Reprinted from the Spring 2018 issue of Philanthropy magazine (PhilMag.org)

Tim Keller felt like it would be both good for New Yorkers and good for the country to see churches started in Manhattan. It’s not desirable to have the national culture- setter be the place with the fewest Christian believers.

Philanthropy: How does a healthy church benefit the community at large beyond its own members? On the flip side, when a neighborhood doesn’t have a flourishing church, what is it missing out on? Keller: Churches promote cooperation between individuals and the kind of associational life that is necessary for human happiness and social success. Without informal shared trust, things are more litigious and combative. Life is much better when neighbors pull for each other, help each other, collaborate together. But this kind of “social capital” is very difficult to generate through public policy. Governments cannot duplicate the effect of religion as a source of shared values. Family ties and religious ties are the two biggest sources of social capital. And religion can be fed and bolstered as a source of valuable shared experience. Tim Keller became a Christian while at Bucknell University, after participating I, as an older white American man, can in InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. He went on to become a in the connect quite sincerely to a single poor Presbyterian Church of America, and eventually started one of the most successful African woman in Soweto because we urban churches in America—Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, which are both evangelical Christians. There’s now hosts around 5,000 worshipers each week. He has written several bestselling a powerful bond because we’ve had the books explaining Christianity, including : Belief in an Age of same experience of spiritual rebirth. Skepticism. Recently, Keller retired from the pulpit in order to put all of his energy There’s a trust I have that would not into an interdenominational nonprofit that helps establish Christian churches, exist if I was a non-Christian white man. ministers, and ministries in important cities around the globe: Redeemer City to Anywhere you’ve got a church, social City. The ambitious goal is to revive a vibrant, intelligent, orthodox Christianity capital is being created. Especially when in metropolitan areas. We talked to Keller about how funders who want to advance the church is attended by people from Christian faith should direct their donations. the surrounding neighborhood. And it’s a big benefit to the community. Philanthropy: You moved with your Before we began, my wife and I Also, church buildings in big cities family to New York to plant a church knew two things about Manhattan. are a kind of public utility. We bought in Manhattan. Why? One was that it was highly unchurched a parking garage in upper Manhattan Keller: Well, I think it’s good for compared to the rest of the country. and converted it into a church and all people to believe. The gift of Christian Secondly, the city is extraordinarily the homeowners on the block who were faith is the greatest gift any person can influential on the rest of our culture. It’s not believers said, “Thank you, you’re receive, and it is a privilege and a joy to where books are published, it’s a media improving the whole block.” The city be part of that process. There’s lots of and cultural center, it churns out much council asked if various local groups Godwell Andrew Chan Andrew Godwell reasons for that. of what we see on our screens. So we could use the building, saying, “We’re

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Redeemer converted an old parking garage into a church and a community gathering place.

starved for space.” Our building became Haidt, who is not a Christian, says that can have very active family lives. But a community center. Organizations can religion creates a solidarity and cohesion secularism undermines what Christians meet there, people can have weddings that cannot be reproduced by secularism. call a “covenantal” type of relationship and other celebrations there. On a In Israel, for instance, secular kibbutzim that is non-conditional and more Sunday, urban churches create the foot have not lasted nearly as long as the intuitively reflected in family structures. traffic all the restaurant owners and shop religious ones. As a whole, and in the long-run, owners want. So in all kinds of ways an Secularism eventually undermines secularism is not good for a society. urban church has huge benefits, as long itself in a couple of ways. One is it Let’s acknowledge that there are as it doesn’t have a fortress mentality. makes people very fragmented—they individual secular people who are might talk about community, but they happier from having got out from Philanthropy: Is secularism replacing aren’t sacrificing their own personal under an unhealthy religion. Obviously, religion for many Americans today? If goals for community, as religion requires unhealthy religion does exist and so, how will that affect society at large? you to do. Social research demonstrates has had terrible consequences. But Keller: Oh, it has, of course. That means that secular people do not give away secularism writ large is causing certain corners of culture will take on nearly as much money as religious problems in our culture. different roles. For example, for many people do. Secularism also undermines That said, our job as Christians secular people, art and sports replace the family. The more secular you are is to confess and repent for our sins, worship. Where do I get awe, where do the less likely you are to marry, the and improve our own character and I get inspiration, where do I get a sense less likely you are to have children, neighborliness, not to attack others. that I’m part of something huge, that I and the fewer children you have. The That’s not productive. have passionate allies, that I’m amazed more religious you are, the more likely at what I’m seeing? It’s in art galleries you are to marry and to have children. Philanthropy: How has Redeemer and sports stadiums. I’m not saying the family structure or Presbyterian Church raised the funds Secularism tends to make people having more children is what holds necessary for its operations? more self-centered. Jonathan Haidt communities together—in fact, single Keller: For our first three years of and other sociologists have shown this. people and those without children establishing the church from scratch, Bobbi Jo Brooks

