Influence Podcast

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 AdThis 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

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 AdThis 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

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 AdThis episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by Gospel Publishing House, distributors of Autism in the Church.

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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

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

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

Welcome to the Influence Podcast! I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.

"Most professions have ethical codes of conduct that govern the behavior of members," writes Brad Kesler. "If ethical behavior is important for other professions, how much more for ministers of the Lord Jesus Christ?"

Kesler wrote a just-published book on ministerial ethics to "equip all God's people, and especially ministers, to conduct ministry in such a way that it glorifies God, protects and encourages the church, and sets up the minister for long-term, healthy ministry. Too many ministers have shipwrecked their ministries on the rocks of ignorance and sin."

In this episode, I talk to Kesler about the importance of ministerial ethics generally as well as the issues of money, sex, and power specifically.

Brad Kesler is general secretary of the Assemblies of God and (full disclosure) my boss. He is author of Trusted with Treasure: A Handbook of Ethics in Ministry, published by Gospel Publishing House.

Sponsor Ad

This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by Gospel Publishing House, distributors of The Third Voice.

Students are surrounded by noise—voices that distract, entertain, and shape their beliefs—yet they feel more alone than ever. Anxiety, identity struggles, and hopelessness are rising. What's missing is a third voice: a mentor who speaks truth, hope, and biblical wisdom. The Third Voice equips youth pastors, leaders, and mentors to step into that gap.

For more information about The Third Voice visit GospelPublishingHouse.

Show Notes

• 00:00 — Introduction and Sponsor Ad
• 01:55 — Why is ethics crucial to Pentecostal ministry?
• 02:55 — Chapter 3 outlines a process for ethical decision-making. Can you walk us through that process?
• 06:35 — Why do you focus on the issues of money, sex, and power. And what temptations does money pose to ministers.
• 11:30 — How should ministers face the temptations posed by sex outside of marriage?
• 14:39 — How should ministers navigate the dilemmas power poses to them?
• 16:38 — What are best practices for relationships on a church or ministry team?
• 24:13 — What are best practices for relating to the fellowship, whether at the sectional, district, or national level?
• 28:35 — What are some practical ways for ministers to use social media well?
• 33:18 — What are you reading right now that is interesting, helpful, and/or personally challenging?
• 34:47 — Conclusion

Welcome to the Influence Podcast! I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.

"The so-called worship wars often consist of ill-suited judgments about worship," writes Steven Félix-Jäger.

"The debates generally center around the question of what constitutes appropriate worship and can include issues such as the use of contemporary music versus traditional hymns, the role of preaching, the usual of visual aids and technology, and the role of personal experience in worship."

In this episode, I talk to Félix-Jäger about how to assess the arguments in these debates and use good judgment when planning a worship service.

Steven Félix-Jäger is associate professor and chair of Worship Arts and Media at Life Pacific University and a credentialed minister in the Foursquare Church. He is author of How to Worship for All Its Worth, published by Zondervan Academic.

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.

For more information about A Disciple's Growth visit GospelPublishingHouse.com.

Show Notes

• 00:00 — Introduction and Sponsor Ad
• 01:49 — How do you define "worship"?
• 06:20 — Should all churches adopt a common worship style or improve whatever style they currently utilize? Or both?
• 11:35 — What do you mean by "judgment," generally speaking, and what is good "biblical judgment"?
• 23:30 — What is aesthetics, and how do we exercise good aesthetic judgment?
• 31:58 — How is theological judgment different from biblical judgment, and how do you use it in the context of planning a worship service?
• 47:37 — What is pastoral judgment, and how do we use it?
• 53:18 — What is "flow," and how do we plan a worship service for better flow?
• 1:03:48 — What are you reading right now that is interesting, helpful, and/or personally challenging?
• 1:04:34 — Conclusion

Welcome to the Influence Podcast! I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.

"Children's ministry is arguably one of the most difficult ministries to lead, but it is also the most rewarding," writes David Reneau.

"We get the sacred opportunity to be some of the first people to tell little children — the next generation — about Jesus. We get to plant the seeds, tend and water the soil, and watch the first little tender sprouts peek out of the ground as our kids begin their faith journey and discover their calling."

What are the best ways to maximize this opportunity?

In this episode, I talk to David Reneau about how to make the most of your congregation's children's ministry.

Reneau is an ordained Assemblies of God minister and lead pastor at Encounter Church in Toccoa, Georgia, with over 17 years of hands-on children's ministry experience. He is author of Next-Level Kidmin: The Children's Pastor's Practical Guide to Building a Thriving Ministry.

This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by Gospel Publishing House, distributors of The Heart of a Pathfinder.

You're not just leading for now; you're building for what's next. How big would you dream if you saw your ministry through a generational lens?

Melissa Alfaro challenges us to approach leadership through the lens of a pathfinder. She calls ministry leaders to do the hard work of clearing the path so future generations can step into their call.

