Third Way communities are usually called to be mediators and must be faithful to provide a safe space and a neutral team of facilitators for both sides of the parties-in-conflict to engage in authentic dialogue. Please do not shoot the bridge-builders! Please respect the calling of the bridge-building Third Way communities.
I’m saddened to read so much angry and divisive comments between various political persuasions and positions among Church leaders and Christian leaders.
Some groups and individuals feel that we, at PeaceBuildersCommunity.Org and CoffeeForPeace.Com, are —
:: “not radical enough”
:: “too tolerant of oppressive regime”
:: “supportive of leftist lies”
:: “advancing communist agenda”
:: “perpetrator of anti-insurgency using peacebuilding”
I replied to all these with “Ouuuccchhh!”
Let me share who really we are, what we’re really seeking to do:
We’re a small, self-funding-through-coffee-trading band of peace and reconciliation missionaries seeking to provide a ‘Third Way’ among the People of God, specifically in the Body of Christ. When some Third Way communities like us insist on being ‘neutral’ in the midst of polarizing and divisive positions — like party-colors and personality-oriented alignments, it doesn’t mean we are neutral in our conviction about truth, justice, compassion, and love.
Third Way communities are committed to stand with what is truth and authentic; they’re against lies or the taken-for-granted facades of social realities. Third Way communities are committed to walk with the poor on the side of justice; they are against injustice and oppressive systems. Third Way communities are committed to act with compassion; they are against self-righteous indifference and oppressive silence. Third Way communities seek to act in love; they are against all forms of hatred.
Some serving communities or ministries are called to be negotiators and are therefore expected to position and align themselves with one side of the parties in conflict.
Third Way communities are usually called to be mediators and must be faithful to provide a safe space and a neutral team of facilitators for both sides of the parties-in-conflict to engage in authentic dialogue.
The ministry communities doing the work of negotiators must not accuse the Third Way mediators as ‘those sitting on the fence’. Third Way mediators are actually ‘those who are building bridges.’
Please do not shoot the bridge-builders! Please respect the calling of the bridge-building Third Way communities.
May we all be embraced by the Spirit of the Creator. Love. Joy. Peace. Forbearance. Kindness. Goodness. Faithfulness. Gentleness. Self-control.
