Influence Podcast
253 episodes - English - Latest episode: 5 days ago - ★★★★★ - 58 ratingsThe Influence Magazine Podcast is a chance for you to hear from the premiere voices in church leadership…voices who are redefining what church leadership looks like. It's the audio companion to Influence Magazine, a resource full of practical tools, informative news and powerful biblical principals aimed at empowering all leaders. Visit us online at InfluenceMagazine.com
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Episodes
150. Five Tensions Churches Must Manage to Successfully Engage Millennials
August 20, 2018 06:00 - 29 minutes - 40.6 MBAmerica is in the midst of a generational sea change. Baby Boomers are no longer the nation’s largest generational cohort. Instead, Millennials are. Unfortunately, Millennials are the least religious generational cohort in our nation’s history. If the Church wants to reach Millennials, it cannot rely on strategies that worked with Boomers. The generations are simply too different. In today’s episode, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks to Geoff Surratt about five ten...
149. How to Be a Man-Friendly Church
August 13, 2018 06:00 - 25 minutes - 34.4 MBRoughly half the U.S. population is male, but fewer men attend church on average than women do. In the Assemblies of God, for example, the latest statistics indicate that men account for 31.5 percent of Sunday morning attendees, while women account for 40.4 percent. This gap in attendance reveals a ministry opportunity. Earlier this year, Michael Zigarelli — professor of Leadership and Strategy at Messiah College in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania — conducted a qualitative survey of seven Prot...
148. Is It Time to Quit Church?
August 06, 2018 06:00 - 25 minutes - 35 MBIn today’s episode, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks to Chris Sonksen about his new book, Quit Church: Because Your Life Would Be Better If You Did, published by Baker Books. Sonksen believes too many American Christians take a "noncommittal, casual approach" to both God and the Church. By doing so, they miss out on the tremendous blessings God has for them. Quit Church is about quitting nominal religion and practicing a vibrant faith. Chris Sonksen is pastor of S...
147. Religious Liberty in Pluralist America
July 30, 2018 06:00 - 35 minutes - 48.6 MBReligious liberty has emerged as a particularly contentious issue in American public discourse, especially in light of President Donald Trump’s nomination of Judge Brett Kavanaugh to succeed Justice Anthony Kennedy on the U.S. Supreme Court. But religious liberty didn’t become controversial overnight. Indeed, if history is any guide, religious liberty has been a controversial issue in the United States since its founding. In today’s episode, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wo...
146. Speaking Truth in a Distracted, Secular Age
July 09, 2018 06:00 - 35 minutes - 48.7 MBTo be a Christian is to bear witness to Jesus Christ in the place and time in which you live. Every age presents unique challenges to, as well as unique opportunities for, Christian witness. In this episode, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks to Prof. Alan Noble about how Christians can bear witness to Christ in the midst of a distracted, secular culture. Alan Noble is assistant professor of English at Oklahoma Baptist University, cofounder and editor-in-chief of Chr...
145. Engaging in Spiritual Warfare in Life and Ministry
July 02, 2018 06:00 - 46 minutes - 63.8 MBSpiritual warfare is a component of every Christian’s life and ministry (Ephesians 6:10–20). Pastors are often on its frontlines, however. In this episode of the Influence Podcast, Wayne and Kristi Northup share what they have learned about this often overlooked aspect of the Christian life. The Northups are co-lead pastors of Saints Community Churchin New Orleans, Louisiana. They planted the church in 2011 with a vision to win a city, starting congregations throughout the greater New Orle...
144. How to Be a Multiplying Pastor and Lead a Multiplying Church
June 18, 2018 06:00 - 37 minutes - 51.4 MBJeffrey and Joanne Portmann planted Newhope Church in Puyallup, Washington, on Easter Sunday in 2014. From the outset, their vision was to have five locations within five years. Today, Newhope has five campuses throughout South Puget Sound. In this episode of the Influence Podcast, Influence senior editor John Davidson talks to Jeffrey Portmann about how pastors and churches can implement a multiplication philosophy whatever their current size or location.
