In this episode, Influence magazine senior editor John Davidson talks to Greg Ford about how to merge two churches into one.
Greg Ford is lead pastor of One Church in Gahanna, Ohio--a church plant that merged with another congregation. He is also a member of the Lead Team of the Church Multiplication Network.
To learn more about Greg Ford, follow @GregoryAFord on Instagram and Twitter. One Church's website is One.Church.
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In this episode, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks to Chris Railey and John Davidson about why everyone should care about church planting.
Railey is senior director of Leadership and Development for the national office of the Assemblies of God, one component of which is the Church Multiplication Network. Davidson works with Railey as director of Discovery and Development.
To learn more about the Church Multiplication Network, visit churchmultiplication.net. Follow CMN on Twitter: @CMNetwork and on Facebook: @ChurchMultiplication.
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In this episode, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks to Dr. Todd Wilson about the Christian church’s historic consensus about human sexuality, bringing Christian theology to bear on a controversial topic.
Wilson is senior pastor of Calvary Memorial Church in Oak Park, Illinois, as well as cofounder and chair of The Center for Pastor Theologians. His newest book is Mere Sexuality: Rediscovering the Christian Vision of Sexuality, which will be published on October 9th by Zondervan
To learn more about Mere Sexuality, visit MereSexuality.com. The website of The Center for Pastor Theologians is PastorTheologians.com.
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In this episode, Influence magazine senior editor John Davidson talks to Jonathan and Wynter Pitts about how to be the best leader you can be…in your home.
Jonathan is an author and the executive director of The Urban Alternative, Dr. Tony Evans’ popular broadcast ministry. Wynter is an author and the founder of For Girls Like You, a ministry to young girls and their parents. Together, they have written, She Is Yours: Trusting God as You Raise the Girl He Gave You, just published by Harvest House.
To learn more about the Winters or their book, She Is Yours, visit ForGirlsLikeYou.com. You can follower them on Twitter: @ForGirlsLikeYou and on Facebook: @ForGirlsLikeYou.
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In this episode, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks to Dr. Robyn Wilkerson about her new book, Shattering the Stained Glass Ceiling, available for purchase now at MyHealthyChurch.com.
Dr. Wilkerson is co-pastor of Trinity Church in Miami, Florida, with her husband, Rich Wilkerson, as well as a highly sought-after speaker, preacher, and life coach. Shattering the Stained Glass Ceiling outlines a coaching strategy for women leaders in ministry to help them overcome negative patterns of thinking that hinder their leadership.
To learn more about Robyn Wilkerson or her book, Shattering the Stained Glass Ceiling, go to robynwilkerson.com. You can follower her on Twitter: @RobynWilkerson and on Facebook: @robynbuntainwilkerson.
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In this episode, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks to Daniel Im about five small changes that can make a big difference in a church’s discipleship ministry.
Daniel is director of Church Multiplication for NewChurches.com and Lifeway Christian Resources, as well as teaching pastor at The Fellowship, a multisite church in Nashville, Tennessee. He is the author, most recently, of No Silver Bullets: 5 Small Shifts That Will Transform Your Ministry, recently published by B&H Books.
To learn more about Daniel Im or his book, go to DanielIm.com. You can follow Daniel on Twitter: @danielsangi or Facebook: @Daniel.Im.Author.
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Although it’s difficult to imagine life B.F. — “before Facebook”—it’s helpful to remember how new social media is. Facebook launched in 2004, YouTube in 2005, Twitter in 2006, Instagram in 2010, and Snapchat in 2011. Despite the fact that these media are recent, they have revolutionized the way we communicate.
In this episode of the Influence Podcast, senior editor George P. Wood talks with Mark Forrester about how the church can leverage social media for the sake of the gospel. Mark is senior director of public relations and communications for the General Council of the Assemblies of God. He is also editor of Trending Up: Social Media Strategies for Today’s Church, available at MyHealthyChurch.com.
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Dr. George O. Wood has served as general superintendent of the Assemblies of God (USA) since 2007. Two weeks ago, at the AG’s 57th General Council, he decided to step down from that position.
In this episode of the Influence Podcast, senior editor George P. Wood talks with Dr. Wood — his father — about how to leave a legacy of influence in ministry. Their wide-ranging conversation includes Dr. Wood’s thoughts about Charlottesville and racism, leaving a job well, and encouragement for ministers in transition.
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Can husbands and wives co-pastor a church and live to tell about it?
