Welcome to the Influence Podcast!

I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host. In this episode, I talk to Mark Hausfeld about how ministers can move toward physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual health — and why they should.

Hausfeld is executive director of the Institute for Ministerial Wholeness and an ordained Assemblies of God minister,

Ministry is demanding, even for Jesus. Matthew 8 tells us "large crowds followed him." Jesus goes on to heal a leper, resurrect a servant, cure Peter's mother-in-law, exorcize demonized persons, and calm a storm on the Sea of Galilee.

The detail that strikes me is Jesus falling asleep during a storm (8:24). No wonder! He was tired.

If ministry wore out Jesus, it will wear out us too. We need to be rested and ready to do God's work. I'll talk about how with Mark Hausfeld after a brief word from our sponsor.

SPONSOR

This episode of the Influence Podcast is brought to you by Gospel Publishing House, distributors of The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Discipler.

The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Discipler equips you with an understanding of the Holy Spirit's role in your life. As a resource for both laypeople and ministry leaders, it also imparts practical insight for anyone discipling others in receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

For more information about The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Discipler visit GospelPublishingHouse.com.

SHOW NOTES

• 00:00 — Introduction and Sponsor Ad
• 01:40 — Why is wholeness of body, mind, soul, and spirit necessary?
• 04:25 — How does physical health or illness impact our ministries, and how do we get healthier?
• 14:38 — Why should ministers commit to lifelong learning, and what are ways to do that?
• 23:39 — How does emotional messed-up-ness derail ministry, and how can ministers get back on track?
• 28:55 — What is spiritual formation?
• 34:34 — What is spiritual direction, and why is it necessary for pastors?
• 40:36 — Tell us a little about the certificate in spiritual direction offered by the Institute for Ministerial Wholeness through the auspices of Assemblies of God Theological Seminary.
• 44:54 — What are you reading right now that is interesting, helpful, and/or personally challenging?
• 49:15 — Conclusion

Welcome to the Influence Podcast!

I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host. In this episode, I talk to Doug Clay about the state of the Assemblies of God as the New Year begins. Clay is AG general superintendent and author of Conversations with My Younger Self and 13: Leadership Is More Than Luck, both published by Gospel Publishing House.

This past year, the Assemblies of God received favorable notice in political scientist Ryan Burge's popular religious data Substack, Graphs About Religion. One post, titled "The Assemblies of God: A Denomination That May Be Growing," reported that the AG is bucking the trend of denominational decline.

"Almost every major denomination is losing members at an incredibly rapid pace," he writes, with the exception of two small denominations. "But there is a major denomination that was on an upward trajectory for a very long time and stood as an aberration in the larger Protestant landscape: The Assemblies of God. They experienced very consistent growth over the last couple of decades."

Burge focused on steady AG growth over several decades, but in his editorial for the Winter 2026 issue of Influence, Doug Clay notes that the AG experienced growth between 2023–24, the last year for which there is a complete statistical report.

"From 2023–24, adherence rose 2.5%, Spirit baptisms 3.9%, membership 4.1%, in-person attendance 6.2%, conversions 10%, water baptisms 12.1%, and new church charters 33.6%," he writes.

Every year, the President gives a State of the Union Address to Congress. Think of this podcast as an AG State of the Union for 2026.

SHOW NOTES

• 00:00 — Introduction
• 02:08 — Why is the Assemblies of God growing?
• 07:00 — How do we balance church growth with the fact that outward success isn't a reliable measure of the Church's strength?
• 10:16 — The AG in the United States is having a remarkable run, but what can you tell us about what's happening in AG churches around the world that don't share our experience?
• 13:47 — What new ministry initiatives is the AG pursuing this year?
• 20:33 — Update listeners on the progress of the building renovations of the national office.
• 24:10 — What headwinds are the AG facing, and what are the best Spirit-empowered practices for responding to them?
• 30:03 — Based on your recent sabbatical, make the case for ministers scheduling regular times for rest and recovery.
• 33:50 — What are you reading right now that's interesting, helpful, and/or personally challenging?
• 36:03 — Conclusion

Welcome to the Influence Podcast!

I'm George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host. In this episode, I talk to Allen Tennison about what Pentecostal ministers should read in 2026. Tennison serves as theological counsel to The General Counsel of the Assemblies of God.

Reading may not be at or even near the top of many ministers' new year's resolutions, but it should be. In an August 1760 letter to John Premboth, John Wesley wrote:

"What has exceedingly hurt you in time past, nay, and I fear to this day, is want of reading.

"I scarce ever knew a preacher read so little. And perhaps, by neglecting it, you have lost the taste for it. Hence your talent in preaching does not increase. It is just the same as it was seven years ago. It is lively, but not deep; there is little variety, there is no compass of thought. Reading only can supply this, with meditation and daily prayer. You wrong yourself greatly by omitting this. You can never be a deep preacher without it, any more than a thorough Christian."

Even if you agree with Wesley, questions remain: How long should I read every day? What should I read? How do I balance reading with my other pastoral responsibilities? Those are the questions Tennison and I discuss after a brief word from our sponsor.

IN THIS PODCAST

• 0:00:00 — Introduction
• 0:01:34 — Sponsor Copy
• 0:02:38 — How does reading help ministers deepen their preaching and spiritual formation?
• 0:07:18 — How much time should ministers devote to reading, and what's a realistic goal for how many books they should read?
• 0:14:43 — What kinds of knowledge should ministers seek in books?
• 0:20:00 — What Bible study books — commentaries, biblical theologies, reference works, etc. — would you recommend?
• 0:37:14 — What theology books would you recommend?
• 0:48:55 — What histories and biographies do you recommend?
• 1:03:10 — What books about ethics and pastoral theology would you recommend?
• 1:08:07 — What books on preaching and church administration would you recommend?
• 1:15:36 — Conclusion

SPONSOR COPY

This episode of the Influence Podcast is brought to you by Gospel Publishing House, distributors of The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Discipler.

The Holy Spirit in the Life of the Discipler equips you with an understanding of the Holy Spirit's role in your life. As a resource for both laypeople and ministry leaders, it also imparts practical insight for anyone discipling others in receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

For more information visit GospelPublishingHouse.com.