Good evening everybody. I just want to give you a really warm welcome to tonight's

program on race and the Christian and I want to also welcome those of you who are joining

us online in your living room or in churches

across the city and across this country.

My name is Pamela Brown-Peterside.

I'm a community group director here at Redeemer and I'm also one of the staff

members who's part of the Grace and Race team that have the pleasure of hosting this evening

with you tonight. Grace and Race exists to help our congregation grow in its awareness of racial and ethnic differences in order for us to experience the richness of community made whole in Christ.

And I also have the pleasure of letting you know that Crossway, the organization

that are sponsoring this event. They are based in Wheaton, Illinois. And they are also the publishers

of Dr. John Piper's book Bloodlines, Race, Cross, and Christian,

which was the impetus for this event.

Just as a matter of housekeeping, I just want to mention because of the live streaming and the fact that we have folks joining us online,

we would ask that there would be no flash photography,

and we'd also ask for you to turn off your cell phones or put them on silent or vibrate.

Thank you.

So it is my very great pleasure to welcome Dr. John Piper to New York City and to Redeemer Presbyterian Church. Dr. Piper is the

pastor for preaching and vision at Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis. Prior

to serving at Bethlehem Baptist, Dr. Piper taught biblical studies

at Bethel University and Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota for six years. Dr. Piper has

offered numerous books including Desiring God, Don't Waste Your Life,

This Momentary Marriage, Think, and most recently Blood Lines, Race, Cross and Christian,

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