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Timothy J. Keller — news, coverage & facts — IJR

Redeemer Presbyterian Church

Keller was recruited by his denomination to start Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan in 1989 after two others had turned down the position.

In 2008, Keller published his first book since his 1989 report to his denomination on diaconal ministries, Ministries of Mercy. The book, The Reason for God, was based on common objections to the Christian faith heard during his ministry in New York City. The book reached seventh on the New York Times Nonfiction bestseller list.

Redeemer Presbyterian Church grew from 50 people to a total attendance of over 5,000 people each Sunday as of 2008, leading some to call Keller "the most successful Christian evangelist in the city". In 2004, Christianity Today praised Redeemer as "one of Manhattan's most vital congregations".

The church's emphasis on young urban professionals, whom Keller believed exhibit disproportionate influence over the culture and its ideas, has given the church an unusual makeup for a US megachurch. The majority of the congregation is made up of single adults; it is also over forty percent Asian-American, and has many congregants working in the arts and financial services. In his preaching, "he hardly shrinks from difficult Christian truths, [but] he sounds different from many of the shrill evangelical voices in the public sphere." Keller often critiqued both the Republican and Democrat political parties and avoided taking public stances on political issues, resulting in a politically centrist church.

Redeemer Presbyterian Church has also founded Hope for New York, a non-profit organization that sends volunteers and grants to over 40 faith-based ministries serving social needs in New York City; the Center for Faith and Work, to train professionals in Christian theology; and Redeemer City to City, to train and fund pastors in New York and other cities.

Keller was a co-founder of The Gospel Coalition, a group of Reformed leaders from around the United States. His mentoring of younger church leaders, such as Scott Sauls in Nashville and Steve Chong in Sydney, increased his influence globally.

On July 1, 2017, Keller stepped down from his role as senior pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church. The move was part of a larger vision to shift his efforts from preaching to training the next generation of church leaders and starting new churches in global cities through Redeemer City to City.

Books

Resources for Deacons: Love Expressed through Mercy Ministries (Christian Education and Publications, 1985) ISBN 0-9703541-6-9

Ministries of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road (P&R Publishing, 1997) ISBN 0-87552-217-3

Church Planter Manual (Redeemer Presbyterian Church, 2002)

The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism (Dutton Adult, February 2008) ISBN 0-525-95049-4

The Prodigal God: Recovering the Heart of the Christian Faith (Dutton Adult, November 2008) ISBN 0-525-95079-6

Counterfeit Gods: The Empty Promises of Money, Sex, and Power, and the Only Hope that Matters (Dutton Adult, October 2009) ISBN 0-525-95136-9

Generous Justice: How God's Grace Makes Us Just (Dutton Adult, November 2010) ISBN 0-525-95190-3

King's Cross: The Story of the World in the Life of Jesus (Dutton Adult, February 2011) ISBN 0-525-95210-1

The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God (Dutton Adult, November 2011) ISBN 0-525-95247-0

The Freedom of Self Forgetfulness: The Path to True Christian Joy (10Publishing, March 2012) ISBN 978-1906173418

Center Church: Doing Balanced, Gospel-Centered Ministry in Your City (Zondervan, September 2012) ISBN 0-310-494184

Every Good Endeavor: Connecting Your Work to God's Work (Dutton, November 2012) ISBN 978-0-525-95270-1

Galatians For You (The Good Book Company, February 2013) ISBN 978-1908762573

Judges For You (The Good Book Company, August 2013) ISBN 978-1908762900

Walking with God through Pain and Suffering (Dutton, October 2013) ISBN 978-0-525-95245-9

Encounters with Jesus: Unexpected Answers to Life's Biggest Questions (Dutton, 2013) ISBN 978-0-525-95435-4

Romans 1–7 For You (The Good Book Company, February 2014) ISBN 978-1908762917

Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God (Dutton, 2014) ISBN 978-0-525-95414-9

Center Church Europe (Wijnen, Uitgeverij Van, 2014) Contributors are José de Segovia, Leonardo De Chirico, Michael Herbst, Frank Hinkelmann, Martin de Jong, Jens Bruun Kofoed, Daniel Liechti, András Lovas, David Novak, Stefan Paas and Martin Reppenhagen. ISBN 978-9-051-94480-8

Romans 8–16 For You (The Good Book Company, February 2015) ISBN 978-1910307298

Preaching: Communicating Faith in an Age of Skepticism (Viking, June 2015) ISBN 978-0-525-95303-6

The Songs of Jesus: A Year of Daily Devotionals in the Psalms (Viking, November 2015) ISBN 978-0-525-95514-6

Making Sense of GOD: An Invitation to the Skeptical Viking ISBN 9780525954156 ebk. ISBN 9780698194366

Hidden Christmas: The Surprising Truth Behind the Birth of Christ (Viking, Nov 2016) ISBN 978-0735221659

God's Wisdom for Navigating Life: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Book of Proverbs (Viking, Nov 2017) ISBN 978-0735222090

The Prodigal Prophet: Jonah and the Mystery of God's Mercy (Viking, Oct 2018) ISBN 978-0735222069

The Meaning of Marriage: A Couple's Devotional: A Year of Daily Devotions (Viking, Nov 2019) ISBN 978-0525560777

How to Reach the West Again (Redeemer City to City, 2020) ISBN 978-0578633756

On Birth (Penguin Books, 2020) ISBN 978-0143135357

On Marriage (Penguin Books, 2020) ISBN 978-0143135364

On Death (Penguin Books, 2020) ISBN 978-0143135371

Hope in Times of Fear: The Resurrection and the Meaning of Easter (Viking, March 9, 2021) ISBN 978-0525560791, 0525560793

Forgive: Why Should I and How Can I? (Viking, November 1, 2022) ISBN 9780525560746

Timothy J. Keller

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