Steve Macchia, author and founder of Leadership Transformations, shares insights on cultivating discernment as a listening lifestyle — rather than merely a decision-making strategy — and how to humbly place God’s agenda ahead of our own.
Show Notes
[2:00] You take a different spin of sorts on the topic of discernment. Could you share with us a little about some of your thinking on that?
[4:14] What does a discerning life look like going beyond big decision-making?
[7:05] What did that look like for you today to lean into discerning life?
[10:50] You have a phrase in the book that I just love and it’s “practicing a preference for God.” Can you talk a little about that?
[14:35] There’s a sort of certain humility that is required to even look or ask. If I got it all figured out, I’m not necessarily going to look for God’s opinion on something, right?
[17:30] The prayer I’ll often do is, “Hey, if you’ve got an opinion here, I’m open.” It just feels good in a way, to go this isn’t all about me, right?
[19:25] There are other times where there’s an ease to it. Do you relate to that?
[22:15] How do people know they’re on the right track?
[26.20:]What does this look like for a leader? How does discernment work itself out in the day to day?
[28:23] Leaders want to bring something, want to help, feel an internal or external responsibility to do such, but for you to bring listening, discerning — what you’re doing is a ministry to your team, right?
[31:10] Share with me a couple of things going on with Leadership Transformations that folks could be involved with.
[33:13] One of your major contributions is the rule of life book. And then the discernment book. Do those intersect?
Resources
- The Discerning Life, by Steve Macchia
- Crafting a Rule of Life, by Steve Maccia
- Steve’s ministry Leadership Transformations
Other Episodes With This Guest
- Ep 48: Steve Macchia — More Beautiful Having Been Broken
- Ep 56: Steve Macchia — An Invitation to a Well-Ordered Way
- Ep 104: Steve Macchia — Coming Alongside the Next Generation
- Ep 159: Steve Macchia — Highs and Lows of the Evangelical Tradition
- Ep 212: Alan Fadling, Kristi Gaultiere, Steve Macchia — Leadership Soul Care
- Ep 280: Steve Macchia — The Gift of Brokenness