Yesterday I had the privilege of attending morning services at Redeemer Presbyterian Church in NYC. The church is well-known for its emphasis on classical and jazz music, its church planting, and its well-spoken pastor Tim Keller. I enjoyed each of these things, plus the flashes of nostalgia for my four years at a PC-USA college. It was a great morning.

But one of the most interesting moments had nothing to do with Bach's Trio Sonata in G Major or the insightful sermon on money--it was the brochure for Redeemer's Entrepreneurship Initiative and its upcoming Business Plan Competition.

The church launched the initiative last year to start organizations that meet unmet needs and live out the gospel. Three new companies (an "environmental networking site," a nonprofit organization providing medical services to needy New Yorkers, and a theater company for Christian playwrights) successfully began after last year's competition, and winners of this year's contest will also receive Redeemer resources to start well.

I love this--for one thing, it puts real legs of money and coaching on the more theoretical goals of "helping the poor" or "serving the city." 

And it also honors God, the original entrepreneur. "See, I am doing a new thing!" he reminds us. "Now it springs up; do you not perceive it?" 

Kudos to Redeemer for partnering with God in creation and restoration.