"So How was Passion?"
"So I heard you just got back from Passion. How was it?"
It is the much awaited, yet dreaded question after spending four days at a life-shaking, turn-your-world-upside-down conference. I can't expect people to entirely understand the deep-down energy that I feel, yet at the same time I want with all my heart for them to be able to. I want them to catch vision of what I have just experienced.
"I heard it was a huge event!"
I can close my eyes and see the Georgia Dome almost entirely filled with college-aged believers - over 60,000 of us. I can feel the drumming of the music in my chest like a heart beating in time with the worship of the angels, and I can feel the floor shaking in rythym beneath my feet, yet, miraculously, I can simultaneously hear the chorus of 60,000 voices all singing together, "We belive our God is Jesus! We believe that He is Lord! We believe that He has saved us from sin and death once and for all!" Upon seeing the size of that speaker system in the arena, it is unfathomable that it could ever be drowned out, but it can - and only by a vast army of voices raised to worship the King of all kings.
"I bet the worship was amazing."
I see the crowd with thousands of hands raised as we sing "In Christ Alone". I hear the roaring cheer as we victoriously sing the line, "up from the grave He rose again..." I see people dancing (or rather jumping up and down energetically!) as new life in Christ is celebrated. I feel tears running down my own face as I truly worship, not expecting to get anything for myself, but only to give God the honor He deserves.
"And who was your favorite speaker?"
Louis Giglio, Beth Moore, Gary Haugen, Francis Chan, Judah Smith, and John Piper all brought powerful and moving messages, all rooted and founded in the Word of God.
But I still don't answer the question. I don't know what to say to any of this conversation...because the right question has still not been asked. I am waiting for the perfect opportunity.
"Why do you love Passion?"
You see, I don't really love Passion. I don't love the vast size of the audience, the event in and of itself, the worship, the music, or the speakers. No, I don't really love Passion. I love Jesus. And so I finally answer.
"Passion is not an event; it is a movement. A generation is rising up that is giving their lives for the love of Jesus Christ and the sake of the gospel. So Passion is not about hearing new releases from Chris Tomlin or seeing Francis Chan live or seeing the Georgia Dome filled with Christians. Passion is about Jesus. He is the center around which everything revolves. He is preached, He is worshipped, He is experienced, He is seen, He is loved. I don't have a favorite part of Passion because I love the whole concept - the gathering of a generation that has become a holy people, a priesthood, an army rising up to celebrate Jesus. We place Him on the highest place, and we find ultimate joy and satisfaction in His very worth and greatness."
So I smile and says it as simply as I can, hoping that people can see the inflating, exploding, exhilarating joy and passion in my heart. "It's Jesus."
I want them to see this joy and wonder where it comes from. I want them to see this Jesus and want Him more than anything else
Isaiah 26:8, the theme verse for Passion, says it best: "Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your truth, we wait for you. Your name and renown are the desires of our hearts."
I hope you get to come to Passion some day and experience for yourself the encouragement of being in a place with 60,000 brothers and sisters who love Jesus. I hope you get to hear live messages from Chan and Piper and Giglio that make the Word come alive for you. I hope you get to find out for yourself why I get so excited when the Passion CD comes out, and why I jump up and down and raise my hands and cry when certain songs are played. I hope you get to be a part of community groups and family groups at Passion that will inspire you and make you feel like you are part of a holy army.
But more than that, I hope you get to know Jesus. He is the heartbeat of Passion and center from which all things arise and toward which all things are directed. Jesus - the Son of God and Savior of the world, who brings the dead to life again, who loves relentlessly and immeasurably, and who is moving to bring freedom to captives and breath again to all who call on His name.
It is the much awaited, yet dreaded question after spending four days at a life-shaking, turn-your-world-upside-down conference. I can't expect people to entirely understand the deep-down energy that I feel, yet at the same time I want with all my heart for them to be able to. I want them to catch vision of what I have just experienced.
"I heard it was a huge event!"
I can close my eyes and see the Georgia Dome almost entirely filled with college-aged believers - over 60,000 of us. I can feel the drumming of the music in my chest like a heart beating in time with the worship of the angels, and I can feel the floor shaking in rythym beneath my feet, yet, miraculously, I can simultaneously hear the chorus of 60,000 voices all singing together, "We belive our God is Jesus! We believe that He is Lord! We believe that He has saved us from sin and death once and for all!" Upon seeing the size of that speaker system in the arena, it is unfathomable that it could ever be drowned out, but it can - and only by a vast army of voices raised to worship the King of all kings.
"I bet the worship was amazing."
I see the crowd with thousands of hands raised as we sing "In Christ Alone". I hear the roaring cheer as we victoriously sing the line, "up from the grave He rose again..." I see people dancing (or rather jumping up and down energetically!) as new life in Christ is celebrated. I feel tears running down my own face as I truly worship, not expecting to get anything for myself, but only to give God the honor He deserves.
"And who was your favorite speaker?"
Louis Giglio, Beth Moore, Gary Haugen, Francis Chan, Judah Smith, and John Piper all brought powerful and moving messages, all rooted and founded in the Word of God.
But I still don't answer the question. I don't know what to say to any of this conversation...because the right question has still not been asked. I am waiting for the perfect opportunity.
"Why do you love Passion?"
You see, I don't really love Passion. I don't love the vast size of the audience, the event in and of itself, the worship, the music, or the speakers. No, I don't really love Passion. I love Jesus. And so I finally answer.
"Passion is not an event; it is a movement. A generation is rising up that is giving their lives for the love of Jesus Christ and the sake of the gospel. So Passion is not about hearing new releases from Chris Tomlin or seeing Francis Chan live or seeing the Georgia Dome filled with Christians. Passion is about Jesus. He is the center around which everything revolves. He is preached, He is worshipped, He is experienced, He is seen, He is loved. I don't have a favorite part of Passion because I love the whole concept - the gathering of a generation that has become a holy people, a priesthood, an army rising up to celebrate Jesus. We place Him on the highest place, and we find ultimate joy and satisfaction in His very worth and greatness."
So I smile and says it as simply as I can, hoping that people can see the inflating, exploding, exhilarating joy and passion in my heart. "It's Jesus."
I want them to see this joy and wonder where it comes from. I want them to see this Jesus and want Him more than anything else
Isaiah 26:8, the theme verse for Passion, says it best: "Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your truth, we wait for you. Your name and renown are the desires of our hearts."
I hope you get to come to Passion some day and experience for yourself the encouragement of being in a place with 60,000 brothers and sisters who love Jesus. I hope you get to hear live messages from Chan and Piper and Giglio that make the Word come alive for you. I hope you get to find out for yourself why I get so excited when the Passion CD comes out, and why I jump up and down and raise my hands and cry when certain songs are played. I hope you get to be a part of community groups and family groups at Passion that will inspire you and make you feel like you are part of a holy army.
But more than that, I hope you get to know Jesus. He is the heartbeat of Passion and center from which all things arise and toward which all things are directed. Jesus - the Son of God and Savior of the world, who brings the dead to life again, who loves relentlessly and immeasurably, and who is moving to bring freedom to captives and breath again to all who call on His name.
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