Ep 1209 | Jesus Is Moving in LA — Meet the Ministry Behind It | Matthew Barnett

Relatable with Allie Beth Stuckey

Blaze Podcast Network

News, Religion & Spirituality, Christianity, News Commentary

4.6 • 19.2K Ratings

🗓️ 24 June 2025

⏱️ 53 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Today, we sit down with Matthew Barnett, founder of the Dream Center in Los Angeles, to discuss his journey from a reluctant young pastor to a transformative force in one of America’s toughest urban landscapes. We explore how the Dream Center provides hope and healing to over 700 residents daily, tackling issues like homelessness, addiction, and human trafficking through Christian programs. Matthew shares insights on the spiritual and practical challenges of serving the vulnerable, the impact of Gov. Gavin Newsom's bad policies, and the power of forgiveness in personal transformation. He also reflects on navigating spiritual warfare, drawing inspiration from Nehemiah, and his vision for Los Angeles. Dream Center LA: https://www.dreamcenter.org/?creative=728973989029&device=c&placement&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22117356372 Share the Arrows 2025 is on October 11 in Dallas, Texas! Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠sharethearrows.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for tickets now! Sponsored by: ⁠Carly Jean Los Angeles⁠: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.carlyjeanlosangeles.com⁠⁠⁠ Good Ranchers⁠: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.goodranchers.com⁠⁠⁠ ⁠EveryLife⁠: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.everylife.com⁠⁠⁠ Buy Allie's new book, "Toxic Empathy: How Progressives Exploit Christian Compassion": ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://a.co/d/4COtBxy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ --- Today's Sponsors: We Heart Nutrition — Get 20% off women's vitamins with We Heart Nutrition, and get your first bottle of their new supplement, Wholesome Balance; use code ALLIE at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.WeHeartNutrition.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠. Good Ranchers — Go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠GoodRanchers.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and subscribe to any of their boxes (but preferably the Allie Beth Stuckey Box) to get free Waygu burgers, hot dogs, bacon, or chicken wings in every box for life. Plus, you’ll get $40 off when you use code ALLIE at checkout. Cozy Earth - Go to CozyEarth.com/RELATABLE and use code “RELATABLE” for up to 40% off all men's apparel. This Father's Day, the Relatabro in your life deserves the kind of comfort that lasts! --- Buy Allie's book, You're Not Enough (& That's Okay): Escaping the Toxic Culture of Self-Love: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://alliebethstuckey.com/book⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Relatable merchandise – use promo code 'ALLIE10' for a discount: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://shop.blazemedia.com/collections/allie-stuckey Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	How does a charity run by a conservative Christian thrive in progressive Los Angeles?
0:06.7	Matthew Barnett is the founder of L.A. Dream Center. He is here today to talk about how we can
0:12.3	effectively serve those who are drug addicted, those who are in poverty, how we balance
0:18.6	compassion and grace with truth with truth telling and accountability.
0:22.5	He has built bridges with the California government.
0:24.9	He has also gone head to head with the California government.
0:28.0	And so we are talking about all of that and so much more on today's episode of Relatable.
0:33.5	This episode is brought to you by the Olive app.
0:36.5	Olive app is making America healthy again by showing you what is really in your food,
0:42.2	even beyond the ingredients labels on the products that you are buying in your grocery store.
0:47.6	Download the Olive app today, available now on the app store.
1:01.4	Music on the App Store. Matthew, thanks so much for taking the time to join me in person. This is so fun.
1:05.0	I'm so glad to be here. Thank you. Yes. You know, I've been following you for a long time,
1:09.2	the work that you've been doing in L.A.
1:11.1	Can we back up and talk about how you came to L.A., how you started the Dream Center?
1:16.5	Yeah, it's everything I never thought I'd be doing, to be honest.
1:19.3	You know, I came from a big church in Phoenix, Arizona, my father's Pastor Tommy Barnett,
1:23.6	great church. And one day, a guy came to him and said, Pastor Tommy, there's a little old
1:29.0	building in downtown L.A. that is in the inner city and the banks are going to take it over.
1:33.4	The pastor is 80 years of age. Would you, you know, plant a church in downtown L.A. and take
1:37.9	this over before it gets lost. And my dad said, yeah, yeah, yeah, I'll figure something out because
1:43.0	just the thought of that really upset him, you know.
	...

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