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Passion Conferences

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Passion Conferences
Founded1997
FounderLouie Giglio
Type501(c)(3)
Headquarters515 Garson Drive NE, Atlanta, Georgia
Subsidiaries
Websitepassionconferences.com

Passion Conferences (also referred to as Passion and the 268 Generation, originally named Choice Ministries) is a Christian organization founded by Louie Giglio in 1997. The organization is known for its annual gatherings of young adults between the ages of 18 and 25, more specifically college students. The organization is also responsible for sixstepsrecords, the worship band Passion, and the megachurch Passion City Church,[1] which serves as the organization's headquarters. Until 2009, the headquarters were in Roswell, a suburb of Atlanta, Georgia.[2][3] The first conference was Passion '97, held in Austin, Texas.[4] According to the organization, its purpose is to unite college students for a "spiritual awakening in this generation."[4] The foundation of the organization's purpose can be found in Isaiah 26:8.[5]

Since its start, Passion Conferences has operated national conferences annually. In 2008, Passion Conferences launched its first global tour that visited 17 countries,[6][7] starting in Kyiv, Ukraine and finishing in Sydney, Australia. Since then, Passion Conferences have continued to host gatherings and tours nationally and globally.

History

Passion Conferences, at Georgia Dome, Atlanta, in 2013

1985–1997: Early years

In 1985, Louie and Shelley Giglio founded Choice Ministries at Baylor University in Waco, Texas.[8] Choice Ministries began as a campus-based student ministry and after 10 years of ministry at Baylor, Louie and Shelley moved to Atlanta, Georgia. In 1997, Giglio founded Passion Conferences in Atlanta under the banner of Choice Ministries to see a spiritual awakening among college students all across the United States and the world.

1997–2007: National success

Chris Tomlin performing at the May 23–24, 2008 Passion Conference in São Paulo, Brazil.

The first conference took place in Austin, Texas where thousands of college aged students came together during January 1–4, 1997.[8] The first event had 2,000 students in attendance. The following year grew to 5,000 attendees in Fort Worth.[9] Passion have hosted five more national gatherings in the next decade (1998, 1999, 2005, 2006, 2007), which involved more than 70,000 college students in total.[8] During this decade, thousands of additional college students connected with Passion through one of several other gatherings, including the OneDay Gatherings in 2000 and 2003[10] and the Passion Experience Tour.[11] Passion also became known for its worship albums over this decade, which featured many prominent contemporary Christian artists like Matt Redman, Chris Tomlin, and David Crowder.[12][13]

2008–present: Passion City Church and world tours

In June 2008, while speaking for pastor Andy Stanley, Giglio announced the planting of Passion City Church in Atlanta, Georgia with Chris Tomlin.[14][15] Along with Tomlin, Matt and Beth Redman, and a small core team, Passion City Church officially gathered in fall of 2008. Passion City Church held its first service on February 15, 2009, in Atlanta, Georgia at The Tabernacle.[16] In 2017, Passion City Church announced plans to expand to two new locations - Passion City Church, Cumberland[17] and Passion City Church, D.C.[18]

Also in 2008, Passion Conferences embarked on its first world tour, reaching out to 17 different cities in all six continents.[19] Passion has continued to launch world tours and regular tours throughout the years, including Passion NYC Subway Series,[20] Regionals '07–'08, Passion 2010 University Tour, Passion 2012 University Tour, A Night of Worship with Passion Tour, Passion: Let the Future Begin Tour, and Passion: Take It All Tour.[21]

In 2017, Passion held its annual collegiate event in Atlanta's Georgia Dome, former home of the Atlanta Falcons before renovations.[22] That year, Passion encouraged participants to sponsor more than 7,000 children from Compassion International.[23] The conference also saw the debut of sixsteprecords artist Jimi Cravity[24] and the appearance of country music singer Carrie Underwood, which incited backlash from some right-wing Christian fundamentalists.[25][26][27][28]

Passion 2019 was held in four sold-out arenas and churches throughout the United States, including Atlanta's State Farm Arena, Duluth's (Georgia) Infinite Energy Center, and in the cities of Dallas, Texas and Washington, D.C.[29][30]

Passion 2020 was held at Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, Georgia, a return to a single stadium. More than 50,000 people were in attendance, the largest of the Passion gatherings.[31][32][33]

In 2024, Passion hosted its third conference at Mercedes-Benz Stadium, with approximately 55,000 students in attendance from the evening of January 3 to the morning of January 5. Musical artists included Crowder, Sean Curran, Kari Jobe Carnes, Cody Carnes, Brooke Ligertwood, KB, Phil Wickham, and Brandon Lake. Speakers included Louie & Shelley Giglio, Sadie Robertson Huff & Christian Huff, Christine Caine, Ben Stuart, Levi Lusko, Jonathan Pokluda, and Earl McLellan. [34]

