According to Pew Research Center, the Assemblies of God is one of the most diverse Protestant denominations in the United States. AG statistics show that 56% of AG adherents are white and 44% ethnic minority. However, statistics also show that … Continue reading 7 Steps to Diversifying AG Leadership | Influence Podcast
The Assemblies of God (USA) is a racially and ethnically diverse denomination, 56% white and 44% minority. The diversity of its adherents is not matched by the diversity of its leadership, however, especially at the level of district leadership. Not … Continue reading Wings to Rise | Book Recommendation
Martin Luther King Jr. once said, “It is appalling that the most segregated hour of Christian America is 11 o’clock on Sunday morning.” King said this about race in 1963, but it is still largely true today. According to sociologist … Continue reading Becoming a Church that Crosses Racial and Economic Divides | Influence Podcast
The death of George Floyd has sparked a nationwide conversation about racism. As our fellow citizens talk about how to reform public policy, it’s also important for the Church to look inward and see how we can better embody the … Continue reading The Multiethnic Church as a Solution to Racism | Influence Podcast
Welcome to the Influence Podcast, a collection of inspiring and challenging conversations, aimed at empowering the entire spectrum of church leadership, from lead pastor to lead volunteer In Episode 207, I’m talking to Doug Clay about the good things God … Continue reading What’s Happening in the Assemblies of God Today? | Influence Podcast
This past August, the Assemblies of God Executive Presbytery appointed Wilfredo De Jesús as general treasurer of the denomination. Best known as “Pastor Choco,” De Jesús succeeds Rick DuBose in that office, which is charged with oversight of the Division … Continue reading Meet the Assemblies of God’s New General Treasurer | Influence Podcast
Hospitality is a Christian virtue. “Do not forget to show hospitality to strangers,” Hebrews 13:2 tells us, “for by so doing some people have shown hospitality to angels without knowing it.” According to the apostle Paul, one of the requirements for holding church office is being “hospitable” (1 Timothy 3:2, Titus 1:8). At minimum, hospitality means providing food and shelter for those in need. But what if that’s only the start? What if hospitality is a mindset that has multiple expressions affecting every aspect of leadership? That’s the question I’m exploring with Terry A. Smith in Episode 154 of the Influence Podcast. Terry A. … Continue reading The Hospitable Leader | Influence Podcast
America 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, Influencemagazine executive editor George P. Wood talks to Geoff Surratt about five tensions churches must manage to successfully engage Millennials. Together with his wife, Sherry, Geoff is the founder of Ministry Together, which “partners with “ministry leaders for relational health, organizational growth … Continue reading Five Tensions Churches Must Manage to Successfully Engage Millennials | Influence Podcast
America is increasingly diverse, and so are American churches. Matthew D. Kim wants “to prepare twenty-first-century preachers for the realities of congregational diversity in North America and beyond.” To do so, he outlines a “homiletical template” to help preachers more effectively take into account their communities’ diversity in their preaching. He focuses specifically on diversity of denominations, ethnicities, genders, locations and religions. Preaching with Cultural Intelligenceis a must-read for preachers who want to effectively minister to people different from themselves. Book Reviewed Matthew D. Kim, Preaching with Cultural Intelligence: Understanding the People Who Hear Our Sermons(Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, … Continue reading Preaching with Cultural Intelligence | Book Review
Over at InfluenceMagazine.com, I interview David Kinnaman of Barna Group about its new report, Gen Z: The Culture, Beliefs and Motivations Shaping the Next Generation. In my opinion, this is an excellent report for pastors–especially youth and KidMin pastors–and parents who want to understand the water in which their Gen Z kids swim. You can follow Barna Group on Facebook and Twitter. I always find its research to be thought-provoking and helpful. Episode 125 Notes 00:00 Introduction of podcast topic 00:32 MEGA Sports Camp ad copy 01:10 Welcome to David Kinnaman 01:47 Why pastors and other church leaders should pay attention … Continue reading Understanding Generation Z | Influence Podcast
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