Episode Overview

Title: Stewarding Influence and Liberties
Podcast: With The Perrys
Hosts: Jackie Hill Perry & Preston Perry
Release Date: August 12, 2024

This episode dives deep into what it means to steward influence as Christians, both in public ministry and everyday life. The Perrys explore practical wisdom on how to balance Christian liberties, personal freedoms, and the responsibility to love others well—whether on social media, in leadership, or at home. They bring scriptural depth, humor, honesty, and personal stories, making these timeless topics feel personal and actionable.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Reality of Everyday Life

• Opening minutes capture the lively, unpolished aspect of recording at home: kids interrupt, flies invade, stomachs growl ([00:00–02:02]).
• Memorable Moment: Preston narrates killing a fly mid-recording, bringing real life and humor into the conversation.

2. Understanding “Influence” in the Christian Context

• Influence is reframed as not just public or celebrity status but something every Christian has in their sphere—family, work, friends, or online.

  • Preston: “Every Christian has a platform...if you are on social media, that’s a platform.” ([03:33])

• Jackie: “The definition of influence is the power or capacity of causing an effect in indirect or intangible ways...” ([04:10])

• Both share early realizations of their own influence—Preston recounts leaving a church and seeing a whole youth group follow ([06:21]); Jackie notes the difference in how she stewarded influence before and after Christ.

3. Stewarding Influence Means Loving Well

• Stewarding influence isn’t about personal gain, but serving and loving others consciously.
  • Jackie: “When I became a Christian...my influence became oriented around discipleship, around faithfulness.” ([05:49])
  • Preston: "The danger in not stewarding your influence properly is when people become popular when they don't know how to be a leader first." ([07:21])

4. Influence and Christian Liberty

• Scriptural Foundation: 1 Corinthians 8–9 – Paul giving up his rights for the sake of others’ faith, not wanting his behavior to be a stumbling block.
  • Jackie reads and applies this to social media conduct, personal choices, and even the decision not to post certain non-sinful things due to their potential to distract or confuse ([09:41, 10:23]).
• Key Quote: “The public doesn’t necessarily need to see every aspect of my personal life. They just need me to serve them.” – Preston ([11:58])
• The difference between acting out of wisdom and acting out of fear of man is discussed extensively ([20:03–20:15]).

Alcohol as a Case Study

• Jackie and Preston openly discuss drinking alcohol and its place as a Christian liberty, exploring how and when to exercise it for the good of others, especially new or struggling believers ([14:27–16:09]).

• Notable exchange:

  • Preston: “If I want to drink a glass of wine...if I know a brother struggles with alcohol and he comes in my house...maybe I should keep the wine in the cupboard.” ([14:29])
  • Jackie: "...it’s not because drinking is wrong...for that particular moment, it was like, I want to give them experiences to know...you can have fun...without drinking being central to it.” ([15:11])

• They push back against legalism: “We put the sin in the act, and not what happens when we don’t do it properly.” – Preston ([31:15])

5. Material Influence & Modesty

• Stewarding wealth and status is discussed in terms of public perception and potential distraction or division in the Body.
• Jackie cites 1 Timothy 2:9 on modesty being about displays of both sexuality and wealth. She intentionally avoids luxury name brands when preaching to prevent distraction or division ([25:50–26:46]).
• Preston: “It’s probably not the wisest thing to get on stage and to preach...in front of that [luxury item], because that can be a distraction to somebody who’s actually trying to hear the word.” ([27:55])
• Principle: Some issues are not strictly matters of right or wrong but of wisdom, context, and servanthood.

6. Influence in Parenting

• Both reflect on how their actions, speech, and habits shape their children—often more than their explicit teaching ([32:24–38:30]).

  • Jackie: “How you are as a disciple influences the way you influence.” ([38:21])
  • Preston on loving his wife as a model for his daughters: “I want to steward influence before my daughters to show them that this is how you should expect a man to love you.” ([32:27])

• Jackie shares a vulnerability about being on her phone too much, realizing how it may influence her kids ([34:02–34:56]).

• They value consistent, authentic home lives where their kids see genuine faith lived out, not “performance faith” just when people are watching ([36:30–38:30]).

7. Humility, Failure, and Repentance as Influence

• Jackie shares a story of repenting to her team when she led poorly, emphasizing that how you handle failure can be just as influential as how you handle success ([41:08–42:13]).
• Preston: “People don’t need to see us be perfect...they need to see that you have a dependency on a perfect God.” ([42:52])
• Discussion on humility as learned not just by striving but by seeing other humble people in your life ([43:18–45:49]).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Stewarding Platforms:
  "If you are a Christian...that’s a platform to display His goodness." – Preston ([03:33])

• On Love and Leadership:
  "My influence became oriented around discipleship, around faithfulness...when you add the leadership component...there’s a standard you have to live up to." – Jackie ([05:49])

• On Social Media & Liberties:
  "There are certain things I won’t post on social media, not because it’s sinful, but because… the way I exercise my Christian liberties as an influencer and as a Christian leader matters." – Preston ([09:41])

• On Parenting:
  "I want to steward influence before my daughters to show them that this is how you should expect a man to love you." – Preston ([32:27])

• Dealing with Wealth as Influence:
  "I like clothes and stuff like that ... But I’ve decided for the sake of my own conscience that when I’m in a local community or a local church, I will limit the kind of things that I wear just to ensure that there is, you know..." – Jackie ([27:32])

• On Humility:
  “People need to not just see your victory, but also your repentance. That is ... a very influential thing.” – Jackie ([42:13]) "God gets glory, you know, not out of our perfection, but our dependency." – Preston ([42:52])

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Topic/Segment | |-----------|--------------| | 00:00–02:02 | Opening banter, home life humor, realness | | 03:16–07:42 | What is influence? How every Christian is influential. Personal stories. | | 09:41–11:58 | Social media, public vs. private conduct, not flaunting liberties | | 14:27–16:09 | Alcohol, Christian liberty, and serving others | | 20:03–21:56 | Navigating the line between wisdom and fear of man decision-making | | 25:50–29:39 | Wealth, modesty, fashion, and public ministry | | 32:24–38:30 | How parenting and marriage model influence; authenticity at home | | 41:08–42:13 | Repenting and making things right when you mis-use influence | | 42:52–45:49 | Humility as an influential trait; learning from others’ example |

Tone & Style

Throughout the episode, The Perrys maintain their trademark mix of warmth, transparency, biblical depth, and humor. The conversation is peppered with lighthearted jokes (especially about flies and Chicago/“alcoholism” pronunciation), but the heart of the episode is a genuine grappling with biblical stewardship, love, wisdom, and humility both in public and private spheres of influence.

Summary Takeaways

• Influence is not just for public figures; every Christian has influence. Steward it with intentionality and love.
• Christian liberties are not sinful, but should be exercised with wisdom and consideration of others’ consciences.
• Authenticity, humility, repentance, and love are foundational for leaders and parents alike.
• Wisdom often means limiting freedoms for the good of others, but never out of fear or performance.
• Our greatest influence often happens not in public platforms but in everyday decisions and relationships.

This episode offers rich, nuanced guidance for anyone seeking to honor God by loving their neighbor well, amidst cultural freedom and responsibility.