It’s a gorgeous spring-like day in Waco and the Baylor campus, like most across the nation, has settled into a post-semester calm.  Mrs. Giglio is spending the day with the Crowder clan, working on a photo-shoot for their upcoming release, giving me the chance to get in a brief run on the trails that circle the campus.

A lot has changed in Waco since we sensed the urge to take our first big “backwards step” together–namely, forsaking the normal post-graduate school path of ministry to hang out and give birth to a fledgling little collegiate Bible study at the world’s largest Baptist university–and the face of the campus has undergone a radical transformation.  But one thing is very much the same as it was in the fall of 1985 (quietly lift your hand if you were not born at this time)…the place it all began.

If you wanna see it, click here and check out the street view image.  It’s the Arbors Apartments Clubhouse on Cottonwood Street, and it looks as it did that night the seven of us who had been praying about launching a spiritual movement on this campus opened the doors for whoever wanted to come.

About 40 friends showed up, the lyrics to a few choruses (I Love You Lord was one) had been typed out and photocopied at Kinkos to provide song sheets for everyone, Shelley and a sophomore named Kay helped lead the worship (with no instruments), the talk was from Ephesians 5:1 and a journey was begun that has carried us to this day.  We didn’t have a name at first, nor staff, money or strategy.  Just a desire to see this place come to life for His name.

That, my friends, is pretty crazy.  And amazing.  Wow.

Well, that’s it.  I think that’s all the nostalgia for one day.  No big conclusion.  Just, wow.

LG

It’s hard to believe, but today is the “day it all began” one year ago as we stood on the brink of the Passion World Tour, a journey many of you reading this had given for, prayed over and taken ownership for somewhere deep down in your heart.

May 16 was a Friday and our team had arrived in Kyiv, Ukraine, a few days before.  Interestingly, we were anxious about the fact that all our resources were being held by Ukrainian customs (they were never released and ended up being returned to ATL, our only international incident of the whole tour) and a few instruments had missed connections and were yet to arrive.  But the overall mood was clearly “what are we in for?” as we stepped into a future we were confident was set in motion by His calling, yet at this point it was a future we didn’t know how would unfold.

Around 6PM everything at the venue was set and our team huddled backstage with our Ukrainian partners for prayer and worship.  I liked the vibe in the room.  Humble, yet faithful.  Vocal.  Loud.  Centered on the One we had come to make famous.

But inside I was adjusting.  As we were walking toward the prayer time I was told that there were about 200 people in the Sports Palace…not too bad given we were an hour away from the start.  But the news went on that no one was outside in the huge plaza and there were no people in site at the doors to the aging Stalin-era building.

“That’s OK,” I kept telling myself as we prayed.  “We are here.  God is here.  It’s a first step.  We will go for it.”   I was acutely aware of the whole movement that was behind us…people from around the world leaning in with us in hopes of something supernatural for Kyiv and the following sixteen cities in our path.

At this point someone will most likely interject that “crowds don’t matter,” or that I should have had more faith.  But this was the moment we had been giving our all to for  almost two years and I was fighting between flesh and spirit, asking God for a miracle, for people, for a city, yet all the while trying to readjust the inner barometer to factor in a more intimate night than we had hoped for.

What happened next is history now, but a moment etched into my memory forever.  As we walked through the hallways toward the auditorium, eventually entering onto the back of the stage, I got my first glimpse at the thousands of young people who were filling the place.  Soon I was through a doorway and into the arena and all I could see were clumps of 5-12 people coming rapidly through every portal.  Within minutes, the opening video flashed “PRYVIT KYIV” on the screen and over 4000 people went absolutely nuts.  [It could have read Privet Kyiv, as I can't remember in this instant if the text was in Russian or Ukrainian.]

While it’s true Ukrainians are a bit reserved, and smiles are rare when passing strangers in the city, there was nothing reserved about the desire these young people had to shout out the name of Jesus over their city and nation.  As I stood in the middle of them, tears welled up in my eyes and, like the rest of our team, I knew we were in the place God had for prepared us…a barren barn of a sports arena, now holy ground.

A year later it’s not uncommon for our team to be asked what our favorite city was on the World Tour.  Though a totally unfair question (there are no favorites, right?!), I always say that I loved them all in their own special way but that I will never forget Kyiv.  For one, it was the first, a moment never to be repeated again and one from which we drew strength in the hours before we began in every city that followed.  And for me, it was a miracle.  I am sure there is a human explanation for what happened (there is a subway stop right below the Sports Palace and all 4000 must have come on the same train!), but the instantaneous multiplication of people is still a mystery to me, something I will never forget.  More importantly, the WT was on, and there was no stopping it now!

Would the night have been just as cool with 210 people?  Maybe.  We will never know.  But it was powerful and life-changing for us all (and the multiple Eastern-European nations represented) and a night that sparks us to pray for Kyiv today on the anniversary of what God did there.

