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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What is Spiritual Discernment? | The Discerning Leader Podcast: Rewind, Episode 4

Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: Matt Scott

Look what social media has done to our ‘notice me’ inclinations today and how that self-centeredness keeps us from preferring God instead.” – Steve Macchia

This episode originally aired on 01/20/22  in Season 17 – The Discerning Life (Episode 1).  Spiritual discernment is “practicing a preference for God” and one that we can learn how to live on a daily basis. How do we posture ourselves to prefer God and guide others to do likewise? That’s what we need to learn and it only happens by a practiced discipline and choice of the heart.  Perceiving and noticing God in the daily, routine places of our lives prepares us for times.

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 (Podcast Host)
Founder and President of Leadership Transformations
Steve is the author of The Discerning Life,  Becoming a Healthy ChurchBroken and WholeCrafting a Rule of Life and several other titles. Steve has over 40 years in ministry and two postgraduate degrees from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary.

Gary Thomas
Gary Thomas (Season Nineteen, Episode 1 Guest)
Author, Speaker, and Writer-in-Residence at Second Baptist Church – Houston, TX
Gary Thomas’ writing and speaking focuses on bringing people closer to Christ and closer to others. He is the author of 20 books and serves on the teaching team at Second Baptist Church, Houston, and has served as an adjunct faculty member at Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon and Houston Theological Seminary in Houston Texas.  Gary enjoys running in his spare time and has completed 14 marathons, including the Boston Marathon three times. He and his wife Lisa have been married for 35 years and they have three adult children and one granddaughter.

Adele Calhoun (Season Nineteen, Episode 2 Guest)
Author, Pastor, Speaker, and Selah Guest Faculty
Adele is the co-pastor of Spiritual Formation with her husband Doug at Highrock Covenant Church in Atlington, MA. She has pastoral and missionary experience stateside and overseas. Adele taught as adjunct faculty at Wheaton College and Northern Baptist Theological Seminary. She has served on a variety of boards and currently serves on the board of New Wine and Pax Center for Christian Spiritual Formation. Adele has authored seven books including The Spiritual Disciplines Handbook (IVP), Invitations from God (IVP), and Spiritual Rhythms for the Enneagram (IVP). 

David Vryhof

David Vryhof (Season Nineteen, Episode 3 Guest)
Selah-East Faculty
David is an Episcopal priest and a member of the Society of St. John the Evangelist. He presently serves as the Assistant Superior and oversees the community’s electronic and printed communications as well as the Brother, Give Us a Word daily email. He is an experienced spiritual director, teacher and retreat leader.

Matt Scott (Season Nineteen, Episode 4 Guest)
Creative Director of Leadership Transformations & Minister of Spiritual Formation
With 15 years of local church experience, Matt has served various churches in the area of worship and arts, community life, shepherding, and pastoral ministry. A graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (MDiv) and the University of Mobile (Worship Leadership and Music Performance), Matt has a heart to shepherd people through songwriting, worship leadership, and pastoral care. He and his wife, Kristen, live in Bluffton, South Carolina with their two children, Emerson and Ashton.

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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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