14 PHILANTHROPY it was outside gifts that kept us afloat. led into it. That’s the pitch. I could name at least 100 people over Right now, we have over 30 the last 30 years who gave large gifts raising funds for the first phase. So far churches sending their leaders to ranging from $20,000 to $2 million and we’ve raised about $70 million in pledges. participate in an apprenticeship above at crucial turning points in the About $33 million of that came from the program—give us your best lay leaders life of our church. three Redeemer congregations. About for one Saturday a month for a year, and Once the church was established, $37 million has come from outside. Our we’ll train them. We teach them how to we primarily raised funds from inside goal is to raise a total of $80 million for be stronger Christian lay people. And the congregation through regular giving. this first phase (2016 to 2019). we also ask them to at least consider the We’ve always encouraged the tithe as a idea of going into ministry. good rule of thumb for where to start Philanthropy: How is the church We don’t have enough people. That’s in Christian generosity. I encourage planting going so far? why we helped Reformed Theological giving in a planned and incremental way, Keller: Since 2001, Redeemer City Seminary open a new branch in New stretching to give a bit more and then a to City has helped plant nearly 400 York City and start a master’s program bit more, not in an impulsive way. churches in over 50 cities around the for urban ministry. We need more Redeemer is almost two thirds globe. For the New York Project, we’re people to start churches or assist church- single people, and most are young and two years into phase one and hoping that planting teams. don’t have deep pockets. So disciplined, it accumulates like an investment. In the The number of people who go to sacrificial, small gifts have been our first phase we’re hoping to help plant church and profess faith because of lifeblood. On the basis of that giving, more than 80 new churches of various habit or custom or social pressure is we’ve made ends meet. denominations. We’re trying to create shrinking rapidly. And churches that The problem is that as a church enough leadership that the number of have abandoned orthodox beliefs are gets bigger there is a higher percentage churches explodes. We are trying to get emptying very fast. So we need to start of people who don’t give. In smaller a lot of young people out of grinding new churches that operate more like the churches people give all the way down. professional jobs and into ministry earliest churches operated—bringing, In bigger churches there’s a tendency training and then starting churches, with with real conviction, the remarkable to think, “This is their church, not my our encouragement and aid. message of Christianity to people without church, I just come.” We have partnerships with 16 belief, such that many are converted and Two or three years ago we had a outside networks that are focused genuinely change their lives, becoming campaign to divide Redeemer into three on church planting. We go to those more inwardly integrated and strong and churches. The plan was for me to step networks, and other potential allies, and joyful, and more outwardly generous to down as senior pastor and each of the ask, “What do you need? Do you need their neighbors. three churches would get their own money? What’s your plan for the next Christians should go to cities to senior pastor. That has happened. three years?” A leader might say, “I’m start these churches because the people Over the next ten years we want aiming to do a church a year.” And we of the world are moving to cities. We each of the three churches to plant three might answer, “Is there any way you could should go where the people are going. daughter churches, making nine churches make that two churches if we help?” total. Redeemer City to City, the It’s not easy. Sometimes we Philanthropy: What are some of the nonprofit where I am stationed now, has hear, “You’re Presbyterian, and I’m main reasons a new church fails? partnered with Redeemer Presbyterian on charismatic—you’ll probably squash Keller: It’s the same two reasons a a strategy called the New York Project to my charismatic side.” We’re working to business fails. First, you didn’t find your come alongside many denominations to overcome that. Because we’ve learned market. The person plants a country help plant churches all over the city. The a lot over the last couple decades, church in the city, plants an urban church goal is a total of 250 churches planted and a leader’s chances of failure are in the country, or just plants the wrong here in the next ten years. much higher if he or she doesn’t take kind of church that doesn’t really reach We had a campaign inside Redeemer advantage of the training and assistance the local people. The second problem to raise money for this new strategy. we offer through Redeemer City to City. is inadequacy on the part of the church And since we are also going to support planter—the person doesn’t have the churches of other denominations we felt Philanthropy: Tell me more about your necessary gifts or expertise. A church we could make a call to the wider world. pitch to young people. planter is basically an entrepreneur. So, we went outside the congregation Keller: It’s very simple: You can work My guess is that only 5 to 7 percent and asked for money. just as hard and make a lot less money! of ministers could be church planters. The ten-year project is broken down But seriously, it’s about discerning a They could be great ministers, but they Bobbi Jo Brooks into three phases, and right now we are calling that is deeply satisfying for those wouldn’t be good church planters because

