06 Nov The Perils of Third Wayism
The Perils of Third Wayism
Making disciples in a culture that has rejected Scripture is not an easy task. The situation is further complicated by the immense confusion that has seeped into the church in recent years. It’s no wonder it has become very difficult to mobilize the church toward mission. It is a theological minefield out there today. One of the destructive ideas that has gained prevalence today is something called Third Wayism.
Third Wayism is the posture that claims moral superiority by refusing to take a stand. It says, “Don’t pick sides, find nuance in the middle.” In theory it sounds balanced; in practice it breeds paralysis. It is the religion of ambiguity dressed as virtue.
Among evangelicals it has become the air certain leaders breathe, J. D. Greear, Ed Stetzer, Russell Moore, and others, men who urge moderation while the culture burns. They tell the Church to stay above the fray, to avoid “political entanglement,” to seek the “third way.” But what they have produced is not wisdom; it is weakness. Their disciples are cautious when conviction is required, silent when clarity would cost, and proud of being “nuanced” while evil advances unchecked.
Third Wayism thrives in an age allergic to courage. It calls itself measured; God calls it lukewarm. It is the spirit that melts at the first sign of opposition, that confuses timidity for Christlikeness. This is how churches lose their nerve, by training believers to hesitate when the truth demands a spine.
But when we open Scripture, we find no trace of this softness in the face of darkness. The prophets were not nuanced in the face of evil.
Elijah stood alone on Mount Carmel against 450 prophets of Baal and declared, “How long will you go limping between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him.” (1 Kings 18:21) He did not offer a third way.
Micah stood before King Ahab and four hundred court prophets who flattered power and said, “As the Lord lives, what the Lord says to me, that I will speak.” (1 Kings 22:14) He was imprisoned for it, but he would not soften truth to survive.
And neither did Jesus. When confronted by the hypocrisy of the Pharisees or the cowardice of Pilate, He did not look for middle ground. He declared, “For this purpose I was born and for this purpose I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth.” (John 18:37) Christ was full of grace and truth, never grace instead of truth.
This same conviction must guide Christian leadership today. Recently, Storyline was approached by a church in Thailand that sought partnership in mission training. On the surface it seemed promising; energetic leaders, generous support, and a desire to collaborate. But after deeper conversation, the church made clear it affirmed and celebrated homosexual relationships within its leadership. That was the line. Storyline declined partnership, not with anger or pride, but with clarity. Cooperation cannot come at the expense of conviction. Love never requires affirming what God calls sin. To do so would be to trade light for shadow, truth for applause.
We can and must be clear.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion as practiced in our institutions is not biblical justice; it is veiled racism, rewarding group identity over individual worth.
Transgender ideology and the celebration of the LGBTQ lifestyle are not mere “differences”; they are moral rebellions against the created order.
And the smear of “Christian nationalism” is often nothing more than an attempt to shame believers who care about righteous governance, lawful borders, and the preservation of truth in the public square. You are not a Nazi because you reject open-border chaos or globalist moral decay.
This is not about left or right; it is about light or darkness. The Church is called to bear witness, not blur the lines.
So run, run, don’t walk, from the teachers of the Third Way. They do not know what time it is. The hour is late. The culture is collapsing under moral confusion, and the people of God must not whisper.