I was introduced to Timothy Keller through his writing back in 2018. I had only just been accepted as a ministry intern at LePhare Church in Bukavu, Democratic Republic of Congo, and one of my assignments required me to read two of Keller’s books: Counterfeit Gods and Prodigal God. These books didn’t merely change my life, they revolutionised it. In them, Tim preached the gospel to me in what I think was it’s purest form. Moreover, these two books exposed my heart and God’s heart so much so that, for the first time in my life, I realised I was ugly and that God was beautiful. I cried. I was ashamed. And I repented. My confidence in God’s love grew, which in turn moved me to loving God more.
My confidence in God’s love grew, which in turn moved me to loving God more.
After that, I wanted to have much of Tim. I endeavoured to read and listen to anything and everything he’d produced. Fortunately enough, my church already possessed many of his resources. I read everything I could get hold of: around 18 books and over 30 articles. I also listened to probably hundreds of his sermons, interviews, talks, and panel discussions. Going further, I listened to his critics—both within the evangelical world and outside of the church. Thankfully, there are still videos from Tim that I haven’t listened to yet, most recently his Discovering the Gospel in Every Book of the Bible YouTube series. Even though he’s gone to be with the Lord, his ministry and writing will continue to bless myself among countless others.
A Profound Influence
The influence of Tim’s life on me is difficult to assess. I think I would say that Tim was to me what Jonathan Edwards was to him. He informed and shaped my theology, thinking, preaching, and life.
Timothy Keller informed and shaped my theology, thinking, preaching, and life.
As for so many others, Timothy Keller preached the gospel to me, promoting gospel-centered repentance and deep change. He walked with me when I suffered. When I doubted. I felt him beside me, understanding and sympathising with my objections, before gently and intelligently inviting me to explore what Christianity has to offer. Remarkably, he was always able to show how the gospel answers not only life’s big questions but all of them. Tim taught me how to know my own heart and the culture around me. He introduced me to epistemology, helping me to understand why people believe what they believe along with why they readily change or refuse to do so.
In addition to radically influencing my personal walk with God, Tim is humanly speaking the reason I wanted to become a pastor, theologian, philosopher, and apologist. I’m tremendously grateful to him for the person I am becoming. Thank you, pastor Tim.
An Invaluable Legacy
I fix my eyes on the finishing line. Just as he did. In the meantime, I will miss him, terribly.
As a leader, in his last years Tim was more interested in raising the questions and challenges facing the church than in providing answers. Today, one of my greatest sorrows is the extent of how much he was misunderstood by his own—evangelicals. I am glad that he lived long enough to see the launch of the Keller Center for Apologetics. Thus he went knowing that some of these questions will be researched and addressed. Simultaneously I regret that he went not knowing that there are people like me, who are fully committed to carry on what he started.
Last month a brother told my pastor that my writing resembled that of Keller. Of course, I realise that I must find my own voice. I must contextualise the gospel for my own culture. God expects this of me. Tim would too. That being said, it was still the greatest compliment I’ve ever received.
I didn’t have the privilege of personally meeting him at this side of eternity. But when my time to cross comes, I’ll be glad to sit with him for a series of delightful discussions, from humour to the gospel both of us preached. Until then, I fix my eyes on the finishing line. Just as he did. In the meantime, I will miss him, terribly.
