I just recently received the e-mail below, and I thought I'd post a quick call for help on behalf of my friends working to organize Serve the City:

* * * * *

Just a few weeks ago project sign ups began for Serve the City. Currently we have about 200 volunteers who have signed up to take part in the projects. This is great news but we still need 150 more volunteers to make Serve the City reach it's full potential! If you haven't already signed up for a project, we invite you to come join us in serving.

This year Serve the City consists of 32 projects such as: preparing dinner for the homeless, pampering women from a woman's shelter, canal cruise with the elderly, raising funds for a refugee help organization, children's party in the Bijlmer and Bos en Lommer, collecting food for the Food Bank, gardening at an elderly care center, helping disabled people in practical ways, and much more.

Come have fun serving and make a difference in the life of someone in need. You can go to our website to see all the different projects and sign up for one, two, three, or even four projects. Even if you're not able to do a project we ask you to forward this email to your friends, colleagues, neighbors, family members, etc, who you think might be interested in the project.

On Monday, May 12th, we're having a festival with live bands and free food for everyone involved in the project. We hope to see you there!

Click here to see the projects
Website: www.stcamsterdam.nl

At Zolder50, we've recently been studying Jesus' Sermon on the Mount (Matthew, chapters 5-7) -- and in particular, over the last month, we've been studying Jesus' directives on sexuality, marriage, and divorce. If that wasn't enough information on the topic, our home group has been studying -- in a separate study -- the book of 1 Corinthians, and it just so happened that yesterday evening was a discussion about marriage and sexuality, from the 7th chapter of the book. Earlier this year, on this blog, I also spent some time studying out the issue of Sexuality and Spirituality... and I've definitely been challenged to closely consider some of the complex issues relating to sexuality and relationships in our culture today. Over the last couple of weeks, I've been chewing on one question in particular:

Is there room in the community of Christ for (non-sexual) same-sex covenant relationships?

I still haven't completely settled my own mind on these issues, but I guess I'm just asking: Do we as Christians need to be opposed to same-sex civil unions -- perhaps as a means of protecting ourselves from treading into dangerous regions of the slippery slope leading to unabashed worldliness? Or do we need to get creative when it comes to making allowances for our Christian brothers and sisters desiring to strive for lives of celibacy? I've been wondering about this a lot lately...

Now, I'm not naive. I realize that the vast majority (if not the entirety) of those choosing for civil unions in the Netherlands (or advocating for acceptance of civil unions or "gay marriage" in the USA or other parts of the world) are (homo-)sexually active. And I honestly don't know how successfully we could ever divorce the idea of sex from covenant relationships (particularly those originally instituted to mimic marriage). But could it be worthwhile to try to walk this fine line?

The rise of homosexuality in Western culture is truly remarkable. And while I believe that this certainly has something to do with our culture's idolization of Eros -- I also happen to believe that it's about much more than sex (I might even dare to say that the sexual aspect of homosexuality is a relatively small part of the equation). From my experience, it seems like some of the biggest felt needs of the homosexual community are belonging, acceptance, companionship, and family (I should also note that this likely holds true for all people who don't fit into the "standard" mold of the "married-with-children" crowd)... I suspect that a lot of it comes down to questions like, "Who will I spend Christmas with? Or New Year's Eve? Or Valentine's Day?" "Who will take care of me in my old age?" "How am I ever going to travel to see the Great Wall of China or the grasslands of Africa or the quays of Paris -- if I don't have a traveling companion?" Or perhaps a bit more macabre: "Who will organize my funeral?" "To whom will I pass along my family heirlooms?" Maybe it's offensive for me (one of the "married-with-children" crowd) to speculate so broadly about this, but I genuinely wonder...

And while I certainly believe that we need to encourage each other to cast down our idols and find hope from its True Source, I wonder if we could still benefit from considering ways to care for the practical needs of people within our community who choose to embrace a life of singleness.

My thinking here is not so dissimilar to the way that the Catholic church has historically taken care of those who have taken vows of celibacy (i.e. priests and nuns). Certain orders of sisters or brothers have had group living arrangements, group activities, group missions (i.e. taking care of orphans, feeding the poor)... Perhaps such a concept needs to be revisited for post-"Church-Era," post-modern, Western society... Yes, maybe establishing new "orders" of brothers and/or sisters is, in fact, the way to go. Adapt the antiquated, not-so-cool ways of dressing, naming, and stereotyping these groups of people (the idea of "becoming a nun" or "becoming a priest" may just have too much accumulated cultural baggage)... And voila! A lot of those most urgent felt needs and most pressing questions about life as a single person have answers! But then again, maybe -- in a more post-modern, decentralized, "organic," anti-institutional, missional ministry- (and life-) context -- maybe it makes sense to think about covenant friendships and civil unions...

