Church members Quote by Timothy Keller
““RENTERS AND NEIGHBORHOOD One “occupational hazard” of urban church planting is having a new church rent its worship space and therefore only corporately reside in a particular neighborhood for the few hours during which they rent the space. Often this means, on the one hand, that the neighbors have no idea there is a church meeting in that space; on the other hand, church members feel very little responsibility to “love their neighbors.” It is important for churches that rent space to own their neighborhood. Church leaders should therefore be intentional about inhabiting their neighborhood. They should go to local community boards and neighborhood association meetings, as well as contact local government officials and representatives to discover how they can best serve the needs of the neighborhood. This has not been a strength of Redeemer Church in the past, and we are working to change this now that we have moved into our first owned space on the Upper West Side of Manhattan.””
About This Quote
Source Article: Church and Community Engagement, Timothy Keller, 2023
Leaders should actively embed their church in the local neighborhood, participating in community boards and government to serve residents, rather than being transient renters.
In simple terms: Churches need to be present and serve their local area, not just use space temporarily.
Key Takeaway
Engage locally and build lasting neighborhood relationships.
Themes
community
responsibility
urban ministry
neighborhood integration
Mood
hopeful
purposeful
Type
advice
inspirational
When to use this quote
- joining local meetings
- partnering with nonprofits
- hosting community events
- advocating for local needs
Key Concepts
social capital
stewardship
missional living
Questions to Reflect On
- How can a church measure its neighborhood impact?
- What partnerships can amplify its presence?
A Different Perspective
Resource constraints may limit sustained involvement.
![“24 A few pages later, Delbanco writes the following: [Alexis de] Tocqueville’s detection of a “strange melancholy in the midst of abundance” has a special salience today — because while we have gotten very good at deconstructing old stories (the religion that was the subject of my first chapter…” quote by Timothy Keller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/85a/timothy-keller-240_sad_24-a-few-pages-later-delbanco-writes-the_25320.jpg)
