The season of Advent begins this Sunday, November 30, and ends, appropriately enough, on Christmas Eve — Sunday, December 24.

No doubt many churches will sing Isaac Watts' "Joy to the World" throughout this season, especially on Christmas Eve. But did you know that Watts wrote that song to celebrate the Second Coming, not the birth of Jesus Christ?

Advent celebrates both in the Christian tradition. It looks backward to the First Coming and forward to the Second Coming. It is a thoroughly historical and end-times holiday season.

In this episode of the podcast, I talk to Allen Tennison about the relationship between Advent and eschatology. I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.

Tennison is theological counsel of The General Council of the Assemblies of God.

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This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by My Healthy Church, distributors of the Ignite Parenting Conversation Cards.

Strengthen your family's relationships with God and each other with these easy-to-use Conversation Cards. Each card is uniquely designed with a question, faith builder statement, and a Bible verse to spark meaningful conversations that cultivate an open and nurturing environment in your home.

For more information about the Ignite Parenting Conversation Cards visit MyHealthyChurch.com.

This past Tuesday, the Executive Presbytery of the Assemblies of God announced that Brad Kesler will succeed Donna Barrett as general secretary of the Fellowship. Kesler's first day in office is January 1, 2026. He will serve the remainder of Barrett's unexpired term.

Kesler has been an ordained AG minister since 2000. He has served as a youth pastor in Sitka, Alaska, and a senior pastor in Juneau. For 15 years, he worked as business administrator in the Alaska Ministry Network and nine years as district secretary.

Since 2024, he has served as assistant to the general secretary, providing that office with administrative and technical support.

In Episode 406 of the Influence Podcast, I talk to Kesler about his life, ministry, and the duties of his new office, as well as his forthcoming book on ministerial ethics, Trusted with Treasure, published by Gospel Publishing House early next year.

I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.

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This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by My Healthy Church, distributors of the Ignite Parenting Conversation Cards.

Strengthen your family's relationships with God and each other with these easy-to-use Conversation Cards. Each card is uniquely designed with a question, faith builder statement, and a Bible verse to spark meaningful conversations that cultivate an open and nurturing environment in your home.

For more information about the Ignite Parenting Conversation Cards visit MyHealthyChurch.com.

The goal of the Church Health Partners is clear.

"To foster healthy, vibrant churches by equipping pastors and their teams with the tools, strategies, and support they need to lead effectively and fulfill their unique calling. We want to see a healthy church in every community, led by empowered and passionate leaders, making a lasting impact for the Kingdom of God."

In Episode 405 of the Influence Podcast, I talk to Gerad Strong about what a healthy church is, why churches become unhealthy, and what to do to get them back to health. I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.

Gerad Strong is director of Church Health Partners, a ministry of the Assemblies of God. He is author of Multiplication Mindset, forthcoming in [month, year] from [GPH?].

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This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by My Healthy Church, distributors of 13: Leadership is More Than Luck.

As the thirteenth general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Doug Clay reflects on the powerful legacy of twelve spiritual pioneers who came before him. Through personal stories, timeless principles, and the Spirit-led wisdom of these men, 13: Leadership is More Than Luck invites readers into a heritage of leadership that has shaped a Movement and impacted the world.

For more information about the 13: Leadership is More Than Luck, visit MyHealthyChurch.com.

"In many Christian theological circles, especially in Pentecostal circles, the person who has the role of pastor is the one who is supposed to have the spiritual answers, and so this [spiritual and social] shutdown [due to trauma] is counterintuitive to the position they hold," writes Dale Sanger.

"The challenge for Pentecostal pastors is that they have an underlying theology of glory which does not appropriately consider personal trauma."

In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk to Dale Sanger about the reality of clergy trauma, and what Pentecostal ministers should do in response. I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.

