Praying the Parables of Jesus

An Invitation To Transformation | Season 39, Episode 7

Praying the Parables of Jesus, The Discerning Leader Podcast / /

Featuring: Steve Macchia, Suz Skinner, Matt Scott

“Each parable of Jesus is an invitation—not just to understand, but to be transformed.” – Steve Macchia

What if the parables of Jesus are not simply stories to understand—but invitations to be transformed? In this concluding episode of Season 39: Praying the Parables of Jesus, Steve Macchia, along with Suz Skinner and Matt Scott, reflects on the final collection of parables and the deeper themes they reveal—faithfulness, righteousness, humility, and persistent prayer. Together, they explore the surprising wisdom of the shrewd manager, the courageous persistence of the widow, and the quiet humility of the tax collector—each inviting us to examine the posture of our own hearts before God.

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.

Steve Macchia (Podcast Host)
Founder and President of Leadership Transformations
Steve is the author of The Discerning Life,  Becoming a Healthy Church, 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.

Suz Skinner (Season 39 Guest)
Suz serves as Emmaus faculty and offers spiritual direction in Gloucester, MA. As an artist and a spiritual director, she is called to help others see and respond to the beautiful, redeeming works of Christ unfolded in the Scriptures and the stories of God’s people.

Matt Scott (Season 39 Guest)
Matt serves on the LTI team as Creative Director. A graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (MDiv) and the University of Mobile (Worship Leadership and Music Performance), Matt has served various churches in the area of worship and arts, community life, shepherding, and pastoral ministry. He and his wife, Kristen, live in Sioux Falls, SD with their two children, Emerson and Ashton. Matt enjoys building furniture, writing music and running.

 

An Invitation To Transformation | Season 39, Episode 7 Read More »

Praying The Parables With Open Hands | Season 39, Episode 6

Praying the Parables of Jesus, The Discerning Leader Podcast / /

Featuring: Steve Macchia, Suz Skinner, Matt Scott

“Tell me your story…and I’ll companion you in your lack of trust.” – Steve Macchia

What might change if you encountered the parables of Jesus as an invitation into a life of deeper trust? Episode 39.6 reflects on a powerful gathering of parables centered on the theme of trust—trusting in God’s provision, His love, His rescue, and His heart toward us. From the cost of discipleship to the tenderness of the Good Shepherd, this conversation confronts our tendency to hold tightly to, control outcomes, and resist surrender. What emerges is a compelling invitation: to let go, to trust more deeply, and to rest in the faithful, initiating presence of a God who is always pursuing, always loving, and always at work.

To join the 40 day Lenten Prayer Experience, sign up today at www.leadershiptransformations.org/lent2026.

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.

Steve Macchia (Podcast Host)
Founder and President of Leadership Transformations
Steve is the author of The Discerning Life,  Becoming a Healthy Church, 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.

Suz Skinner (Season 39 Guest)
Suz serves as Emmaus faculty and offers spiritual direction in Gloucester, MA. As an artist and a spiritual director, she is called to help others see and respond to the beautiful, redeeming works of Christ unfolded in the Scriptures and the stories of God’s people.

Matt Scott (Season 39 Guest)
Matt serves on the LTI team as Creative Director. A graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (MDiv) and the University of Mobile (Worship Leadership and Music Performance), Matt has served various churches in the area of worship and arts, community life, shepherding, and pastoral ministry. He and his wife, Kristen, live in Sioux Falls, SD with their two children, Emerson and Ashton. Matt enjoys building furniture, writing music and running.

 

Praying The Parables With Open Hands | Season 39, Episode 6 Read More »

Persistent in Prayer and Serving | Season 39, Episode 5

Praying the Parables of Jesus, The Discerning Leader Podcast / /

Featuring: Steve Macchia, Suz Skinner, Matt Scott


“Ask. Seek. Knock… there’s initiative attached to every one of those words.” – Steve Macchia


In this episode of The Discerning Leader Podcast, Steve Macchia, Suze Skinner, and Matt Scott continue their journey through Praying the Parables of Jesus, reflecting on a group of parables centered around one simple word: serve. Through prayerful conversation, they explore how the stories of Jesus invite us to serve with persistence, humility, watchfulness, and faithfulness. Slowing down with the parables through practices like Lectio Divina and Visio Divina reveals layer upon layer of meaning—reminding us that these seemingly simple stories continue to form and transform us again and again. This conversation invites listeners to wrestle honestly with God, trusting that the parables are meant to wake us up, deepen our trust, and shape us into servants of God’s kingdom.

To join the 40 day Lenten Prayer Experience, sign up today at www.leadershiptransformations.org/lent2026.

