Five years after leaving the music industry, John received a call from Bob Hartman and was invited to audition for Christian rock band, Petra . The band had just lost its lead singer Greg X. Volz, who had left to pursue a solo career. After a session with Hartman (band's co-founder and guitarist), he was asked to join the band. He sang his first show on February 3, 1986, beginning a career that would span nearly two decades. His first album with the band was the 1986 release Back to the Street.  During his career with Petra, the band released 2 RIAA certified Gold albums (Beyond Belief and Petra Praise: The Rock Cries Out) and earned 4 Grammy and numerous Dove Awards. His travels and performances with the group reached all 50 states of America as well as over 35 countries.

During breaks from Petra, John recorded and released two solo albums: Shake in 1995, and Unfit For Swine in 1996 both receiving positive reviews.

John released his third solo project, titled The Grafting in 2008.  Still passionate about the message of the Gospel and compelled to deliver it in his own inimitable fashion, John called on the multiple talents of rising star producer/songwriter Dan Needham (Amy Grant, Petra, Michael McDonald) to help craft his vision. 

The result, a stunning collection of nine new songs and one old favorite, is an astonishing, multi-layered look into the very nature of love and life, lost and found in Christ. While the moods may be many, at their core, they are all pure Schlitt. "Dan is my son-in-law, and I had him produce it for me because I knew the sound he would bring would be exactly what the album should sound like," John says.

The Grafting finds John exploring uncharted musical territory, while remaining anchored by his unmistakable voice. It is a combination that is sure to please his legion of fans and attract a new generation of adherents. At once intimate and accessible, The Grafting is without a doubt John's most potent solo album to date.