The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston to Preach April 9 and 16 on Day 1
Senior pastor of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston is the featured preacher April 9, Easter Sunday, and April 16 on “Day 1” with host Peter Wallace, the nationally broadcast ecumenical radio program also accessible online at Day1.org and by podcast.
Johnston is senior pastor of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City. Before coming to Fifth Avenue Presbyterian, Johnston was senior pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. Earlier he was a faculty member at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary in Austin, Texas. A graduate of St. Olaf College, he earned his M.Div. from Yale Divinity School and a Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary. Johnston is the author of a number of books, including most recently “Elusive Grace: Loving Your Enemies While Striving for God’s Justice.”
Based on the story of the resurrection in Matthew 28:1-10, his sermon for Easter Sunday is entitled “Empty.” “According to the Good Book, the first Easter was not a runway for displaying new outfits, pastel bowties, and glorious hats,” he says. “It was two women walking through a cemetery dressed in black—dressed in the clothes you wear when your heart is torn up by grief.”
Johnston’s sermon for April 16 is “The Loser Edit,” based on the story in John 21:15-19 of Simon Peter’s encounter on the shore of Galilee with the risen Jesus. “The last time Peter warmed himself over burning coals, he denied knowing Jesus,” he says. “There are worse crimes . . . except, except for Peter, renouncing Jesus called into question everything he wanted to believe about himself.”
The programs include interviews with Johnston conducted by Wallace, who is also executive producer.
“Day 1” has been broadcast every week for 78 years, formerly as “The Protestant Hour.” Featuring outstanding preachers from the mainline denominations, “Day 1” is currently distributed to 200 radio stations across America and overseas, and the “Day1 Weekly Program” is on all podcast apps. The program is produced by the Alliance for Christian Media, based in Atlanta, Ga. "Day 1"® is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office by the Alliance for Christian Media, Inc. For more information, check the program’s website, http://day1.org.