On May 2, 2022, Politico made headlines when it leaked the draft of a Supreme Court decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization. That draft overturns Roe v. Wade, a 1973 decision, which together with Doe v. Boltoneffectively legalized … Continue reading What Christians Should Do if the Supreme Court Overturns Roe | Influence Podcast
On January 6, 2002, reporters for the The Boston Globe began publishing a series of stories about clergy sexual abuse of minors in the Catholic Archdiocese of Boston. Their revelations went on to garner a Pulitzer Prize and shine a … Continue reading What Churches Should Learn from Religious Scandals | Influence Podcast
As executive editor of Assemblies of God Publications, I get paid to read books. I read them to identify potential authors, topics, and reviews for Influence and Called to Serve, as well as to prepare for interviews on the Influence … Continue reading The Pastor’s Bookshelf | Book Review
In the 1992 vice presidential debate, James Stockdale opened his remarks by asking, “Who am I? Why am I here?” The audience laughed, but his questions were (and are) serious. They concern identity and mission, respectively. This new year, many pastors are … Continue reading The Flourishing Pastor | Book Review
It is often said that ministry is a marathon, not a sprint. I appreciate the point of the metaphor, which is that pastors need a sustainable pace of service. Even so, I wonder whether the comparison is too fast. The past 21 months of ministry haven’t felt … Continue reading Plod On | Influence Magazine
According to church growth expert Thom Rainer, “The median tenure of a pastor at a church is around four years. Simply stated, over one-half of pastors leave a church before their fourth anniversary.” The question is not whether church staff … Continue reading Effective Church Staff Transitions | Influence Podcast
“Every teenager is a walking bundle of questions,” write Kara Powell and Brad Griffin in their new book. “Almost every question young people are asking ultimately finds its genesis in these 3 big questions: Who am I? Where do I … Continue reading How to Talk to Teens About Life’s Big Questions | Influence Podcast
It all started with a pair of sneakers. One Sunday morning in March 2019, Ben Kirby missed church and decided to watch worship videos to assuage his guilty feelings. In one of the videos, he noticed that the worship leader … Continue reading PreachersNSneakers | Book Review
“The U.S. Assemblies of God has a mandate, a problem, and a need,” writes John Zick in the newest issue of Influencemagazine. The mandate is to evangelize the world. The problem is that youth are underrepresented among AG ministers. And … Continue reading How to Help Youth Discern the Call to Ministry | Influence Podcast
Using worldly means to accomplish heavenly ends is a persistent temptation for pastors. Today, it takes the form of corporate business models. In Paul’s day, especially at Corinth, it was professional rhetoric models that emphasized “wisdom” and “power.” Church members … Continue reading Power in Weakness | Book Review
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