In the days since our visit the global economic downturn and growing Russian instability/hostility in the region has created a much different landscape in Kyiv.  Jobs are hard to find and people are pressed hard.  But there is a living, breathing Church rising up there with a passion to make Jesus famous in Ukraine and the entire former Soviet bloc.  Let’s pray with them today, and pray again over seeds planted months ago to the glory of His name.

Louie

When we launched the onemillioncan.com mission just over eight months ago, we had a dream that all of us doing something together could accomplish something massive in the world for God. So we asked the question, “What can a million bucks do to touch the lives of the last and least of these around the globe?” The answer for us was to partner with friends and organizations we know and trust to fund seven causes ranging from clean water for African villages to life-altering surgeries for children in developing countries.

Looking back, the recent economic climate was probably not the best scenario in which to launch a one million dollar cause, but thankfully, in the Kingdom of God things are often upside down and we are more than thrilled to announce that as of today, two of our seven causes are fully funded!

A portion of the offering at Passion City Church last night went to build the two remaining wells of the sixty-six we desired to fund. And last week, largely with the help of Chris T. and the Hello Love Tour, we were able to surpass our $150,000 goal and all of that money is now in the hands of Watoto to construct five homes for 40 former child soldiers in the northern Ugandan city of Gulu.

Right on!

So now when you visit the onemillioncan.com site you will see “Fully Funded” over the icons representing these causes, as well as five additional needs that we would love for you to help us meet. You can join us by giving often (even small amounts add up!) or taking a more creative swing as one couple has just informed us they are doing by having people at their wedding give to OMC in lieu of a gift registry. Wow. While there’s certainly nothing wrong with getting a Cuisinart product for the kitchen or a Target gift card, there’s something cool about knowing your union is speeding the love of God to those around the world with the greatest needs.

So once again, thank you to everyone who has joined us on this journey and contributed big and small gifts to get us past the $700,000 mark so quickly. Once this million is complete, we will launch a new round of causes and start on million number 3. How cool is that?

Thank you God for allowing us to be a part of what you are doing throughout the nations. We are thrilled.

Louie

PS- Just so you’ll know, there are ZERO administrative costs with onemillioncan. We at Passion cover all credit card processing fees and admin fees so that every penny given can be funneled onward to our partner organizations!

Anyone who has buried a family member or close friend knows that one of the hardest days of all is the day the rest of the world moves on. Initial news of the events surrounding your loved one’s death open a torrent of response and your home usually quickly fills with friends, family, food and care. Though no one really knows exactly what to say in these moments, and for the most part shock hasn’t yet given way to the reality of it all, we find great comfort and support in the faces of those we love.

Soon, the funeral home is filled with people we know and some we don’t, people come from near and far, a service is held and a long procession winds to that place where our bodies finally rest. In the whirlwind the wishes are well, the hugs numerous and the cards, calls and notes steadily come. Yet, in time, people return to the pace of their days. Soon, it dawns on us that our hearts are still breaking while those around us merge back onto the freeways that are their day to day lives. Faster than we would hope, everything around us shifts back to normal while we are just beginning to feel the weight of our pain and the finality of our loss.

I say this not to blame the world, for people cannot bear every burden of every person for the long haul. Rather, to just affirm for those of you who have been left standing there that you are not alone.

In a small way, that is why we have dedicated these days to the memory of Ashley Akins, championing her story as if to say, “We have not simply moved on.” We have not forgotten her, nor have we moved so far past the pain that we have ceased to bear the burden of those she loved. Though her story has swept the globe, bringing good Ashley could have never imagined, the truth is her family would give it all back to have her in their arms again.

To Jeremy and Christa, thank you for allowing us to barge into your world and tell your story. We all can identify with you as none of us are where we want to be in that process of embracing those who are different from us or who may be totally against the things we hold so dearly. I know you are more than characters in a story, you are friends who grieve and a couple who has walked through your own pain and loss in recent months. We love you and are so thankful for your lives.

To Ashley’s friends (initials and names in her story, the closest of friends and those she deeply loved), thank you for allowing us to share your friendship with Ashley. I know it must feel weird for the whole world to become aware of your friend and to call her theirs. But we all know we never knew her on the level you did, nor did we ever share the intimacy of life and laughter you had. Your Ashley has become quite famous in her own right, but I think you all saw the depth of passion and truth in her love for Jesus and know she would love to be a part of the whole world hearing about Him. But, one of the things I love about her most is she never walked away from you and never thought her new-found faith should be a barrier between her and those she loved. Instead, she always loved you, sought to be with you and openly shared with you about the One who had changed her heart. We all love you too (I know that sounds weird), simply because she did. We are thinking about you as you carry her loss and wish the very best for you in the days ahead.

And to Ashley’s family. You know how I feel about you. You have been embraced by the world, loved from near and far, prayed for every moment of the day from somewhere on earth and surrounded by people who are so grateful for your generosity. We cannot fully fathom the brokenness of your hearts, but we are holding you in ours… and we are not moving on without you.

Louie