What if finding Jesus isn't always a single moment?

In this episode of The Radical Middle, Tommy Nixon explores the story of Nicodemus and offers hope to anyone who has questioned their faith, struggled with doubt, or felt disconnected from the church.

Nicodemus was a respected Pharisee, teacher, and member of the ruling council. He knew Scripture and had plenty to lose, yet something about Jesus compelled him to wrestle with what he believed. He first came to Jesus privately, tentatively defended Him publicly, and eventually stepped out openly as a follower of Christ.

His journey reveals something many Christians don't talk about enough: faith can take time.

Tommy explores what Nicodemus teaches us about asking hard questions, wrestling with doubt, letting go of religious performance, and moving from knowing about God to actually knowing God.

If you've experienced church hurt, questioned Christianity, watched a spiritual leader fall, or simply aren't sure what you believe anymore, this episode is for you.

Questions don't disqualify you from following Jesus. Doubt doesn't have to end your journey. There is grace for the wrestling, grace for the questions, and grace for the process of discovering who Jesus really is.

Don't run from the questions. Wrestle with them.

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What if disagreement doesn't have to lead to division?

In this episode of The Radical Middle, Tommy Nixon explores the Jewish concept of machloket, often described as “argument for the sake of heaven,” and asks what Christians can learn from a tradition that makes room for passionate disagreement while still pursuing truth, relationship, and unity.

Tommy unpacks the idea behind the saying “two Jews, three opinions” and challenges Christians to rethink the way we handle disagreement. Instead of seeing differences as a threat, what if we saw them as an opportunity to grow, sharpen one another, and deepen our understanding of God?

From the Talmud and Jewish tradition to Acts 15, Romans, and Philippians, this conversation explores how Scripture makes room for wrestling, questions, disagreement, and differing perspectives. Tommy also identifies the dangers of arguing for ego's sake, including straw-man arguments, refusing to admit we're wrong, seeking to win at all costs, and allowing disagreement to destroy relationships.

You'll learn practical ways to practice holy disagreement, including how to:

• Seek truth instead of trying to be right
• Steel-man an opposing viewpoint
• Ask questions instead of making accusations
• Identify common ground
• Separate people from their positions
• Hold strong convictions with humility
• Look for truth within someone else's perspective
• Maintain relationship and unity even when you disagree

In a culture increasingly defined by political polarization, tribalism, and division, Christians have an opportunity to model a different way. We can be radically committed to Jesus while creating space for honest questions, thoughtful disagreement, and genuine relationship.

The goal isn't to avoid disagreement. It's to learn how to disagree for the sake of heaven.

Welcome to the Radical Middle.

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Have you ever wrestled with God over pain, unanswered questions, or difficult circumstances?

In this episode of The Radical Middle, Tommy Nixon explores one of the most powerful stories in Scripture: Jacob wrestling with God in Genesis 32. What if spiritual maturity isn't about having all the right answers, but about staying in the struggle long enough for God to transform you?

Tommy unpacks why biblical truth is more than information to believe. It's a person to know and embody. Through Jacob's journey from deceiver to Israel, you'll discover how wrestling with God shapes your identity, brings healing to your wounds, and deepens your relationship with Christ.

Whether you're wrestling with doubt, trauma, unanswered prayers, or simply trying to understand God's purpose for your life, this conversation offers a biblical framework for embracing tension instead of avoiding it.

In this episode, you'll learn:

• Why Jacob's wrestling match in Genesis 32 still matters today
• How God uses struggle to transform our identity
• The difference between knowing biblical truth and living it
• Why doubt and difficult questions can strengthen your faith
• How wrestling with God leads to healing, discipleship, and spiritual growth

If you've ever wondered why God allows struggle or how to trust Him when life doesn't make sense, this episode will encourage you to stay in the conversation because transformation often begins where certainty ends.

Scripture: Genesis 32, John 14:6, Mark 9:24

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What is truth? Is it something we create, something we discover, or someone we follow?

In this episode of The Radical Middle, Tommy Nixon explores one of the defining questions of our generation: Can we still know the truth?

In a culture that celebrates "live your truth," competing narratives, and endless opinions, Tommy examines why Jesus didn't simply teach truth; He embodied it. Looking at Scripture through the lens of relationship instead of ideology, this conversation challenges listeners to move beyond information and into transformation.

Rather than using truth as a weapon or reducing faith to intellectual agreement, Tommy explains why the way of Jesus invites us into a relationship that reshapes how we think, live, and love.

Whether you're wrestling with faith, navigating cultural division, or searching for a foundation that can withstand competing worldviews, this episode offers a fresh perspective on why truth still matters.

In this episode, you'll discover:

• The difference between "God’s truth" and objective truth
• Why Jesus called Himself "the Truth"
• How truth transforms relationships, identity, and spiritual growth
• Why Christians must embody truth instead of weaponizing it
• Practical ways to pursue truth with humility, community, and love

If you've ever questioned whether truth is real or wondered how to faithfully follow Jesus in a world full of competing voices, this episode will give you a biblical framework for living truth with both conviction and compassion.

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Should Christians identify as Republican or Democrat? Or is there a better way?

In this episode of The Radical Middle, Tommy Nixon tackles one of the most controversial questions in modern Christianity: How would Jesus vote?

Rather than placing Jesus inside today's political parties, Tommy explores how the teachings of Jesus transcend partisan politics while still calling believers to engage faithfully in public life. Looking at the political landscape of first-century Israel, he examines the Zealots, Pharisees, Sadducees, and Roman authorities to reveal that political division isn't new, but Jesus' response was radically different.

