When Tim Keller planted Redeemer Presbyterian Church in the heart of Manhattan in 1989, he understood something crucial: the gospel doesn't just change individuals—it transforms how we work, build, and create value in the marketplace.
In a city powered by ambition, innovation, and commerce, Keller saw an opportunity to disciple a generation of Christian professionals and entrepreneurs who could integrate their faith with their work in profound ways. The result was the Center for Faith & Work (CFW), launched in 2002 as a pioneering initiative that would invest deeply in helping believers build gospel-centered businesses and pursue vocational faithfulness.
A Theology of Work That Changes Everything
CFW was built on a foundational conviction: your work matters to God—not just as a platform for evangelism or a means to fund ministry, but as an act of worship and kingdom advancement in itself. Keller taught that when we understand the biblical narrative of creation, fall, redemption, and restoration, we see that God cares about the renewal of all things—including business, culture, and the systems that shape human flourishing.
This wasn't abstract theology. CFW equipped Christian entrepreneurs and professionals with practical frameworks for integrating faith with work—addressing real questions about ethical decision-making, organizational culture, profit and purpose, and what it means to serve the common good through business.
Investing in Gospel-Centered Entrepreneurs
The center didn't just teach concepts—it invested in people. Through the Entrepreneurship Initiative, CFW created structured support for Christians launching ventures grounded in kingdom values. This included:
These weren't "Christian companies" in a narrow sense—they were businesses founded on kingdom principles: pursuing excellence as a reflection of the Creator, treating employees and customers with dignity, creating products and services that serve human flourishing, and contributing to the renewal of their communities.
Beyond Sunday: Discipling Marketplace Leaders
CFW understood that true discipleship happens Monday through Friday. Most Christians spend more time at work than anywhere else, yet many churches fail to equip them for vocational faithfulness. The center bridged this gap through:
A Lasting Legacy
Though Tim Keller went home to be with the Lord in 2023, the vision he cast through CFW continues to ripple outward. Churches and ministries around the world have adopted similar models, recognizing that investing in gospel-centered business isn't optional—it's essential for comprehensive discipleship and cultural renewal.
The Center for Faith & Work demonstrated what's possible when the church takes seriously its calling to equip believers for the totality of life, including their work. It showed that when Christians build businesses grounded in gospel truth, pursuing excellence, justice, creativity, and service—they don't just build companies. They build kingdom culture, one enterprise at a time.
Keller's legacy reminds us: your work is your worship. Your business is your ministry. And the gospel has everything to do with what you're building.