Just in time for summer reading, the June/July 2017 issue of Influence magazine is now available online in its entirety.

The “Word and Spirit” cover theme reflects feature-length articles by Mike Burnette and Craig Keener that delve into these powerful dual elements of Pentecostal Christian living.

Burnette is lead pastor at LifePoint Church (Assemblies of God) in Clarksville, Tennessee. Responding to the epidemic of Bible illiteracy in today’s American culture, he calls for a return to Scripture in “What God’s Word Does In Us and Through Us.”

Keener is F.M. and Ada Thompson professor of biblical studies at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Kentucky. Keener observes that it is possible to embrace one aspect of the Spirit’s work while largely missing another. He thoughtfully unpacks this apparent incongruity in “Spirit: Why Power and Love Always Go Together.”

In “The Graying of the Pulpit, Revisited,” John Davidson, director of discovery and development for the Assemblies of God, tackles the question of why — even with a record number of credential holders — the AG is aging.

Influence also highlights what God is doing through leaders across the country, from Bryan Sederwall, pastor and executive director of the Denver Dream Center, to Gerry Stoltzfoos, lead pastor of Freedom Valley Worship Center in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, a congregation that has helped start 104 other churches.

‘Influence’ seeks to unite and edify the Church through content marked by integrity and creativity.

Ed Stetzer, a regular contributor to both Influence magazine and Influence online, provides leadership insight in his thought-provoking piece, “Are You an Interventionist Leader?” Stetzer serves as the Billy Graham chair of church, missions and evangelism at Wheaton (Illinois) College and is executive director of the Billy Graham Center for Evangelism.

Chris Railey, executive director of Influence Resources and senior director of leadership and church development ministries for the Assemblies of God, considers the implications of emerging cultural trends in his article, “Is Experiential Becoming the New Contemporary?”

As always, readers will find Make It Count, an eight-week study for leadership teams. In this issue, pastor and author Stephen Blandino takes a unique approach to the topic of teamwork, examining the Bible’s account of the Tower of Babel. While the Old Testament story certainly doesn’t end well, Blandino uses it to highlight eight teamwork lessons — and to point out how a crucial missing ingredient led to the project’s ultimate demise.

Make It Count is now also available as a free download. Church leaders can print multiple complimentary copies of this resource and use it to promote development, spark discussion and inspire vision among team members.

Read all this and more in the current digital edition of Influence. Also check out our archive of past issues to catch up on great content you may have missed — or want to revisit. And remember to check the Influence website regularly for original features, podcasts, news items and other content available only online. For updates on the latest content, like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter, and subscribe to the Influence Podcast on iTunes.

Both online and in print, Influence seeks to unite and edify the Church through content marked by integrity and creativity. Our approach to the Christian life is holistic, offering a faith-based context for cultural and current events, as well as providing practical insight for your family, daily life, career and community.