Award recognizes Keller’s outstanding contribution to the Church as author, pastor and theologian, honoring the impact of his published body of work.
Award will be presented on May 3rd in Philadelphia during ECPA Awards Celebration
Photo credit © Andrew Chan
MARCH 7, 2022 – Tempe, Ariz. – The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) announces today that they will present New York Times bestselling author Timothy Keller with the industry’s PINNACLE AWARD for the outstanding contribution of his writing, with significant impact to the Church and society at large. The award will be presented to Keller at the ECPA Awards Celebration on Tuesday, May 3 in Philadelphia during the ECPA Leadership Summit. He will accept the award virtually amidst an in-person audience of Christian publishing leaders.
Timothy Keller has written more than 35 books, published by a variety of companies, with some co-authored by his wife Kathy. His published body of work represents a variety of categories including apologetics, biblical studies, theology, prayer, devotionals, marriage, Bible study, the Church, and cultural engagement – with sales exceeding 7.5 million units and translated into more than 25 languages.
His first trade book, Ministries of Mercy: The Call of the Jericho Road (now in its third edition), was published by P&R Publishing in 1997. Keller’s breakthrough book The Reason for God: Belief in an Age of Skepticism, was published by Dutton in 2008 and catalyzed a series of bestselling books to follow, including The Prodigal God, The Meaning of Marriage, Every Good Endeavor, and Center Church. A recent book Uncommon Ground: Living Faithfully in a World of Difference, co-edited with John Inazu, features essays by Tish Harrison Warren, Sara Groves, Trillia Newbell, Sara Groves, Rudy Carrasco and others capturing a vision for how we engage the hearts and minds of people with whom we may disagree, even deeply.
“There are four habits of the heart, then, that are required for a peaceful, mutually beneficial exchange of ideas between people who are deeply different,” Keller writes in his essay in Uncommon Ground. “Certainly, Christians need instruction and training in the Bible and theology, and in answering objections to skeptics. But if first and foremost the gospel of humility, patience, love and courage is growing in you, well, love will always find a way.”
Many of Keller’s readers would cite those four traits as indicative of his life and ministry through the church, and through books.
It is a distinct honor for ECPA to present the Pinnacle Award to Timothy Keller,” said ECPA president Jeff Crosby. “From his early works serving the local church to his breakthrough book The Reason for God through his more recent work on suffering and hope in times of fear, Keller has been a pastor not only to those at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, but to believers throughout the world through the power and grace and humility of his published works.”
For 28 years, Keller led a diverse congregation of young professionals at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in Manhattan, which he started in 1989 with his wife, Kathy, and three young sons. Today, Redeemer is a network of five churches and has helped to start hundreds of new churches around the world. Christianity Today has said of Keller and his work, “Fifty years from now, if evangelical Christians are widely known for their love of cities, their commitment to mercy and justice, and their love of their neighbors, Tim Keller will be remembered as a pioneer of the new urban Christians.”
His books and thought leadership have had an impact on the life of the church and individual believers in New York City, North America, and throughout the world that is incalculable. The following represent some of Tim Keller’s more notable titles:
- The Reason for God (Penguin Books)
- The Meaning of Marriage, with Kathy Keller (Penguin Books)
- The Prodigal God (Penguin Books)
- The Songs of Jesus (Viking)
- God’s Wisdom for Navigating Life, with Kathy Keller (Viking)
- Galatians for You (The Good Book Company)
- Galatians: Gospel Matters (The Good Book Company)
- The Freedom of Self-Forgetfulness (10Publishing)
- Center Church (Zondervan)
- Ministries of Mercy (P&R Publishing)
- Uncommon Ground, co-edited with John Inazu (Thomas Nelson)
Timothy Keller is the fifth recipient of ECPA’s Pinnacle Award, the highest honor the organization bestows on an author or book. He follows Dr. Gary Chapman, Stormie Omartian, and 2021 honoree Max Lucado.
Tickets are now on sale for the ECPA Awards Celebration, held the evening of May 3 in Philadelphia, and featuring New York Times bestselling author Latasha Morrison and the presentation of the 2022 Christian Book Awards. Industry leaders attending the ECPA Leadership Summit will already have the option in their registration forms. For more information, visit ECPALeadership.org.
Timothy Keller was born and raised in Pennsylvania, and educated at Bucknell University, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, and Westminster Theological Seminary. For the first nine years of his ministry he was a pastor in the small town of Hopewell, Virginia. Following that he taught preaching and practical theology at Westminster Theological Seminary in Philadelphia. In 1989 Dr. Keller started Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, with his wife, Kathy, and their three sons. Today, Redeemer is a network of five churches and has helped to start hundreds of new churches around the world. In 2017 Keller moved from his role as senior minister at Redeemer to the staff of Redeemer City to City, an organization that helps national church leaders reach and minister in global cities worldwide. He is the author of God’s Wisdom for Navigating Life, Hidden Christmas, Making Sense of God, The Meaning of Marriage, Rediscovering Jonah, and The Reason for God, as well as On Birth, On Marriage, On Death, and Hope in Times of Fear, among others. timothykeller.com timkellernyc @timkellernyc
The Evangelical Christian Publishers Association (ECPA) is an international non-profit trade organization comprised of member companies that are involved in the publishing and distribution of Christian content worldwide. Since 1974, ECPA has strengthened Christian publishing by building networking, information, and advocacy opportunities within the industry and throughout multiple channels so that our members can more effectively produce and deliver transformational Christian content. For more information about ECPA: info@ecpa.org ECPA.org @ECPA
Media Contact: Jeff Crosby, president, ECPA, jcrosby@ecpa.org, 480-966-3998
