"Jesus is up front with us that there is a cost to following him," writes Craig Keener.

"From God's side, the gift of him in him is free—or rather, already paid for by what Christ suffered for us. But we live in a world that challenges our faith, so from the world's side our faith is bound to cost us hardships. Yet God empowers us by his Spirit to maintain our witness for Christ in this world no matter what."

In this episode of the podcast, I talk to Keener about how Pentecostal Christians should think about suffering. I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.

Craig Keener is F.M. and Ada Thompson Professor of Biblical Studies at Asbury Theological Seminary, an ordained Assemblies of God minister, and author of Suffering: Its Meaning for the Spirit-Filled Life, published by Baker Academic.

NOTE: This will be the final Influence Podcast of 2025. Episode 411 — the first podcast of 2026 — will drop on Thursday, January 8.

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This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by My Healthy Church, distributors of Open When . . . Parenting through Everyday Moments.

In Open When . . . Parenting through Everyday Moments, child development professionals and Christian education experts discuss the most common parenting scenarios faced by families today. Readers will be empowered with knowledge, tools, and strategies for navigating the complexities of each issue while also nurturing the child's spirit through scriptural application.

For more information about Open When . . . Parenting through Everyday Moments visit MyHealthyChurch.com.