Welcome to Third Space Collective I’m Paul Hulford, the pastor at the First Congregational Church of Belding, United Church of Christ. As a pastor who has spent time trying to see the world the way Christ does, through the lens of the Kingdom of God I have become disillusioned with modern American Christianity. It’s not always easy. The empires of this world are loud, and they want us to see things their way: through power, control, violence and division. I was born in England, grew up in Bolivia, and now live in the U.S. I have seen how faith can get tangled up in political leanings and co-opted for political power and gain. Yet, I have also see how creating a third space, seeing the world through the way of Christ, can begin to create a beautiful reality. It’s not about picking or choosing sides in the world’s arguments. It is about following Jesus' way into a different kind of life, one that looks like love, justice, and inclusion. That’s why I started Third Space Collective, or 3SC. I wanted to create a place for those of use who want to interact and see the world the way that God does. I don't want us to play by the rules of the empire, but to paint outside of the box. We’re here to explore what is meas to live by the ideals of the Kingdom God, where the last are first, the hungry are fed, the powerful are brought down from their thrones and weapons are beat down into plowshares. Here, we’ll reflect on scripture and I’ll also share sermons and essays about what it looks like to live as citizens of God’s Kingdom in a world that often feels like it is falling into chaos and humanity is being politicized. This isn’t about neutrality. It’s about seeing the world as it truly is, through the eyes of the One who came to set us free. This is for people like me, the disillusioned, the rebels, the dreamers, and the weary. If you’re tired of your faith being used to enlarge the empires of the powerful, if you’re ready to resist the religious status quo, or if you’re just hungry for something real, hopefully this is your place.
Follow us on the Fediverse at @thirdspacecollective@write.as. Read, reflect, and share these ideas with others who are hungry for a faith that looks like Jesus.
Paul Hulford