That’s the question Influence magazine’s senior editor, John Davidson, asks Joel and Rachel Triska in this episode of the Influence Podcast. Joel and Rachel are co-pastors and co-executive directors of Life in Deep Ellum, an innovative church in the Deep Ellum arts district of Dallas, Texas.
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The Azusa Street Revival began on April 9, 1906, in a prayer meeting on N. Bonnie Brae Street in Los Angeles, California. Soon, crowds grew in response to the dramatic outpouring of the Holy Spirit, and a congregation formed on Azusa Street, with William J. Seymour as its pastor. While other Pentecostal revivals were taking place throughout the U.S. and the world, Azusa Street became the most significance one.
In this episode of the Influence Podcast, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks with the nation’s foremost historian of Azusa Street about the history and significance of this revival. Prof. Cecil M. Robeck Jr. — “Mel to his friends” —is senior professor of church history and ecumenics at Fuller Theological Seminary in Pasadena, California. A credentialed Assemblies of God minister for 47 years, he is the author of The Azusa Street Mission and Revival, as well as the editor of the new Azusa Street Series of books from Gospel Publishing House.
Prof. Robeck has also put together a self-guided tour of Pentecostal landmarks in the Los Angeles area that you can download here.
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Stories have a unique ability to capture people’s imagination and move them to action. The Bible itself is filled with well-crafted narratives that tell the history of God’s dealings with people. And Jesus is the master storyteller. He used parables to proclaim the gospel and invite listeners to respond with repentance and faith.
Strangely, many churches don’t use stories to reach others. In this podcast, Influence magazine senior editor John Davidson talks to Jerit Abart and Trey Reynolds of BoldFlame Creative about how to embrace the art of storytelling. They pay special attention to the use of video components in sermons, the problem of limited budgets, and the importance of personal testimonies.
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Many people think authority is a prerequisite for influence. They look at how their church or ministry is run and think, I’ll lead differently when I’m in charge. Until that time, however, they either passively take things as they are or actively start ministries that they can lead without interference.
There’s another way, writes Clay Scroggins in his forthcoming book, How to Lead When You’re Not in Charge. “Practice leading through influence when you’re not in charge,” he says. “It’s the key to leading well when you are in charge.” In this episode of the Influence Podcast, Clay Scroggins shows Christian leaders how to exercise influence at any level of an organization.
Clay Scroggins is lead pastor of North Point Community Church in Alpharetta, Georgia. His book, How to Lead When You’re Not in Charge: Leveraging Influence When You Lack Authority, will be published on August 22, 2017 by Zondervan.
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Dallas Willard liked to say that busyness is a matter of calendar. Hurry, on the other hand, is a matter of soul.
All leaders are busy; they have a lot to do. No leader--especially Christian leaders--should be hurried, however. The question, then, is how to unhurry our leadership. How do we make sure that we who lead Christian congregations integrate spiritual formation and leadership?
In this episode of the Influence Podcast, George P. Wood talks with Alan Fadling about that important question.
Alan is author of An Unhurried Leader: The Lasting Fruit of Daily Influence (IVP Books, 2017), as well as founder and president of Unhurried Living. The mission of Unhurried Living is to help people rest deeper, live fuller, and lead better. He lives in Mission Viejo, California with his wife, Gem, and their three sons.
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There are over 400,000 kids in foster care in the U.S. Of those, 100,000 are ready for adoption and 20,000 age out of the system every year.
“The good news is,” says Eric Porter, “there are 348,000 churches in the U.S. We believe it’s a problem solvable. If every church gets one family to go after one kid, we kind of joke, we’ll go find some other world crisis to conquer.”
In today’s Influence Podcast, Eric Porter talks with Influence magazine senior editor about the many ways churches can minister to orphans, foster kids, and other at-risk kids. Porter is an Assemblies of God U.S. missionary and president of The Keep, a ministry that prepares “the Church to stand ready for orphans.”
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According to LifeWay Research, the average tenure of a church’s senior pastor is 3.6 years. The number may be a bit higher, or lower—researchers disagree. Regardless, all agree that ministers change jobs at some point in the course of their careers.
When ministers change jobs, it is stressful, for ministers, for their families and for their congregations. Change is difficult, after all. But the stresses of job-change can be mitigated by entering a new season of ministry with eyes open to the challenges and opportunities that lay ahead.
In this episode of the Influence Podcast, George P. Wood talks to Mike McCrary about how to navigate transitions in ministry jobs. Mike is Director of Funding for the Church Multiplication Network, a role he began in May 2017 after nearly two decades of ministry in local churches. His recent experience gives him a unique perspective on what happens when ministers change jobs.
