Selah Certificate Program in Spiritual Direction

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Greetings, friend in Christ!

Welcome to Selah ~ a program, a ministry, and a way of being with God that we offer in spiritual direction. Spiritual direction is a gift that’s nurtured more than a skill that’s taught. Thus Selah (the program) and selah (the Hebrew word occurring in the psalms) craft a space for nurturing the holy mystery of what happens when we pause reflectively, in listening attentiveness to God. While everyone can grow in this awareness, we believe that God calls some among us to a deeper ministry of spiritual attentiveness and companionship, and we’d like to nurture that gift within you! Here’s a glimpse of how our approach is defined:

SELAH IS INTENTIONALLY TRINITARIAN IN THEOLOGY

paying attention to how God the Father is actively shaping a person’s life through the Holy Spirit in ways that form them ever more deeply into the image of Christ.

SELAH IS INTENTIONALLY CONTEMPLATIVE IN STYLE

characterized by an attentive resting in Christ’s presence in the direction time, noticing the movement and activity of the Holy Spirit.

SELAH IS INTENTIONALLY BIBLICAL IN GROUNDING

drawing our understanding of God and his ways from the Scriptures.


In this threefold context, we grow from the wisdom and experience of the Church, through readings in the classics of spiritual formation, and through the learned practice of spiritual direction together.

Selah’s curriculum is designed to nurture each participant in two main areas: a foundational understanding of the theology of spiritual formation (through faculty teaching during retreat residencies, and reading and reflection assignments in between residencies), and the central practice of spiritual direction (through small group experiences in retreat residencies, and individual experiences of offering spiritual direction and reflecting on it with a Selah faculty supervisor in between residencies).

Please check out the Selah Details below, which will give you a fuller idea of who we are and what it’s like to be part of our Selah community. Feel free to contact me directly if I may be of further help to you!

In Christ’s Grace,

Susan Currie
Director of Selah
susan@leadershiptransformations.org

Application Process & Tuition

The application season for SELAH-EUROPE is still open! First choice will be given to those involved with mission work that serves populations overseas, and to English-speaking nationals of countries other than the USA; other applicants will be considered if places are available. Residency dates and locations are listed below. You’ll find fuller details about curriculum, applicant preparation, tuition plan and application process on the links on the right. If you have further questions, please email us at admin@leadershiptransformations.org.

The 2021-2023 application season for SELAH-EAST and SELAH-WEST has closed; we have begun Waiting Lists for each cohort. Interested applicants are encouraged to check this website beginning in October 2021 for information on the 2022-2024 season, which will open in early November.

APPLY FOR SELAH

Residency Locations & Dates

Selah Faculty

Selah Senior Faculty

Dr. Susan Currie
Steve Macchia
Dr. Steve Macchia
Jeremy Stefano
Dr. Jeremy Stefano
David Wu
Dr. Ted Wueste

Selah-East Supervisors

Dr. Kim Alexander
John French
Gayle Heaslip
Gayle Heaslip
Dr. Genalin Niere-Metcalf

Selah-West Supervisors

Travis Collins
Travis Collins
Cheri Hudspith
Cheri Hudspith
Rhea Patton
Rhea Patton
Christine Warner

Selah-Europe Supervisors

Fyfe Blair
Dr. Fyfe Blair
Laura Hash
Dr. Douglas Mitts

Guest Faculty

Sally Breedlove
Sally Breedlove
Adele A. Calhoun
Dr. R. Neal Siler
David Vryhof
Br. David Vryof

Selah Cohorts

Selah 1: 2007-2009
Selah 2: 2009-2011
Selah 3: 2010-2012
Selah 4: 2011-2013
Selah 5: 2012-2014
Selah 6: 2013-2015
Selah 7: 2014-2016
Selah 8: 2015-2017
Selah 9 West: 2015-2017
Selah 10 East: 2016-2018
Selah 11 West: 2016-2018
Selah 12 East: 2017-2019
Selah 13 West: 2017-2019
Selah 14 East: 2018-2020
Selah 15 West: 2018-2020
Selah 16 West: 2019-2021
Selah 17 East: 2019-2021
Selah 18 Europe: 2019-2021
Selah 19 West: 2020-2022

What Others Are Saying

David Shaw
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"I firmly believe that my two years in Selah have not only been life-giving but life-saving! Everything that I have been exposed to has not only helped me re-tool for the second half of my career as a pastor but has also moved me into a completely new and deeper relationship with my Heavenly Father. I really do feel reborn! The 2 year format and integration of teaching, reading, practice of spiritual direction, and peer supervision really was effective in preparing me to provide spiritual direction and to pastor out of a more contemplative model."
Daryl Driscoll
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"Selah has changed my life. Thank you for all you have done."
Andrea Chan
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"I have received more personal and ministry support and encouragement in the past year in Selah than in the previous 20 years. I really am grateful for you all!"
Deb Bellevue
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"Thanks again … Selah has been life changing for me… and life giving. I long to see this imparted to others in the local church, it is so freeing."
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Susan Porterfield Currie