Conferences

Passion's annual conferences attract around 65,000 participants. The conference invites prominent Christian speakers and musical artists annually.[35]

Speakers

Pastor Louie Giglio, founder of Passion, often speaks during the conferences. John Piper is also a frequent speaker at Passion Conferences. Other speakers that have spoken at Passion Gatherings include: Francis Chan, Andy Stanley, Beth Moore, Judah Smith, Christine Caine, Carl Lentz,[36] Lecrae, Gary Haugen,[37] Ben Stuart,[38] David Platt, Matt Chandler,[39] Levi Lusko,[40] and Jay and Katherine Wolf, authors of the book "Hope Heals".[41]

Music

Passion (worship band) has released 28 albums over two decades. Most of the Passion albums are live albums, recorded during performances in conferences or tours. Passion Conferences also owns the record label Sixstepsrecords, whose artist roster includes Crowder and Passion.[42]

Sixstepsrecords artists form the core group of artists performing at the Passion Gatherings, including Chris Tomlin, David Crowder, Charlie Hall, Matt Redman, Christy Nockels, Kristian Stanfill, Melodie Malone, Brett Younker, and Jimi Cravity.

Other artists that have performed at Passion Gatherings include Lecrae, Hillsong United, Jesus Culture, Kari Jobe, Tenth Avenue North, Shane and Shane, SonicFlood, Gungor, Rend Collective, and Sean Curran of Bellarive.

Door holders

The men and women who volunteer at the conferences are called door holders.[35][43] They serve on different teams such as community groups, logistics and registration and are considered to be at the core of the gatherings. They travel from all over the nation to serve at these gatherings. At various times throughout the year Passion City Church has special events for Door Holders.[44][45]

Charitable contributions

In 2011, Passion started the Do Something Now fundraising campaign,[46] later renamed 72DaysForFreedom. The fundraising campaign encourages participants in Passion's annual conferences to donate to different charitable organizations. In the Passion 2011 conference, more than 22,000 students raised over $1.1 million towards multiple causes.[47] At the 2012 conference, students raised $3.3 million to fund seven different organizations that battle sex trafficking.[48][49] Passion 2013 saw the launch of the End It Movement, an anti-human trafficking fundraising campaign. Attendees gave more than $3.6 million towards various causes at this conference.[50]

At the 2015 Atlanta conference, attendees collected items to donate to Atlanta's City of Refuge homeless ministry.[51][52] In 2016, participants raised more than $800,000 towards Project Haraka حركة, a partnership with World Vision USA to fund the building of a health facility in Syria.[53] The building is intended to serve as the first newborn ICU in opposition-controlled Syria.[54] Passion 2017 saw the start of the Make History Together fundraising campaign, in which the organization partnered with Compassion International to sponsor children in poverty around the world. The students sponsored more than 7,000 children in total, including all of the Compassion International children from El Salvador, Rwanda, Indonesia, and Tanzania, and another 900 children from Bolivia,[55] creating the largest surge of sponsorships in Compassion International's 65-year history.[56]