143. How to Recognize Signs of Pastoral Burnout..and to Recover!
June 11, 2018 06:00 - 28 minutes - 38.6 MBOver the past eight years, LifePoint Church in Clarksville, Tennessee, experienced explosive growth. That was good news, of course, but it created stresses throughout the organization, in terms of both personnel and finances. Indeed, the stresses almost caused Pastor Mike Burnette to leave the ministry entirely. Few pastors lead churches that experience explosive growth, which is always a sovereign move of God. But all pastors experience heightened levels of stress. In this episode of the ...
142. How Ministry Couples Can Have Thriving Marriages
June 04, 2018 06:00 - 45 minutes - 63.2 MBHusbands and wives ministering alongside one another in the church is common. Indeed, it has biblical precedents in ministry couples like Priscilla and Aquila and Andronicus and Junia (Romans 16:3, 7). But working together, even in ministry, presents unique challenges to healthy marriages. In this episode of the Influence Podcast, Influence magazine senior editor John Davidson talks to Geoff and Sherry Surratt about how ministry couples can have thriving marriages. The Surratts are found...
141. A Mental Health Inclusion Strategy for the Church
May 29, 2018 06:00 - 35 minutes - 48.9 MBMay is Mental Health Month. In today’s episode, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks to Dr. Stephen Grcevich about a mental health inclusion strategy for the local church. Dr. Grcevich is founder and president of Key Ministry. He is a child and adolescent psychiatrist with over thirty years of clinical experience and extensive research experience evaluating medication prescribed to children and teens for mental health disorders. A past recipient of the Exemplary Psychia...
140. Perpetuating Pentecost in the Local Church
May 21, 2018 06:00 - 27 minutes - 38.2 MBYesterday—May 20, 2018—was Pentecost Sunday. Many churches marked the occasion with a special emphasis on the person and work of the Holy Spirit. In today’s podcast, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks to Dr. Jim Bradford about how pastors can create environments for people to be filled — and refilled — with the Holy Spirit on a regular basis. Dr. Bradford is the outgoing general secretary of the Assemblies of God. After nine years in that position, he is returning t...
139. How Churches Can Support Foster Parents
May 14, 2018 06:00 - 31 minutes - 43.6 MBMay is National Foster Care Month. In today’s episode, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks with Jay Mooney and Johan Mostert about how churches can support foster care parents and thus solve the twin problems of America’s foster care system: capacity and stability. Jay Mooney is executive director of COMPACT Family Services, formerly Assemblies of God Family Services Agency. Johan Mostert is director of COMPACARE, one of COMPACT’S initiatives. To learn more about C...
138. Closing the Sanctification Gap
May 07, 2018 06:00 - 44 minutes - 60.7 MBPeople--including practicing Christians--are neither as morally good as they should be nor as morally bad as they could be. This is the sanctification gap, the distance between who we are and who we should be. In this episode of the Influence Podcast, executive editor George P. Wood talks to Christian Miller about how to close that gap. Miller is A. C. Reid Professor of Philosophy at Wake Forest University and director of the Character Projected, funded by the John Templeton Foundation and...
137. Introducing the Assemblies of God’s New General Secretary
May 01, 2018 06:00 - 25 minutes - 34.5 MBOn Monday, April 23, 2018, the Assemblies of God announced that Rev. Donna Barrett would succeed Dr. Jim Bradford in the office of general secretary. Her term beings June 1, 2018. This was an historic announcement, given that Barrett is the first woman in the denomination’s history to serve on the Executive Leadership Team. In today’s podcast, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks to Barrett about her life and ministry and how God has led her to this point in time. Episo...
136. What’s Driving Christianity’s Global Growth?
April 16, 2018 06:00 - 28 minutes - 39.6 MBIn this episode, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks to Brian Stiller about five drivers behind Christianity’s explosive growth worldwide. Stiller is a global ambassador for the World Evangelical Alliance, an ordained minister in the Pentecostal Assemblies of Canada, and author of From Jerusalem to Timbuktu: A World Tour of the Spread of Christianity, recently published by IVP Books. To learn more about Brian Stiller, visit BrianStiller.com. Episode Notes 00:00 In...
