This side of glory, it seems, division is simply par for the course. Sadly, nowhere dos this seem to be more evident than when it comes to Christianity. Rather than a unified, mutually humble, corporately loving Body, many see and many experience Christianity as divisive and judgmental. We take our doctrine seriously and we want you to know when you’re on the wrong side. Even in Christianity, we tend towards a “two-party” system of division. Any more major voices in a discussion require that nuance and that doesn’t come easily to us.

There are, however, some people who feel compelled to forge a via media, a middle way, a third way. I am often quite hesitant about so-called “third ways.” For example, many have tried to bridge the gap between Calvinism and Arminianism with “Calminianism,” which, at the end of the day, takes neither position seriously. Or, when it comes to eschatology, it’s a popular joke to say that one is a “Panmillennialist,” meaning it will all pan out in the end. It is often the case that the so-called “third ways” are little more than watered-down mixtures of the two opposing viewpoints.

Enter Jim Belcher. Though many differences in modern evangelicalism are quite serious, few seem to be as contentious and confusion as the seeming split between the “traditional” and “emerging” wings of the Church. In fact, if you ask 10 people to define either of those terms, you’re likely to get 11 different answers. And yet, one doesn’t have to wade too far into this “conversation” to realize that there are many very important issues at stake.

But, it seems to me, there are a number of young(er) pastors like myself (though my wife says I’m old), who are interested in many of the questions asked by the emerging church but partial to the theological depth of the more “traditional” church (if there is any downside to Belcher’s book, it’s that he doesn’t clearly define the “traditional” side as much as the emerging side). In the more frustrating times, it seems as though many such pastors find themselves attacked from each side with few seeming allies.

Belcher, a PCA pastor, has long walked the via media between the “traditional” and “emerging” churches, sometimes with each accusing him of belonging to the other. Belcher admits that many of the critiques of the emerging church have merit, modern evangelicalism has often reduced itself to a pragmatic, consumer-driven culture entrenched in modernist, exclusionary, judgmental culture. What makes Belcher’s book worthwhile though, is that he pushes back on both sides, not only concurring with some of the emerging critiques, but also pointing out where they have gone too far and adopted equally unhelpful thoughts.

Unlike so many in this debate, Belcher took the time to listen before speaking. In fact, he sat down with Dan Kimball, Doug Pagitt, Tony Jones and others and clarified, in-person to make sure he understood their arguments. This alone sets the book apart and gives Belcher a credibility few involved can speak with. Belcher presents us with a winsome, thoughtful, irenic but forceful example. This credibility makes his conclusion a bit more palatable: both sides are wrong and both sides are right, but both sides are not listening to one another or willing to work together to bring their strengths together. Instead, each side casts dispersions and knocks down straw men and no one is edified.

Belcher adopts C.S. Lewis’ term “Deep Church” to propose a middle ground, drawing from the strengths of both the traditional and emerging sides while also acknowledging the weaknesses of each. This “Deep Church” draws deeply on Nicene Christianity as a model to forge the difficult middle path. As skeptical as I may have been beginning the book, Belcher’s “Deep Church” resonates powerfully. I often find myself not quite fitting in the traditional “Reformed” circles or in the emergent-ing circles. Belcher gives voice to what so many young pastors have been wrestling with, but he doesn’t just voice complaints, he offers solutions deeply rooted in the Bible, in Tradition and Mission (Belcher offers thoughts on “Deep Truth, Evangelism, Gospel, Worship, Preaching, Ecclesiology and Culture”).

Though some have legitimate concerns about whether or not Belcher’s really is a “third way”, there is enough here to challenge both sides that it should be read by both sides and those like myself that don’t seem quite at home in either. Striving towards a centered-set, Christ-centered approach, Belcher does not offer a “how-to” manual, but instead has pulled the wheel of the ship, hopefully a few degrees in the right direction. It will be up to those of us who follow to see how the course plays out.

I’ve intentionally not interacted with many of Belcher’s specific points here because, quite honestly, I want you to read the book. It has been a long time since I’ve so deeply resonated with a book (I hope to post a separate piece soon about why the book seems to be connecting so well with so many in my situation) and for now, it’s enough to say that this is a much-needed addition to the discussion. Please read it, please come back and discuss and let’s see how we can’t move forward together towards a “Deep Church.”

• Read Deep Church: A Third Way Beyond Emerging and Traditional by Jim Belcher