Our History

In 1989, a church planter named Timothy Keller moved to New York City with his wife and three young sons to begin Redeemer Presbyterian Church. At the time, evangelical Christians made up only .5% of the population of Manhattan; however, the Kellers found an unexpected spiritual hunger among New Yorkers, and contrary to all expectations, the church grew explosively from its very first weeks.  From Fall 1989 to Fall 1992, it approximately doubled in size each year. 

Redeemer began to plant churches in and around the New York City metropolitan area in the late 1990's, as several assistant pastors moved on to start new congregations in Greenwich Village, Westchester, Harlem and Morningside Heights.

In the spring of 1998, Redeemer concluded its first Capital Campaign to initiate the development of a multi-site model and to found the Redeemer Church Planting Center (RCPC). The multi-site model is formed around the idea of setting up worship services in different locations for what will eventually become separate church congregations.

Today, five Sunday services are held in three different locations in central Manhattan, with over 5,000 attendees. Soon another congregation will be launched south of 59th Street. The goal of this decentralization is for Redeemer to eventually multiply into smaller, more community-based congregations that serve the local neighborhood and welcome those who are exploring the truth of the Gospel.  You can read more about this vision at the Renew Campaign website.

Since its founding in 2000, Redeemer Church Planting Center has helped plant over 150 churches in 35 global cities.  Our ministry model draws from Redeemer's experience as a church in a secular, multicultural global city.  The Center provides resources, including funding, leadership training, and coaching, for churches in North America, Europe, Latin America, Asia and Australia.  Programs have included Training, Events, and one-on-one Consultations.

In 2009, RCPC and a new ministry called Redeemer Labs united to become Redeemer City to City - a new unit for creating resources based on Redeemer's ministry both in New York City and around the world.

We hope you will explore the Web site to learn more about our programs and our growing network of churches.