Three Big Tensions of The Radical Middle

Vineyard historian Bill Jackson used the phrase “the radical middle” to describe the core tensions of the Vineyard movement. (See Bill Jackson's book, 'The Quest for the Radical Middle'.)

Here are Three Big Tensions of The Radical Middle:

1. The Word and the Spirit together.

The radical middle represents the tension between 'the biblical focus of the evangelical movement and the spiritual power of the charismatic movement' (From the Vineyard USA Facebook page article on the Radical Middle).

Some churches are strong on the Word and systematic Bible exposition but weak or dismissive regarding the current supernatural power and move of God's Holy Spirit. Other churches are strong on the current supernatural gifts and flow of the Holy Spirit but you wouldn't cross the street to hear them teach on the Bible. I want to be part of a church that is both faithful in Bible teaching and supernatural in Holy Spirit ministry.

Notice how the prophet Ezekiel experienced both the Word and the Spirit together. In Ezekiel 1:3 (ESV) it says that  'the word of the Lord came to Ezekiel the priest, the son of Buzi, in the land of the Chaldeans by the Chebar canal, and the hand of the Lord was upon him there.' (Ezekiel 3:14 indicates that 'the hand of the Lord' refers to 'the Spirit'.) Ezekiel 2:2 (ESV) says: 'As he spoke to me, the Spirit entered into me'.

Jesus pointed towards this radical tension of both the Word and the Spirit when he corrected the Sadducees saying, “You are wrong, because you know neither the Scriptures nor the power of God.'  (Matthew 22:29, ESV). Truth comes from knowing both the Scriptures and the Holy Spirit given power of God. 

2. The already and the not yet of the Kingdom of God.

The Scriptures teach that the Kingdom of God has decisively broken into this fallen age with the coming of Jesus and in the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:28), but this Kingdom has not yet fully and finally taken over everything (Matthew 6:10; 1 Corinthians 15:24-25).

This tension of the already / not yet of the Kingdom affects our lives as followers of Jesus in that we do experience suffering in this age as we await the coming final glory (Romans 8:17-18). But it also means that the powers of the age to come do already impact us in these days before the end (Hebrews 6:4-5), and we do experience supernatural healing and miracles (James 5:14-18; 1 Corinthians 12:9-10; Galatians 3:5).

Living in the radical middle of the already / not yet of the kingdom means we avoid the extreme of pessimistic cessationism (and its denial of the current supernatural ministry of the Holy Spirit) and also the extreme of optimistic triumphalism (and its assertion of almost total health and wealth for believers in this fallen age).

The radical middle of the already / not yet of God's Kingdom means we acknowledge that there is suffering in this fallen age and we also embrace the in-breaking of the supernatural mighty works of God.

3. Radical welcome of outsiders and the call to radical discipleship.

Jesus showed love and associated with 'sinners' (Matthew 9:10-13). Jesus also called such 'lost' people to become his followers (Matthew 9:9), and this involved a radical new lifestyle of discipleship in which Jesus came first, the cross was carried and self was denied (Matthew 10:37-39). This radical lifestyle of a disciple of Jesus also included following Jesus into a life of sexual purity (1 Corinthians 6:12-20). 

This how the Vineyard movement understands this tension of radical welcome and radical discipleship:

'The message of the kingdom is a message of welcome. Anyone can come to the feast - Jesus himself was accused of being a glutton and a drunkard, and of being “a friend of sinners”. At the same time, the message of the kingdom is repent, believe, and follow Jesus in every area of life. At times, it can feel as if these two principles are mutually exclusive. But we are convinced they are not. It is possible to offer the radical welcome of Jesus while calling people to high standards of discipleship.' (From the Association of Vineyard Churches South Africa position paper on same sex union).

Let's continue to follow Jesus into this place of the radical middle.