Scot,
I am not sure what I find more encouraging- that there are leaders behind the scene like John or that there are people like you who honour them. Thanks for reminding us how much goes on in this movement that we do not see.
Peace,
Jamie

Zondervan certainly plays a HUGE role in this “conversation”. As I recall they were one of the major sponsors of the conference I attended in SD. I was excited each day with all the “goodies” left on my chair. One was a beautiful Italian leather NIV Bible. It takes their support– money, time, talent,and leadership to help give the emerging church a platform of communication.
Who’d ever thought that Rupert Murdock would play a part in the emerging church?
He doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who would wear flip-flops. I mean, he seems like the kind of guy most folks in the emerging church (or Jesus for that matter) wouldn’t like based on some of the things he supports, yet here we find him playing a part in the emergent church.

I’m glad to hear about the heart of John. I recently did put together a tentative bibliography of “emerging church” sources for a dissertation/project and noticed that Zondervan contributed a majority of books on the topic. My post-modern mindset wondered if perhaps the emerging movement was being “pushed” by Zondervan (in order to sell more books) rather than a vehicle through which the emerging leaders finding expression.
This helps to allay my suspicians along with fact that a majority of the sources were not even books but articles, web articles, dissertations, and music.
Thanks for the info.
In Christ,
Mark Eberly

In the years i have known John, since he has become part of the emerging church circles i have seen him go through 3 or 4 very distinct hair style changes. I am not sure what that means theologically, but he is not only adventurous in thinking, but also a very progressive hair thinker.

Dan,
And I’ve known him longer than you and I’ve seen many changes — whereas I’ve had one hairdo for about 25 years. Bald and short on the sides.

To all of you: I’ve known John the longest and the deepest and I can affirm much of what you have shared. John has always been an avid reader, a concerned critic, a genuine son and friend, a listener to God, invested in the best for God’s church, creative thinker, and all those other positive qualities that make him a respected man and one that can be trusted with his views. And Scot, save those pants–what goes around, comes around!! Hair styles are John’s way of saying, “He’s still emerging..”

Gary,
Emerging sons from emerging fathers!
And nothing about my hair changes or your hair changes?

Scot,
I’m happy to applaud John Raymond as well. He’s been a very good, loyal friend; he was a terrific executive pastor at Bella Vista Church, and he’s been informative to me as to many about all things theological that have to do with “church.” John is one of those amazing types who can take in tons of information–through reading, conversation, and variety of media–and then crunch it down to the essentials.
Gary, Scot just wishes that there were 3 point lines when he played for you. Apparently he has a miraculous long shot.