Director of Selah & Minister of Spiritual Formation

Susan is a graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (DMin in Spiritual Formation; MATS), CFDM Pacific Northwest Certificate Program in Spiritual Guidance, and Bryn Mawr College (MA, English Lit). She has served in church and parachurch settings for over 30 years, focusing on spiritual formation ministries, retreat leadership, and spiritual direction, and along with her husband Dave serves as affiliated clergy in the Anglican Diocese in New England (ACNA), offering support to area clergy and to the Anglican Formation Track at Gordon-Conwell. Susan and Dave are the parents of three married children – all grace! – and enjoy home hospitality to extended family as well as guests that come their way. In Sabbath moments Susan will be found outdoors – sitting, hiking, kayaking, immersing herself in the beauty of creation – or indoors, tea and scones at her side, immersing herself in the beauty of good words. “LTI has been my ministry home for over 15 years, where with amazing colleagues I delight in creating and nurturing spacious, reflective presence to God. Glory!“

Articles by Susan Currie

Steve Macchia

Steve Macchia

Founder & President

Steve is a graduate of Northwestern College (IA) and Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div. and D.Min.). His prior ministry includes serving on the pastoral staff at Grace Chapel (Lexington, MA) and as president of Vision New England. Since July 1, 2003 Steve has served as founder and president of Leadership Transformations, director of the Pierce Center for Disciple-Building, and adjunct faculty in the Doctor of Ministry department at Gordon-Conwell. He is the author of fifteen books, including the Baker bestseller Becoming a Healthy Church, and Crafting a Rule of Life (IVP). He lives in the Boston area with his wife Ruth and is the proud father of two grown children, Rebekah and Nathan, daughter in-love Ashley, and papa to his beloved granddaughter, Brenna Lynn. “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
Schedule a one-on-one with Steve

Jeremy Stefano

Jeremy Stefano

Director of Emmaus & Minister of Spiritual Formation

Jeremy offers spiritual direction, leads retreats, teaches on spiritual formation topics and serves as the director of Emmaus, a Certificate Program in Formational Leadership. He also works with students of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary at the Pierce Center for Disciple-Building. The heartbeat of Jeremy’s calling is to encourage Christian leaders in the cultivation of their relationship with God. He has served various churches as pastor and interim pastor. He and Bethany, his wife of 32 years, have been blessed with eight children and three grandchildren. They make their home in Massachusetts. He has a Licentiate in Theology from the Cape Town Baptist Seminary in South Africa, a Master of Arts in Theological Studies from Regent College in Canada and a D.Min. in Leadership and Spiritual Formation from Portland Seminary in Portland, OR. “Friendships have been a source of grace in my life. It is a gift to serve in LTI alongside those who value the priority of rich and enduring relationships with each other.”

Articles by Jeremy Stefano

David Wu

Director of Online Ministry & Minister of Spiritual Formation

David serves as LTI’s Online Ministry Director and as Senior Faculty of Selah, LTI’s Certificate Program in Spiritual Direction. He is a graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary (M.Div.,’11) and Selah. Prior to his ministry with LTI, David was involved with overseas missions in East Asia, church planting, and pastoral ministry in the local church. David is passionate about creating prayerful and hospitable space for others to listen to God, whether through leading worship corporately, facilitating soul care retreats, or one-on-one spiritual direction. For fun, David enjoys long hikes, playing the guitar, gluten-free cooking, and pulling weeds. David and his wife and three kids make their home in Sugar Land, Texas. “I first encountered LTI at a soul care retreat during a very low point in my life and ministry. LTI was my spiritual paramedic at just the right time. Today I am so grateful to serve with this incredible team of loving and compassionate soul care-givers.“

Ted Wueste

Senior Selah Faculty and Associate for Alumni Nurture

Ted has served in ministry for almost 30 years with 22 of those years in pastoral ministry as both an associate pastor and a senior pastor at a church he planted and pastored for 10 years. With Master degrees of Divinity and Sacred Theology as well as a Doctor of Ministry in Leadership, he has also received training in Spiritual Direction from New Way Ministries and Selah. Ted has been married to Jenifer since 1992 and has two college aged children. He serves as the Director of the Spiritual Formation Society of Arizona where he loves to hike, tend is cactus garden, and spend time outdoors. Ted shares: “It’s a joy to be a part of this team! From the moment I got involved with LTI, I felt like I’d met my ‘tribe.’ The loving, nurturing LTI ‘way’ creates space for those in leadership and those who are a part of various offerings to follow the leading of our Triune God. I love it!“

