Someone in my congregation asked me recently, "Where do you feel like you belong, Brian?" I was like a deer in the headlights. Paralyzed by indecision, wishing I could crawl in a hole and disappear.

"I don’t really know where I belong." I said. "Do you know where you belong?" I responded a bit defensively.

I have lived in Europe for almost 20 years, first in Switzerland then in France then in Budapest and now in Holland. I came to Europe single, got married, had a couple of kids and have made a life here.

Now my family has decided to move to America for a season, which has triggered seemingly endless questions in me about both Europe and America. In the midst of the questions I feel caught between two continents. Here are some of my random questions:

Is America as spiritually seeking as Europe?

Europe has been called "the lost continent" (and worse) by Christians in North America. But one of the things that captures me about Europeans is their total lack of hypocrisy with spirituality and their hunger for something transcendent. To be fair, many Europeans are open to all sorts of spirituality. It’s a smorgasbord of beliefs and faiths. Yet I sometimes wonder if Europe might actually be at a better place than America to truly encounter and follow Jesus in an authentic way.

Can we trade Starbucks for "gezellig" European cafes?

Recently I went into one of the hundreds of Starbucks in the United Kingdom. I ordered the smallest latte possible and it still seemed that I could swim laps in it. It was also served in a plastic cup "to go" and it felt so … American. What I love about Europe is found in the Dutch word, "gezellig," which does not have an exact translation but means something like, "cozy, comfortable." A lot of cafes in Europe are gezellig, charming. Now that I think of it, a lot of Europe is gezellig. I feel like I am destined to live in American sprawl, which is anything but cozy.

Could the two continents be any more divided about George Bush?

Every time a European brings up the subject of American politics I wish I could be the Invisible Man. This presidential election is getting more airtime in Europe than any race in the past 20 years. I have yet to find a European who is even faintly sympathetic to George Bush. For a lot of Europeans Michael Moore is fast becoming the great anti-Bush.

Are churches morphing from museums into communities of faith?

In Europe the Church is largely synonymous with museums. Recently I went into the beautiful and ornate St. Paul’s cathedral in Geneva, just next to Calvin’s Auditorium which is quite plain and boring. The cathedral is a great relic, reminding us of the "church age" of more than 200 years ago. A while ago I stopped counting how many of these museum-churches I have visited across the European continent.

I have a hunch that two things are happening on the spiritual landscape of these two great continents. The first is that the European church is so antiquated that it is ripe to birth new "ancient future" communities of faith. I think the Church in Europe is on the verge of being reborn, sort of like a caterpillar which becomes a beautiful butterfly. Nobody looks at a caterpillar and says, "what a gorgeous insect!" No, most of us think caterpillars are somewhat ugly. The same is true of the Church in Europe today. But there are signs in our emerging generation that Jesus communities of faith are about to reshape the landscape of Europe.

Here’s my second hunch: Sooner rather than later the Church in America will go the fossilized route of the Church in Europe. Museums are great to visit once or twice, but you don’t go to them every week! I know I should not be one to critique the American Church, but as an outsider to my own culture for the past years I may have a unique perspective. I see the Church in America being a dominant force in society, just as the Church in Holland was in the 19^th century. Ironically, when the Church seemed its strongest in Europe was exactly the point at which it started to become a fossil. Perhaps the Church in America can learn something from its neighbors across the pond.

Where DO I belong, anyway?

To be honest this question haunts me. I carry an American passport, have lived in Holland for 10 years, and feel most "at home" in a multi-cultural community. I agree with the Christian answer to belonging is that "our citizenship is in heaven," but this gives me little comfort. I still feel like I have my feet firmly planted in mid-air somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean.

So Brian, dear Pastor of mine, you are going home. We are sorry to see you leaving. It is good to be back home again, someone said. Please feel free to return to Europe if you do not like it out there, at the other end of the ocean. Bush and Moore, mmmmm. Both of them are terribly American. Moore works hard. Bush let others do the dirty work and blames anyone but himself for it. I pitty the guy. The Church is slowly moving up and down. Islam apparently is the big challenge. The way Bush 'rushes in where angels fear to thread' is a shame both to the church and to the American Nation and its European allies. Sorry readers of Brians fair speech, to bother you all with my disappointments. American Christians thaught us to be Global Christians. They themselves turned out to be nothing but a bunch of shortsighted patriottic blindfolded fools. Generalisations are not clarifying here, I know, hoping God will have mercy on us all because of the many exceptions to the terrible rule of present day power politics. 'Not by strength, but by my power', so it is written (a pastor should know). And His power is, as we all know (al least those who can read), primarily shown in good works done in love. Hatred is growing worldwide (America included) towards insane 'Christian warlords'. I hate to say it, but to me that it is very understandable indeed.
--Paul Moolenaar ( p dot moolenaar at solcon dot nl ) on 11/27/2004; 4:18:49 PM

A world a way > Here in Texas having much of the same feelings????

I grew up here in Houston & voted against Bush for Governor, the first time I voted.
It seems to be a lost cause, but I still keep fighting. My vote counted to gain one seat for the Democrats in the House.

As I attend church following the election > It is hard to look into the faces of my fellow Christians and understand where I fit into the Body of Christ. Thankfully He has so strongly reassured me of my place in Him, I will not lose my relationship with Christ. But how does a Christian who believes so strongly in what Christ tells me about how to deal with my fellow man> DEAL with my fellow Christians? And how do I live a different life right here in overwelming BUSH Country?
How do I not lose my heart, my passion, and the strength that God placed into me at a very early age?
How does my voice rise above the majority?
Or should I just move.
For the sake of raising my Children with REAL Christian Values.
Like LOVE, Charity, Tolerence, and Mercy.
Or do I make yet another attempt at finding a church that is at least a little closer to representing Christ.
Or stay right where I am, plant my feet, and try to make whatever small change I can by simply being Christlike right here in "Jesusland".

In the US, where it is Jesusland VS The United States of Canada. Christians VS Progressives.
Where does a Christian Progressive go?
--Kathy Mc Dougall- Yeager ( kathleenmcdougall at sbcglobal dot net ) on 11/20/2004; 8:04:49 PM

Finally some non-north-american writers
--K-fé ( here at there dot com ) on 11/19/2004; 5:00:32 PM

Hey Brian,
It was fun to read your article. Great perspecyive, insights, and challenge.
I'll look forward to a little 'gazelling' when you get here.
Brad
--Brad Bailey ( baileybrad at comcast dot net ) on 11/8/2004; 2:08:30 PM