Emergent (Behind the Scene) Leader

Last updated on: March 1, 2006 at 6:00 am by Scot McKnight

Emergent (Behind the Scene) Leader 2006-03-01T06:00:16-06:00 Scot McKnight

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Emergent’s national coordinator is Tony Jones, and Emergent Village has a line-up of significant leaders, and then there are others who exercise leading voices like Brian McLaren and TSK and Steve Taylor and Jordon Cooper and I’ll not try to be even representative because there are so many. But there is one no one talks about:

John Raymond at Zondervan. Perhaps I’m biased, but John knows about as much as anyone about things emerging, he is connected to many of its leaders, and he plays a significant role behind the scenes with publications and events.
I’ve known John since he was a kid; his father was my college basketball coach. After a college degree and some ministry at Bella Vista Church in Grand Rapids, which was cutting-edge at the time (a new kind of Christian in formation), John came to Trinity and was a student and lived in our home one year. He helped me coach the very first baseball team that our son played on (Lukas and John have both gone on to bigger and better things). However, one of the funniest evenings Kris and I have ever had was the night we decided to empty a closet of old clothing. John not only helped, but added fresh, painful, critical commentary on everything we had ever worn. When I pulled out my peach-colored polyester slacks John went into an uproar, and he provided potent commentary on my old leisure suits. Kris and I still laugh everytime we decide to give away old clothing to Amvets — wondering what John would say.
What I saw in John then and still today is a rare combination of knowing theology and trends but at the same time a fierce desire to see it have life in the local church in innovative, fresh, and culture-bridging ways. After some time as an executive pastor, John got back into publishing and is now a major asset at Zondervan. He connects Zondervan with cutting edge ministries — and so he knows all the Willow folks as well as the Emergent folks. I don’t know what role he plays in acquisition of authors and manuscripts, but I do know he’d have a significant voice at any table that needs to know what is going on in the church today.
When I began thinking more seriously about the emerging movement, John was one who told me about major resources and major thinkers, and he was the first one who told me the difference between emerging and emergent. In fact, even after spending a lot of time reading and thinking and talking about the emerging movement, John always brings fresh light to whatever I’m saying or thinking.
Hence, his role this year at NPC with the Critical Concerns Course on the Emerging Church. John was behind it all — facilitating, organizing, thinking, planning, and guiding. I’m sure Tony would say John had a big role in this event, but he also knows John is more than a publication connection, but a leader in the movement.
That’s why he wears shorts and shirts that cover up (if he has a belt) and wears the tell-tale sign: a soul patch.

Emerging Movement

Previous Post

March 1, 2006

Emerging Peter: Emerging So Far

Next Post

March 1, 2006 The Apocrypha and You

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Acts of the Apostles Adam Advent Anabaptism Angels Anglican Apologetics Atonement Baptism BCP Prayers Bible Biblical Studies Birds Blogging Bloglossary Bonhoeffer Books Calvinism Christianity Church Church History Coffee Colossians Commentary Recs Conversion Creation Creeds Culture Death Ecclesiastes Economics Education Embracing Grace Emergent Emerging Movement Eschatology Essays Ethics Eucharist Evangelicalism Family Fasting Fathers Fellowship of Differents Footsteps Tour Fun and Whimsical Gospel Grace Happiness Heaven Hell Holy Spirit Irenaeus James Jesus Jesus Creed Job Justification Kingdom of God Law Lectures Lent Liberalism Love and Marriage Mabanteneni Manhood Mary Miracles Missio Alliance MissioLife Missional Missional Jesus Movies and Film New Perspective Northern Seminary OneLife Origins Project Orthodox Parables Pastor's Spouse Pastoring and Leading Pastoring and Preaching Patristics Paul Paul-John Tour Pharisees Pietism Political Theology Prayer and Formation Preaching Problems for Faith Psalm 119 Psalms Public Issues Purgatory Religions Resurrection Revelation Romans Rule of JCreed Science and Faith Sermon on the Mount Sports Ten Commandments Theology Third Way Top Ten Lists Translations Uncategorized Universalism University Ministry Way Out Weekly Meanderings Wisdom Women and Ministry Work Worship Writing & Blogging Youth Ministry

Select a Month July 2021 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 0000

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What was the name of Saul's son who ruled Israel except Judah after Saul died?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Abner Jonathan Mephibosheth Ish-bosheth