Dr. Kimberly Alexander

Selah-East

Dr. Kimberly Nash Alexander is a native of Charlotte, NC. She attended UNC-Greensboro and The George Washington University in Washington, DC where she received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Speech Language Pathology respectively. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy in the integration of religion and society from Omega Graduate School in Dayton, TN. Kim is certified as a spiritual director through Leadership Transformations and offers a 12 month contemplative mentoring journey, soul care retreats and soul care for businesses/teams and spiritual direction through DKA Services. She is the founder of the special needs ministry and leads the Women’s Ministry of The Park Church in Charlotte, NC. Kim shares life and love with her husband, Bishop Claude Alexander, Jr. and their two daughters Camryn and Carsyn. While she has a passion for empowering women to live in the fullness of their relationship with Christ. She can be found reading, jogging, or cooking great southern food. Good chocolate and popcorn are her weakness. “Having a broken toe during my Selah experience prompted a spiritual awakening.“

John French

Selah-East

A sabbatical with Eugene Peterson 31 years ago began John’s journey with spiritual direction, and for the last 16 years he has been offering individual and group spiritual direction to others. John began his professional life as an elementary teacher, went on to Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary with a MDiv. John trained as a spiritual director with Shalem Institute. Recently retired after 36 years as pastor of a Baptist Church, John continues to offer ministries of retreats, preaching, spiritual formation companionship, including spiritual direction supervision and facilitation of spiritual formation groups. John and his wife Janet live on the North Shore of Massachusetts involved in congregational life and using their home as a gathering place for people to experience God’s grace. They enjoy life with three grown children, their spouses, and five active grand-boys. John enjoys gardening, biking, skiing, body surfing and walking the beaches with his wife. John says, “My greatest joy is to watch people discover their true selves when they respond to God’s grace and love.”

Gayle Heaslip

Gayle Heaslip

Spiritual Formation Associate & Selah Faculty

Gayle Heaslip has a degree in counseling from Gordon-Conwell Seminary and having completed Selah’s spiritual direction training program, she is drawn to walk alongside others as they grow into the fullness of life the Lord supplies through both trials and triumphs. In addition to working with LTI and offering spiritual direction to individuals and groups, she is a priest in the Anglican Church of North America, serving a missional fellowship in Falmouth. Gayle delights in the ever-changing beauty of Cape Cod where she lives with her husband and close to their three grown children and eight grandchildren. Good books and conversation, hiking, writing and photography, and time alone to ponder are God’s gracious gifts to her. “I have been deeply formed over many years through LTI within its listening, companioning community, and I’m honored to walk with others in the Emmaus and Selah programs as we become more attentive and responsive to God’s presence.”

Genalin Niere-Metcalf

Selah-East

Genalin has a deep love for the Church and has long served it in many roles. Along with being a supervisor at Selah, she also is an advisory council member with Grafted Life Ministries, which oversees the ministry of the Evangelical Spiritual Directors Association. Genalin received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from CSU at Long Beach, a Master of Art in Spiritual Formation & Soul Care from Talbot School of Theology and a Doctorate in Clinical Psychology from Wheaton College. She received specialized training in the integration of psychology, religion and spirituality from the Dainelsen Institute at Boston University. Genalin works as a clinical psychologist at SamaraCare Counseling. Genalin is married to Rodney and they are proud parents of two children. She enjoys spending time with family, traveling, seeing beauty in people and nature and being still. “I knew that Selah was a ministry where God was calling me to serve because Selah strongly cared about nurturing and equipping leaders in experiencing God’s deep love and passing that on through the ministry of spiritual direction.“

Travis Collins

Travis Collins

Selah-West

Travis started his career in ministry at a young age as a youth pastor while he was completing his BA in Biblical Studies at Biola University. After pastoring and Church Planting for several years, and as his passion grew for strengthening the souls of God’s Church, he then completed his MA in Spiritual Formation and Soul Care from Talbot School of Theology. It was at Talbot that he was trained as a Spiritual Director. Spiritual Direction has been a foundational practice not only in his own life with God personally, but as a way to walk with leaders towards greater intimacy with God and awareness of His work in their lives. The heart of Travis’ calling is to integrate one’s spiritual life in God with one’s sense of purpose, passion, and calling in the world. Travis now utilizes his passion for people and their development as a Chick-fil-A Owner/Operator in Santa Barbara, CA where he and his wife Christin and their new son now live. “I was introduced to Selah and LTI 2016, and since then it has been a place of deep community, friendship and value and a sense of home.” 

