The Third Way
Jesus at the center is enough to hold us together.
Our Third Way practice is modeled by Jesus who frequently faced social and religious debates and commonly refused to take sides or align with one position or another. Instead, Jesus modeled an alternative posture — one marked by mercy, inclusion, and love. We try to follow his lead. As disputable matters arise in our community, we seek to fight the temptation to splinter into smaller groups of sameness or to reduce one another to merely a position. In a world where diverse perspectives often divide us, we believe Christ invites us to lead with empathy, humility and compassion knowing that true unity comes out of diversity.
This is the heart behind what we call the Third Way.
The Third Way is…
Jesus-Focused
Inclusive & Curious
Center-Set
Practice-Based
Scripturally-Situated & Spirit-Guided
Forming Faith
What that means…
Jesus-Focused. We believe Jesus is the clearest expression of who God is and how to live faithfully. The Third Way is formed and shaped by Jesus — his posture, his priorities, his teaching, and his pattern of love. Rather than prioritizing doctrines or debates, we seek to organize and focus our lives around Christ. We believe God is most clearly displayed in Jesus. John 14:9, Col 1:15
Inclusive & Curious. We believe there are many disputable matters in the Christian faith. Though there are many essential beliefs central to the Christian tradition (which we express HERE), faithful Christians throughout history have read the same Scripture and come to different conclusions. When there are differences, there is pressure to fall into binary, antagonistic, either/or options. The Third Way seeks to create mutual connection that expands across differences and fosters humility in our pursuit of truth. We want people to form their own convictions as they follow Jesus—not just adopt someone else’s. Rather than denying complexity, we will hold these differences as gifts whereby we can practice empathy, humility, faith and mutual deference. We believe disputable matters are gifts from God where we learn to be people of grace, humility and love. Romans 14, Col 3:12, Matt 7:12, Eph 4:2
Center-Set. We are a centered set (vs bounded set) community with the life, teachings and promises of Jesus placed at our shared center. Rather than focusing on the secondary issues that may divide us, we prioritize Jesus; knowing Jesus at the center can hold us together. As we do so, we seek to foster a courageous unity that goes beyond sameness. It is not that the secondary issues don’t matter, but they will always be secondary issues compared to Jesus. We are pursuing a Jesus-centered orthodoxy. John 14:6, John 17:23
Practice-Based. We believe orthodoxy extends past “right beliefs” and must include “right living.” Jesus’ primary invitation to people wasn’t merely to believe in me, but to follow me. As we practice the way of Jesus, we seek to elevate the importance of how we treat one another, our neighbors and this world. The theological positions we hold do matter, but not at a disregard of the posture we embody. We seek to create a church that not only believes in Jesus, but follows him. John 14:21, James 2:14-19, John 1:14
Scripturally-Situated and Spirit-Guided. We uphold the Bible as the God-breathed, inspired Word of God; with Jesus acting as the authoritative norm for interpretation. We want to read Scripture with its historical context in mind, in conversation with tradition and our experience with others, as we continually rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The Bible is a complex and beautiful gift where we know God, know ourselves, and learn to live full lives. Hebrews 4:12, 2 Timothy 3:16-17
Forming Faith. Our Third Way does not give us license to be theologically careless or simply “agree to disagree.” Instead, the Third Way creates a gracious spaciousness where people can courageously and whole-heartedly pursue truth with intellectual honesty, guidance by the Spirit, and humble curiosity. People can cultivate their convictions without the fear of exclusion or rejection where differences are discovered. We want to foster faith, and not dictate dogma. Romans 12:15, Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 3:8
Third Way Sermon series
Fall 2025
To hear more about how The Vine clarifies, broadens and practices the Third Way, listen to these two podcasts produced in Fall 2025- the Third Way Sunday Sermon Series and a midweek Third Way in Practice Podcast.
Sunday Sermon Series
The Story of our Sacred Experiment- Mark kicks off our Third Way series by telling the story of where this conviction came from and what it means to our community.
Jesus at the Center- Mark explores the difference between wells and fences, the power of a shared center, and why Jesus is enough to hold us together.
Posture over Position- Fabs continues by clarifying what it means that the Third Way prioritizes posture over position.
An Alternative Vocabulary in a Time of Tribalism- Mark addresses how the Third Way creates an alternative vocabulary in a time of tribalism.
What About the Bible? To embody and explore a Third Way, it must be rooted in Scripture. In this message, we consider the beautiful, complex gift we have in our shared Word, and how our posture compels us to read and wrestle with Scripture in community.
Third Way in Practice Podcast
Common Misconceptions- This podcast explores the common misconceptions that people have with a third way practice.
A Path Towards Courageous Faith- The Third Way creates space not for people to release convictions but to discover and deepen a courageous faith.
Habits for Having Hard Conversations- Our world does not equip us to have hard conversations; in fact it does the opposite. This podcast can help people have alternative approaches to more productive conversations.
Boundaries, Limits, and Best Practices- This conversation provides best practices for self-care, boundaries and emotional intelligence that help us maintain a third way posture as we navigate challenging relationships.
People Pursuing Justice- The Third Way doesn’t teach us to play it nice and be indifferent to the ways of injustice or disagreement. This conversation explores how the Third Way compels us to work towards justice in a posture fashioned by Jesus.
Our Third Way Creed
As we follow Jesus together, here are a few commitments we hope to share as a Third Way community.
We choose to value empathy and compassion over certainty and absolute agreement.
We commit to uphold the God-given dignity and intrinsic value of all humanity regardless of others’ convictions or beliefs.
We will find the courage to challenge all forms of communication that foster disdain, violence, and contempt.
With a healthy awareness of our own bias, we vow to form our beliefs in the counsel of Scripture, a dependence upon the Holy Spirit, and most importantly in following the way of Christ.
We vow to pursue clarity around our own convictions while respecting others who faithfully disagree.
We commit to extend compassion where there is suffering, curiosity where there is difference, and belonging where there is isolation.