Leading People to a Prodigal God - Tim Keller

Called a "C.S. Lewis for the 21st century" by Newsweek, Tim Keller is founder and pastor of New York’s Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan. Over the past 20 years, the church has grown to three sites, with weekly attendance of 6,000. The church he leads is known for its missional approach, planting more than 100 churches through the Redeemer Church Planting Center. Keller is the author of the best-selling The Reason for God.

The following are some of his thoughts at the 2009 Leadership Summit:

• Both brothers are far from the father.  neither loves the father.  They both loved the father's money more than the loved the father or each other.
• We know what to tell the younger brother to get close to the father - come home.  We don't know what to tell the older brother. 

Here are two things that the elder brother needs to do...

1. You got to get to a new level of repentance.

• Renewal will come not when you repent for your wrong doings; it comes when you repent for the reasons for your right doing.
• "The main thing separating you from God is not your sin; it is your damnable reason for your good works."

2. You got to get to a new level of joy.

• "The main thing separating you from God is not your sin; it is your damnable reason for your good works."

Five things leaders need to do to bring renewal in your church.

1. Leaders have got to work this out in your heart.

• "Don't go into the ministry to save your soul."  That is why you live and die according to your attendance.  That is why you overwork and why criticism utterly kills you!

2. Leaders must communicate beyond biblical principles to the gospel.

3. Take leaders through this process.

4. Work it into your congregations.

5. Share the good news of the gospel with others.

Comments

[Andy Swartz]

I would also recommend John MacArthur's "A Tale of Two Sons" which basically comes up with the same premise. It is good to realize that the elder son was not the "perfect" son as many sermons portray but as guilty and in need of repentance as the younger "prodigal" son. Blessings!

[Rahab Klingensmith]

Lord Have Mercy on this man and BRING HIM an abundances of Great Blessings...If I could I would fly to New York fall at the foot of his door steps of this Godly mans Church and say this!!! Praise God....Someone has figured this whole thing out...."The Key Being"....Leaders Must Communicate well beyond the Biblical teachings and their confounding principles....talk about apply the words well, "this deeper repentence" thing Dr. Timothy Keller speaks of I discern will soon be the answer to many of the successes or failures within our church settings today....too many leaders are falling into the ownership of how high and mighty they've become, rather than we desperately need to seek an awareness and/or counsel of different ways of thinking...more meetings yes, but with a different viewpoint on passion of care and concern for others--no matter what the price observed. The membership/leaders of the church body ARE probable paid the least...but, in Heaven -if they were smart enough-they would see the bigger picture-we'd think?.....It is amazing how certain men like Mirosalv Volf, Scot McKnight want to deepen the level of concern, and nmove unward out of stagnent waters. Push the guilty heavy ladien Matthew 23 gents perhaps right out the door~find the new awaking of change God IS asking for.....I just love Keller too.......I wish he was at my church--I'd sit in the front pew and hold his hand,listening intently, and take more notes too.....I'd attend his classes....teaching....tutoring....whatever....He is soooooo good! Smart or shall i say brilliant-- his discernments real and worth the investment cherished~a godly man.
Something needs to give....and soon enough, I discern greatly this. Rahab