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Editors’ note: 

This is also available in Danish.

I received the news of Pastor Timothy Keller’s passing while sitting on a plane heading to Northern Ireland. I teared up and found it hard to contain myself, which surprised me. I am not typically very emotional, and I had never talked to or even met Pastor Keller in person. However, after reflecting a bit, I am struck by the deep impression his life has had on my own life and ministry, a sentiment I know is shared by many within our Nordic lands.

I grew up in Christian family, but in my mid-teens I deconstructed, unable to reconcile my childhood beliefs with the cultural narratives and the personal tragedies my family experienced. Stumbling upon Tim Keller’s preaching, I found clarity and wisdom in a time of deep personal confusion, helping me in several ways:

Keller helped me fall in love with the Word of God. His sermons exposed me to depth, relevance, wisdom, and truth in the biblical text that I simply couldn’t see on my own.

First, Keller’s ability to expose, challenge, and confront the prevailing cultural narratives was unlike anything I had ever heard before. I became obsessed with listening to his sermons, receiving answers to the objections and challenges to faith that had put me on the path of deconstruction. Through several months of listening, by the grace of God and the work of the Holy Spirit I slowly but surely put the pieces of my faith back together. In time, I found my faith was not merely reconstructed, but renewed—transformed and stronger than I had ever thought possible.

Second, Keller helped me fall in love with the Word of God. His sermons exposed me to depth, relevance, wisdom, and truth in the biblical text that I simply couldn’t see on my own. I wanted to see what he saw when I opened my Bible, and I felt a desire to dedicate my life to see the beauty that he found there, to communicate and tell others about this beauty in a way that would help them see it too, just as he had helped me. The Bible was truer and more beautiful than I could have ever imagined.

Third, Keller helped me fall in love with Jesus. Through his preaching he demonstrated that all scripture is about Jesus and the gospel. The beauty and power of Christ was in every passage Keller preached, and I truly came to know and adore Christ through his proclamation of the Word. Furthermore, Tim showed me that Christ was not just at the centre of the Bible—he was at the centre of everything. This truth eventually led me to a place where I longed to love and serve Christ with my whole life.

Timothy Keller preached a big God, an all-transforming gospel, and a beautiful Christ, truths that affect and influence my life every single day.

As I reconstructed my faith and my love for Christ and his Word grew, a sense of calling and desire to pursue full-time ministry was awakened. When my own pastor challenged me to pursue pastoral ministry, I received it as confirmation of God’s calling upon my life. As I left the field of medicine to study theology—a poor decision according to worldly standards— and underwent pastoral training in the church, I continually felt God’s steadying and confirming hand. I am confident I was able to stand firmly upon this calling as a direct influence of Timothy Keller’s preaching upon my walk with Christ.

Timothy Keller preached a big God, an all-transforming gospel, and a beautiful Christ, truths that affect and influence my life every single day.

I vividly remember my first experience with Keller as an author in the summer of 2015. I purchased The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, which had recently been translated into Danish. I didn’t have a lot of time to read as I was busy planning my wedding, but I brought the book along on my honeymoon to Thailand. I devoured the book in our tiny bungalow in the jungle in a matter of days. Gud for skeptikere grew my confidence in the Christian faith and sparked my curiosity about Keller’s wider authorship, leading to massive consequences in my spiritual formation and ministry.

Many of Keller’s books have inspired and influenced me; however, I would like to highlight two that are instrumental in my life and ministry to this day.

Keller’s cultural apologetics and his book, Preaching, have become my blueprint for preaching and engaging secular people in Denmark. Though Denmark is certainly not New York City, the insight into the post-Christian secular mind and how to engage it in preaching and teaching has been extremely helpful. This book has shaped me and is still shaping me as I grow in the ministry of the Word.

Keller’s vision for church planting in cities, laid out in the book Center Church played a key role in my decision to move from the comfort of my own home church in Aalborg, where I served on the pastoral team during my theological education. My wife and I moved to Aarhus, the second largest city in Denmark, to replant a church. Though I felt called by God to take on the church plant, nearly all my vision and arguments for church planting in the city were received from Keller: Cities are widely unchurched, so if we want to influence culture and the nations, we must influence the cities. As the cities go, so goes a nation!

Finally, Keller influenced me through his institution building. I have been equipped and inspired by the conference resources put out by City to City Europe, and I have found friends in ministry that I labour alongside for a greater gospel vision in the Nordics through TGC Nordic.

Keller not only influenced me, but many like me through his preaching, his authorship, and through the institutions and churches he built. He was one in a generation—a hero of the faith, spiritual father, and mentor to many.

He was one in a generation—a hero of the faith, spiritual father, and mentor to many.

Timothy Keller has influenced my life far more than anyone else, despite our never meeting in person. I miss him, though I was never physically with him. His eternal impact leaves an impression on many who like me, never had the chance to shake his hand or share a conversation, but nonetheless have had their lives and faith changed and shaped by his words and ministry. Though Keller is not in our presence, he is present before the throne of Christ, and for this we give thanks! May the Lord continue to use Timothy Keller’s words and legacy to shape and draw future generations to himself!


For further reading, here is a list of Tim Keller books available in Nordic translation, ordered by year of first publication.

Reason For God (2008)

The Prodigal God (2008)

Counterfeit Gods (2009)

King’s Cross/Jesus the King (2011)

The Meaning of Marriage (2011)

Every Good Endeavor (2012)

The Freedom of Self Forgetfulness (2012)

Walking with God through Pain and Suffering (2013)

Prayer (2014)

Making Sense of God (2016)

Hidden Christmas (2016)

How To Reach the West Again (2020)

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