There is some biblical precedent for this. 1 Samuel 18 and 20 talk about the covenant friendship between David and Jonathan, which was solemnly and repeatedly sworn in the presence of God and each other. (Some have suggested that David and Jonathan were, in fact, homosexual -- though the Hebrew verbs chosen for their "love" and other factors surrounding their relationship make this highly unlikely, in my mind). The closest biblical parallel to David and Jonathan's relationship (at least, etymologically-speaking, according to the commentaries I've referenced) would be the relationship between Jacob and his son Benjamin (Genesis 44:30 uses some of the same terminology to describe how Jacob's "life is closely bound up with (Benjamin's) life") -- but my mind also wanders to relationships like Ruth and Naomi (Ruth 1:15-22) and Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego's less formal partnership to support each other through times of testing (Daniel 1:6-20). Even so, I'll admit that the idea of covenant friendships / "life partnerships" for celibate believers is a bit of a leap for contemporary contexts. Especially considering the fact that we don't want to set up stumbling blocks for people who may struggle with feelings of attraction toward people of the same sex, I realize that we need to be sensitive and perhaps build in some protections for people in these situations (like choosing to establish a covenant between a group of three people, instead of just two). In any event, this idea of a covenant friendship is an interesting point of consideration...

Now, I'm going a little bit further out on a limb here (again, remember that I'm still more or less thinking out loud) -- but coupled with the current cultural allowances for (or aims toward allowances for) same-sex civil unions, doesn't it seem that such an idea could have some extra practicability? Why not take advantage of the opportunities presented by the current political system and allow those individuals who are committed to God and to lives of purity and celibacy to have the same tax benefits, immigration benefits, health benefits, and death-and-disability benefits that married couples enjoy?

Now, I have long been (and will long continue to be) an ardent supporter of God's definitions for marriage, family, and sexuality -- but I see a clear distinction between these things and the concept of "civil unions." God joins man and woman together in marriage and blesses their physical, emotional, and spiritual union; the government chooses how it will recognize this union and work out the economic and political implications for society. The Dutch system of marriage and civil unions has helped me to understand this. In the Netherlands, any two people wishing to formally join their lives together (Christians, Hindus, secular humanists, homosexual couples, heterosexual couples) must first report to City Hall and make their solemn pledges and process their paperwork for the government. Then, after the civil ceremonies are completed, the spiritual significance may (or may not) be independently observed. A Christian couple, then, will typically get all dressed up, go to City Hall and do the civil thing, then go get some pictures in the park, then go to the church and say their wedding vows betfore God and each other, then have a big party (or a series of parties) with their friends and family, and then consummate the marriage in the privacy of their bedroom that night. A secular couple, though, will get dressed up, go to City Hall and do the civil thing (if they're the sentimental / romantic / traditional type, they may even do this with the long white dress and pick the script that calls it all a "marriage"), then go get some pictures in the park and follow it all up with a big party (or series of parties) with their friends and family (the "consumation" part of their relationship has probably already happened much earlier -- though, again, if they're the sentimental / romantic / traditional type of couple, they may maintain all the trappings of a special wedding night and a honeymoon... on a more "optional" basis, of course). So you see how it works? The spiritual part of things is skipped or substituted based on the desires of the couple. From the secular government's point of view, it doesn't matter! They just want to have it on file that "Person A" and "Person B" now apply for exclusive status as a recognized couple -- and that's it. It actually makes a lot of sense to me (though it's certainly different from the traditional American way of doing things, which also makes sense to me).

So if we have Christian brothers and sisters who want to formally commit themselves to a life of celibacy and sexual purity -- but who would be aided and supported by having someone else (or a couple of other friends) in the same situation to do life together with them -- then why wouldn't we want to consider the advantages of covenant friendships (on the spiritual level) and civil unions (on the societal level)? Think about it: How cool would it be to celebrate a day with two spiritual siblings (I suppose it could be a brother and sister, just as much as a brother/brother and sister/sister) as they formally commit to a life of serving God wholeheartedly, without the distractions of marriage (like Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians 7)?!? I mean, we could do the big party and the special pictures and special clothes and all that -- with all the practical benefits besides -- and it could be a cultural statement to deepen the respect for love and marriage and sexuality and family...

