The older I get, the more I appreciate how important people are to my spiritual journey, and yours, too. Americans tend to think of spirituality as something we do by ourselves, but for Christians, the spiritual life is something we … Continue reading Four People You Meet on Your Spiritual Journey | Influence Magazine
The year 2020 will not be forgotten soon, but it also will not be missed. Although it has been a frustrating time, its frustrations have fostered greater faith in God, who loves and cares for His people. That increased faith … Continue reading “Your Crown the Year with Your Bounty”
In 1 Peter 3:15, the apostle wrote: “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” The Greek word the NIV translates as “answer” is apología, from which we … Continue reading A Better Way of Doing Apologetics | Influence Podcast
I recommended the following three books to church leaders in the May-June 2020 issue of Influence magazine. As always, if you like my recommendation, please click “Helpful” on the Amazon review pages for each book! WHEN NARCISSISM COMES TO CHURCH Chuck … Continue reading Recommended Reading for Leaders | Influence Magazine
In each issue of Influence magazine, I identify three leadership books that I recommend for pastors and other church leaders. Here is my list for the January-February 2020 issue, which is crossposted from InfluenceMagazine.com. If you like my recommendation, please click … Continue reading Recommended Reading for Leaders | Influence Magazine
Several years ago, I began reading the books of Psalms and Proverbs daily during my devotional time. By following a set schedule of readings, I have been able to read each book completely once a month. This daily immersion into … Continue reading Why You Should Read Psalms and Proverbs Daily | Influence Magazine
Reflecting on race relations in the early days of the Azusa Street Revival (1906–1909), Frank Bartleman famously wrote, “The ‘color line’ was washed away in the blood.”That unity was short lived, however. Deep-seated feelings of white supremacy and Jim Crow segregation quickly redrew the line, resulting in decades of division and disparity between black and white Pentecostals that persist to this day, though to a lesser degree. The same thing might be said about American Christians and American citizens more broadly. Though progress undeniably has been made, racial divisions and disparities stubbornly persist. This fact should be an affront to … Continue reading In Search of the Beloved Community | Influence Magazine
The Americans with Disability Act defines a disability as “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life activity.” How many Americans suffer from a disability? Estimates range from 13 percentof the U.S. populace to 20 percent. That’s between 40 and 60 million persons. My guest on Episode 165 of the Influence Podcast is Charlie Chivers, founder and CEO of Special Touch Ministry, a non-profit faith-based organization, committed to serving people with intellectual or physical disabilities, their families and caregivers. Special Touch is interdenominational in scope, but Charlie is an ordained Assemblies of God minister and … Continue reading Is Your Church Disability Friendly? | Influence Podcast
My wife Tiffany could tell something was wrong with me. We had just spent a day with the kids at the local amusement park, Silver Dollar City. (Tiffany calls it “Steal Your Dollar City.”) The weather was perfect, the ride lines were short, the food was delicious, and the kids had a great time. And yet, my face gave away my inner turmoil. “What’s wrong, honey?” Tiffany asked. “My emotions are off,” I replied. “I’m not responding emotionally as I should.” The immediate cause of my unease was an exchange on Facebook. A friend posted about a national tragedy that … Continue reading 5 Lessons I Learned by Fasting Social Media | Influence Magazine
Pastors wear many hats in their congregations. On any given day, someone may ask them to explain a particular Bible verse or help mend a marriage or supervise an audit of the church’s finances. No wonder the average U.S. pastor buys four books a month, according to a 2013 Barna report! Pastors have a need to know. Because reading is so important to ministry, pastors must think carefully about what and how they read. Over the years, I have developed 10 convictions about my own reading habits that may be helpful to you. Reading is a spiritual discipline. A spiritual … Continue reading The Well-Read Pastor | Influence Magazine
GeorgePWood.com 