Passon : Atlanta

Wow! I am totally overwhelmed and somewhat speechless. I was able to attend the Passion Conference in Atlanta this past weekend with 9,500 other 20somethings at the Arena at Gwinnett. It was absolutely unbelievable and amazing. Passion (www.268generation.com) was started in 1997 by Louie Giglio (www.268blog.blogspot.com) and is now going global to 14 new cities all around the world. Their mission is simple: Isaiah 26:8-to make Christ the center and most important part of our life. I could go on and on to try to explain what it really is and what goes on, but it's really just indescribable. I have NEVER seen something so Christ focused as this anywhere ever before! Louie spoke twice and Francis Chan (www.francischan.org) gave a message on the Holy Spirit-a new way in which I have never heard it put before. They are SERIOUS about this. There was one session on Friday night, and then we had THREE sessions on Saturday! It was exhausting but totally worth it. David Crowder Band, Chris Tomlin, and Charlie Hall led worship and they are true examples of being able to make Christian music in a professional, life-changing, respectable way. Everything is just stripped down raw here. It's worship, unbelievably challenging messages, and learning to serve others. Socks and towels were brought by everyone (like over 20,000 or something crazy like that) to give to the homeless of ATL and money was given to provide 9 clean water wells for tribes in Africa. You are sadly mistaken if you think college kids just want to play video games and watch sports.

They skillfully fed 9,500 people in an organized way and then managed, somehow, to ask everyone to be in complete silence in the arena for probably at least 30 minutes before one of the sessions. Unbelievable to see how all these kids listened and did what was asked of them.

YOU need to google, check out, and read about this Passion "wave". I want older people (you can choose whether or not to put yourself in this category!) to see what is going on in the hearts of the college kids and 20somethings. You may be surprised...

I need a few days to take in and chew on all the "stuff" I encountered this weekend. I'm still having a hard time putting it into words.