I don't know... Am I talking crazy here?!?! Have I become too influenced by the liberal Amsterdam way of thinking? Would something like this compromise the image of the church or the sanctity of marriage and family? Would anyone actually choose to make such a statement with his or her life? I guess I'm externally processing more than anything... but it is interesting to wonder...

Before you decide to start worrying about me, suggesting counseling, or sending an S.O.S. down the old prayer chain -- just hear me out.  I realize that what I'm about to write may sound a bit disheartening -- and even alarming... But I actually mean it as quite the opposite.  As strange as it may sound, I've recently been reassured by (or at least in spite of) the darkness swallowing up our world.

I mean, think about it.  As you look around you, wouldn't you agree that discouragement abounds?  Darkness prevails... The world is winning... All around me, I see seeds of faith and hope and love getting choked out and swallowed up by figurative weeds, birds, dehydration, and so on...  My ministry often challenges me with its lack of momentum, its lack of results, its lack of that inexplicable spark of life.  I try to keep waiting, but I grow impatient and despairing.  I'm confronted with questions like:  "Can this be right?"  "Am I really on the winning team (the Church, the Body of Christ, the people of God)?"  "Aren't I promised an abundant life?  A life of fruitfulness?  The desires of my heart?"  "So what's going on here?"

Over the last several days, I've been thinking about this and praying about this a lot (and for whatever reason, it seems that other people around me have been wondering about this, too)... And oddly, unexpectedly, I've felt like God has been telling me:  "Actually, the current dismal and declining state of the world is exactly how I've told you it would be.  You're living after Eden.  You're waiting for the Restoration of all things.  You're in that awkward in-between period of history -- and as much as I'm pained by the brokenness of my Creation, the Time has not yet come.  You must wait patiently..."

And then, I'm reminded of the Scriptures.  Consider the following:

• The Curse (Genesis 3:14-24) - A few choice phrases pulled from the text say it all:  "painful toil... thorns and thistles... sweating in futility until we return to dust..." That's life after Eden.
• A Mantra of Meaninglessness (Ecclesiastes 1-2) - The whole book of Ecclesiastes is based around themes of labor... toiling... generation after generation... nothing new... We're confronted with the impossibility of leaving a real legacy... Chapter 2, verses 22 and 23 poignantly describe the dilemma:  "What does a man get for all the toil and anxious striving with which he labors under the sun?  All his days his work is pain and grief; even at night his mind does not rest..."  This is what we're dealing with in this world...
• Broad Path to Destruction / Narrow Path to Life (Matthew 7:13-14) - This description of a world filled with spiritual travelers is heart-breaking to realize... but it's an inescapable truth.
• The Parable of the Sower (Matthew 13:1-23) - Three-quarters of the "seeds" of the gospel -- including some of those which have already sprouted -- are taken out before they have a chance to really grow and reach full maturity... Yikes!  It's also interesting to note that the Parable of the Sower is immediately followed by the Parable of the Weeds (vv. 24-30).  It's clear to see that our spiritual crops have been (and are continually being) sabotaged by a devious enemy.
• 90 Percent Ingratitude (Luke 17:11-19) - Jesus himself faced rather grim statistics in ministry!
• Following Christ = Carrying the Cross (Mark 8:34-38) - A life of discipleship involves losing our lives... denying ourselves... and coming out of this life with nothing but our souls.
• The Seven Churches (Revelation 2-3) - These letters to the Seven Churches are perhaps the most powerful reminder for me that the Christian life is one of challenge and difficulty.  Every single church is faced with hardships and offered encouragement only for perseverance... enduring hardships... suffering through afflictions and poverty... prison... persecution... being pushed to the point of death... living where Satan has his throne... perseverance (did I mention that one already?)... barely surviving, about to die... being left with little strength... These churches at the end of the world are universally challenged, languishing in very difficult circumstances.  Yet they're not challenged with some trite prosperity gospel.  They're told to persevere... hold on... overcome.  No change in circumstances is promised...

The fact of the matter is that the world is wasting away!  Stories of redemption and renewal -- those things that we celebrate in prayer letters and public testimonies -- are the exception (occurring 1% to 10% of the time, according to the wisdom of the Bible), not the rule!  We're not outside of God's will if we're experiencing hardships and discouraging circumstances!

And yet, hardship is not the end of the story.  Our ultimate hope is in the Resurrection and the Life that will be revealed at the end of the world!  Scripture offers us an unconventional hope:

• 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 says, "We do not lose heart.  Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day.  For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all.  So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen.  For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal."
• And John 16:33 quotes Jesus, saying "In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world!"