Dale Sanger is adjunct professor at Bridges Christian College in New Orleans, Louisiana, and Vanguard College in Edmonton, Alberta, as well as chaplain at a homeless men's shelter. He is author of When Ministry Hurts: Triumphalism and the Crisis of Trauma among Clergy, published by Wipf & Stock.

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This episode of the Influence Podcast is brought to you by My Healthy Church, distributors of The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Discipler.

The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Discipler equips you with an understanding of the Holy Spirit's role in your life. As a resource for both laypeople and ministry leaders, it also imparts practical insight for anyone discipling others in receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

For more information about The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Discipler visit MyHealthyChurch.com.

"How did you go bankrupt?" one character asks another in Ernest Hemingway's The Son Also Rises. "Two ways," the other character responds. "Gradually and then suddenly."

But as Mark Batterson points out in his new book, "That's also how you get out of debt. That's how you start a business, write a book, or run a marathon — and a thousand other things."

"Regardless of craft or career, dreams don't become reality overnight," he writes. "Reverse engineer any success story, and I daresay it happened two ways — gradually then suddenly."

In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk to Mark Batterson about how to succeed in ministry, based on insights from his new book. I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.

Mark Batterson is lead pastor at National Community Church in Washington, DC, and an ordained Assemblies of God minister. A New York Times-bestselling author, his newest book is Gradually Then Suddenly: How to Dream Bigger, Decide Better, and Leave a Lasting Legacy, published by Multnomah.

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This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by My Healthy Church, distributors of 13: Leadership is More Than Luck.

As the thirteenth general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Doug Clay reflects on the powerful legacy of twelve spiritual pioneers who came before him. Through personal stories, timeless principles, and the Spirit-led wisdom of these men, 13: Leadership is More Than Luck invites readers into a heritage of leadership that has shaped a Movement and impacted the world.

For more information about the 13: Leadership is More Than Luck, visit MyHealthyChurch.com.

Which way are American young adults going when it comes to religion?

Pew Research Center's Religious Landscape Survey reports that only 45% of Americans 18–29 years old identify as Christians, compared to 54% of those aged 30–49, 72% of 50–64, and 74% of 65+.

Barna Group's State of the Church initiative reports that young adults are leading "a resurgence in church attendance." Gen Z (born 1999–2015) and Millennials (born 1984–98) attend church 1.9 and 1.8 weekends a month, respectively. By contrast, Gen X (born 1965–83), Boomers (born 1946–64), and Elders (born pre-1946) attend 1.6, 1.4, and 1.4 weekends monthly, respectively.

So are American young adults secularizing or experiencing a revival? It's impossible to say for sure. The only way for Christians to find out is to do the work of evangelism and discipleship.

In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk to Josh Wellborn about ministry to the next generation of adults. I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.

Josh Wellborn is director of the Assemblies of God's Young Adults ministry and author of 30 Under 30.

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This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by My Healthy Church, distributors of 30 Under 30.

In 30 Under 30: Young Adults in Scripture Who Heard from God, you'll meet 30 young adults from the Bible who had their own defining moments. Heroes or cautionary tales—they all had a choice. This isn't just a history lesson. It's a call to action. God still speaks, and if you're willing to listen, He's got something to say to you.

For more information about the 30 Under 30, visit MyHealthyChurch.com.

The Preamble to the Assemblies of God "Statement of Fundamental Truth" says:

"The Bible is our all-sufficient rule for faith and practice. This Statement of Fundamental Truths is intended simply as a basis of fellowship among us …. The phraseology employed in this statement is not inspired or contended for, but the truth set forth is held to be essential to a full-gospel ministry. No claim is made that it contains all biblical truth, only that it covers our need as to these fundamental doctrines."

This Preamble serves as the epigraph of Mike Ivaska's new book, A Basis of Fellowship, which contains sermons he preached about the "Statement of Fundamental Truths" at Vachon Island Community Church in the Fall of 2024.

In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk to Ivaska about why and how he preached those sermons, and why and how AG ministers should do something similar. I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.

