On May 12, 2022, I walked into Passion City Church for the first time in Atlanta, Georgia. After watching their services and Passion Conferences online for years, it was an overwhelming experience to step foot in the church for the first time. I was there for one reason alone: to lift the name of Jesus. Passion City Church was hosting the LIFT Conference, a gathering of leaders, pastors, musicians, and writers from around the world, and I had the privilege of being in the room for it. The conference was indescribable, as it felt like heaven touching earth through worship and the messages that followed. It was undeniable that God’s presence was in the room.
During an unforgettable moment in the last session, Passion sang worship singer Brandon Lake's beautiful song, "Gratitude." I had never seen so many people worshipping with such reckless abandon, so many hands raised high, and so many people from all over the globe worshipping under the banner of Jesus.
A few rows before me, a guy was wearing a shirt that said in bold letters on the back, "Every Tribe. Tongue. Nation." That was all I could think about for the rest of the session. This is what heaven is going to look like. Every tribe, tongue, and nation worshipping Jesus around His throne. How beautiful that day is going to be. This is just a preview. This is only a glimpse.
On January 3 to 5, 2023, Passion hosted its annual conference for 18 to 25-year-olds at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. Although I couldn’t attend in person, Passion's website broadcasted every session, so I glued myself to the screen for three days to watch it. And goodness, it was another glimpse of heaven.
Passion exists for one reason alone: to glorify the name of Jesus. Passion is not a show, and the musicians aren't performing. Instead, it's an encounter with Almighty God. Some churches and conferences try to turn the gospel into a show to attract young people. But Passion is different—it's not a show. It's just 20,000-plus college students lifting the name of Jesus, inviting Heaven to invade Earth. In Passion, thousands of 18 to 25-year-olds gathered to pray for their college campuses and stood with arms raised high praising the King of kings.
As Passion Music gears up to release its live album from the conference, I want to share some highlights from the three-day event. Even from my vantage point online, it was an unforgettable experience. I hope that through these words, God will stir in you a hunger for revival and an encounter with Him. Let's dive in.
The Speakers and Artists
Every year at the conference, Passion Music introduces new worship songs. As the crowd becomes more familiar with the music and starts singing along, Passion hits "record" and releases those songs during the spring. This year, their live album, I've Witnessed It, features 13 live tracks and one studio recording.
Every time Passion releases a new live album, I listen for a while. The musical excellence that Passion brings never fails to blow me away. The musicians produce their songs well and continually find innovative ways to bring new life to Biblical truths. But more than anything, they usher in the presence of God with every word they sing.
My favorite song from this year’s conference is "Another Glimpse," featuring singer/songwriter Sean Curran. The song is based on Revelation 4, where the apostle John sees God on His throne, appearing like jasper (an opaque, reddish-brown mineral) and ruby (a precious gemstone often used in jewelry).
In Revelation 4:8, angels surround God’s throne, proclaiming, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come." Sean sings, "With every lap around the throne I catch another glimpse/You're holy, holy, so holy/The longer I behold You I can't help but say again/You're holy, holy, so holy." When I hear these words, it feels like God’s presence has invaded the room.
There’s power in proclaiming the character and attributes of Jesus, and that's what Passion is all about. Passion is all about one name: Jesus. With every song they sing and every message they speak, they're proclaiming the name of Jesus.
Someone who has been proclaiming the name of Jesus at Passion for the past 26 years is the founder of the movement, Pastor Louie Giglio. This year, he gave a powerful message about how we need to be reflections of Jesus in this world. As the moon reflects the sun, we were created to reflect the light of Jesus to this dark world.
Pastor Louie centered around Isaiah 26:8, which has become Passion's mantra over the years; "Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your truth, we wait eagerly for you. For your name and your renown are the desire of our souls." Using an analogy of a mirror, Pastor Louie said that this verse should be in our mirror, meaning that’s what we should reflect on the world. We should always answer with "Yes, Lord" to God and focus on spending the rest of our lives pointing to Jesus.
Similarly, author and evangelist Christine Caine discussed the importance of the presence of the one we should reflect on. Her message, Created to Linger, illustrated the beauty and power of lingering in God's presence. She said we don't have to watch God’s presence from afar; we're invited into His presence behind the curtain. Unveiled before the Holy One.
Christine was one of my favorite speakers at Passion 2023. Her talk truly embodied Passion’s mission. There's no doubt that God’s presence is at Passion, but she spoke of the need to linger in that presence day by day. "We have an all-access pass to the very throne room of the presence of God," she said. That access is always available in State Farm Arena at Passion or your college dorm room.
