The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
Presbyterian Church (USA)
Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, New York, NY
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston is senior pastor of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York, NY. He previously served as pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, GA, and is a former professor of homiletics at Austin (TX) Theological Seminary.
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston came to Fifth Avenue Presbyterian in 2008 having previously served as the Senior Pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta. Prior to that, Scott was a member of the faculty at Austin Presbyterian Theological Seminary where he taught preaching and worship.
Scott holds a Master of Divinity degree from Yale Divinity School and a Ph.D. from Princeton Theological Seminary. He has co-authored one book, Theology for Preaching: Authority, Truth and Knowledge of God in a Postmodern Ethos, (Abingdon Press, 1997); has numerous other published articles, sermons, and chapters in books. Scott is a frequent preacher on Day1 Radio (formerly The Protestant Hour) and at various church conferences around the country.
He and his wife Amy, a nurse practitioner, have been married for 17 years and are the parents of Izzy (9) and Ollie (5). In his free time, Scott enjoys roaming Central Park with Amy, reading comic books (mostly super heroes), and laughing at his children’s antics.
Latest Content by The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(
PCUSA)
"Dear Oliver"
2 Timothy 1: 1-7
Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church
©Scott Black Johnston
A few years ago, Richard Dawkins, prominent zoologist and atheist, wrote a letter to his ten-year-old daughter, Juliet. In the letter, Dawkins uses age-appropriate language and illustrations to steer his daughter toward the truth as he sees it.
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The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(
PCUSA)
My family recently acquired a dog. Fergus is six months old. He is small (about 10 pounds), vanilla with caramel-coated ears, and fully charged with puppy zing. When someone visits our apartment, Fergus runs to them, cavorts around, and generally communicates, "You are my new most favorite person in the world!" When I get home in the evening, he races from the kitchen to greet me with a full-body wag.
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Other Recent Content by The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
April 01, 2012
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
We all have a deep hunger for forgiveness. We carry the weight of guilt around. When we inventory our lives; bad decisions, selfish acts, and stupid moves stand out in our mind’s eye.
March 10, 2012
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
Over the past two months, I have been collecting stories of why people call a particular church home. Why do you go to this church? Most of those stories begin with a friend or family member who joyfully and enthusiastically recommends the church—a person who says; “I would love to introduce you to a community where my soul gets fed.”
February 24, 2012
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
During Lent, we all need time in the desert-time in a place where our Blackberries and iPhones will not get a signal, and we can listen for the voice of God.
December 11, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
The final leg of our journey to Christmas always begins with Mary — a poor, pregnant teenager who takes counsel with angels.
December 10, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
At their core, Advent and Christmas tell the story of God’s arrival. Every hymn, every carol and every scriptural text in this season point toward the One who refuses to be aloof and distant — the One who chose (who still chooses) to enter into the mess of life with us.
November 21, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
What is joy? Is it a permanent state, or a fleeting feeling? Are some people naturally joyful, while others will never experience true happiness?
October 21, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
Some would say this is one of the best features of NYC: Nobody recognizes you. Nobody gets in your business. Of course, anonymity has a price.
October 07, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
Last week, a producer of the reality television show, “Kourtney & Kim Take New York” called the church. Really! Here's what happened.
June 26, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
To me, Montreat means good worship, old friends and a chance to start my summer reading — a chance to work through a stack of books that I have been collecting all year long, many of them at your recommendation.
June 03, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
"How can I give my children a spiritual foundation?" Parents who raise spiritually mature children are those who have conversations about God in their homes.
May 02, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
The devastating storms in the American South have literally and figuratively brought many people low. Last week many of these good folk celebrated Easter. This week they are picking up the pieces — if indeed there are any pieces for them to pick up.
April 20, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
In a message delivered at the NEXT Church Conference in Indianapolis, the Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston argues that "God is not killing North American Protestantism. God has sent it into exile.
April 11, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
From the first appearance of the disciples, communities throughout the Roman Empire viewed those who followed the path of Jesus of Nazareth with suspicion. “What is this new cult? Rumor has it they are cannibals who eat the body and blood of their teacher!”
April 10, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
God of Holy Mystery,
God of Love,
God of the Hidden Heart,
we pray to you....
March 28, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
My wife, Amy, is a movie buff — a fan of the silver screen. So naturally, Elizabeth Taylor has been a subject of conversation around our home in recent days.
March 21, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
"God Is Good...All the Time." To some, this confession in the face of disaster is proof of how incredibly irrational people of faith are.
March 14, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
I know that your hearts go to the people of Japan and those countries and islands affected by the earthquake and tsunami in the Pacific. I have been using the following prayer (adapted from a prayer by St. Augustine).
March 08, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
Every Lent, my quirky friend, Stan, who had a Ph.D. in liturgics (a fancy name for the study of Christian worship), used to announce that he was taking on a spiritual discipline for Lent. He used to announce that he was taking on “The Discipline of Sausages.”