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.

Steve Macchia (Podcast Host)
Founder and President of Leadership Transformations
Steve is the author of The Discerning Life,  Becoming a Healthy Church, 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.

Suz Skinner (Season 39 Guest)
Suz serves as Emmaus faculty and offers spiritual direction in Gloucester, MA. As an artist and a spiritual director, she is called to help others see and respond to the beautiful, redeeming works of Christ unfolded in the Scriptures and the stories of God’s people.

Matt Scott (Season 39 Guest)
Matt serves on the LTI team as Creative Director. A graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (MDiv) and the University of Mobile (Worship Leadership and Music Performance), Matt has served various churches in the area of worship and arts, community life, shepherding, and pastoral ministry. He and his wife, Kristen, live in Sioux Falls, SD with their two children, Emerson and Ashton. Matt enjoys building furniture, writing music and running.

 

Persistent in Prayer and Serving | Season 39, Episode 5 Read More »

A Generous Or Stingy Life? | Season 39, Episode 4

Praying the Parables of Jesus, The Discerning Leader Podcast / /

Featuring: Steve Macchia, Suz Skinner, Matt Scott

“Always put your ear as close to the biblical text as you possibly can. Let it come alive in your soul as you read it.” – Steve Macchia

In Season 39, Episode 04, Steve Macchia is joined by Suz Skinner and Matt Scott to explore a powerful grouping of Jesus’ parables focused on generosity and forgiveness. Through the ancient practices of Lectio Divina and Visio Divina, listeners are invited to slow down, immerse themselves in Scripture, and encounter the intimate presence of God. From the parable of the two debtors to the Good Samaritan, these stories reveal the profound generosity of Jesus and the way he calls disciples to respond with grateful, abundant love.

To join the 40 day Lenten Prayer Experience, sign up today at www.leadershiptransformations.org/lent2026.

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.

Steve Macchia (Podcast Host)
Founder and President of Leadership Transformations
Steve is the author of The Discerning Life,  Becoming a Healthy Church, 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.

Suz Skinner (Season 39 Guest)
Suz serves as Emmaus faculty and offers spiritual direction in Gloucester, MA. As an artist and a spiritual director, she is called to help others see and respond to the beautiful, redeeming works of Christ unfolded in the Scriptures and the stories of God’s people.

Matt Scott (Season 39 Guest)
Matt serves on the LTI team as Creative Director. A graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (MDiv) and the University of Mobile (Worship Leadership and Music Performance), Matt has served various churches in the area of worship and arts, community life, shepherding, and pastoral ministry. He and his wife, Kristen, live in Sioux Falls, SD with their two children, Emerson and Ashton. Matt enjoys building furniture, writing music and running.

 

A Generous Or Stingy Life? | Season 39, Episode 4 Read More »

Come Close, Draw Near | Season 39, Episode 3

Praying the Parables of Jesus, The Discerning Leader Podcast / /

Featuring: Steve Macchia, Suz Skinner, and Matt Scott

“God’s invitation is always the same: come close, draw near, follow Me.” – Steve Macchia

What does it mean to truly receive God’s invitation? In this episode of The Discerning Leader Podcast, Steve Machia, Sue Skinner, and Matt Scott explore a powerful grouping of parables from the book Praying the Parables of Jesus—each echoing a single, compelling word: come. Through reflections on the wedding banquet (Matthew 22), the ten virgins, and the vineyard stories, the conversation turns toward the condition of our hearts. Why do we hesitate at the King’s invitation? Why do we find distractions, excuses, divided loyalties? And what might it look like to live with oil in our lamps—alert, expectant, and ready?

To join the 40 day Lenten Prayer Experience, sign up today at www.leadershiptransformations.org/lent2026.

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.

Steve Macchia (Podcast Host)
Founder and President of Leadership Transformations
Steve is the author of The Discerning Life,  Becoming a Healthy Church, 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.

Suz Skinner (Season 39 Guest)
Suz serves as Emmaus faculty and offers spiritual direction in Gloucester, MA. As an artist and a spiritual director, she is called to help others see and respond to the beautiful, redeeming works of Christ unfolded in the Scriptures and the stories of God’s people.

Matt Scott (Season 39 Guest)
Matt serves on the LTI team as Creative Director. A graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (MDiv) and the University of Mobile (Worship Leadership and Music Performance), Matt has served various churches in the area of worship and arts, community life, shepherding, and pastoral ministry. He and his wife, Kristen, live in Sioux Falls, SD with their two children, Emerson and Ashton. Matt enjoys building furniture, writing music and running.

