Influence Articles

Over the past two years, there has been a slight increase in the share of Americans attending church. According to American Bible Society’s State of the Bible 2026 report, 42% of Americans attend church today (in person or online), compared to 39% in 2024.

Before celebrating, we should consider whether those coming through the doors are staying and growing. <...

To say James Marocco is passionate about church planting is an understatement.

Since Marocco started pastoring King’s Cathedral and Chapels 46 years ago, the Maui, Hawaii-based church has spawned over 930 congregations in 27 U.S. states and 32 foreign nations.

The Assemblies of God church oversees extension sites in Asia, Europe, North and South America, and ma...

The whole world seems to slow down during major holidays. Banks close, restaurants shorten their hours, and people look forward to time away from work.

For ministry leaders, however, holidays often mean the opposite. Work hours grow longer, commitments increase, phone calls multiply, and service planning becomes more complex.

Ministry families operate on a dif...

Welcome to the Influence Podcast! I’m George P. Wood, executive editor of Influence magazine and your host.

I began vocational ministry the summer of 1990 and have served in various capacities ever since. As ministers, we often focus on what happens on Sunday morning as the people of God gather to worship.

But for Sunday morning worship to go well, you ...

There is a subtle shift that can occur in spiritual leaders’ lives — a shift so gradual that it often goes unnoticed.

It is not marked by scandal or burnout or doctrinal error. In fact, from the outside, everything may appear healthy, and ministry continues efficiently.

Yet beneath the surface, something essential has dimmed: curiosity about God himself.

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