MAY 2025

Last month several Keller Center fellows and staff gathered with more than 7,000 other Christians from across the United States and around the world for The Gospel Coalition’s National Conference. By now, I think I’m the only person who has attended all 10 TGC national conferences and 7 women’s conferences. Our cofounder Tim Keller died in 2023. Our other cofounder, Don Carson, retired from public ministry at the end of 2024. We felt their absence in this first national conference without either of them.

But as I talked to people who have attended many TGC events—and the nearly 50 percent who attended the national conference for the first time—I heard reports that would encourage TGC’s founders. This conference was characterized by conviction and affection, defying a time when it seems you need to pick one or the other. One of the most popular breakouts was Cultural Apologetics 101, featuring Keller Center fellows Rebecca McLaughlin, Keith Plummer, Trevin Wax, and Andrew Wilson. For just $39 you can access all media from TGC25, including other breakouts from Michael Keller, James Eglinton, Gray Sutanto, Sam Chan, Michael Kruger, Derek Rishmawy, Kori Porter, Gavin Ortlund, Michael Graham, and Rachel Gilson.

It was a special privilege for me to speak on Tim Keller as a pastor-apologist for a breakout session sponsored by Beeson Divinity School in Birmingham, Alabama. Beeson’s dean, Doug Sweeney, presented on Jonathan Edwards, and Keller Center fellow Josh Chatraw spoke on Augustine. This event kicked off an exciting development for the Keller Center as we’ve partnered with Beeson Divinity School for an apologetics concentration. Starting in January 2026, students pursuing two degrees—master of divinity and master of arts in theological studies—can complete this concentration by taking courses focusing on the theology and practice of evangelism; the history, practice and issues surrounding Christian apologetics; cultural apologetics; and more. Chatraw, Beeson’s Billy Graham chair of evangelism and cultural engagement, heads up the concentration. I’ll continue to assist as an adjunct professor teaching an annual course in cultural apologetics. I’ll also help host special events, such as this fall’s visit from Keller Center fellow Christopher Watkin.

It’s always a joy to speak at a conference and meet those who have benefited from the center’s resources, from essays to books to cohorts. We hope this new degree concentration will add an enduring dimension to our work as we train the next generation of pastors and other church leaders to deploy apologetics in evangelism and discipleship.