And in the meantime, we can enjoy small, short seasons of renewal.  The annual cycle of summer, fall, winter, spring is a reminder of this (Ecclesiastes 3).  The daily cycles of darkness and light, too, are a reminder of this (Psalm 30:5).  And as long as we're part of a community of fellow strugglers, fellow sufferers, fellow believers -- we can encourage each other to persevere (Hebrews 10:23-25), even in the midst of our mindfulness of the futility of this world...

Is this a message of foolishness?  Yes (1 Corinthians 1:18).  Can it be sad and scary and sobering?  Yes.  But am I sad?  Not most of the time.  Am I scared?  Yeah, a little bit -- but not to the point of paralysis.  Am I sobered?  Definitely -- but I wouldn't say that's such a bad thing.  Would you?

It's amazing to consider the range of communications options at our disposal these days.  Even in my (still relatively brief) lifetime, the proliferation of telecommunications technology has been astounding.  Instead of making our communication easier, clearer, and cleaner, however, I've actually found that the myriad communications tools can actually complicate things a good bit.  As a society, we're still trying to make out the rules of engagement for all these different ways of keeping in touch.

Probably, everyone would realize that an SMS on one's mobile telephone to tell one's girlfriend, "im breaking up with u" is not a good idea (though I'm sure that this has been done).  And likewise, it's probably a bit ridiculous to set up an appointment to talk face-to-face about figuring out which movie theater showtime to go to (though I'm sure some neo-Luddites might prefer this!).  But how do we manage the wide spectrum of everything in between?

I was thinking it might be useful to develop a hierarchy of communications quality.  Maybe I could develop some kind of theory to make me a famous communications theorist (like Marshall McLuhan) -- or a psychologist with some standard scale named after me (like Maslow's Hierarchy of Needs)!  Somebody's probably already beaten me to it.  But at any rate -- a simple list of what I'm thinking might go as follows (starting with the highest quality communication and descending to the lowest quality communication):

• Face-to-face
• Video-conferencing
• Voice-to-voice (telephone)
• Handwritten letter
• Type-written communication (including e-mail)
• Instant Messaging (internet chat)
• Mobile texting (SMS)
• Mass communication (TV, radio, etc.)

Of course, even within these categories, there would be distinctions.  Consider an expanded version of the first (top) three forms of communication listed above:

• Face-to-face one-on-one private conversation (deliberately scheduled)
• Face-to-face one-on-one private conversation (spontaneous)
• Face-to-face one-on-one semi-private conversation in a crowded room (spontaneous)
• Face-to-face group communication
• Video-conferencing on a high-speed internet connection with little to no interference
• Video-conferencing on a medium-speed internet connection with moderate interference
• Telephone call while stationary and undistracted
• Video-conferencing on a slow-speed internet connection with significant interference
• (Mobile) telephone call while traveling via train
• (Mobile) telephone call while traveling via automobile
• (Mobile) telephone call while traveling via bicycle

You get the idea.  Am I missing any significant forms of communication in my first listing?  What do you think about my rank-ordering system?  Basically, I'm going off the assumption that communication is 7 percent actual words, 38 percent tone-of-voice, and 55 percent non-verbals (according to research by UCLA professor Albert Mehrabian).  How do we figure out how to tell which people which things in which ways?

These are the times we live in...

I've gotten a very interesting perspective on the American political system, ever since I moved to the Netherlands... I find myself simultaneously fascinated and revolted by the process.  I can hardly get enough of internet news coverage about American politics -- and yet I couldn't be happier that I'm not actually living in the midst of the multi-sensory cultural campaign frenzy (in the USA).  The current campaign for the 2008 presidential election has been particularly interesting to observe.  I don't know if I could say label it as "exciting," "encouraging," or "hopeful"... but I could definitely say that it's interesting.

Do you know who you're going to vote for (or who you would vote for if you had the opportunity)?

My opinions have still not completely solidified (Ohio doesn't hold its primaries until March)... But other states are beginning the process this week (with almost half of the states voting by early February).  I've found a useful Campaign Match Game on-line.  It certainly doesn't reflect the full spectrum of issues in the campaign -- but I like its graphical feature, the way that you can weight your answers to emphasize which issues are more important to you, and the fact that candidates are not separated by party.  If I can get 10 people to comment to this post, listing their top three candidate matches (not edited to favor a candidate toward whom you are already predisposed), I'll post my top three choices as well (which actually kind of surprised me)...