The Reconciliation Conversation | Derrick DeLain & Jason Dukes
with guests Mika Edmondson & Scott Sauls
Recording August 12th, 2020 10:00AM Central
Episode to be published August 26th, 2020

INTRO | Derrick DeLain

BIO info for Mika Edmondson and Scott Sauls

Mika Edmondson — Dr. Edmondson and his wife, Dr. Christina Edmondson, have two daughters. They recently relocated from Grand Rapids, Michigan where Mika had served as founding Pastor of New City Fellowship. Mika earned his Doctorate at Calvin Theological Seminary, with his dissertation entitled “Unearned Suffering is Redemptive: The Roots and Implications of Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Redemptive Suffering Theodicy.” Mika was the first African American to receive a Ph.D. from Calvin, where he also contributed as an Adjunct Professor. He earned his Master of Divinity degree from Vanderbilt Divinity School, and a Bachelor of Science in Applied Physics at Hampton University.

Scott Sauls is Patti’s husband and Abby and Ellie’s dad. He is pastor of Christ Pres Nashville. He’s an INFJ on the Myers-Briggs and Enneagram 4 wing 3. Scott served with Tim Keller with Redeemer Pres NYC and started churches in KC and St. Louis. He is the author of five books including his latest — A Gentle Answer: Our Secret Weapon in an Age of Us Against Them. He blogs at ScottSauls.com. He’s also a UNC Tar Heel fan, which we will ignore for the purposes of allowing him on this episode with us.

QUESTION 1 | Derrick DeLain
For Mika — in your own words, you said, “There are a host of scriptures that reveal God’s gospel determination to unite a diversity of people in Christ for the sake of his glory and worship.” As two black men who both serve as pastors in majority white environments, help our listeners understand why the current protests as well as this reconciliation conversation is so crucial for the Church here in America.

QUESTION 2 | Jason Dukes
For both of you — Christ Pres recently brought Mika on team. First, y’all talk about what excites you about serving together. Secondly, talk about whether you think having leaders from different backgrounds is vital to a healthy church.

QUESTION 3 | Derrick DeLain
For Mika — Scott lists Tim Keller, CS Lewis, Leslie Newbigin, Soong Chan Rah, Dorothy Sayers, Jonathan Edwards, Joni Eareckson Tada, Miroslav Volf, Paul Tripp, Ann Voskamp, Martin Luther King, Jr., Dorothy Sayers, and NT Wright as influential voices in his life. Highlight a couple of voices who have been influential in yours and talk about how they’ve influenced you, especially in the context of this conversation.

QUESTION 4 | Jason Dukes
For Scott — but Mika feel free to jump in to add anything — Scott, you highlight your Myers-Briggs and Enneagram in your Instagram profile. You have battled with depression and anxiety and written vulnerably and beautifully about it, which I personally so appreciate, as someone who battles with depression, too. Talk about how much self-awareness plays a part in our quest to see reconciliation and on Earth as it is in Heaven.

QUESTION 5 | Derrick DeLain
For both of you — Mike, in regard to your book on unearned suffering and Scott, in regard to your new book A Gentle Answer, talk about what you hope readers wrestle with the most upon reading what you’ve written.

QUESTION 6 | Jason Dukes
For both of you — what’s the one thing you would encourage someone to seek to become or strive to do right now who desires to take either a new step or a next step to cultivate for reconciliation and oneness?

OUTRO | Derrick DeLain

— Socials for our guests
:: @Mika_Edmondson
:: @ScottSauls and ScottSauls.com

— Socials for The Reconciliation Conversation
:: @theReconConvo