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to start a church in Paris. You have to be they don’t have entrepreneurial skills. careful about all of this, though. If you And less than 1 percent of ministers simply calculate bang for your buck, what have the chops to be pioneer church philanthropic gifts there’s a substantial you’re really saying is that a soul in Paris is planters—where you start from zero, amount that goes to church planting. too expensive, so I only want to win souls with nobody, often in a disinterested That is not only substantively important, in a village in Thailand. environment. Most church plants are but also efficient. Because if you start a I would encourage a Christian sprouted from a cutting taken off of ministry at a university, for example, that donor to pay attention to whatever is another church. To start without a core group will need money forever. If you on his or her heart. If you care about group is how many church plants fail. start a ministry to help the homeless, it reaching some specific group of people, too will need money annually as long as or giving overseas poverty aid, I would Philanthropy: How have you tried to it exists. But if you start a church, it only never ask you to ignore that and do involve wealthy people in your work, while needs start-up capital; then it becomes church planting instead. But I am still heeding Biblical warnings about the self-funding. saying that in church planting you can dangers of money and favoritism? If it’s done right, the start-up period give $1,000 and turn that into $10,000, Keller: It is a danger. It’s right to give (in America) is only about two years. So, eventually $100,000. special attention to “ministry multipliers.” you’re putting money into the church If I spend time with one member of my for two years, and then it gets to the Philanthropy: Would it make sense congregation who needs pastoral care— place where it is supporting itself. And for donors to help churches that are and I do—then that hour I spend with as that church grows it will start giving currently renting temporary facilities, him invests mainly in just him. If I spend money to other good works. There as many new congregations do, to find time with another pastor on my staff, or aren’t many philanthropy projects that permanent facilities? with a lay leader who will be teaching multiply like that. Keller: Yes. There are parts of the country studies, I am investing in someone It took about $200,000 to start where by far the best thing a donor can who will reach dozens or hundreds of Redeemer Church. Now it gives away do to assist a church and up the ante of others. People who are willing to give millions of dollars outside of the its activity is to help the church buy its significant sums are ministry multipliers, congregation annually. It attracts many own property. For a church to rent for a and so it is not wrong to spend time with new followers who become important long time is not good stewardship. That them. But if these ministry multipliers— volunteers and workers for the rest rental money is going to somebody else, the assistant pastor, the Bible teacher, of their lives. There was a man in the whereas if the church owns a building it’s the donor—let this go to their heads and Midwest who gave $50,000 as part of an asset that belongs to the congregation. begin to lord it over others (something starting Redeemer. How many times have Owning also roots the church. When Jesus talks about), then you must refuse his philanthropic dollars been multiplied? you rent you often have to move. What’s to be part of that, even if you are walking In the U.K., it takes about three disastrous for a church is to get to know a away from talent or money. years for a new church to become self- neighborhood and then be pushed out of funding. It’s about three to five years in it. A disaster. Philanthropy: Let’s pretend you have a northern and western Europe, and seven In an increasing number of places chance to talk with a donor who wants to ten years in eastern and southern property values are exorbitantly high to advance Christian belief and practice Europe. If the church is in China, it can and might call for more creative in some way. Where would you suggest be very fast. approaches. One idea I’ve heard is to he or she invest? You could start a church in a village have a group of Christians form an Keller: This isn’t the only place, but in Thailand with a few hundred American investment company, put money in, make sure that in your portfolio of dollars, while it might cost you $500,000 buy property, and let churches rent those properties. The churches would pay rent to the company, so this is not There are parts of the country where the a straight gift to the churches. The investors would get a dividend. But best thing a donor can do to assist a church it would be a Christian investment, because you could probably get better is to help it buy its own property. Renting returns somewhere else. There’s also a for a long time is not good stewardship. generosity factor in that you are tying your money up and wouldn’t be able to Owning also roots the church. use it for another purpose. You’d have to make sure the investors don’t gouge

