The Discerning Leader podcast is for Christian leaders who are interested in discovering the joy of “practicing a preference for God” in all aspects of their personal lives and relationships, their leadership and service to others.

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The Discerning Leader Podcast

Evaluate a Good Song | Discerning God in Song Episode 05


Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: Dave Currie

“A living church always needs new expressions in song to meet the immediacy of current and particular circumstances.” – Dave Currie

Spiritual songs and hymns help us become more discerning leaders. As we sing, regardless of our unique context, we join with the voices of saints from around the world who worship musically with songs of our Christian faith. How may distinct races, denominations, or ethnic groups have you joined in song? Engaging in song theologically, emotionally, and experientially is good for the soul. We evaluate a good song theologically by holding it up to Scripture; we are invited fully into the song experientially and emotionally. Good songs stand the test of time.

For more information about today’s hymns:

“LORD, YOU HAVE COME TO THE LAKESHORE”
  • Background: https://hymnary.org/text/lord_you_have_come_to_the_lakeshore
  • https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-lord-you-have-come-to-the-lakeshore
  • Solo guitar & duet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kdsab4mm4nI&pbjreload=10
  • Choir in Spanish & English: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdXrgsqIZ8k
“HERE O LORD YOUR SERVANTS GATHER”
  • Background: https://hymnary.org/text/here_o_lord_your_servants_gather
  • https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/history-of-hymns-here-o-lord-your-servants-gather
  • Japanese/English Version: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jiT6WSdBNhw

Join the conversation about spiritual discernment as a way of life at www.LeadershipTransformations.org and consider participation in our online and in-person program offerings. Additional LTI spiritual formation resources can be found at www.SpiritualFormationStore.com and www.ruleoflife.com and www.healthychurch.net

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Steve Macchia

Steve Macchia (Podcast Host)
Founder and President of Leadership Transformations
Steve is the author of Becoming a Healthy Church, Becoming a Healthy Disciple, Broken and Whole, Crafting a Rule of Life and several other titles. Steve has over 40 years in ministry and two postgraduate degrees from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Dave Currie (Season Ten Guest)
Vice-President of Cohort-Based Education, Dean of the Doctor of Ministry Program, and Professor of Pastoral Theology at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
Dave serves on the faculty at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary as Vice-President of Cohort-Based Education, the Dean of the Doctor of Ministry Program, and as a Professor of Pastoral Theology. His wife is Susan, LTI’s Director of Selah. They are both ordained in the Anglican Church of North America and have three married adult children.

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Steve Macchia

Founder & President

Steve is a graduate of Northwestern College (IA) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div. and D.Min.). His prior ministry includes serving on the pastoral staff at Grace Chapel (Lexington, MA) and as president of Vision New England. Since July 1, 2003 Steve has served as founder and president of Leadership Transformations, director of the Pierce Center for Disciple-Building, and adjunct faculty in the Doctor of Ministry department at Gordon-Conwell. He is the author of sixteen books, including The Discerning Life (Zondervan Reflective),  Baker bestseller Becoming a Healthy Church, and Crafting a Rule of Life (IVP). He lives in the Boston area with his wife Ruth and is the proud father of two grown children, Rebekah and Nathan, daughter in-love Ashley, and papa to his beloved granddaughter, Brenna Lynn and twin grandsons, Aiden Joseph and Carson Stephen. “My soul comes alive singing the great hymns of the church and enjoying the beauty of God’s creation. I’m in awe of God for fulfilling the dream for LTI that he birthed in my heart, for the team he has assembled, and the transformational impact experienced in the leaders and teams we serve.”

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