A Leadership Reflection for Pastors and Ministry Leaders in Venture Church Network.
From VCN Midwest Director Brad Little.

In leadership, especially pastoral leadership, there is constant pressure to make decisions quickly. Sometimes that pressure is justified. Urgency can be real. Crises happen. Windows of opportunity open and close.

But more often than not, the pressure we feel isn’t coming from God. It’s coming from voices.

Voices shaped by personal preferences. Voices driven by agendas. Voices fueled by soapboxes and hobby horses. Voices that want their priorities elevated and their ideas pushed forward.

As leaders, we can easily find ourselves making decisions not because they are faithful, but because they are pacifying. Not because they are obedient, but because they are convenient. Not because they reflect God’s direction, but because they keep people happy.

And in the middle of all that noise, hearing God’s voice becomes difficult.

Redefining Discernment

We often talk about discernment as choosing good over bad, best over good, and wise over foolish. But biblical discernment goes deeper than decision quality.

True discernment is choosing what the Lord wants.

It is knowing the mind of Christ. It is listening for His voice. It is aligning our actions with His will. It is obedience, not optimization.

God’s ways are not our ways. What He wants to do will not always make sense to us. His direction is not always logical, efficient, or strategically comfortable.

That’s why discernment is not primarily strategic.

It is relational.

Trusting God Beyond Your Own Understanding

Proverbs 3:5–6 says:

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding.”

This verse creates a powerful contrast.

Over time, we often substitute other things into that second phrase. We lean on our common sense, our intuition, our creativity, our intelligence, our problem-solving ability, and our leadership instincts.

All of those can be good gifts. But they are not substitutes for trust.

Discernment ultimately comes down to one question: Do we actually trust the Lord?

Not just with theology, but with decisions. Not just with belief, but with direction. Not just with doctrine, but with leadership posture.

Discernment Is Relational, Not Just Strategic

Discernment is not simply about what makes the most sense, what feels most logical, what is most efficient, what reduces conflict, or what satisfies the most people.

Discernment is about knowing Christ well enough to recognize His voice, walking closely enough with Him to follow His lead, and trusting Him enough to obey even when it’s unclear.

This is not transactional leadership.

This is relational leadership.

Stepping Back From the Noise

Sometimes the most spiritual leadership move we can make is to step back.

Step back from the noise, the pressure, the opinions, the urgency, the emotional manipulation, and the loudest voices in the room.

And ask a different question:

God, what are You inviting us to be and do in this season?

Not what will keep people calm. Not what will stop complaints. Not what will satisfy preferences. Not what will avoid tension.

But what reflects the mind of Christ? What aligns with His heart? What is faithful to His direction?

A Word for Leaders in This Season

If you are leading in a season of pressure, complexity, and noise, slow down. Create space. Silence competing voices. Recenter on Christ. Listen before acting. Seek obedience over approval.

Because discernment isn’t about making the smartest decision.

It’s about making the faithful one.

It’s not about choosing what works.

It’s about choosing what God wants.

May this reflection serve you as you lead faithfully, courageously, and attentively in this season of ministry.

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