APRIL 2024

I met Steve Preston and his wife, Molly, while working on my book about Tim Keller. The Prestons were early members at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York. Steve’s comments for that book stood out to me before I knew anything about his background. At the time I had no idea that he serves as the president and CEO of Goodwill Industries International, the largest nonprofit workforce developer in North America.

Then I got to know Steve better last year as The Gospel Coalition was launching The Keller Center for Cultural Apologetics. I began to learn more about his public service as the 14th secretary of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from 2008 to 2009 and the 22nd administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration from 2006 until his appointment as HUD secretary. Before entering public service, Steve spent nearly 25 years in the private sector.

Steve gave me an hour to talk with him on Gospelbound about how faith in Jesus Christ defines everything he is and does. It’s not just that he integrates his faith and work. It’s that his work would make no sense apart from his faith.

His help has been transformative for The Keller Center. We’re not just aiming to equip the gathered church. As Tim Keller laid out the vision, cultural apologetics and evangelism won’t make much of a dent in our post-Christian West unless the scattered church brings the gospel to the workplace. I think you’ll benefit from learning how Steve has done so in his career, leading up to Goodwill.

As Steve said in one of his addresses on leadership, “So many times, larger crises are averted, because good leaders have taken a stand, done the right thing, and been willing to stand tall when others were not—because they held fast to what they believed was right.”

May God raise up many such leaders in our day.

P.S.— This week The Keller Center’s staff and fellows meet in New York City to collaborate, pray, learn, and encourage each other. We’re also filming some videos in various New York locations that we think will help to evangelize non-Christians and edify Christians. Please pray that above all else God will be glorified. We aim to grow in our love for one another and in our knowledge and skills for teaching and writing. And we’re looking to connect with a wide variety of leaders—not only in the church but also in the marketplace—as we raise awareness and resources to reverse today’s “great dechurching.”

COLLIN HANSEN

Vice President for Content and Editor in Chief

FEATURED CONTENT

Goodwill’s CEO on Christian Leadership and the Fight for Opportunity

Collin Hansen asks Steve Preston how Christianity influences his leadership from investment banking to the Bush Cabinet and now to Goodwill Industries, where he serves as president and CEO.

Nearly 270 church leaders from 14 countries on 5 continents have signed up for a cohort on “Sexuality, Singleness, and Marriage.” Led by Rebecca McLaughlin and Sam Allberry, this cohort situates the Bible’s “no” to same-sex sexual relationships in the context of the Bible’s “yes” to love between believers, with the Bible’s greatest love-story of Jesus and his people at the heart of the message. The cohort aims to help church leaders recover the biblical vision for marriage and singleness and move toward a church culture that enfolds all believers in a family of love. Rebecca and Sam will also help church leaders think biblically and pastorally about the challenges and opportunities presented by the trans movement.

Registration remains open until May 2.

Write kellercohort@tgc.org with questions about group rates, elder/preaching team rates, or church rates.

You may have heard that arguments don’t bring anyone to Jesus. Well, yes and no. Only the blood of Christ can wash away our sins. But timely arguments—especially when we remain calm and curious as we engage others—can still play a vital role in conversion. Gavin Ortlund, who is leading a new cohort called “How Ancient Arguments Still Change Modern Hearts,” is uniquely gifted for online teaching, as you can see in his popular YouTube videos. You will be able to interact directly with him in this dynamic setting. Not only will you be equipped to talk with skeptics of Christianity. But you may even find answers to your own nagging questions or doubts.

Registration remains open until June 13.

Write kellercohort@tgc.org with questions about group rates, elder/preaching team rates, or church rates.

FURTHER RESOURCES

Why Gentile Inclusion Doesn’t Affirm Same-Sex Marriage

Rebecca McLaughlin has become one of the go-to writers and speakers in apologetics, especially related to sexuality. With recent news that Richard Hays may be shifting toward a gay-affirming hermeneutic, Rebecca refutes one of the most common arguments against biblical orthodoxy.

Melissa Kruger on Hopeful Parenting in a Secular Age

Tim and Kathy Keller had good reasons for why they never wrote a book on parenting. But I’m glad Melissa Kruger has recently done so. I spent about an hour asking her questions that are burdening me about parenting in our secular age. After listening or watching, consider sharing with a friend, even a non-Christian. Shared parenting concerns are often an open door to talking about Jesus.

A Lesson for American Evangelicals from the Global Church

In this new video, Keller Center fellows Christopher Watkin and Trevin Wax discuss the value of incorporating global and historical church perspectives into our faith. They also explore the benefits of a community-focused Christianity and critique the prevalent individualism and managerial approach within American evangelicalism.