draw attention to a crisis in congregations that may not be on many people's radars: too many churches are less friendly than they realize," Kim writes. "Unfriendliness might be furtively devouring their church's ministry effectiveness, influence, and longevity." Every church thinks it's friendly. But Kim writes, "Just as in the first round of American Idol, where some contestants overstate their singing abilities as they audition, many Christians believe they are good, friendly welcomers even if they're not." Matthew D. Kim, Ph.D., is professor of preaching and pastoral leadership, holder of the George W. Truett Endowed Chair in Preaching and Evangelism, and director of the Ph.D. in preaching program at Baylor University's Truett Seminary.   Sponsor Ad This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by Gospel Publishing House, distributors of Autism in the Church. Make your church a place where everyone belongs. Many congregations feel unprepared to walk beside individuals with autism and their loved ones. Autism in the Church equips churches to create an environment where individuals with autism are not just present, but known, discipled, and celebrated as vital parts of the body of Christ. For more information about Autism in the Church visit GospelPublishingHouse.com. Show Notes 00:00 — Introduction and Sponsor Ad 02:27 — Defining friendliness and unfriendliness 04:43 — Why church friendliness is at crisis levels 07:03 — Apathy 11:50 — Busyness 17:32 — Prejudice 24:32 — Friendliness during a person's greatest needs 27:27 — What preachers can do 30:04 — What are you reading right now that is interesting, helpful, and/or personally challenging? 32:14 — Conclusion

    33 Min.

  7. 26. März

    422. What Churches Should Know About Autism

    Welcome to the Influence Podcast! I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host. "The church is called to be a place of belonging for all people," writes Julie Pratt. "Paul reminded us in 1 Corinthians 12:12–27 that the body of Christ is made up of many different parts, each one valuable and necessary. In verse 22 he wrote, 'Some of the parts that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary' (NLT)." Pratt goes on to write, "That means individuals with autism aren't just people we need to 'accommodate' out of obligation. They are essential to the life of the church. When we fail to make space for them, we're not just failing those individuals and their families. We're missing out on the fullness of the body of Christ." In this episode, I talk to Pratt about what churches need to know about people with autism in order better to include them in the life of the congregation. Julie Pratt is Kidmin Discipleship Director for the Assemblies of God and author of Autism in the Church, published by Salubris. My conversation with her begins after a brief word from our sponsor.   Sponsor Ad This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by Gospel Publishing House, distributors of A Disciple's Growth. Get a clear and practical roadmap for following Jesus with depth and purpose. Drawing from Scripture, the power of the Holy Spirit, and real-life examples, discover seven key dimensions of spiritual formation—Bible, Holy Spirit, missions, prayer, worship, service, and generosity—that shape believers into fully devoted disciples.   Show Notes 00:00 — Introduction and Sponsor Ad 02:27 — Let's start with your personal experience with autism then move to a more formal definition of autism and a description of its prevalence in the U.S. 09:00 — You ask, "Is autism also a part of Your image, God?" How do you answer that question? 15:29 — What are some of the challenges people with autism face in attending church, and how can leadership address those challenges? 21:10 — What are some of the things church leaders should keep in mind when it comes to discipling people with autism? 25:19 — How do we train volunteers throughout the congregation to minister more effectively to people with autism? 29:48 — We have been talking about ministry to people with autism, but what about ministry with and by people with autism? 35:32 — How can we support families who have a member with autism beyond the four ways of the church on Sunday morning? 40:59 — What are you reading right now that is interesting, helpful, and/or personally challenging? 42:21 — Conclusion

    43 Min.

  8. 19. März

    421. The Problem of Hell

    Welcome to the Influence Podcast! I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host. "The doctrine of hell can be a powerful motivator," writes Allen Tennison. "Many believers initially responded to a salvation message for fear of going to hell. Christians have also dedicated themselves to prayer, evangelism, and global missions over the threat of hell." "Images of hell can also move people in the other direction," Tennison says. "Some reject Christianity because of its teaching on hell. They refuse to believe in a God who would allow people to suffer eternal torment or dismiss what they see as fear-based threats from preachers," "What some view as motivation, others consider manipulation," Tennison concludes. In this episode, I talk to Tennison about the problem of hell based on his article, "What We Believe About the Final Judgment," from the Winter 2026 issue of Influence. Allen Tennison is theological counsel to the General Council of the Assemblies of God and author of the long running What We Believe series in Influence magazine. He will conclude that series in the Spring 2026 issue with an article titled, "What We Believe About the New Heavens and New Earth." Show Notes 00:00 — Introduction 01:28 — What words does the Bible use both to name hell and to describe it? 09:12 — Why is hell a "problem" for believing Christians? 13:03 — Questions about annihilationism/conditional immortality 20:14 — Questions about universalism 26:26 — Questions about eternal conscious torment 35:33 — Advocates of the traditional doctrine of hell utilize use two apologetic strategies: retribution and choice. Does the AG have a position? 45:53 — How do we preach the doctrine of hell in a spiritual formative way? 49:10 — What are you reading right now that is interesting, helpful, and/or personally challenging? 58:02 — Conclusion

    59 Min.
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The Influence Magazine Podcast is a chance for you to hear from the premiere voices in church leadership…voices who are redefining what church leadership looks like. It's the audio companion to Influence Magazine, a resource full of practical tools, informative news and powerful biblical principals aimed at empowering all leaders. Visit us online at InfluenceMagazine.com

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