Month: July 2018

Influence Magazine, MinistryLeave a comment

Head, Heart, and Hands: Three marks of a holistic Pentecostal ministry

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On any given day, an Assemblies of God pastor may read a scholarly commentary in preparation for Sunday’s sermon, counsel a church member who is experiencing an emotional crisis, and help a poor family in the community pay its bills. Pentecostal ministry is holistic, in other words. It encompasses what we believe, what we feel and how we behave — our head, heart and hands, respectively. The biblical foundation of this holism is the Great Commandment (Matthew 22:34–40). Asked to name “the greatest commandment in the Law,” Christ Jesus answered by quoting Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18: “‘Love the Lord … Continue reading Head, Heart, and Hands: Three marks of a holistic Pentecostal ministry

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Leading from Your Gut | Book Reviewi

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“I have a bad feeling about this” is not just a well-worn linefrom the Star Wars movie franchise. It’s also a gut-level experience many leaders have when making important decisions. It can be a positive experience too: “I have a good feeling about this.” Leaders often ignore their gut when making decisions. They believe it’s best to base decisions solely on external data, not internal feelings. Dr. John Townsend thinks that’s only half right: The premise of Leading from Your Gut is this: “Great leaders succeed by harnessing the power of both the external world and the internal world.” Townsend … Continue reading Leading from Your Gut | Book Reviewi

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Serving God in a Migrant Crisis | Book Review

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Millions of people are on the move today. They cross international borders fleeing war or persecution, seeking better economic prospects, or both. How should Christians respond? A 2016 Lifeway Research surveyof 1,000 U.S. pastors revealed ambivalence. On the one hand, “Most pastors say Christians should lend a hand to refugees and foreigners, and believe caring for refugees is a privilege.” On the other hand, “pastors say their churches are twice as likely to fear refugees as they are to help them.” Patrick Johnstone, writing with Dean Merrill, thinks Christians need to be more hopeful: “I firmly believe that for Christians … Continue reading Serving God in a Migrant Crisis | Book Review

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Disruptive Witness | Book Review

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“The work of conviction and calling is the Holy Spirit’s,” writes Alan Noble, “but different times and cultures present different barriers to hearing and comprehending the good news.” Some of these barriers are bad ideas, which can be overcome through good apologetics. Others are cultural trends that are harder to spot because they shape the warp and woof of daily existence. In Disruptive Witness, Noble identifies two such trends: “(1) the practice of continuous engagement in immediately gratifying activities that resist reflection and meditation, and (2) the growth of secularism, defined as a state in which theism [i.e., belief in … Continue reading Disruptive Witness | Book Review

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Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now | Book Review

georgepwood

Like many others, I find it difficult to imagine life without social media. I use Facebook and Twitter at work to share articles fromInfluencemagazine, the Christian leadership magazine which I edit. They account for a large percentage of the traffic on the magazine’s website. I ignore them at professional peril. I use Facebook and Instagram at home to share information and pictures with my family and friends. They help me keep in touch with people who are important to me but don’t live close by. Although I get most of my news from websites, I also click on the links … Continue reading Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now | Book Review

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London Rules | Book Review

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London Rules is the fifth book in Mick Herron’s acclaimed Slough House series. Slough House is where MI5 houses agents it can neither fire nor put in the field, hoping they quit of their own volition instead. And it’s governed by a profane unhygienic Cold Warrior named Jackson Lamb who keeps things running, if not altogether smoothly, and not without a bit of blackmail of the higher ups. In this installment, there are terrorists loose in England; political shenanigans involving an MP, the MP’s pundit wife, the Prime Minister, and the PM’s favorite Muslim politician. On top of that, someone’s … Continue reading London Rules | Book Review

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Speaking Truth in a Distracted, Secular Age | Influence Podcast

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To 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, I talk 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 Christ and Pop Culture, and author of Disruptive Witness: Speaking Truth in a Distracted Age, published by IVP Books and hitting bookstores on Tuesday, July 17. P.S. This podcast is … Continue reading Speaking Truth in a Distracted, Secular Age | Influence Podcast

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The Gospel at Work | Book Review

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By some estimates, Americans spend 90,000 hours on the job over the course of their lifetimes. That’s 45 years of 40-hour workweeks for 50 weeks of the year, minus two weeks of vacation, of course. In The Gospel at Work, Sebastian Traeger and Greg Gilbert offer a Christian understanding of the work that takes up so much of our time on earth. Their “big idea” is this: “You work for the King, and that changes … everything!” Pastors discipling church members for their lives in the workaday world will find this book to be a helpful theological and practical resource. … Continue reading The Gospel at Work | Book Review

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How to Get Unstuck | Book Review

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We all want to be more effective in life and ministry, but all of us also get stuck at some point or another. In How to Get Unstuck, Matt Perman offers a “God-centered, gospel-driven” perspective on productivity — defined holistically as “a flourishing life, not just doing better at work.” He sketches “successful practices” for getting unstuck, but those practices are built on the foundation of this insight: “operate from a center of sound principles. Use those principles to set your priorities. And then organize and execute your life around those priorities.” This is a helpful book for Christian leaders … Continue reading How to Get Unstuck | Book Review