Mike Ivaska is pastor of Vashon Island Community Church in Washington state and an ordained Assemblies of God minister. He wrote "Preaching Doctrine" in the Summer 2025 issue of Influence magazine and is author of A Basis of Fellowship, published by Resource Publications.

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This episode of the Influence Podcast is brought to you by My Healthy Church, distributors of The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Discipler.

The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Discipler equips you with an understanding of the Holy Spirit's role in your life. As a resource for both laypeople and ministry leaders, it also imparts practical insight for anyone discipling others in receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

For more information about The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Discipler visit MyHealthyChurch.com.

"Christians are called to be 'in the world' and 'not of the world'," says a new Assemblies of God position paper, citing John 17:11–16.

"We must embrace our identity as Christian citizens, as public witnesses, and as salt and light," it continues, "Believers must also maintain their Christian character while engaging in politics. We prioritize our calling in Christ and do not condone the demonization of fellow citizens with whom we disagree. Such negative conduct can detract from the mission of Christ and the aligned Assemblies of God mission to evangelize, worship God, build disciples, and show compassion."

In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk to Allen Tennison about "Christians and Citizenship," a new position paper adopted by the General Presbytery of the Assemblies of God during its August 2025 meeting. I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.

Allen Tennison is theological counsel of the General Council of the Assemblies of God and chair of its Commission on Doctrines and Practices.

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This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by My Healthy Church, distributors of 13: Leadership is More Than Luck.

As the thirteenth general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, Doug Clay reflects on the powerful legacy of twelve spiritual pioneers who came before him. Through personal stories, timeless principles, and the Spirit-led wisdom of these men, 13: Leadership is More Than Luck invites readers into a heritage of leadership that has shaped a Movement and impacted the world.

For more information about the 13: Leadership is More Than Luck, visit MyHealthyChurch.com.

"The Assemblies of God was founded as a cooperative fellowship that honors the calling and gifting of all Spirit-filled believers, not as a clerical hierarchy," says a new Assemblies of God position paper.

"As we seek to cultivate healthy spiritual leadership," it continues, "we must resist any drift toward positional superiority and instead affirm diverse models of leadership found throughout the global church. To walk in step with the Spirit, we must honor the voices of those God has raised up from within, not just those with titles. The nature of spiritual leadership listens, learns, and leads in discernment within community."

In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk to Allen Tennison about "Misuse of Spiritual Leadership" (also in Spanish), a new position paper adopted by the General Presbytery of the Assemblies of God during its August 2025 meeting. I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.

Allen Tennison is theological counsel of the General Council of the Assemblies of God and chair of its Commission on Doctrines and Practices.

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This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by My Healthy Church, distributors of Fostering an Environment for Connection.

Fostering an Environment for Connection will equip you with proven techniques to handle disruptions, develop positive relationships, and build a culture of structure, respect, and growth in your Kidmin classrooms. This resource will empower you to lead with confidence as a mentor—following the model of Jesus—while fostering an environment for connection.

For more information about Fostering an Environment for Connection, visit MyHealthyChurch.com.

What is the center of Paul's theology? Traditionally, Protestants taught that justification by faith was the center. More recently, scholars proposed reconciliation, union with Christ, and transformation as the center. In The Affections of Christ Jesus, Nijay K. Gupta proposes love as the center.

"The language of love in one form or another occurs over one hundred times in the Pauline corpus," he writes. "Furthermore, every single letter contains love language — that cannot be said for other contenders for the so-called center of Paul's thought."

In this episode of the Influence Podcast, I talk to Gupta about what love is and why it may be "the bull's-eye center" of Pauline theology. I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.

Nijay K. Gupta is Julius R. Mantey Professor of New Testament at Northern Seminary. He is editor of Dictionary of Paul and His Letters (2nd ed.), The State of Pauline Theology, and most recently, The Affections of Christ Jesus: Love at the Heart of Paul's Theology, published by Eerdmans.

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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.