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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Trent Casto | The Heart of a Discerning Leader, Episode 11

Host: Steve Macchia, Guest: Trent Casto

It’s incredible what a man who is united to Jesus and weak in the eyes of the world can accomplish” – Trent Casto

Author and Pastor Trent Casto joins the podcast to talk about God’s strength in our weakness. In this episode, he shares ideas and practices that have enabled him to lead in a way that displays God’s grace. From his newly released commentary on 2 Corinthians in the Reformed Expository Commentary series, Trent shares that the heart of all our issues is drifting from the heart of the biblical gospel – either towards our performance, power, and strength or towards a disregard for God’s standards. As you listen, may you be empowered to lead with authenticity that comes from an understanding of the sufficiency of God’s grace.

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 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.

Trent Casto (Season 27 Guest)
Trent Casto brings an adventuresome spirit and passion for discipleship to his role as the Senior Pastor at Covenant Church of Naples, FL. Trent and his wife Emily have served as missionaries in the Czech Republic and in pastoral ministry in St. Louis, Missouri, Dallas, Texas, and for the last 13 years in Naples. His Doctor of Ministry at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary focused on understanding the challenges wealth creates for spiritual formation. He is the author of 2 Corinthians in the Reformed Expository Commentary series and also of The Rhythm of Discipleship: Living as Fully Devoted Followers of Christ. Follow Trent on YouTube (@PastorTrentCasto) and on his blog at www.trentcasto.com.

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Steve Macchia

Founder & President

The Rev. Dr. Stephen A. Macchia is founder and president of Leadership Transformations, Inc. (LTI), a ministry serving the spiritual formation, discernment, and renewal of leaders and learners since 2003. For more than 20 years he has been the Director of the Pierce Center for Disciple-Building at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, where he also serves as an adjunct faculty member in the Doctor of Ministry Program. From 1989-2003 he was the president of Vision New England, the largest regional church renewal association in the country. Earlier in his ministry life, Steve was a member of the pastoral staff of Grace Chapel in Lexington, Massachusetts for 11 years. He is the author or co-author of 17 books, including The Discerning Life (Zondervan Reflective), and Crafting a Rule of Life, Becoming A Healthy Church (LTI), and Broken and Whole (IVP).  He and his wife Ruth live in the Boston (MA) area and are the proud parents of two married children and grandparents to three adorable grandchildren. Steve’s personal website is www.SteveMacchia.com.

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.

Detailed Biography
Articles by Stephen Macchia
Author Website
Schedule a one-on-one with Steve

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.