Influence Podcast Influence Magazine

“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 episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk to Donaldson about serving others without hurting yourself. I’m George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.
Hal Donaldson is founder, president, and CEO of Convoy of Hope, a global faith-based nonprofit organization that works with communities to address root causes of poverty and hunger.
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This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by My Healthy Church, distributors of Captivated.
There is a difference between knowing the Word of God and knowing the God of the Word. The Captivated Bible study takes women deeper with God so that they may be firmly rooted, unshakable, and flourishing in His Kingdom.
For more information about Captivated, visit MyHealthyChurch.com.

“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 Jesus Christ transformed her from the inside out. I’m George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.
Linda Seiler, Ph.D., is an ordained Assemblies of God minister, a Chi Alpha missionary, and executive director of ReStory ministries. She is author of Transformation: A Former Transgender Responds to LGBTQ.
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This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by My Healthy Church, distributors of Captivated.
There is a difference between knowing the Word of God and knowing the God of the Word. The Captivated Bible study takes women deeper with God so that they may be firmly rooted, unshakable, and flourishing in His Kingdom.
For more information about Captivated, visit MyHealthyChurch.com.

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 comes to this office with a wide variety of ministry experiences, including as a pastor, district leader, university board chair, and executive presbyter. He has served churches in Illinois, Washington, and North Carolina, most recently as district superintendent in that state.
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This episode of the Influence Podcast is brought to you by My Healthy Church, distributors of NextGen High Scores.
Grounded in research and illustrated with real-life experience, NextGen High Scores explains in practical language the most common behaviors, practices, and strategies of kids and youth pastors who make a lasting impact.
For more information about NextGen High Scores visit MyHealthyChurch.com.

“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 of the Influence Podcast, I talk to Cooke about what churches should do in a crisis. I’m George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.
Phil Cooke, Ph.D., is co-founder and CEO of Cooke Media Group in Los Angeles, as well as the nonprofit organization, The Influence Lab. He has produced media programming and commercials in nearly 70 countries for clients includingπ Hollywood studios, major nonprofits, and faith-based organizations around the world. He is author of Church on Trial: How to Protect Your Congregation, Mission, and Reputation During a Crisis, published by Avail.
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This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by My Healthy Church, distributors of Captivated.
There is a difference between knowing the Word of God and knowing the God of the Word. The Captivated Bible study takes women deeper with God so that they may be firmly rooted, unshakable, and flourishing in His Kingdom.
For more information about Captivated, visit MyHealthyChurch.com.

“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 Influence Podcast, I talk to Lichi about the baleful impact of pornography and what Christians can do when they’re affected by it. I’m George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.
Don Lichi, Ph.D., is a licensed psychologist in the State of Ohio and vice president emeritus of EMERGE Counseling Ministries, where he served for nearly 30 years. He is coauthor, with Arnold Fleagle, of Broken Windows of the Soul: A Pastor and a Christian Psychologist Discuss Sexual Sins and the Prescription to Heal Them, published by Moody Press.
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This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by My Healthy Church, distributors of Cultivating a Spirit-Empowered Kids Ministry.
Cultivating a Spirit-Empowered Kids Ministry will equip you with practical tools to intentionally make room for the Holy Spirit in your kids ministry. It includes practical tips for leading kids to hear the voice of the Holy Spirit, respond to the Holy Spirit, and receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit.
For more information about Cultivating a Spirit-Empowered Kids Ministry, visit MyHealthyChurch.com.

“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 coverage?”
So asks Christian Nationalism: A New Approach, a December 2023 report by Neighborly Faith. In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk to Kevin Singer, Ryan Burge, and Mark David Hall about that report and the questions it raises.
I’m George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.
Kevin Singer is president of Neighborly Faith, a nonprofit whose mission is to provide “research and events introducing Christians to neighbors of every faith.” Ryan Burge is associate professor of political science at Eastern Illinois University and an ordained Baptist pastor; he posts regularly at Graphs About Religion. Mark David Hall is a professor at Regent University’s Robertson School of Government and a senior fellow at the Center for Religion, Culture, and Democracy, where he directs its Religious Liberty in the States initiative.
My conversation with them is coming up after a brief word from our sponsor.
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This episode of the Influence Podcast is brought to you by My Healthy Church, distributors of Bible Engagement Project.
The Bible Engagement Project library includes free preschool curriculum that brings Bible time and play time together. Each lesson is designed to engage young minds during the lesson and make sure the principles they’re learning stay with them when they get home, as well as while they grow.
Visit BibleEngagementProject.com to create your free account and get started.