Rev. Dr. Stephen A. Macchia

President

The Rev. Dr. Stephen A. Macchia became the founding president of Leadership Transformations, Inc. (LTi) on July 1, 2003. LTi is a ministry which focuses on the spiritual formation needs of leaders and the spiritual discernment processes of leadership teams in local church and parachurch ministry settings nationwide. He is the author of sevearl books, including Becoming a Healthy Church, released in January 1999 by Baker Books (translated into Korean by Agape Publishing in 2000, in Spanish by Mundo Hispano in 2002, in Chinese 2003, and the Thai language in 2006), the Becoming A Healthy Church Workbook which was released in December, 2001 by Baker Books (translated in Chinese 2004), Becoming A Healthy Disciple which was released by Baker Books in January 2004, the Becoming A Healthy Disciple Small Group Study and Worship Guide (LTi publication) in July 2004, and most recently Becoming A Healthy Team (Baker Books, 2005).

From March, 1989 until June, 2003, Macchia served as president of Vision New England (formerly known as The Evangelistic Association of New England). During his tenure the association moved from rented offices in Boston to its own headquarters in Acton, the staff more than tripled to a total of 70 team members, its annual budget quadrupled, and the annual Congress attendance nearly tripled. He started the Interdependent Church Network, reorganized its Outreach Ministries, added twenty new ministries, established state offices in New Hampshire and Connecticut, and developed the nationally recognized Healthy Church Initiative, with its "10 Characteristics of a Healthy Church." His emphasis on servant leadership, spiritual formation, team building and networking have resulted in a growing prayer movement and healthy inter-church cooperation in the region.

In 1978, Steve Macchia became the Director of Junior High Ministries at Grace Chapel in Lexington, MA. He was appointed as the church's first Minister to Children in 1980, and in 1983 became Grace Chapel's Minister of Christian Education. In mid-1986, he assumed the additional responsibilities of Associate Minister, continuing to oversee the Christian Education ministries of the church. In addition, he oversaw the church membership process and major all-church programs, while serving as pastor, teacher, preacher, counselor and administrator in a wide variety of church ministry settings. After 11 years of full-time ministry at Grace Chapel, Steve Macchia was appointed president of the then Evangelistic Association of New England in 1989.

Steve Macchia was raised in Stoneham, MA graduating from the local high school. He attended Northwestern College in Orange City, IA (B.A. in Christian Education and Elementary Education in 1978) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, MA (Master of Divinity, 1983). He completed his Doctor of Ministry degree at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (January, 2001) where he now serves as a member of the D.Min. teaching team. As a part of his LTi portfolio, he also serves at GCTS as the Director of the Pierce Center for Disciple Building.

Dr. Macchia has served on a number of regional and national ministry boards including serving recently as a member of the Board of Directors of the National Association of Evangelicals. He also serves on the board of advisors for Barnabas Ministries, the Mission America Honorary Advisory Committee, and is a member of the Christian Management Association. Steve has previously served as a National Senior Advisor for the National Prayer Committee, the Advisory Board of the Center for Urban Ministerial Education of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (Boston), and as a member of the National Board of Advocates for Concerts of Prayer International. Dr. Macchia is a contributing writer for Church Executive Magazine and a member of the Editorial Advisory Panel for Christianity Today's BuildingChurchLeaders.com. He teaches courses and leads seminars on leadership development, spiritual formation and direction, church health, team building, discipleship, family life, and spiritual vitality, currently teaches in the doctor of ministry department at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and has served in the past as an adjunct faculty member at Gordon College.

In May 2000, Steve received the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and in October 2005 he received the Professional Achievement Distinguished Alumnus Award from Northwestern College. He and his wife Ruth have two children, Nathan and Rebekah, and make their home in Lexington, Massachusetts.

Published Works

• Becoming A Healthy Church, Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 1999. (translated in Korean, Chinese, Thai and Spanish)
• Becoming A Healthy Church Workbook, Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2001. (translated in Chinese)
• Becoming A Healthy Disciple, Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2004. (translated in Korean)
• Becoming A Healthy Disciple Small Group Study and Worship Guide, Leadership Transformations, 2004.
• Becoming A Healthy Team, Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2005.
• Team Exercicses with Justin Schell, Leadership Transformations, 2009.
• 31 Reflections on Discipleship Through the Gospel of John (devotional), Leadership Transformations, 2010.
• Editor, Special Days Special Ways, Grace Chapel, Lexington, MA, 1984.
• Publisher, "The New England Christian", monthly newspaper published and distributed by Evangelistic Association of New England, 1989-1999.

Columns & Articles

• Outcomes, Summer 2010, "Soul Care for Leaders" (p. 38) [READ]
• Church Executive Magazine, April 2008, "The Healthy Church: Church Life: By Convenience, Contract or Covenant?" (pp. 34-35) [READ]
• Rev! Magazine, March/April 2008, "Top 10 Ways to Fail as a Team Leader" (coauthored with Rick Anderson) [READ]
• Conversations Journal, Volume 5:2 Fall/Winder 2007, "Graced in Silence: Gifts From a Monastic Community" (pp. 38-42) [READ]
• Church Executive Magazine, October 2007, "The Healthy Church: Leadership Requires the Ability to 'Be Quick to Listen'" (pp. 42-44) [READ]
• Church Executive Magazine, July 2007, "The Values of Taking the Pulse of the Congregation" (pp. 70-71) [READ]
• Conversations Journal, Volume 5:1 Spring 2007, "Spiritual Formation and the Pastor: A Vision for Shortening the Distance between the Pulpit and the Pew" [READ]
• Author of daily devotionals published by Words of Hope, Grand Rapids, Michigan (www.woh.org)
• 10 devotionals on Becoming a Healthy Disciple, January 2005
• 21 devotionals on the portraits of Christ found in the gospel of John, August 2005
• Enrichment Journal, March 2002, "Becoming a Healthy Church" [READ]
• Decision Magazine, October 1994, "When Our Vision Gets Blurred" (www.billygraham.org/DMag_article_index.asp)

Articles Distributed Via E-newsletter

• "Developing A Strategic Plan for Your Church," July 16, 2004 [READ]
• "Leadership Defined," September 16, 2004 [READ]
• "Are the Sheep Flourishing?" February 16, 2005 [READ]
• "Creating Uncommon-Unity" April 21, 2005 [READ]