Missions Methods and Principles
Southwestern Journal of Theology
Volume 57, No. 1 – Fall 2014
Managing Editor: Terry L. Wilder
By Timothy Keller. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2012. 400 pages. Hardcover, $29.99.
The size of the church, the scope of ministry, and the influence of Tim Keller and his church in Manhattan would cause many to flock to Center Church as a tell-all manual for successful church planting, but this book hardly resembles a step-by-step curriculum. Reading the first few pages of this book readily gives the impression that at the heart of any Gospel ministry lies a Gospel message that needs deep thoughtful consideration and it must pervade through the life of the church.
The book is divided into three parts: Gospel, City, and Movement. The first section on the Gospel draws the reader to the basic question of what is the Gospel and what are its effects. This part is the gem of the book, acting as the basic foundation to the rest of the book. Keller reminds his readers how the Gospel has been misconstrued with people who commonly confuse it for what he calls, “competing sets of beliefs and worldviews” (58). In this section, Keller draws contrasts between religion and Gospel. For example, religion says “I obey; therefore, I’m accepted,” while the Gospel says, “I’m accepted, therefore I obey” (65). Another compelling contrast is in the way religion dictates identity and self-worth based on appearances, deeds, and morality, while the Gospel finds its identity in Christ alone. Self-centeredness amounts to religion, but an honest view of oneself and the work of Christ leads to the Gospel of God’s grace.
The second section deals with the city. The content of this section ranges from issues dealing with contextualization of the Gospel to the challenges of reaching the outside world, which Keller defines as the city in reference to the urban setting where he ministers. The call to contextualization is not compromising the message but, as Keller puts it, “to immerse yourself in the questions, hopes, and beliefs of the culture so you can give a biblical, Gospel-centered response to its questions” (121). Reaching the city is more than taking the Gospel message to the outside world; it is a calling to serve the city by seeking its good and becoming a “dynamic” counterculture that ministers to the city.
The third section discusses movement in the context of missions, the ministry within the church, and the planting of new churches. When understanding movement, Keller points to God being active through the missional church—i.e., evangelistic, incarnational, contextual, reciprocal and communal. This missional church is called to confront society’s idols but at the same time, the church as a whole ought to reach people by serving and engaging. Keller also stresses the vital importance of church planting, not as a trendy catch-phrase, but as part of a natural outworking of church life that forms a movement, dynamic in nature rather than an institutionalized one.
Having observed these contributions of the books, some drawbacks may become apparent with this work. First, the “city,” which Keller uses to focus on the ministry of the church, may seem out of reach for many pastors not in an urban context. Second, the occasional Presbyterian viewpoints, especially in light of limited detailing of church history, may seem difficult to relate in some ecclesial settings. Third, Keller’s use of secular sociological models and approaches may be unfit for understanding the sacred life of the church as a whole. There are others, but these three may suffice to reduce the book’s appeal for some ministers.
However, the aim of Keller’s Center Church is not to produce cookie-cutter churches that resemble Keller’s own Redeemer Presbyterian Church. The church planting efforts of his church prove this to be the case; their church-planting school plants churches of different denominations as long as these churches hold to the sound doctrine of the Gospel truth. What Keller offers here in each of these chap- ters is an opportunity to engage in the Gospel ministry in more thoughtful ways, from the very foundation of doctrine to the internal life of the church along with its outreach to the world beyond itself. The models, history, and concepts are not lim- ited to New York City. Rather, they almost always describe the human condition in terms general enough to affect preaching and service. Ministers and those in training would benefit from the content of each chapter as well as the reflective questions that follow. Keller has given plenty to think about in this volume to challenge church leaders both young and old while they seek to carry on the Gospel ministry.
