Interview with Tony Jones from Emergent Village
Posted: June 20, 2007 Filed under: Emergent Church, Interviews, Tony Jones 1 Comment
Tony: I am 39 years old, I have 3 kids, and been married for 10 years. I grew up Minnesota and I live there now.
I went to a public high school then on to Dartmouth College and from there went to Fuller seminary in California. Now I am working on a PhD at Princeton Seminary.
2. What exactly is your ministry/job?
Tony: I am the National coordinator of the emergent village, and I am also a speaker and writer.
3. Who were some of your mentors or idols in life?
Tony: My youth pastor, my Latin and Greek professor, also a guy named Bob Guelich who wrote a great commentary on the Sermon on the Mount, and others are Nancey Murphy, Jim McLendon, and Miroslav Volf.
4. How do you view the gospel?
Tony: I would say, Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Actually, Genesis through maps, it is the whole bible. It’s all about the life, death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ and the story of that event.
5. Do you believe the gospel is meant for believers or unbelievers?
Tony: I would say that it is meant for all of creation. It is made to be our liberation and transformation. It’s for everyone
6. What do you think the emergent village is doing in helping the means of the gospel in today’s culture?
Tony: We are opening up space to help the people in today’s culture act or live out the gospel. Today’s people have problems with 20th century church and we are trying to make space on what it means to be a Christian so that they can live that out.
Tony: We use media, and blogs, cell phones and social networking sites. It’s always been the poor and women that didn’t have a voice. So we want to give everyone a chance to be heard. We also have people getting together at events, parties, face to face conversations, and just talk with one another. Christianity has always been an ongoing conversation, about who Jesus is and what theology is. So we are just trying to make that happen.
Tony: Yes, I have had some contact with him and have a great deal of respect for him.
Tony: I would say that there are a lot of emergent churches that follow Tim Keller’s approach. Since the emergent church does have just one method, we tend to take after others such as Dr. Keller.
10. Lastly, what do you believe the emergent village has to offer this country in America, that we so badly need?
Tony: Off the top of my head, the American culture needs to see the way we understand God, bible and truth, is a fluid thing. It is a process of ever changing thought, and it continues to grow constantly through history. The American culture needs to see God the best way they can, and we are all on the quest to figure out who God is.
Gospel-Centered Musings 
Tony Jones is no longer married. He left his family for a young member of the Emergent Journey church in Dallas, Texas, under the leadership of Pastor Danielle Shroyer. Emergent church leaders condoned and covered the affair.