Podcast Summary: Leaving A Legacy (Feat. Lee Domingue) | Jabin Chavez Leadership Podcast #075

Date: December 3, 2025
Host: Jabin Chavez
Guest: Lee Domingue
Main Theme: Embracing Generosity and Legacy in Leadership and Life

Episode Overview

This episode features a powerful and practical conversation with Lee Domingue, an influential entrepreneur, legacy pastor at Church of the Highlands, and a passionate advocate for generosity. Lee shares his personal story—successes, failures, family, and faith—to encourage leaders to move beyond personal achievement and focus on building a legacy through generosity, intentionality, and a surrendered heart. The session is filled with real-life lessons, memorable stories, and actionable takeaways for anyone wanting to leave a lasting impact.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Pursuit of Fulfillment (02:29–04:35)

• Lee recounts his entrepreneurial beginnings—rising quickly to financial success and then losing everything:
  • "Went from zero to $50 million in two years. And then two years later was out of business. Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn." (02:47)
• He shares the emptiness of chasing after worldly success and underscores that real fulfillment only comes from walking in God's purpose:
  • “Outside of you fulfilling what God created you to do, you are never going to find it.” (04:32)

2. Learning Through Loss (05:20–07:04)

• The pain of failure became his greatest teacher, as Lee describes clinging to Bible verses during his lowest moments:
  • “All I had was His Word. That's all I needed. That I have the mind of Christ… greater is He who is in me than he who's in the world.” (05:43)
  • “Though my situation did not change immediately, my perspective certainly did. And my faith rose.” (06:56)

3. Abundance and the Kingdom Mindset (07:14–07:47)

• Lee encourages a mindset of abundance, cautioning that lack creates selfishness, but God desires overflow for His people:
  • “Abundance is my deal. Like, I’m all about abundance. Everything I touch grows. So saith the Lord. Lack is not … you can’t help anybody if you operating in lack.” (07:14)

4. Vocation as Calling – Redemptive Work (09:21–10:58)

• A pivotal moment: Lee’s pastor reframes his business work as “redemptive,” equally important as ministry:
  • “What you do for a living is a holy calling. It’s redemptive. It’s equally as important as the calling that’s on my life as your pastor… as the calling that was on Billy Graham’s life or the Apostle Paul’s life.” (09:58)
• Lee urges marketplace leaders not to undervalue their role in God's plan.

5. Led vs. Driven—Legacy over Dynasty (13:41–16:00)

• Key question from his mentor: "Are you led or are you driven?" (13:41)
  • “It’s the Holy Spirit that leads, but demons drive.” (14:02)
• Lee distinguishes between legacy (generational, selfless) and dynasty (selfish, ends with you):
  • “Dynasties are selfish. Legacies are selfless.” (14:55)
• His family’s commitment: be intentional, forgive quickly, and break generational cycles of dysfunction.

6. The Five Whys of Giving (17:06–35:12)

1. Because God is a Giver (17:06–18:37)

• “The God I serve is a giver. For God so loved the world he gave.” (17:06)
• He emphasizes that God gives seed to the sower—not the keeper—and that faithfulness with little is the key to stewardship.

2. Setting an Example for the Next Generation (19:15–22:23)

• Lee shares a moving story about blessing a waitress at PF Chang's, teaching his son by example:
  • “They [our kids] not listening to me. They watching me.” (19:15)
  • Memorable encounter: “You did an amazing job and you earned every bit of that. God loves you. He ain't forgot about you.” (22:01)

3. Covenant with God and the Local Church (22:23–23:29)

• Stresses loyalty and generosity towards the local church—God’s “Plan A” for redemption.
• “What you sow into your church doesn’t stay in this church. It gets multiplied through this church.” (23:11)
• Collective impact: “None of us in this room are as good as all of us.” (23:18)

4. Generosity is the Bridge from Lack to Overflow (23:29–34:08)

• Jesus never teaches scarcity, but stewardship, sowing, reaping, and overflow.
• Overflow requires:
  • A Surrendered Heart
  • A Generous Spirit
  • A Willing Step
• Personal story: Lee’s daughter’s paralysis and miraculous recovery, illustrating the importance of surrender and community faith:
  • “Sometimes you need to have somebody in your life… that can see your big mountain as something that’s just a little bump.” (29:15)
  • “Don't tell me what your problem is. You tell your problem who your savior is.” (30:03)
  • “Success not shared is failure.” (31:55)
  • “The main focus of generosity is heaven.” (31:57)

5. Living for Jesus & Eternal Rewards (35:12–41:50)

• Lee’s life is anchored by this question from Pastor Chris Hodges:
  • “Is what you’re giving your life to… going to show up in heaven?” (36:10)
• Explains the two moments before Christ:
  • Great White Throne Judgment: Salvation
  • Judgment Seat of Christ (EROI – Eternal Return on Investment moment): Rewards for what was done for Christ
• “Only the things done in Jesus’ name will survive.” (39:36)
  • “If we just pass out water… we help some brother with his thirst for a day. Why withhold the greater gift, which is salvation? Let’s give them both.” (40:11)
  • Encouragement to shift giving towards what echoes in eternity.

7. Impartation and Prayer (41:50–45:30)

• Lee urges leaders to give themselves permission to walk in overflow, forgive, and embrace God’s call.
  • “The devil wants to tell you you disqualified. But God has the final say.” (42:51)
• Uplifting prayer over listeners for breakthrough, wisdom, healing, and a spirit of overflow.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Failure and Redemption:
  “God doesn’t work that way. He’s saying, I want to refine you, son, if you’ll keep your heart soft.” (03:09)

• On Generosity as Identity:
  “Generosity is not just a gift. It’s a pathway. It’s a pathway.” (33:24)

• On The Purpose of Wealth:
  “I refuse to invest in things that aren’t going to show up in heaven.” (32:51)

• Challenging the Listener:
  “Is what you’re giving your life to, your time, your money, your influence, is it going to show up in heaven?” (36:10)

• Practical Legacy:
  “It only takes one to change.” (16:00)
  “Success not shared is failure.” (31:55)

• Identity Shift:
  “Generosity is not an amount. It’s an identity. It’s going from owner to steward.” (33:41)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction & Context by Jabin Chavez – 00:00–02:29
• Lee’s Entrepreneurial Journey – 02:29–05:20
• Lessons from Loss & Recovery – 05:20–07:04
• Abundance & Mindset Shift – 07:14–07:47
• Vocation as Calling – 09:21–10:58
• Led vs. Driven, Legacy over Dynasty – 13:41–16:00
• Five Whys of Giving – 17:06–35:12
• Overflow and Practical Generosity – 23:29–34:08
• Eternal Perspective & EROI – 35:12–41:50
• Final Encouragement & Prayer – 41:50–end

Final Takeaways

• Fulfillment and legacy are found not in self-driven ambition, but in being led by God, stewarding resources, and focusing on eternal impact.
• Generosity is an identity rooted in God’s character, not merely a charitable act.
• Every leader, regardless of vocation, is called to contribute to God’s purpose and legacy.
• Overflow for the Kingdom requires surrender, a generous spirit, and active steps of faith.
• Ultimately, what matters is what we do for Christ and what ‘shows up in heaven’.

This episode offers wisdom for leaders in every arena—inviting you not just to build success, but to leave a legacy that outlives you and echoes into eternity.