Christianity is the world’s largest religion. In 1900, approximately 558 million people around the globe identified as Christian. By 2020, that number had grown to approximately 2.5 billion. Despite that numerical growth, Christianity shrank as a percentage of the world’s … Continue reading The State of Global Christianity | Influence Podcast
The life and ministry of Charles Fox Parham (1873–1929) pose a dilemma to Pentecostals: On the one hand, he was an important leader in the early years of the Pentecostal revival. On the other hand, he was a morally flawed … Continue reading Charles Fox Parham | Book Review
Cessationism is the belief, once common among evangelical Christians, that what the apostle Paul called charismata — e.g., prophecy, tongues, gifts of healing — no longer operate in the Church today. B.B. Warfield was a well-known advocate of cessationism in … Continue reading The Kingdom Case Against Cessationism | Book Review
Every Pentecostal knows that William J. Seymour was the leader of the Azusa Street Mission in Los Angeles, California. The revival that happened at that mission from 1906–1909 played a central role in the history of early Pentecostalism. Even after … Continue reading How William J. Seymour Led Azusa Street | Influence Podcast
Walk into many American churches this Sunday morning — especially if they’re new or nondenominational — and you’re likely to experience the same things: People dress casually. The auditorium looks like a theater, complete with high-tech sound and lighting systems. … Continue reading A History of Contemporary Praise & Worship | Book Review
Speaking in tongues is one of Pentecostalism’s most distinctive practices. And yet, in his doctoral research, Timothy Laurito found that “a majority of self-identified Pentecostal participants did not feel like they had even been adequately taught about speaking in tongues.” … Continue reading How to Help People Understand Glossolalia | Influence Podcast
February is Black History Month, and in this episode of the Influence Podcast, we’re celebrating the National Black Fellowship of the Assemblies of God, which just completed 40 years of service. I’ll be talking with Bishop Walter Harvey about the … Continue reading Celebrating he National Black Fellowship of the Assemblies of God | Influence Podcast
Twenty-seven years ago, Jack Deere published Surprised by the Power of the Spirit, the story of how and why he stopped being a cessationist and started practicing a charismatic form of spirituality. Why I Am Still Surprised by the Power … Continue reading Why I Am Still Surprised by the Power of the Spirit | Book Review
One of the hallmarks of classical Pentecostalism is its emphasis on baptism in the Holy Spirit, both theologically and experientially. This is certainly true in the Assemblies of God, which includes two articles on the doctrine—Articles 7 and 8—in our … Continue reading Baptism in the Holy Spirit | 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
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