Center Church

by Keller, Timothy

• ISBN13: 9780310494188
• ISBN10: 0310494184
• Edition: 1st
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2012-09-04
• Publisher: Zondervan

Summary

Many pastors struggle to translate their theological beliefs into fruitful ministry in the places they are called to reach. It's not enough to simply know what to believe (theology) or, on the other hand, how to do ministry (methodology)---they need something in between. They need help thinking about ministry in a culture that no longer believes Christianity is a force for good, let alone the source of ultimate revealed truth in the person of Christ.Center Church, a collection of twelve essays by Timothy Keller, outlines a theological vision for ministry that is organized around three core commitments:* Gospel-centered: The gospel of grace in Jesus Christ changes everything, from our hearts to our community to the world. It completely reshapes the content, tone and strategy of all that we do. * City-centered: With a positive approach toward our culture, we learn to affirm that cities are wonderful, strategic and underserved places for gospel ministry.* Movement-centered: Instead of building our own tribe, we seek the prosperity and peace of our community as we are led by the Holy Spirit.

Author Biography

Timothy Keller is the founder and senior pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, and the New York Times bestselling author of the Reason for God and The Prodigal God. He has also mentored young urban church planters and pastors in New York and other cities through Redeemer City to City, which has helped launch over 200 churches to date.

Table of Contents

Abbreviations	p. 11
Introduction: Center Church Theological Vision	p. 13
Gospel
Gospel Theology
The Gospel Is Not Everything	p. 29
The Gospel Is Not a Simple Thing	p. 39
The Gospel Affects Everything	p. 46
Gospel Renewal
The Need for Gospel Renewal	p. 54
The Essence of Gospel Renewal	p. 63
The Work of Gospel Renewal	p. 73
City
Gospel Contextualization
Intentional Contextualization	p. 89
Balanced Contextualization	p. 101
Biblical Contextualization	p. 108
Active Contextualization	p. 119
City Vision
The Tension of the City	p. 135
Redemption and the City	p. 146
The Call to the City	p. 154
The Gospel for the City	p. 166
Cultural Engagement
The Cultural Crisis of the Church	p. 181
The Cultural Responses of the Church	p. 194
Why All the Models Are Right… and Wrong	p. 223
Cultural Engagement through Blended Insights	p. 235
Movement
Missional Community
The Search for the Missional Church	p. 251
Centering the Missional Church	p. 264
Equipping People for Missional Living	p. 277
Integrative Ministry
The Balance of Ministry Fronts	p. 291
Connecting People to God	p. 297
Connecting People to One Another	p. 311
Connecting People to the City	p. 322
Connecting People to the Culture	p. 330
Movement Dynamics
Movements and Institutions	p. 337
The Church as an Organized Organism	p. 344
Church Planting as a Movement Dynamic	p. 355
The City and the Gospel Ecosystem	p. 368
Epilogue: Late Modernity and the Center Church	p. 381
Acknowledgments	p. 385
Subject Index	p. 387
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