Mark Driscoll, emerging church leader and owner of Acts 29 Network, and soon to be speaker at John Piper’s Desiring God conference, has strong connections to both contemplative spirituality and the emerging church. Acts 29 has partnered with Western Seminary in Portland, Oregon. Western Seminary doesn’t hide the fact that it is a promoter of both contemplative spirituality and the emerging church. Numerous courses require or recommend books by Henri Nouwen, Richard Foster, Gary Thomas, Larry Crabb, Dan Allender, Leane Payne, Dan Kimball, and many others. In the Pastoral Integrity newsletter, articles are by some of the same as well as by Brian McLaren.
The Acts 29 Network is a network or community of numerous churches – Examining these connections can give a better understanding of Driscoll’s affinity towards contemplative and emerging thought. Take a look at Terra Nova Church, one of the Acts 29 Network churches, for instance.