This conversation challenges Christians to move beyond tribalism, resist using Jesus to justify political ideologies, and instead allow the Kingdom of God to shape every political conviction. Whether you're conservative, progressive, independent, or politically exhausted, this episode offers a biblical framework for engaging politics with humility, conviction, and love.

If you've ever wondered how faith and politics intersect without compromising the Gospel, this episode will challenge the way you think about both.

In this episode you'll discover:

• Why Jesus doesn't fit neatly into today's political parties
• What first-century politics teaches us about modern political polarization
• How Jesus challenged both religious and political power
• Why Christians should place allegiance to Christ above party loyalty
• Practical principles for engaging politics through the way of Jesus

Whether you're navigating election season, political conversations with family, or simply trying to follow Jesus in a polarized culture, this episode will help you pursue a Kingdom-first perspective.

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Have you ever sat in church and wondered, Do we actually believe what we say we believe?

In this episode of The Radical Middle, Tommy Nixon shares a personal story from his early years in ministry that forced him to confront one of the hardest realities of faith: Christian hypocrisy.

Wrestling with the disconnect between worship culture and the suffering happening just miles away, Tommy explores the uncomfortable question many believers and former believers ask: What do we do when the church doesn’t look like Jesus?

This conversation unpacks the tension between performance and transformation, critiques a consumer-driven approach to church growth, and offers a different invitation. Instead of staying bitter or walking away, what if the answer is to embody the change we want to see?

Through Scripture, personal reflection, and the framework of The Radical Middle, this episode explores how following Jesus moves us from critique to compassion, from judgment to solidarity, and from pointing fingers to living differently.

If you’ve wrestled with church culture, faith deconstruction, justice, discipleship, or what authentic Christianity actually looks like, this conversation is for you.

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In this episode of The Radical Middle, we confront a growing problem shaping our homes, churches, and public life. We are losing the ability to truly engage with one another.

Tommy Nixon breaks down three major forces driving this breakdown: the tribal pull that shapes identity and belonging, the collapse of meaningful dialogue in a social media driven world, and the tension between belonging and simply fitting in. These forces shape how we respond under pressure, often through conflict, avoidance, or performance rather than honest connection.

Through the lens of the teachings and way of Jesus, this conversation challenges both cultural polarization and surface level agreement. It calls listeners into a deeper way of engaging where truth and love are not separated, and where disagreement does not require dehumanization.

This episode offers a practical and spiritual framework for navigating tension, rebuilding dialogue, and forming relationships rooted in authenticity rather than ideology or performance. It is an invitation to rethink how we see others, how we listen, and how we stay present in hard conversations without losing conviction or compassion.

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What can a parking dispute teach us about politics, tribalism, and the teachings of Jesus?

Quite a lot.

When a frustrated neighbor begins leaving bags of dog poop on his truck over a partially blocked sidewalk, Tommy Nixon finds himself face-to-face with the same reactive instincts shaping so much of modern culture: fighting, fleeing, freezing, or fawning.

In this episode of The Radical Middle, Tommy explores how everyday moments expose the deeper ways we deal with conflict, fear, identity, and belonging. He challenges listeners to move beyond outrage and avoidance into a more courageous way of living, one rooted in truth, compassion, accountability, and the radical teachings of Jesus.

Because the small tensions in our lives are training us for the bigger ones. 

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In Part 2 of this series on the Jesus Way, Tommy Nixon confronts one of the biggest tensions in modern culture: everyone wants Jesus on their side, but Jesus refuses to fit neatly into political, cultural, or ideological boxes.

This episode explores how both conservatives and progressives often reshape Jesus into the image of their own agendas while avoiding the harder truths of His teachings. Tommy unpacks why Jesus stands above political tribes, why the cross disrupts every human power structure, and why the Radical Middle only works if Christ remains at the center.

Drawing from Philippians 2, personal experience, church history, and the realities of cultural division, Tommy challenges listeners to wrestle honestly with who Jesus actually is, instead of clinging to a comfortable or culturally-approved version of Him.

This conversation dives into faith, truth, justice, trauma, identity, deconstruction, spiritual growth, and the tension of following Jesus in a polarized world. Whether you're wrestling with Christianity, burned out by politics, questioning church culture, or searching for a deeper spiritual foundation, this episode invites you into a more honest journey.

You’ll also hear practical next steps for exploring the teachings of Jesus for yourself, how to move beyond groupthink and hypocrisy, and why following Jesus demands both surrender and transformation.

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Why does Jesus refuse to fit into modern political and cultural categories?

In this episode of The Radical Middle, Tommy Nixon unpacks the tension at the center of faith today. Both conservatives and progressives claim Jesus, yet neither fully captures who He is. So what do we do when Jesus challenges both sides?

This episode explores why Jesus is often reduced to political ideology, how that distorts His message, and why following Him requires embracing tension instead of choosing sides. Through Scripture and real-life reflection, Tommy shows how Jesus simultaneously draws lines and erases them, confronting power, redefining truth, and calling people into something deeper.

If you’ve felt caught between opposing views, disillusioned with faith, or unsure where you belong, this conversation will push you to wrestle honestly with who Jesus really is and what it means to follow Him in today’s world.

This is Part 1 of a series on “The Problem of Jesus” and the challenge of living out His way in a divided culture.

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