Conversations with Matt DeLockery

Bio

Dale Stephens has a B.A. in Pastoral Ministry, M.A. in Leadership & Administration, and currently a PhD student at AGTS.

Dale and his wife, Andrea, have 3 girls, Saria, Jade, & Vera, and one grandchild, Niko. Dale began his vocational ministry as a student pastor in 2000. In 2004, he shifted to US missions with Chi Alpha at UGA. Later, planted Chi Alpha at Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University, & what is now Kennesaw State - Marietta campus. Since 2015, he has been serving as the Lead Pastor for Riverside Church (now Pure Hope Church).

Pure Hope Church: 

Website

YouTube

Facebook

Instagram

Books Dale recommends for understanding the Bible better:

The IVP Biblical Background Commentary by Creig Keener

Misreading Scripture with Western Eyes by O'brien & Richards

Reading While Black by Esau McCaulley

Reading the Bible with the Damned by Bob Eckbauld

Reading the Bible for All It's Worth by Fee & Stuart

The Upside Down Kingdom by Donald Kraybill

NT Wright's NT commentary series

Books Dale recommends for thinking politically:

The Hauerwas Reader by Stanley Hauerwas

The Pastor as Public Theologian by Kevin Vanhoozer

Bowling Alone by Robert Putnam

The Fractured Republic by Yuval Levin

Final words from Dale:

Christian Americans note the importance of biblically driven beliefs that shape their personal identity and public politics. As noted in our time together, what we hope for is some common elements in us all, a humility to find the distorted truths in us, a vision/effort towards togetherness (in contrast to us vs them), and a genuine curiosity matched with empathy for the other. This is how we position ourselves- selflessly. For me, I'm also driven towards a transformational hope for a better tomorrow on this earth and in its fullest in Heaven.

Through reflection, education, books, travels etc...I've come to realize I have enculturated the gospel into "American". My aim is to see God more clearly, through my culture, the other cultures, and ultimately supra-culturally. I hope some of the above resources will help you towards that aim.

Adriana was born in Mexico City. She studied communication with a major in live TV production at Universidad Anáhuac del Norte, Mexico. She was married in 2006 and moved to Atlanta where her two girls were born. She has a passion for the arts, especially cinema, photography, singing, and dancing.

Angela Mathis is a Christ follower, extroverted introvert, artist, reformed Republican, Air Force veteran, daughter, sister, aunt, ally, and friend. For more information, Angela recommends:

- https://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/gilmoreprisonslavery.html

- https://www.history.com/news/13th-amendment-slavery-loophole-jim-crow-prisons

- https://www.splcenter.org/20180614/biggest-lie-white-supremacist-propaganda-playbook-unraveling-truth-about-%E2%80%98black-white-crime

- https://m.georgiaencyclopedia.org/articles/history-archaeology/slavery-colonial-georgia?amp

But before we finish this series and move on, I have one more topic to cover: Christian nationalism. I’ve saved this one for last - not because I think it is the least important, but because I think it is the natural result of all of the problems we have talked about for the last five weeks.

This is who I am - https://youtu.be/oc5ilm_lYJ0

Support - https://purecharity.com/mattdelockery

Christians treat members of the LGBT community very badly, and we have no right to.

We are all broken people who need help. That is one of the foundational points of Christianity. Therefore, it is impossible to live a Christian life and at the same time think one race is better than another.

Blog article on Paul and Slavery - https://mattdelockery.com/blog/paul-and-slavery-part-1

This is who I am - https://youtu.be/oc5ilm_lYJ0

Support - https://purecharity.com/mattdelockery

What is that one thing that will upset church people more than anything else? What is the one thing that if you do it, there will be no forgiveness?

This is who I am - https://youtu.be/oc5ilm_lYJ0

Support - https://purecharity.com/mattdelockery

The only question that really matters when hiring a pastor is: “Does this person know God?” Instead, we’re trying to find rock stars who can bring a bunch of people in the door. With all the Christian leaders who have been falling lately, I think we’re finding out how well that strategy has been working.

This is who I am - https://youtu.be/oc5ilm_lYJ0

Support - https://purecharity.com/mattdelockery

2020 was awful. Now it's 2021, and we're beginning a new year. How about instead of trying to put a bright face on everything we simply acknowledge some realities? In this series, I'm going to talk about some of the major things wrong with American Christianity.

Simple solutions are usually not good solutions. So, if we want a good solution, then we need to address the real problems.

This is who I am - https://youtu.be/oc5ilm_lYJ0

Support - https://purecharity.com/mattdelockery

This video tells you a little bit about who I am and why I do what I do. For further information, see links below:

Conversations with atheists:

- Problem of evil/God's actions in the OT - https://youtu.be/qxgUg_hYyew

- Naturalism vs theism - https://youtu.be/4RY0G3SNG8w

My thoughts on things:

- Liberal or conservative - https://youtu.be/ldEYxCHTul8

- Why do bad things happen to good people? - https://youtu.be/5_YOK-C-ujs

- Christianity is not a sports team - https://youtu.be/pKGc3QD2Rxo

My donation page:

https://purecharity.com/mattdelockery