Other speakers included Christian authors, artists, and evangelists like Jackie Hill Perry, Katherine Wolf, Jonathan Pokluda, Sadie Robertson Huff, and Tim Tebow. Each brought their unique voice to Passion. The Holy Spirit was working through them, and each of their talks was incredibly timely and needed. They encouraged me, and in case you missed it, you can watch all their messages now on Passion's YouTube page.
"To the Nations, I'll Witness It."
Every year at the Passion Conference, one of my favorite moments is when they reveal the organization they'll be supporting. They made headlines in 2013 when they rallied around the End It Movement, an organization seeking to end modern-day slavery. They raised over three million dollars in the fight against human trafficking, and their momentum never stopped.
In early 2020, they introduced Share Light (IllumiNations), an organization working to eradicate Bible poverty. There are 7,000-plus languages spoken globally, and over 3,500 languages have access to little or no scripture. During Passion 2020, they raised 1.2 million dollars for Share Light, but they continued.
This year at Passion 2023, they reintroduced students to Share Light under its new name: the 12 Verse Challenge. If you commit to donating $35 per month for a year, 12 verses will be translated into the language of an unreached people group. Hundreds of students at Passion took the challenge and donated over $900 thousand to the organization. With that amount, they could fully fund the translation of all four gospels into the languages of the four people groups of the Rwenzori Cluster, a group of protected areas in western Uganda.
There are over a billion people without access to the scriptures. But Passion and the 12 Verse Challenge plan to change that statistic. By 2033, they hope to get scripture into the hands of every single people group in the world. Matthew 24:14 (NIV) says, "This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come."
Passion Music introduced a new song called "I've Witnessed It," the title track of their new album. The bridge ramps up with the powerful declaration, "To my family, I'll witness it/To my city, I'll witness it/To the nations, I'll witness it/I'll tell them this, I'll tell them what I've witnessed."
Passion and the 12 Verse Challenge are ushering in the coming of our savior, one verse at a time. They're witnesses to God’s goodness and letting the whole world know about it—and you can tell the nations what you've witnessed, too. No matter who you are or where you live, you can tell of everything God has done. It starts right where you're now. In your city, you can tell of His goodness. To your family, you can tell what He's done in your life. And through the 12 Verse Challenge, you have the unique chance to further Bible translation to the ends of the earth.
It's easy to see a need as great as Bible translation and turn away, saying, "Someone else will take care of that." But revival starts with you. By committing $35 per month to the 12 Verse Challenge, you're getting scripture into the hands of people who may have never heard the name of Jesus. They're desperate for a savior, and by pledging to the 12 Verse Challenge, you can become a witness to them.
What's Next?
Once the lights come down after an event as big as Passion, there's a tendency to get sucked back into the struggles of everyday existence. It's easy to find Jesus but leave Him in your seat once the building clears. But I urge you, like Christine Caine urged students at Passion, to enter the "very throne room of the presence of God." Life gets busy, and it can be hard to feel God's presence in the fog of the mundane. But He is still with you, whether you feel Him or not, and He's beckoning you to enter His presence again. He wants all of us to keep the fire of our souls burning for Him.
After the conference, Passion posted on Instagram, "Passion is not about who is leading on stage, but the name and renown we are proclaiming from the stage. We believe in this generation. You are Passion. Let's leave these life-shaping days ignited for the name and fame of Jesus."
Let's walk into work ignited for Jesus. Let's walk onto our college campuses on fire for the fame of Jesus. That's how revival happens. It begins with you.
Passion 2024
Passion is close to my heart because it changed my life. After battling debilitating anxiety for years, I found a book called Goliath Must Fall, written by Passion's founder, Louie Giglio. I read it from front to back and listened to his sermons nearly every night. Hearing his story changed the entire trajectory of my life. I found Jesus because of Passion, and my life has never been the same.
Since that life-changing encounter with Jesus, I've watched the annual Passion Conference online for the past six years. For the seventh year, I'll finally be there in person. Passion 2024 was recently announced, and I'm excited to attend. Revival is in the air, and I know that January 3 to 5, 2024, in Atlanta, Georgia, will be sacred days. I have my ticket, and I hope you'll have yours, too. See you soon.
Find more information about Passion 2024 and get your ticket here. Listen to Passion's latest live album, I've Witnessed It, here.
Grace Chaves has been a fan of all things Christian music since 2016. She is NRT's news editor, and one of NRT's youngest writers. Homeschooled, Grace is an author, loves Jesus, concerts, and road trips.
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