For more information about The Heart of a Pathfinder visit GospelPublishingHouse.com.

​

• 00:00 — Introduction and Sponsor Ad
• 02:05 — How do we keep the gospel central to our Kidmin leadership?
• 04:36 — What are the three fundamental elements of children's ministry?
• 16:51 — What are the best practices for recruiting, training, and even firing volunteers?
• 27:15 — How do you decide whether a Sunday school model or a small group model is the best fit for you congregation's children's ministry?
• 30:15 — How do you plan a children's church service that keeps the kids' energies at appropriate levels throughout the service?
• 35:37 — Give us a few ideas about how to pick the best curriculum. Also, how do we incorporate action — evangelism, missions, compassion — into our lesson planning?
• 41:41 — How do we do the work of ministry in a way that doesn't kill the work of God in us personally?
• 44:31 — What are you reading right now that is interesting, helpful, and/or personally challenging?
• 45:35 — Conclusion

Welcome to the Influence Podcast! I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.

Ministers hear a lot about church multiplication these days. Sometimes, the phrase is little more than a synonym for church planting. Other times, it refers to multisite ministry in which one church exists in many locations.

"Multiplication isn't just about strategy or structure," Gerad Strong writes, however. "It's about Spirit-empowered imagination. When we lead through the power of the Holy Spirit, we're not simply managing what is — we're awakening to what could be."

In this episode, I talk to Gerad Strong about how ministers can develop this Spirit-empowered imagination.

Strong is director of Leadership and Training for the Church Multiplication Network of the Assemblies of God. His new book is Multiplication Mindset: How Spirit-Empowered Leaders Build People, Not Just Platforms, forthcoming from Gospel Publishing House.

Sponsor Ad

This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by My Healthy Church, distributors of As In Heaven.

This six-week study is designed to help you move beyond fear or formality and step into confident, life-giving prayer. Each week unpacks a portion of the Lord's Prayer, pairing Jesus' words with reflection questions, group discussion prompts, and a Bible memory verse to guide your journey.

For more information about As In Heaven visit GospelPublishingHouse.com.

Show Notes

• 00:00 — Introduction and Sponsor Ad
• 02:04 — What is "multiplication," as you use the term in your book?
• 02:48 — Tell us a little about your own journey with multiplication, as this informs what you write about in the book.
• 07:48 — What are the essential elements of a multiplication mindset?
• 12:28 — What is the foundation of multiplication?
• 19:13 — How does growth begin with maximizing what you already have? And what role does strategic thinking play?
• 20:48 — What are the traditional metrics of ministry, and what should they be?
• 26:49 — What resources does CMN provide for ministers and churches that are considering church planting, church multiplication, church revitalization?
• 30:31 — What are you reading right now that is interesting, helpful, and/or personally challenging?
• 31:17 — Conclusion

Welcome to the Influence Podcast! I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.

"In the last sixty years in the USA, some churches shifted strategies and adopted a model that focused almost exclusively on numerical expansion," writes Marroquin. "New sanctuaries and program adjustments were made with the goal of reaching the unchurched. And praise God, the model produced some good results."

She goes to note that this model replaced Sunday school and discipleship groups to make room for more worship services. "Somehow, churches believed they would still be making disciples without intentionally placing emphasis on God's Word. The results are in: We have many churches filled with followers of Jesus who desperately need help."

In this episode, I talk to Marroquin about what churches can do to refocus on discipleship, based on her new book, A Disciple's Growth: 7 Dimensions of Spiritual Formation.

Elloy Marroquin is an ordained minister and national director of Christian Education, Discipleship, and Family Ministries for the Assemblies of God.

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 My Healthy Church, distributors of Europe 365 Daily Devotions.

Europe 365 is a powerful year-long devotional written by Assemblies of God World Missions missionaries serving on the front lines of evangelism. You will be inspired by devotional thoughts and dynamic testimonies of the Holy Spirit in action, answers to prayer, miracles, divine protection, supernatural provision, the call to missions, and more.

For more information about Europe 365 Daily Devotions, visit GospelPublishingHouse.com.

SHOW NOTES

• 00:00 — Introduction and Sponsor Ad
• 02:12 — Why did an emphasis on numerical growth displace the emphasis on discipleship depth, and what have the consequences been for American churches?
• 04:07 — What are the seven dimensions? And how did you arrive at these seven dimensions?
• 10:53 — How do the seven dimensions relate to Jesus?
• 16:19 — How can pastors and other church leaders assess (1) how they're doing personally as disciples as well as (2) how their churches discipleship efforts are going?
• 25:18 — What advice would you give pastors and other church leaders for implementing new discipleship programs or revising existing ones?
• 28:10 — What are some of the resources the AG provides, whether in terms of curriculum, training, books, etc.?
• 36:49 — What are you reading right now that is interesting, helpful, and/or personally challenging?
• 38:12 — Conclusion