 

Come Close, Draw Near | Season 39, Episode 3 Read More »

Are You All In For The Kingdom Of God? | Season 39, Episode 2

Praying the Parables of Jesus, The Discerning Leader Podcast / /

Featuring: Steve Macchia, Suz Skinner, and Matt Scott

“The parables confront us with a question: Kingdom of God or kingdom of earth?” – Steve Macchia

In this episode of The Discerning Leader Podcast (Season 39, Ep 02), Steve Macchia, Suz Skinner, and Matt Scott reflect on six parables that share one compelling invitation: be all in for the kingdom of God. Through the practices of lectio and visio divina, they explore the recurring theme of Jesus inviting us to labor and live for the Kingdom of Heaven rather than the kingdom of earth.

To join the 40 day Lenten Prayer Experience, sign up today at www.leadershiptransformations.org/lent2026.

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.

Steve Macchia (Podcast Host)
Founder and President of Leadership Transformations
Steve is the author of The Discerning Life,  Becoming a Healthy Church, 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.

Suz Skinner (Season 39 Guest)
Suz serves as Emmaus faculty and offers spiritual direction in Gloucester, MA. As an artist and a spiritual director, she is called to help others see and respond to the beautiful, redeeming works of Christ unfolded in the Scriptures and the stories of God’s people.

Matt Scott (Season 39 Guest)
Matt serves on the LTI team as Creative Director. A graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (MDiv) and the University of Mobile (Worship Leadership and Music Performance), Matt has served various churches in the area of worship and arts, community life, shepherding, and pastoral ministry. He and his wife, Kristen, live in Sioux Falls, SD with their two children, Emerson and Ashton. Matt enjoys building furniture, writing music and running.

 

Are You All In For The Kingdom Of God? | Season 39, Episode 2 Read More »

Receiving the Kingdom of God | Season 39, Episode 1

Praying the Parables of Jesus, The Discerning Leader Podcast / /

Featuring: Steve Macchia, Suz Skinner, and Matt Scott

“The Word became flesh and dwelt among us—and story and image help that Word come alive.” – Steve Macchia

As Season 39 of the Discerning Leader podcast begins, Steve Macchia, Sue Skinner, and Matt Scott invite listeners into a 40-day journey of praying the parables of Jesus. Rooted in the ancient practices of lectio divina and visio divina, this season explores how word and image together awaken a posture of receptivity to God’s kingdom. Through honest reflection and personal stories, this conversation explores what it means to come to God empty-handed—ready to receive rather than achieve. Tune in as they share how Jesus’ parables invite us to receive and live into the realities of the Kingdom of God.

To join the 40 day Lenten Prayer Experience, sign up today at www.leadershiptransformations.org/lent2026.

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.

Steve Macchia (Podcast Host)
Founder and President of Leadership Transformations
Steve is the author of The Discerning Life,  Becoming a Healthy Church, 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.

Suz Skinner (Season 39 Guest)
Suz serves as Emmaus faculty and offers spiritual direction in Gloucester, MA. As an artist and a spiritual director, she is called to help others see and respond to the beautiful, redeeming works of Christ unfolded in the Scriptures and the stories of God’s people.

Matt Scott (Season 39 Guest)
Matt serves on the LTI team as Creative Director. A graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (MDiv) and the University of Mobile (Worship Leadership and Music Performance), Matt has served various churches in the area of worship and arts, community life, shepherding, and pastoral ministry. He and his wife, Kristen, live in Sioux Falls, SD with their two children, Emerson and Ashton. Matt enjoys building furniture, writing music and running.

 

Receiving the Kingdom of God | Season 39, Episode 1 Read More »

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Mitzi Mak

Selah-West Faculty & Emmaus Faculty

Mitzi started her professional life as a high school social studies teacher. She and her husband Jerry then served cross-culturally for ten+ years, living abroad first in India and then Kurdistan, N. Iraq. In addition to being a Spiritual Director, she now serves as a Formation and Care pastor in her local church in Houston, TX. She has graduated from LTI’s Selah Spiritual Direction training as well as LTI’s Emmaus Formational Leadership Program.

Mitzi enjoys engaging conversation, reading fiction, doing jigsaw/crossword puzzles, ocean gazing and exploring the world with Jerry through food and travel.

God has two main callings in Mitzi’s life: to care for those who care for others and to be a guide in helping others have a healthy relationship with the Trinity – recognizing God’s loving presence and activity in their lives and how to faithfully respond.

“Selah was a transformative experience for me – allowing the contemplative within to emerge and to beautifully co-exist with my extraverted personality.“