The Rev. Alexander Evans, pastor of Second Presbyterian Church, Richmond, Va., is the featured preacher for Sept. 7 and 14 on “Day 1” with host Peter Wallace, the nationally broadcast ecumenical radio program also accessible online at Day1.org.
Evans came to Second Presbyterian Church in December 2008 following pastorates of 12 years in Blacksburg, Va., and 9 years in Pickens, S.C. Second Presbyterian Church is a dynamic, downtown, historic church, with a heart for mission to the city and the world.
Evans is a graduate of Davidson College, Union Presbyterian Seminary, and Yale University. He received his doctor of ministry degree from Columbia Theological Seminary. He is the director of the Virginia Law Enforcement Assistance Program, a nonprofit project offering support and counsel to law enforcement officers in the Commonwealth of Virginia.
His sermon for Sept. 7, based on the procedure for dealing with interpersonal conflicts set forth by Jesus in Matthew 18:15-20, is entitled “From Enmity to Community.” “Jesus likewise invites, no commands us, to turn and to keep turning to one another, not in judgment, but love, striving to overcome alienation with reconciliation,” he says. “Until we do that we are moving away from God’s intentions.”
Evans’s message for Sept. 14, entitled “Forgiving From Your Heart,” is based on the story of the unforgiving servant told by Jesus in response to Peter’s question about how often we should forgive. “What we tend to remember is the wrong done to us,” he says. “And when we remember only those things, we start signing on to the ways of the world, not God... We participate, not in the emerging reign of God, but in the struggling world that Jesus came to redeem.”
The programs include interviews with Evans conducted by Wallace, who is also executive producer.
“Day 1” has been broadcast every week for nearly 69 years, formerly as “The Protestant Hour.” Featuring outstanding preachers from the mainline denominations, “Day 1” is currently distributed to more than 200 radio stations across America and overseas. The program is produced by the Alliance for Christian Media, based in Atlanta.