Tim Keller, writer and pastor, dies after a battle with pancreatic cancer

Tim Keller, an influential writer and pastor, died this morning after a three-year battle with pancreatic cancer.  The church leadership at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City (a Presbyterian Church in America congregation) sent out the following letter. Keller was the founding pastor at Redeemer Presbyterian.

It is with a heavy heart that I write today to inform you that Redeemer Presbyterian Church founder and long-time senior pastor, Tim Keller, passed away this morning at age 72, trusting in the sure and certain hope of the resurrection. We are forever grateful for his leadership, heart, and dedication to sharing the love of Christ with others. While we will miss his presence here, we know he is rejoicing with his Savior in heaven.

Tim loved what he did. He loved interacting with Redeemer congregants and global ministry leaders alike. He delighted in communicating the profound wonder and transforming power of the gospel of grace. He would quickly disarm you and brush away your addressing him as Dr. Keller. “Just Tim, please.” The life I witnessed was rooted in his identity as a beloved child of God.

There was no dissonance between the man you saw publicly and the man you witnessed privately. When asked how he wanted to be remembered, he would say that he didn’t think a lot about legacy, and then reference something Martin Lloyd Jones said about his name being written in the Lamb’s book of life. And he might on occasion say, “I do hope my grandchildren remember me.”

There will never be another Tim Keller and we will all miss him.

A worship service followed by a memorial will be held in New York City in the coming weeks, and both will be available by live stream for those who would prefer to participate remotely. More information will be provided as details become available.

We ask for your continued prayers for his beloved wife whom he adored and Redeemer co-founder, Kathy, as well as the entire Keller family.

Grieving with hope,

Redeemer Presbyterian Church