» Miracle in New York

It has to be a work of God when an “orthodox” Presbyterian helps the Pentecostal Assemblies of God plant a church in his own city!

The New York Times has just run a story on Tim Keller at Redeemer Presbyterian: Preaching the Word and Quoting the Voice

Over the last 16 years, Dr. Keller’s church, Redeemer Presbyterian, has swelled to 4,400 attendees, mostly young professionals and artists who do not fit the prototypical evangelical mold, spread out across four different services on Sundays.

In New York City, Redeemer has become the central training ground for anyone planning to start a church in the metropolitan area, whether among Guyanese immigrants in Queens or streetwise youths in the Bronx. Since 2000, when it established its own training center for “church planters.”

Redeemer has helped start more than 50 churches in the city, from faith traditions and denominations as diverse as Assemblies of God, Lutheran and Southern Baptist. In addition, it has helped found 17 “daughter churches” of its own Presbyterian denomination in communities like Williamsburg and Park Slope, Brooklyn; Astoria, Queens; and Hoboken, N.J.

Meanwhile, so-called city-center churches modeled on Redeemer — also attracting audiences of professionals and creative types — have sprung up in places like Boston, Washington, San Francisco, Berlin, London and Amsterdam. The churches emulate much of Redeemer’s approach, including its attitude of embracing the city and its focus on the Christian message of grace and redemption.

Thanks to Steve McCoy at Reformissionary for the link.