Now that all the important people have spoken about Tim, it’s time for unknown and small men like me to speak about Tim Keller.

Well, I speak like this because, whereas I did not know Tim personally, he modelled for me what it meant to live under the cross, and that, (Tim would have argued too) makes you more comfortable with being small and a nobody in this world, confident that Jesus is your everything, and you don’t need to perform to earn your identity. See how his words really rubbed on me?

For those unfamiliar with Tim, he faithfully patiently pastored a New York church for over 25 years in one of the world’s most gospel-hostile cities. Before transitioning, he wrote multiple New York bestsellers that got the secular and religious cut to the heart alike. “Every Good Endeavour” and “Prayer” seem tops for me, arguably.

The later part of his life impacted me more, having observed God’s hand through his ministry among the most liberal in New York, Tim never set out to entrench himself as a senior pastor and founder of everything at Redeemer, he instead left it all and sought to multiply the vision across the world’s cities through City to City. Basically providing a blueprint for many (unknown, aspiring and praying) church planters like myself seeking to reach modern people in the world’s cities, my Kampala.

Tim, from Acts 17, taught me how to speak to unbelievers, to treat them as full humans, even if they had different opinions, to appreciate “where they come from” before tracking their deepest longings back to Christ. My evangelism wasn’t kind of groomed like that, never.

In his series on Proverbs, (now free to download) he phrased for me the neatest definition of wisdom I have ever heard. “Wisdom is knowing what to do in 80% of life’s situations when choosing between black and white won’t do.”

For long, I simply slogged in my jobs, with no framework to reconcile what I heard on Sunday to my midweek annoyances and joys. Tim taught me about the value of a good job done conscious of Christ, the danger of idolizing and idling in work. Another of his famous quote captures this outlook, “If you let your job become an idol, success will go to your head, and failure will go to your heart.” – Ouch!

Keller lived miles away, and yet modelled an indefatigable hope in the resurrection. Even on his cancer deathbed, he taught me, life was more than surviving suffering. No wonder the announcement upon his death partly read, “Tim died hoping in the sure hope of the resurrection.” Lord, may that be true at my funeral.

As a Christian blogger in the early 2000s, I desired a corner on the internet where there was no tear and sorrow, where good news dwelt.

I recall watching the early videos of The Gospel Coalition and thinking, “this is the company of people I’ve longed for all my internet life.” TGC, the organisation he founded, has since given me an opportunity to not only be read globally, but rebuked locally, in terms of Christian character.

Look, having pastored in the middle of town, Tim probably might have been tempted to settle for a neat little life as a celebrity Pastor, ramp up speaking fees, and maybe own an expensive Gucci bag. He would have nicely fit among today’s hurried and busy moderns, but tributes to him don’t give you the slightest hint of that. His Spirit-infused heart and character spoke far more than his accomplishments.

Listen, I am always prone to idle away in, or idolise my job. I tend to rush to big global ambitions before demonstrating faithfulness in small local tasks. I still get scared of death, even when I believe everything better is on the other side. I often assume my non-believing neighbours need the gospel more than I do. Tim was certainly not a perfect man, but a lot about how he lived amidst these realities still rebukes me, even in his death.

One more, among Tim Keller’s many quotes, one remains proverbial in our household. “Justice is disadvantaging oneself for the sake of the poor.” I don’t know how many lines have influenced Rhionah and I, regarding time and money decisions.

Oh how you fought the good fight Tim, till we meet!