![]() ‘Blessed indeed,’ says the Spirit, ‘that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them’” (Revelation 14:13). “Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on. The church has lost a champion, and from his grave he would speak to all of us and say: Carry on! I am deeply grateful for his influence in my life and in the lives of thousands of pastors and millions of people around the world. That, I would say, was his dying passion. He saw that the need of the church was to combine the gospel with a robust commitment to the needs of a community. He expressed only one desire: to pass the baton to younger gospel-driven pastors. He had not yet been diagnosed with cancer, but he had resigned from his church to give attention to churches around the world. His passion was to help this generation see the gracious salvation of Christ.Ī few years ago, we had lunch together here in Chicago. His conversations were always focused on others, never himself. He had a vision for the church, not just in New York, but around the world. He had compassion for the fallen, and encouraged people to serve God wherever He planted them. Tim understood how to apply God’s grace against the backdrop of human failure and sin. ![]() From this, and his own wide reading, Tim gained a great deal of understanding that served him well in the pulpit. He was determined to listen to them, asking questions about everything from what they were reading to what they perceived their greatest challenges were. He explained that he spent a lot of time meeting with people. I asked him how he came to have such insight into human nature and culture. ![]() When he spoke, I found myself saying, “Yes! That is so true, why didn’t I think of saying it that way?” He had insights many of us missed. He spoke realistically, clearly applying the Scriptures in a way that touched both the mind and the heart. Tim Keller presented the gospel in a language our post-Christian culture was able to understand. And when he spoke, we all listened to his wisdom. The pastors wife Kathy shared the update on Twitter in which she also thanked supporters for their continued prayer. He was approachable, unflappable, and able to engage anyone he met. Tim Kellers health has shown 'remarkable' improvement as he continues to fight stage 4 pancreatic cancer. I quickly realized people flocked to his church because of his character, his humility, and his perceptiveness into the lives of people. He was indeed tall, but he looked like a very ordinary man. But when we first met, the image was a bit different. In my head, I pictured a tall and trim jet-set New Yorker who shopped on Madison Avenue. I knew he ministered to a large congregation in New York. I had listened to his messages on cassette tape (many of you will remember those days!) and was drawn to his insights of the Scriptures and his understanding of human nature and culture. I was also asked to serve as one of the founding members, and as such, I had the privilege to become acquainted with Tim on a more personal basis. Tim was one of the founding members of The Gospel Coalition back in 2005. ![]() I could not help but reflect on his life, ministry, and worldwide impact. Today, news reached me that Tim Keller had died after a three-year struggle with pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is able to learn how to evade medication, so it is only God’s power that we look to for complete healing.For those left behind when someone dies, there is always a moment of reflection. However, a mystery lump underneath the May surgical scar was removed and proved to be cancerous. 23, I had a scan and the primary tumor had not progressed. In a health update to supporters last September, he wrote, “I was granted a ‘chemo holiday’… and was able to get out of town with my family for several weeks. Keller was diagnosed with cancer in May 2020. Requesting prayers for him and his family, the now-retired pastor further shared that his wife, Kathy, and he will be “displaced from our home and separated from one another, as I will be an inpatient.” He asked his followers to continue to pray “for truly miraculous effects of the procedure and minimal side effects.” This has shown great promise in potentially curing cancer, though it is a rigorous and demanding month-long program (that will need updates up to six months).” In his most recent update Keller says, “we are also moving onto an immunotherapy trial at the National Cancer Center in Bethesda, Md., as of June 1. He has plenty of good reasons for everything he does and allows that I cannot know, and therein is my hope and strength.” In December he tweeted “It is endlessly comforting to have a God who is both infinitely more wise and more loving than I am.
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