135. How to Lead a Small Church
April 09, 2018 06:00 - 35 minutes - 48.5 MBThe vast majority of churches in America are small. In the Assemblies of God, for example, 75 percent of all churches report fewer than 200 people in weekly attendance. Nearly 60 percent report fewer than 100. And nearly one-third report fewer than 50. Unfortunately, there are few books about how to lead a small church. Karl Vaters’ new book, Small Church Essentials is one of the best, and it’s both hopeful and helpful. (See our review here.) In this episode of the Influence Podcast, In...
134. How to Provide Feedback to Your Team
April 02, 2018 06:00 - 18 minutes - 24.9 MBIn this episode of the Influence Podcast, senior editor John Davidson talks to Mike Santiago about the whys and hows of giving feedback — both positive and negative — to the leadership team at your church. Santiago is pastor of Focus Church as well as a member of the Church Multiplication Network’s Field-Based Team, coordinating training for church planters in the Assemblies of God (USA). You can connect with him on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. His handle is @CheckTheMike. Episode ...
133. Do Miracles Really Happen?
March 26, 2018 06:00 - 33 minutes - 45.8 MBEaster is a few days away. Around the world, Christians will celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This event, so pivotal to Christian faith, is a reminder that Christianity is an inherently supernatural religion. Unfortunately, in the modern era, many disbelieve in miracles, their skepticism fueled by appeals to science. So, the question naturally arises, do miracles really happen? To answer that question, Influence magazine senior editor George P. Wood interviewed Lee Strobel about...
132. How to Update an Older Church Building
March 20, 2018 06:00 - 21 minutes - 29.7 MBIn 2012, Mike Santiago planted Focus Church with his wife Ashton in metropolitan Raleigh, North Carolina. The church met in rented school facilities for several years until being told their rental agreement would expire in two weeks. Providentially, Focus was able to merge with an older, existing church whose facilities had been built in the 1980s. People expect different things from church facilities in 2018 than they did in the 1980s, however, so renovations were needed. Plus, there were...
131. How to Reach and Retain Youth in Your Church
March 12, 2018 06:00 - 31 minutes - 43.4 MBJosh Wellborn is the newly appointed director of National Youth Ministries for the Assemblies of God (AG). He comes to that position after two decades of ministry as a youth pastor and District Youth Director in the Michigan District of the Assemblies of God. You can follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. In this episode of the Influence Podcast, Josh talks to Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood about what churches can do to reach and retain young people. Hi...
130. How to Multiply Leaders in Your Church
March 05, 2018 07:00 - 25 minutes - 34.7 MBEveryone wants to be a hero. Yet only a few understand the power in being a hero maker. Those that do become leaders who multiply leaders. In this episode of the Influence Podcast, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks to Dave Ferguson about how to multiply leaders in your church. Their conversation draws on insights from Dave’s new book, Hero Maker, coauthored with Warren Bird and published by Zondervan. Dave is pastor of Community Christian Church, a multisite congre...
129. Leadership Lessons of the Apostle Paul
February 26, 2018 07:00 - 28 minutes - 39.4 MBPastors and other church leaders often turn to secular leadership books for insights about how they should lead their congregations. Those books can be helpful, so their advice shouldn't necessarily be discounted. By the same token, however, the Bible itself is a leadership book, which sets out the distinctive tone and posture of authentically Christian leadership. So, it should be the primary source of guidance for how Christians lead. In this episode of the Influence Podcast, Influenc...
128. The Difference between Vision and Faith
February 19, 2018 07:00 - 24 minutes - 33.2 MBYou can't lead anything without a vision of your preferred future. This includes leadership in the local church. But that vision must come out of discerning what God is saying to you as you lead. In this episode of the Influence Podcast, Influence magazine senior editor John Davidson talks to Jeff Leake about the difference between vision and faith, as well as how they work together. Leake is pastor of Allison Park Church in Allison Park, Pennsylvania. He also provides leadership to Reac...