References

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Passion Conferences.
  1. ^ Interview Sarah Eekhoff Zylstra. "Q&A: Louie Giglio". ChristianityToday.com. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
  2. ^ "Baptist Press – Passion '07 kicks off with 21,000 adults in Atlanta – News with a Christian Perspective". sbcbaptistpress.org. Archived from the original on May 10, 2007. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  3. ^ Georgia Secretary of State office, control number 10018357
  4. ^ a b "Passion 2019 Conferences". PLSN Magazine. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  5. ^ "Passion Conferences". Retrieved January 1, 2015.
  6. ^ Tweet Email (January 9, 2007). "Passion Conferences to Go International in 2008 | Christian News on Christian Today". Christiantoday.co.uk. Retrieved January 9, 2014. {{cite web}}: |author= has generic name (help)
  7. ^ Gaines, Adrienne S. "College Students Worship, Pray, Serve at Passion 2010 Event". Charisma News. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  8. ^ a b c "Louie Giglio: The Heart Behind the Passion". Retrieved January 1, 2015.
  9. ^ VARA, RICHARD (October 22, 2005). "Giglio's passion led to ministry for college students". Chron. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  10. ^ "Passion Conferences 'OneDay 03'". The Christian Post. January 24, 2003. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
  11. ^ "The 2003 Passion Experience Tour Dates". The Christian Post. October 26, 2003. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  12. ^ "One Day Live - Passion | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  13. ^ "Our Love Is Loud - Passion | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  14. ^ "Chris Tomlin leaving Austin Stone". Human3rror.com. May 11, 2008. Archived from the original on March 10, 2009. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  15. ^ "Giglio and Tomlin to plant church". Modern March. October 10, 2008. Archived from the original on November 10, 2012. Retrieved January 10, 2013.
  16. ^ Zylstra, Sarah Eekhoff. (February 24, 2009) Christianity Today. Q&A: Louie Giglio - The Passion Conference founder talks about his overseas tour and the new church he has started with Matt Redman and Chris Tomlin.
  17. ^ "Passion City Church Approved for Cumberland Expansion". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
  18. ^ "Passion City Church // D.C." Passion City Church. Retrieved February 28, 2018.
  19. ^ "Over 20,000 Students Attend Passion 2014 Conference in Atlanta". The Christian Post. January 18, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  20. ^ "Passion Reaches Out To NYC Students Through Subway Series". The Christian Post. September 10, 2004. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  21. ^ "Kristian Stanfill to Lead 26-City "Passion: Take It All" Tour, Kicking Off September 10". the media collective. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
  22. ^ Poole, Shelia. "Passion 2017: Atlanta faith-filled event reaches out to millennials". The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  23. ^ "Passion Students Sponsor Every Compassion Child in Four Countries". christianitytoday.com. Retrieved November 11, 2017.
  24. ^ "Passion 2017 Overview". The Echo. January 24, 2017. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  25. ^ "Carrie Underwood incites Christian backlash after Passion 2017 performance". ajc. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  26. ^ "Carrie Underwood Crashes Passion". CMT News. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  27. ^ "Carrie Underwood's Appearance at Passion 2017 Attacked". Taste of Country. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  28. ^ "American Family Association". Southern Poverty Law Center. Retrieved February 1, 2021.
  29. ^ "Passion 2019: God's heart is to be Father to anxious generation hurt by divorce, iPhones and suicide". The Christian Post. January 4, 2019. Retrieved March 10, 2020.
  30. ^ Parke, Caleb (January 4, 2019). "At Passion 2019, students raise $400G to translate Bible for deaf people across world". Fox News Channel. Retrieved January 4, 2019.
  31. ^ "Shine 'the Light of Jesus' in 2020: 65,000 at Passion Conference, Others Rally Global Prayer Relay". CBN. December 31, 2019. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  32. ^ V, JM (December 30, 2019). "Passion 2020: 65,000 to Ring in New Year at Mercedes-Benz Stadium". Missions Box. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  33. ^ Parke, Caleb (January 3, 2020). "At Passion 2020, college students raise over $1.2M for this cause". Fox News. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  34. ^ "Home". www.passion2024.com. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  35. ^ a b Young, Charles. "Passion Conferences: Helping Christian youths spread the gospel". WV News. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  36. ^ "Passion Conference: It's Danger and Lack of Passion for Truth". Proclaim & Defend. August 12, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  37. ^ "Gary Haugen at Passion 2013: You Can Be the Generation That Ends Slavery in the World". The Christian Post. January 3, 2013. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  38. ^ "More than 20,000 Gather in Worship at First Passion 2015 Conference". Christianity Daily. January 5, 2015. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  39. ^ "Matt Chandler: Passion 2015". Lighthouse Gospel Ministries. March 31, 2015. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  40. ^ "SBTS Prof Promoting Nefarious Charismatic Gathering? Say it Ain't So". Pulpit & Pen. January 3, 2016. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  41. ^ "After 20 years with Passion conferences, here's two things I've learned • Notes from the Trail". Notes from the Trail. January 7, 2017. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  42. ^ "Discography". sixstepsrecords. November 6, 2014. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  43. ^ "Door Holders". Passion 2015. Archived from the original on December 31, 2014. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
  44. ^ "US Conference – Passion City Church". passioncitychurch.com. Retrieved April 4, 2018.
  45. ^ "55,000 Pack Georgia Dome for Passion 2017, Sponsor Over 7,000 Children". The Christian Post. January 7, 2017. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  46. ^ "College kids feeling passion for conference". Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  47. ^ "Passion 2011 Brings in Record High $1.1 Million". The Christian Post. January 6, 2011.
  48. ^ "College kids vow to end slavery".
  49. ^ "Passion conference raises more than $3M for its campaign to end human trafficking". Cardinal & Cream. February 22, 2012. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  50. ^ "Passion 2013 Donates Over $3 Million to Fight Human Trafficking". The Christian Post. January 11, 2013.
  51. ^ "Passion Conference returns to Philips Arena". WXIA. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  52. ^ "Passion Conference | Crew One". www.crew1.com. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  53. ^ Hallels. "Passion Conference Has Raised $811,813.39 for Project Haraka". hallels.com. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  54. ^ Longs, Herb (January 6, 2016). "Passion 2016 Raises Over $800,000 To Build Hospital in Syria". TheChristianBeat.org. Retrieved February 25, 2016.
  55. ^ "Wow: Millennials 'Make History' at Passion Conference by Sponsoring 7,000 Kids Across the Globe". CBN News. January 8, 2017. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  56. ^ "Passion Students Sponsor Every Compassion Child in Four Countries". News & Reporting. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
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