February 24, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
Some find it threatening when a believer, much less a famous theologian, comes right out and says, “What I believe right now — about who God is and what God wants from us — might not be the same thing I believe two years from now. Or even tomorrow!”
February 16, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
“How am I, as a Christian, to interact with (and respond to) the culture of the world around me?” H. Richard Niebuhr proposed five different ways in which Christians respond to the wider culture...
February 07, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
What does belong in worship, and what doesn’t? What things do we want to mark, to consider, and to pray about in church, and what things do we want to leave for the wider culture, the news media, the public square to mull over?
January 24, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
As I have been preparing for my part in a conversation between the three Abrahamic faiths, I came across a letter written by George Washington, in his first term as President of the United States, to the Jewish community in Newport, Rhode Island.
January 21, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
This week I have been reading Phyllis Tickle’s "The Great Emergence." It is a fascinating book. In a nutshell, Tickle claims that every 500 years, the Church cleans out its attic and has a rummage sale. Read on...
January 12, 2011
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
As you put the final touches on your 2011 list, I want to suggest one addition. It’s not terribly hard. It’s basically a string you can tie around your finger.
December 15, 2010
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
Every year, as Christmas approaches, I find myself drawn to various classic (and not-so-classic, but still wonderful) stories that capture the season for me.
November 24, 2010
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
What would life be like without the sweet blessings that have steadied us, shaped us, empowered us, and comforted us?
November 19, 2010
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
Love. It is probably the most important, most distinctive, most life-changing thing that Jesus asked his disciples to do. It is also the most difficult one to describe.
October 12, 2010
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
Dr. Scott Black Johnston shares a disturbing experience he had following a recent interfaith service.
October 05, 2010
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
The basic premise of the new book The Big Sort goes like this: Over the last three decades, we Americans have been sorting ourselves into communities that have become increasingly homogenous. What does that mean for us as Christians?
September 24, 2010
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
What do you remember about your baptism? Dr. Scott Black Johnston explores the sacrament and asks for your stories.
September 09, 2010
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
Dr. Scott Black Johnston encounters a talented sidewalk chalk artist who has "always coveted your sidewalks" at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian in New York City. What will he draw?
August 11, 2010
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston writes, "Our society no longer seems inclined to hand the Christian faith complimentary servings of good will. Did you know that a recent survey in this country...found that the primary words that this demographic would use to describe Christians are 'judgmental' and 'hypocritical'?"
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
Scott Black Johnston, Senior Pastor of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York City, reflects on God's loving care as expressed in Psalms 8.
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
Daniel Pawlus and Lydia Talbot in conversation with Scott Black Johnston, who says, "I find in the psalms an incredible amount of human honesty. People just lay it out there to God: this is what I'm feeling and they put it in front of the Almighty as an offering and assume that God will respond."
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
In this Day1 Podcast Extra, the Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston talks to Day1 host Peter Wallace about the contemporary role of a preacher, the current economic crisis and its impact on churches and members, pop culture and theology, and coping with fear and change.
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
The Rev. Scott Black Johnston sits down with Day1 host Peter Wallace to discuss the survival of the mainline church, evangelism, prophetic preaching in contemporary times and lastly Scott's comic book collection and the deep connection between his love of comic books and his faith. What role does popular culture play in modern preaching and speaking of faith?
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
The Rev. Scott Black Johnston speaks to Day1 host Peter Wallace about the contemporary role of a preacher, the current economic crisis and times of turmoil, helping people cope with their fears, coping with change and hymnal fights.
April 12, 2009
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston, senior pastor of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York, NY, presents an inspiring Easter message that explores the ramifications of Christ's resurrection in our lives.
April 05, 2009
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston, senior pastor of Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York, NY, offers insight into the meaning of Palm Sunday and the world-changing week that followed it.
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
Wake Up Calls from God. Are they valid? How do we know the wake up call is from God. Does it take a cataclysmic event for the mess
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
In this podcast extra, the Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston, senior pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, shares his personal experiences and insights of preaching.
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
In this podcast extra, the Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston, senior pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, shares his personal experiences and insights of preaching.
December 24, 2006
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston beckons us to feel the presence of Christ and to see His light amidst the darkness.
December 17, 2006
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston recalls the miracle of Elizabeth's pregnancy and calls us to recognize the way in which God works through women.
December 10, 2006
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston preaches about the grace of judgement.
December 03, 2006
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston explores the paradox of beginning Advent with texts focused on the apocalypse.
January 09, 2005
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston is senior pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, GA, and former professor of homiletics at Austin (TX) Theological Seminary.
July 11, 2004
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston, senior pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Georgia, sheds light on the well-known parable of Jesus: the story of the Good Samaritan.
May 30, 2004
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston, senior pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Georgia, takes us to the well where Jesus meets the Samaritan woman--and changes her life forever.
April 25, 2004
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston
(PCUSA)
The Rev. Dr. Scott Black Johnston, the pastor of Trinity Presbyterian Church in Atlanta, Georgia, speaks about death and the comforting thought of Jesus wait for us on the other side.