127. Healthy Church Culture
February 12, 2018 07:00 - 28 minutes - 39.8 MBManagement consultant Peter Drucker famously said, “Culture eats strategy for breakfast.” That’s true in the business world, but it’s also true in the life of the local church. In this episode of the Influence Podcast, Influence magazine senior editor John Davidson talks to Greg Ford about how to make your church’s culture healthy. Ford is lead pastor of One Church in Gahanna, Ohio, a church he and his wife Shailyn planted seven years ago. He is also a member of the Lead Team of the Church...
126. Understanding Generation Z
February 05, 2018 07:00 - 29 minutes - 41 MBGeneration Z is the name of the demographic cohort born between 1999 and 2015. It is a large, diverse generation, whose ideas, experiences and values present both challenges and opportunities for Christian ministry. In this podcast, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks to David Kinnaman about the new Barna Group report, Gen Z: The Culture, Beliefs and Motivations Shaping the Next Generation. Kinnaman is president of Barna Group and coauthor of numerous books about how...
125. Preaching with Cultural Intelligence
January 29, 2018 07:00 - 33 minutes - 46.1 MBAmerica is becoming an increasingly diverse nation, and so are American churches. How should pastors and other church leaders preach and minister in this new cultural context? That’s the question Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood explores with Matthew D. Kim in this episode of the Influence Podcast. Dr. Kim is associate professor of preaching and ministry at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Massachusetts, and author of the book, Preaching with Cultur...
124. How to Last in Ministry
January 22, 2018 07:00 - 25 minutes - 35 MBIn this episode of the Influence Podcast, Influence magazine senior editor John Davidson interviews John Van Pay about what the faith heroes of Hebrews 11 can teach us regarding spiritual endurance. John Van Pay is pastor of Gateway Fellowship Church in San Antonio, Texas, which Outreach magazine named the fastest growing church in America in 2016. He is also author of Marathon Faith: Motivation from the Greatest Endurance Runners of the Bible. For more information about the book or to dow...
123. Pentecostals, Race, Justice and Reconciliation
January 15, 2018 07:00 - 39 minutes - 53.8 MBToday is Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In honor of Dr. King’s Christian vision of the “beloved community” and his Civil Rights activism, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks with Pastor Walter Harvey about what Pentecostals can do to promote racial justice and reconciliation in America today. Harvey is pastor of Parklawn Assembly of God in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, as well as vice president of the National Black Fellowship of the Assemblies of God. He also has the lead articl...
122. Three Dimensions of Prayer
January 09, 2018 07:00 - 22 minutes - 30.6 MBIn this episode, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks to Dr. Jim Bradford about the personal, pastoral and congregational dimensions of prayer. Dr. Bradford is general secretary of the Assemblies of God (USA) and pastor of Central Assembly of God in Springfield, Missouri. You can listen to his weekly sermons here. Learn more about Influence and subscribe to the magazine: InfluenceMagazine.com. Like us on Facebook: @TheInfluenceMag Follow us on Twitter: @TheInfluen...
121. The Whys and Hows of Biblical Equality
October 26, 2017 06:00 - 36 minutes - 67.4 MBIn this episode, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks to Dr. Mimi Haddad about the whys and hows of biblical equality, the notion that God calls and empowers both men and women for leadership in home, church, and society. Dr. Haddad is president of CBE International and an adjunct professor of historical theology at Fuller Theological Seminary and Olivet University. She has her Ph.D. from the University of Durham in England. To learn more about Dr. Mimi Haddad, visit ...
120. How God Turns a Mess into a Masterpiece
October 16, 2017 11:00 - 30 minutes - 55.5 MBIn this episode, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks to Rev. Rick DuBose about the process God uses to turn a mess into a masterpiece, whether personally or congregationally. Rev. DuBose is general treasurer of the Assemblies of God, having been elected to that position at the denomination’s 57th General Council in Anaheim, California. To learn more about Rev. Rick DuBose, visit generaltreasurer.ag.org. Learn more about Influence and subscribe to the magazine: Infl...
