The third year of running 180 Live Christmas Edition was a huge success. Over 500 students enjoyed themselves and heard the gospel last Wednesday night December 19th. (A novel concept for the church--enjoying yourself and hearing the gospel). Sometimes the most spiritual thing we can do is laugh. Here is a quick flashback video of this year's night...



And I can't help myself... This was from the same night, our remake of SNL's Digital Short "Punched" it's pretty funny.

We've heard a lot about twenty-somethings in church culture as of late. The emergent church is taking off despite it's criticisms and is reaching this postmodern generation. Regardless of the culture clash between young and... mature, millennials vs. boomers, the up-and-coming vs. the slowing down... there is one thing that never changes between generations of twenty-somethings: We're all just trying to figure life out.

Who am I?
Why am I here?
Where am I going?

Every generation, when in it's own twenty-something, has wrestled with those questions. It is the age old battle of just being young and being human. We search for answers, look for our calling, and enter this huge world alone... Now I know what you're thinking, we don't really enter this world alone do we? You tell me. When you left home to become a man (or woman), maybe to go to college, maybe to start a career, maybe to start a family of your own, or maybe just to try and "figure life out" how did you feel? Maybe a mixture of excitement and fear combined with a little uncertainty? Your first step into the real world. Am I going to make it??

See many people believe that when you're 18 you're an adult, you're a man. Some people believe it's when you have a family of your own, you become a man. Still others believe that it's when you physically leave home that you become a man. There are many more thoughts and theories out there about manhood each based on our own experiences of growing up. So which one is right? Ha. I'm not arrogant enough to think I can actually answer that question. Maybe I can point you in a direction to answer that yourself.

The Pharasees (rigid individuals who are all about the specific details, the law) asked Jesus "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife?" Jesus replied by asking them what the law of Moses said. They told him--of course they already new the answer to their question--as many of us do when we ask questions. Jesus then reference Genesis where it says, "For this reason shall a man leave his father and mother...and the two shall become one flesh." So we become men when we get married right?? Well what about the same reference of that to Christ and the church in Ephesians? Does that mean a man must leave his father and mother to follow Christ?? God is pro family right how could He split them up? Whoa, you're getting off track...besides that is not what that is saying. On a side note, I don't know about you but I've actually grown to appreciate and love my parents more since I've been gone. We're asking when does one become a man?

Abraham (the Patriarch of the Christian faith) left home when he was 75 years old. Our father... by many people's standards was not a man until he was 75 years old. He had no idea what he was supposed to do, where he was going, all he had was a promise. Sound familiar? He was the ultimate twenty-something. Can you imagine feeling like that for 75 years and NEVER getting a straight answer?! What if it wasn't about becoming a man, but it was just about following Jesus. What if becoming a man was about making your own decisions in Christ?

Luke 14:26-27 [MSG]
Anyone who comes to me but refuses to let go of father, mother, spouse, children, brothers, sisters - yes, even one's own self! - can't be my disciple. Anyone who won't shoulder his own cross and follow behind me can't be my disciple.

You may not know where you're going or how you're going to get there... but let me ask you are you a man (or woman)?