Cheri Hudspith

Cheri Hudspith

Selah-West

Cheri serves as a Supervisor to our Selah Interns. She is a graduate of LeTourneau University, (BS Accounting, 1989), Fuller Theological Seminary (Master of Arts in Theology, 2008), Selah Program, 2013. She and her husband Dave live in Flower Mound, Texas (Near Dallas), and have been faithful lay servants of the church since the early days of their marriage. They are blessed with a grown son, his beloved bride, and a grandchild. Cheri is still full of wonder that the invitation to leave her first vocation as a CPA led to life as a Spiritual Director. It is a privilege and a joy to help others, especially leaders, make space for their relationship with God. “Leadership Transformation has become a sacred home for me. A place to meet God, receive from God, and watch the Lord transform my heart and the hearts of those around me. If you are looking to be with people that really listen to God and respond out of that listening, this is the place to be.“

Rhea Patton

Rhea Patton

Selah-West

Rhea Patton has been involved in a lifetime of discipling others, leading Bible studies, facilitating retreats, coaching church staff and lay leaders, and accompanying others as they explore spiritual practices and spiritual direction. She has served as a spiritual director to pastors, church staff, and other seeking Christians for many years, and has served on staff as an elder and a lay leader at First Presbyterian Church, Colorado Springs, CO. She provides leadership training and spiritual direction nationally for leadership within her Evangelical Covenant Order of Presbyterians denomination (ECO). She and her husband Dave have been married 47 years, have two grown daughters, and live in Colorado, where they love to camp and hike. She is a graduate of Selah (Certificate in Spiritual Direction: Selah, Leadership Transformations, Inc., MA), and serves on their faculty as a supervisor of spiritual director interns-in-training. “My history with Selah (LTI) has provided a wealth of learning, a deep contemplative space from which to delight in the Lord, and the gift of collaborative companions on the journey”.

Christine Warner

Selah-West

Christine serves as Supervising Faculty of Selah, LTI’s Certificate Program in Spiritual Direction. She is a graduate of Regent College (MA Spiritual Theology), UT Austin (MA Rhetoric/Applied Linguistics), and Selah. She is the Director for the Matthew 25 Initiative, the Anglican efforts to companion the vulnerable, marginalized, and under-resourced communities in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Christine is also founder/director of Lumen, a non-profit ministry for spiritual direction. Having grown up in Central America during civil war and natural disasters, Christine’s TCK-ness laces everything she does, seeing the world through the lens of God’s global people who will worship before the throne as every tribe and tongue and nation. Living in Canada and serving on the border with Mexico among the urban poor helps that lens. Christine and her family of six serve in parish ministry in Austin, Texas. Boba tea, Isaiah 25 & 58, and dappled-sunlit trees are good things. “My great joy lies in the spaces where contemplative activists are nurtured and inspired in soul care and their life in Christ while also engaged in acts of justice and mercy.”

Fyfe Blair

Fyfe Blair

Selah-Europe

Fyfe has 30 years of experience in ministry – serving within a range of diverse contexts of parishes in Scotland and New Zealand; the vocational formation of students training for ministry; facilitation and training provision in conflict transformation (a ministry of reconciliation) and Spiritual Direction.  His educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts (Religious Studies) from the University of Edinburgh, a Bachelor of Divinity from the University of Aberdeen, a D.Min. in Church Planting from the Columbia Seminary, a Certificate in Mediation Skills for Churches, and a Certificate in Horticulture. Fyfe is married to Gillian and lives in N.E Scotland. He is blessed with two married daughters and their husbands. He enjoys cycling, gardening and painting. He is exploring new opportunities in which to establish a context for soul care, contemplative rhythms and seasons using horticulture to engage around Gospel, soul, land and community, helping others recognise the presence and voice of God and to respond appropriately. “I so appreciate being part of a wonderful team and engaging with interns from a host of countries. It is so enriching.”


Laura Hash

Selah-Europe

Laura, who never desired to be a missionary, along with her husband Dan, are founding members of Josiah Venture, a mission organization which exists to see a movement of God amongst the youth of Central and Eastern Europe which finds its home in the local church and changes society. She has an MA in Biblical Counseling from  CCU and a Certificate in Spiritual Direction through Selah with LTI. God has graciously called her towards walking with and discipling young leaders in many capacities over the 28 years they’ve lived in Poland which she loves. From teaching, spiritual directing, organizing silent retreats and caring for teammates, God is at work by his grace in her and through her. Laura and Dan are thrilled that their son and his wife also serve with Josiah Venture in Poland.

