Hunt For The Third Way.

When you live within a polarized society effective leaders have to always hunt to find a third way and then lead towards that.

I grew up in a very polarized Scottish society. On one side were staunch Catholics and on the other side were staunch Protestants. It was like Northern Ireland without the guns – but just as much hate. Every city in Scotland has two football teams. Historically one was a Catholic team and one a Protestant team. It’s in my lifetime that a traditionally Protestant team signed their first Catholic player – the result was a foretaste of Armageddon!

Leaders in this kind of context need to lead away from the polarization and towards a third way.

America has its significant polarization and Christian leaders rather than stay entrenched in a polarized position would be more effective if they lead away from polarization towards a third way.

Some might say that the third way is a compromise.

Let’s take abortion. Two polarized positions – pro-life and pro-choice. America remains not only polarized in these positions but stagnant on any advance to change the stalemate.
A third way (i.e. pro-adoption) is not to compromise life but to present a way through polarization that respects life and engages with the reasons many are pro-choice.

Let’s take war. Two polarized positions – pacifism and just war. Within the Christian community these two positions divide. A third way Anti-War. Not an immediate solution to end present conflict but a new way to move a Christian community forward from polarized positions that are having little impact in today’s global conflicts.

The list could go on.

The philosophy behind it is not new.
The Pentecostal movement developed what’s called the Third Wave – a new middle position away from the polarized views on gifts and signs.

Come to the new polarizing positions within the church – Traditional versus Emergent.
A good/helpful new book just released worth reading – a third way.
Deep Church: A Third Way Beyond Emerging and Traditional @ Jim Belcher.

Tim Keller calls it an important book; Mark Driscoll and Rob Bell (polarized pastors) both call it a helpful book!

It’s the principle of the Third Way.
Effective leaders hunt to find a third way then lead towards it.