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

"The church is called to be a place of belonging for all people," writes Julie Pratt. "Paul reminded us in 1 Corinthians 12:12–27 that the body of Christ is made up of many different parts, each one valuable and necessary. In verse 22 he wrote, 'Some of the parts that seem weakest and least important are actually the most necessary' (NLT)."

Pratt goes on to write, "That means individuals with autism aren't just people we need to 'accommodate' out of obligation. They are essential to the life of the church. When we fail to make space for them, we're not just failing those individuals and their families. We're missing out on the fullness of the body of Christ."

In this episode, I talk to Pratt about what churches need to know about people with autism in order better to include them in the life of the congregation.

Julie Pratt is Kidmin Discipleship Director for the Assemblies of God and author of Autism in the Church, published by Salubris. My conversation with her begins after a brief word from our sponsor.

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This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by Gospel Publishing House, distributors of A Disciple's Growth.

Get a clear and practical roadmap for following Jesus with depth and purpose. Drawing from Scripture, the power of the Holy Spirit, and real-life examples, discover seven key dimensions of spiritual formation—Bible, Holy Spirit, missions, prayer, worship, service, and generosity—that shape believers into fully devoted disciples.

Show Notes

• 00:00 — Introduction and Sponsor Ad
• 02:27 — Let's start with your personal experience with autism then move to a more formal definition of autism and a description of its prevalence in the U.S.
• 09:00 — You ask, "Is autism also a part of Your image, God?" How do you answer that question?
• 15:29 — What are some of the challenges people with autism face in attending church, and how can leadership address those challenges?
• 21:10 — What are some of the things church leaders should keep in mind when it comes to discipling people with autism?
• 25:19 — How do we train volunteers throughout the congregation to minister more effectively to people with autism?
• 29:48 — We have been talking about ministry to people with autism, but what about ministry with and by people with autism?
• 35:32 — How can we support families who have a member with autism beyond the four ways of the church on Sunday morning?
• 40:59 — What are you reading right now that is interesting, helpful, and/or personally challenging?
• 42:21 — Conclusion

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

"The doctrine of hell can be a powerful motivator," writes Allen Tennison. "Many believers initially responded to a salvation message for fear of going to hell. Christians have also dedicated themselves to prayer, evangelism, and global missions over the threat of hell."

"Images of hell can also move people in the other direction," Tennison says. "Some reject Christianity because of its teaching on hell. They refuse to believe in a God who would allow people to suffer eternal torment or dismiss what they see as fear-based threats from preachers,"

"What some view as motivation, others consider manipulation," Tennison concludes.

In this episode, I talk to Tennison about the problem of hell based on his article, "What We Believe About the Final Judgment," from the Winter 2026 issue of Influence.

Allen Tennison is theological counsel to the General Council of the Assemblies of God and author of the long running What We Believe series in Influence magazine. He will conclude that series in the Spring 2026 issue with an article titled, "What We Believe About the New Heavens and New Earth."

Show Notes

• 00:00 — Introduction
• 01:28 — What words does the Bible use both to name hell and to describe it?
• 09:12 — Why is hell a "problem" for believing Christians?
• 13:03 — Questions about annihilationism/conditional immortality
• 20:14 — Questions about universalism
• 26:26 — Questions about eternal conscious torment
• 35:33 — Advocates of the traditional doctrine of hell utilize use two apologetic strategies: retribution and choice. Does the AG have a position?
• 45:53 — How do we preach the doctrine of hell in a spiritual formative way?
• 49:10 — What are you reading right now that is interesting, helpful, and/or personally challenging?
• 58:02 — Conclusion

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

"The so-called worship wars often consist of ill-suited judgments about worship," writes Steven Félix-Jäger.

"The debates generally center around the question of what constitutes appropriate worship and can include issues such as the use of contemporary music versus traditional hymns, the role of preaching, the usual of visual aids and technology, and the role of personal experience in worship."

In this episode, I talk to Félix-Jäger about how to assess the arguments in these debates and use good judgment when planning a worship service.

Steven Félix-Jäger is associate professor and chair of Worship Arts and Media at Life Pacific University and a credentialed minister in the Foursquare Church. He is author of How to Worship for All Its Worth, published by Zondervan Academic.

Sponsor Ad

This episode of the Influence podcast is brought to you by Gospel Publishing House, distributors of A Disciple's Growth.

Get a clear and practical roadmap for following Jesus with depth and purpose. Drawing from Scripture, the power of the Holy Spirit, and real-life examples, discover seven key dimensions of spiritual formation—Bible, Holy Spirit, missions, prayer, worship, service, and generosity—that shape believers into fully devoted disciples.

For more information about A Disciple's Growth visit GospelPublishingHouse.com.

Show Notes

• 00:00 — Introduction and Sponsor Ad
• 01:49 — How do you define "worship"?
• 06:20 — Should all churches adopt a common worship style or improve whatever style they currently utilize? Or both?
• 11:35 — What do you mean by "judgment," generally speaking, and what is good "biblical judgment"?
• 23:30 — What is aesthetics, and how do we exercise good aesthetic judgment?
• 31:58 — How is theological judgment different from biblical judgment, and how do you use it in the context of planning a worship service?
• 47:37 — What is pastoral judgment, and how do we use it?
• 53:18 — What is "flow," and how do we plan a worship service for better flow?
• 1:03:48 — What are you reading right now that is interesting, helpful, and/or personally challenging?
• 1:04:34 — Conclusion