16 PHILANTHROPY the many academic pieces that go into training a . And the churches could oversee formulation of better, the church on rent. And there would more practical, more hands-on training. and 30 percent among younger people. have to be some guarantees that the I was on a call recently with leaders That group is divided among people church doesn’t have to move. In some of Gordon-Conwell Theological who say religion is okay for somebody cases perhaps the church could rent Seminary, and they are talking with their else, people who think religion is initially and then gradually buy the donors about more partnerships with sometimes good and sometimes not building from the investors. churches. Their idea is that the seminary good, and people who just say religion In these very expensive big would send faculty right out to local is bad. There are a lot of nonbelievers cities, property is a good investment. church organizations to teach classes, who want religious views kept out of Manhattan real estate could be maybe instruct over video, teach at night, the public square entirely. That’s a big considered a global reserve currency. reach more students. The traditional problem for Christians. So it would make sense for Christian model is that you have 20 professors on There’s a lot of political churn philanthropists to invest in places like campus and all the students have to live right now and everybody is a little bit New York, or Silicon Valley, or London, there. That’s great for faculty—no night deranged. The ideological and political where churches face real problems courses, no weekends, no travel. But it alliances are surprising sometimes. For acquiring physical facilities. There are a is extraordinarily expensive now to do it example, Republican Mayor Bloomberg lot of Christians talking about this, and that way. And it eliminates candidates wanted nothing to do with churches and we need to think creatively to solve it. who have a day job or a family to wouldn’t let churches rent public-school support. Distributed instruction would auditoriums for their weekend services. Philanthropy: You mentioned earlier also benefit lay leaders, Sunday School Mayor de Blasio comes in and is much that another very serious bottleneck teachers, unconventional ministry more liberal than Bloomberg, but is not having enough trained leaders. candidates, and others. apparently understands the importance Could you also envision some kind of a church to healthy neighborhood of philanthropic effort to expand and Philanthropy: How would you advise life, so immediately opens up the public improve seminary training? donors negotiating the balance between schools for churches to rent. I think he Keller: Seminary scholarships ought to giving to local and global needs? better understands the social importance be very appealing to donors, because it’s Keller: I would give two answers. The of the church. a relatively small investment with the first answer is that there is this concept potential to have very powerful results in Christianity called “calling and gifts.” Philanthropy: How has the American for decades after. Our big problem today Nobody can do everything. So, people Protestant church changed since you’ve is that ministry in a complex society need to uncover their calling. The places been involved with it? takes graduate training, yet, unlike law where they can be most helpful. Keller: I’m 67. When I started out there and medicine and business, the prospects I would never say to a donor or were crisper boundaries. Fundamentalism of higher salaries to pay off student debt volunteer, “Why are you giving so much wanted nothing to do with the wider are not there. So, candidates who would overseas when there are so many needs culture, or with other denominations. love to enroll can’t bear the expense. right here?” To start with, I would be African-American churches and white And the seminaries don’t have wealthy very nondirective, and encourage people evangelicals were very conservative in alumni to turn to for support, like other to find their best competence. But if their theology, but different in their graduate schools. somebody starts pushing me on where politics. It was very easy to tell who was I have to tell you, churches don’t money should go, I tell donors they who. That’s not true anymore. partner very well with seminaries. Some should be responsive to conditions. Look A lot of white evangelicals have say to seminaries, “Minister training around, follow the news, talk to people, gotten more orthodox. There are a is your job, not ours,” and wash their and see what needs are most pressing lot of black leaders who don’t call hands of any responsibility. Others say, within your view. themselves evangelicals yet practice that “Today’s seminaries are stupid, they’re theology by the old definition. There’s terrible, we’ll do it ourselves,” which Philanthropy: There is much concern a younger multi-ethnic isn’t a full solution. I could see a donor today about the deterioration of civil that’s radically different than the white investing in partnerships where one or discourse in our country. How can the evangelicalism in other parts of the two large churches, or a group of smaller church be part of the solution? country. It is just very diverse and very churches, partner with a seminary to Keller: The percentage of Americans fragmented on the evangelical side. create excellent, affordable instruction. who identify as nonreligious is growing. And the mainline churches are P The seminary would be responsible for Right now it’s about 25 percent overall, weaker, and weaker, and weaker.

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