Evangelicals are sending their prayers and well wishes to Timothy Keller, the popular evangelical pastor and author who announced today on social media that he has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

Keller asked for prayers for himself and his family in a statement, saying, “I have terrific human doctors, but most importantly I have the Great Physician himself caring for me. Though we have had times of shock and fear, God has been remarkably present with me through all the many tests, biopsies and surgery of the past few weeks.”

Keller is known primarily as the founding pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, founded in 1989 as a church that welcomes skeptics and appeals to young urban professionals. After 9/11, a boost in attendance expanded the church to its present five locations across Manhattan. Keller has written 19 books and is a leader of thought and ministry in the evangelical community, so much so that Christianity Today refers to him as “a pioneer of the new urban Christians.”

Many evangelicals respect Keller for his ability to explain biblical principles in a way that’s easy to understand but not dumbed down.

Along with their wishes for his healing, evangelicals are sharing the impact of Keller’s ministry at Redeemer on their lives and faith.

Approximately 5,000 people attend weekly Redeemer services in New York City. His ministry Redeemer City to City has also facilitated church plants internationally. His writing and speaking, too, has reached a global audience.

In addition, evangelical leaders and artists — such as Beth Moore, Lecrae, Bob Goff, Christine Caine, Priscilla Shirer and others — have shared their prayers for Keller and his family over Twitter. 

Keller was diagnosed with thyroid cancer in 2002. He discusses this diagnosis and his struggle with it in his book “Walking with God Through Pain and Suffering,” published in 2013, to give Christians rational arguments and practical tools to not lose hope in God while suffering. This open dialogue about his cancer, both in his book and in the response to his newest diagnosis, is something that has proven meaningful to many Christians who have been diagnosed with cancer themselves.

In the book, Keller makes an example of Jesus — who he says was the ultimate innocent sufferer — and says suffering provides a way for Christians to focus less on themselves and more on God.

Such is the mentality of Keller’s request for prayer, as he says he hopes “to be weaned from the joys of this world and to desire God’s presence above all.” If the side effects of his chemotherapy will allow it, Keller also plans to continue his work as an author and speaker.

Jillian Cheney is a Poynter-Koch fellow for Religion Unplugged who loves consuming good culture and writing about it. She also reports on American Protestantism and Evangelical Christianity. You can find her on Twitter @_jilliancheney.