Tim Keller
It’s a complete mystery to those pushing a seeker-sensitive movement or something along the lines of the post-modern movement within the church (dubbed “emergent” Christians) why Redeemer Presbyterian Church thrives. Here’s the deal: it’s a hard-line, conservative, Presbyterian church (reformed theology, predestination and all) growing rapidly in the heart of New York City.
But their secret is simple: they preach the gospel. Nothing added. Nothing subtracted. Nothing assumed. Just the gospel.
Unfortunately this concept is not as common as one would hope.
Redeemer’s own Pastor Tim Keller wrote a fantastic book called The Reason for God (In An Age of Skepticism) and in it he touches on the subject of true forgiveness. Essentially he links our forgiveness of others to something prompted by the forgiveness shown to us by Christ.
But he doesn’t stop there. He shows that when we “take up our cross” we are literally called to totally forgive and absorb the sin and wrongs inflicted on us from others (almost literally bearing the pain they should rightfully have) in order to totally and wholly forgive them. This kind of radical forgiveness is hard. But it makes the gospel so much more hollistic and meaningful.
In that sense it’s no wonder that a church like Redeemer Presbyterian is thriving. Praise God for it!