119. What’s Next for the Assemblies of God?
October 09, 2017 06:00 - 23 minutes - 42.8 MBIn this episode, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks to Rev. Doug Clay about his hopes, dreams and vision for the Assemblies of God. Rev. Clay is the 13th general superintendent of the Assemblies of God, having been elected to that position at the denomination’s 57th General Council in Anaheim, California. To learn more about Rev. Doug Clay, visit DougClay.com, and follow him on Facebook and Twitter. Learn more about Influence and subscribe to the magazine: Influence...
118. Breaking the 200 Barrier
October 04, 2017 19:30 - 49 minutes - 90.2 MBToday’s episode of the Influence Podcast features Mike Quinn and Chris Sonksen talking about how churches can break the 200 barrier in attendance. This episode was recorded during a breakout session at the August 2017 Influence Conference in Anaheim, California. Quinn is lead pastor of NewBreak Church, a multisite congregation in San Diego, California. Sonksen is lead pastor of South Hills Church, a multisite church in Southern California, as well as founder of Church Boom, which coaches c...
117. The Acts 2 Model of Church Health
October 02, 2017 06:00 - 35 minutes - 65.5 MBToday’s episode of the Influence Podcast features Alton Garrison talking about the Acts 2 Model of Church Health. This episode was recorded at the August 2017 Influence Conference in Anaheim, California. Alton Garrison is assistant superintendent of the Assemblies of God and director of the Church Transformation Initiative, which is designed to help churches renew their spiritual vitality and reach their full kingdom potential. To learn more about the Acts 2 Model, visit Acts2Journey.com...
116. Preaching Pet Peeves
September 25, 2017 06:00 - 33 minutes - 61 MBIn this episode, Influence magazine executive editor George P. Wood talks to Chris Colvin about the highly alliterative topic, "Preaching Pet Peeves of People in the Pew." Chris Colvin is a content research consultant, freelance writer, and contributing editor of Influence magazine. To learn more about him, follow @MisterColvin on Facebook and Twitter, or visit MisterColvin.com. Learn more about Influence and subscribe to the magazine: InfluenceMagazine.com. Like us on Facebook: @Th...
115. How to Merge Churches
September 19, 2017 06:00 - 31 minutes - 58 MBIn 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. Learn more about Influence and subscribe to the magazine: Influen...
114. Why You Should Care About Church Planting
September 14, 2017 06:00 - 28 minutes - 51.4 MBIn 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 ...
113. What the Church Has Always Taught about Sex
September 11, 2017 06:00 - 36 minutes - 66.5 MBIn 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...
112. How to Lead Your Family
September 07, 2017 06:00 - 19 minutes - 35.6 MBIn 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 Harves...
111. Shattering the Stained Glass Ceiling
September 05, 2017 17:30 - 38 minutes - 71.3 MBIn 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 nega...
110. Small Changes that Make a Big Difference
August 28, 2017 06:00 - 31 minutes - 57.4 MBIn 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 ...
109. The Church and Social Media
August 24, 2017 12:57 - 31 minutes - 57 MBAlthough 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 se...
108. Leaving a Legacy of Influence
August 22, 2017 12:46 - 29 minutes - 53.2 MBDr. 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 minis...
107. How Husbands and Wives Can Co-Pastor a Church
August 10, 2017 06:00 - 26 minutes - 47.9 MBCan 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. Learn more about Influence and subscribe to the magazine: InfluenceMagazine.com. Like us on Facebook: @TheInfluenceMag Fol...
106. The Azusa Street Revival
August 07, 2017 06:00 - 42 minutes - 77.9 MBThe 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 Ge...
105. How to Tell Stories
August 03, 2017 06:00 - 36 minutes - 67 MBStories 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...
104. How to Lead When You’re Not in Charge
July 20, 2017 06:00 - 31 minutes - 57.6 MBMany 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...
103. How to Unhurry Your Leadership
July 17, 2017 06:00 - 26 minutes - 48.2 MBDallas 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 q...
102. Orphan Care and the Church
July 13, 2017 12:46 - 19 minutes - 36.4 MBThere 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 c...
101. When Ministers Change Jobs
July 10, 2017 06:00 - 27 minutes - 49.9 MBAccording 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 t...