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Today's Influence Podcast is our 100th episode. Joining Influence magazine's executive editor, George P. Wood, to celebrate are Chris Railey and John Davidson. Chris is director of Leadership and Church Development Ministries for the Assemblies of God, as well as director of Influence Resources, which includes Influence. John works with Chris as director of Discovery and Development and serves as senior editor of the magazine.
After sharing their favorite moments from the past two years of podcasting, the conversation turns to contemporary challenges facing Christian leaders, as well as books leaders should prioritize reading. The podcast ends with an invitation for listeners to attend the Influence Conference on August 7-8 in Anaheim, California.
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Tomorrow is July the Fourth, the 241st anniversary of America’s independence. In celebration of Independence Day, Influence magazine’s executive editor, George P. Wood, talked with Thomas S. Kidd about faith and the Founding Fathers.
Kidd is Distinguished Professor of History at Baylor University in Waco, Texas, as well as associate director of Baylor’s Institute for Studies of Religion. A noted historian of early American history, he is author of recently published Benjamin Franklin: The Religious Life of a Founding Father, as well as biographies of Patrick Henry and George Whitefield. He has also written God of Liberty: A Religious History of the American.
If you’re looking for an informative discussion about the role religion played in the lives of America’s Founders and the Founding Era, this podcast is a good place to start!
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Can a church really be part of a community, or can it only host community outreach events?
That’s the question Influence magazine’s senior editor, John Davidson, asks Rachel Triska in this episode of the Influence Podcast. Rachel is co-pastor and co-executive director of Life in Deep Ellum, an innovative church in the Deep Ellum arts district of Dallas, Texas. LIDE measures success with a simple question: If we were gone, would our neighbors miss us?
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John Lindell recently reached an important ministry milestone. Lindell is lead pastor of James River Church, a multisite congregation in and around Springfield, Missouri. He has led the congregation since 1991. On Sunday, June 25, he preached a sermon from the final verses in the Gospel of Mark, and in doing so, completed sermons on every book of the New Testament.
To mark this milestone, Influence magazine's executive editor George P. Wood sat down with Lindell for a conversation about expository preaching—that is, preaching through Scripture in a systematic, sequential fashion. In addition to making a case for why preachers should preach expository sermons, Lindell gives practical advice about how to do so more effectively.
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This week, Influence magazine senior editor John Davidson talks to Kyle Dana about the top three mistakes pastors make when preparing for their retirement, as well as how they should prepare. Kyle is senior vice president of Retirement and Investments for AG Financial Solutions.
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People in America are increasingly divided ideologically and politically, and our public discourse reflects those divisions. Too often, however, our rhetoric becomes toxic, leading many to worry whether hateful words will result in violent deeds.
This worry came up again last week when Rep. Steve Scalise (R_LA 1st District) and several congressional staffers were shot by a man who didn’t like their politics. Few political disputes result in violence, but this incident is a good reminder to watch how we speak about others in the public square.
This week, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks to Joy Qualls about how to have a constructive debate about hot-button social issues. In an increasingly pluralistic and polarized culture, this skillset is an absolute must-have for Christian leaders. Qualls is chair of the Communications Department and professor of Communication Studies at Biola University in La Mirada, California.
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In this episode of the Influence Podcast, Influence magazine senior editor John Davidson talks to Gerad Strong about how to do effective multisite church ministry in rural communities. Gerad is lead pastor of Bethel Assembly in Rapid City and Edgemont, South Dakota.
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In this episode of the Influence Podcast, Influence magazine senior editor John Davidson talks to Chris Mavity about how pastors and churches can recruit volunteers effectively. Heath is director of Ministry Development for Church Community Builder, which is an Influence Partner.
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In this episode of the Influence Podcast, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks to Heath Adamson about three crucial outcomes for youth ministry: gospel-centered, Spirit-empowered, and personally responsible. Heath is direction of the Assemblies of God's National Youth Ministries and author of Until Al Know, which explains these outcomes in greater depth.
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Sunday, June 4, is Pentecost Sunday. According to Acts 2, this is the day Jesus Christ baptized the early church in the Holy Spirit, empowering them to become witnesses to Him throughout the world (Acts 1:8).
In this episode of the Influence Podcast, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks to Jeff Leake about why every believer needs to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. Leake is pastor of Allison Park Church, a multisite church near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and author of the new book, Power for Life (Gospel Publishing House).
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