Dr. Douglas Mitts

Selah-Europe

Doug’s interest in spiritual formation started in the early 90’s and only deepened as he served to facilitate church planters, first in Poland, and later across Europe. His education includes a D. Min. in Spiritual Formation for Ministry Leaders from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, a Th.M. from Dallas Theological Seminary, and a Certificate in Spiritual Direction from Selah, with LTI. He and his wife, Lisa, currently reside in Frankfurt, Germany, as Doug continues to facilitate church planting and assist people in their spiritual formation. Currently Doug serves on the senior leadership team of Greater Europe Mission. In his leadership capacities, he established the spiritual life ministry within GEM and now serves on that team, providing retreats, workshops, and other resources to their missionaries. Doug also enjoys an active ministry of providing spiritual direction for ministry leaders across the globe. He and Lisa are the proud parents of two wonderful college-age children. “LTI’s Selah program made beautifully concrete and phenomenally real the leadership and initiative of God the Holy Spirit today.“

Sally Breedlove

Sally Breedlove

Selah-East

 Sally Breedlove (BA in English, studies in Spiritual Theology at Regent College, Certificate in Spiritual Direction, Selah) is the co-founder of JourneyMates (www.JourneyMates.org), a contemplative ministry that invites people to connect intimately with the Triune God in communities and small groups. She now serves JourneyMates as a trainer and supervisor. She also co-founded 8@8 (www.8at8pm.org), a ministry that calls Christians around the world to biblically-informed prayer for eight minutes nightly. As an author, spiritual director, teacher, and retreat leader, she delights in helping people notice, trust, and follow Jesus. Sally and her husband Steve, a bishop in the Anglican Church in North America, live life in the rich context of five married children and fifteen grandchildren. Any given day unfolds rhythms of long walks, good books, hospitality, and real conversations. If anyone asks Sally about LTI’s ministry, her answer is the same: “LTI leadership lives humbly and joyfully into all it teaches, as it invites people into a broader and robust with-God life.”

Adele Ahlberg Calhoun

Selah-East

Adele is the co-pastor of Spiritual Formation with her husband Doug at Highrock Covenant Church in Atlington, MA. She has pastoral and missionary experience stateside and overseas. Adele taught as adjunct faculty at Wheaton College and Northern Baptist Theological Seminary. She has served on a variety of boards and currently serves on the board of New Wine and Pax Center for Christian Spiritual Formation. Adele has authored seven books including The Spiritual Disciplines Handbook (IVP), Invitations from God (IVP), and Spiritual Rhythms for the Enneagram (IVP). She is an accomplished retreat leader and a spiritual director.

Dr. R. Neal Siler

Selah-East

Dr. R. Neal Siler, Senior Pastor of First Shiloh Baptist Church and President/founder of The Healing Place Center for Counseling and Spiritual Formation in Mechanicsville, Virginia where he practices clinical counseling and spiritual direction. He holds a PhD in Counseling Psychology, and a DMin in Formational Counseling. Neal is an adjunct professor in the Doctoral program’s Spiritual Formation track at Tyndale University Seminary and College in Toronto, Ontario, and Director of HCM International’s Spiritual Formation and the Art of Spiritual Direction Program in Ashland, Ohio. His wife Sharon is also a spiritual director. The Siler’s enjoy sharing life with two grown children, their spouses, and three grandchildren. Neal’s special interest is the efficacy of spiritual direction’s focus on spiritual and psychological wellbeing as it relates to systemic issues that create pain and brokenness for African Americans and marginalized people. “It has been a wonderful and welcoming experience to share my thoughts and insights, reflective of the experiences that I bring as an African American, with The Selah/LTI community.”

David Vryhof

Br. David Vryhof

Selah-East

Br. David Vryhof, SSJE, is an Episcopal priest and a monk of the Society of St. John the Evangelist in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He earned a Master’s degree from Gallaudet University and taught Deaf children at the Rhode Island School for the Deaf for several years. He also spent three years training teachers for the Deaf at the MICO Teachers’ College in Kingston, Jamaica. He entered the monastery in 1985. Following his initial monastic formation, he was sent to Duke Divinity School and then to the General Seminary in New York to complete a Master of Divinity degree. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1994. He has held a number of positions in the monastery, but most especially the role of Novice Guardian, responsible for the formation on new men who join the community. He is a widely-experienced teacher, preacher, retreat leader and spiritual director. He loves sports and actively follows the Red Sox and Patriots. “I consider it a great privilege to be working with the staff and students of the Selah program.”