World Tour Rewind!
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
May 16th, 2009 at 5:46 PM
I remember being so excited to see the world tour start last year. I was able to attend Passion Dallas and Passion Atlanta and was greatly blessed to be able to give torwards the cause. I had never felt such a strong heart connection with an event or place as I did with the world tour dates because I had put money torwards it, was in regular prayer for it, and eagerly watching the blog/podcast for updates. I can’t wait for the big picture book and to hopefully meet some of those who attended around the world this January in Atlanta. Jesus is the God of those Cites, He’s the King of All People, the Lord of All Nations, Yes, He is….greater things remain for all the world…
Zach
May 16th, 2009 at 8:12 PM
We were with you praying and investing in this God-sized adventure. Wow! But, really, why would we expect anything less from a God this Awesome? We praise our God with you!
All I can say is…GO Jesus!
paul pettefer
May 16th, 2009 at 8:48 PM
I listened to the podcast from Kyiv/Stockholm today as I was driving to serve some people, and when Chris started singing “God of this City” in Russian (I think, it might have been Ukrainian), I got the same exact chills I got when I heard it for the first time. God is amazing
May 16th, 2009 at 9:24 PM
WoW! (can’t forget the “Wow”!)
That’s so crazy – it’s already been a year since Kyiv! Whoa!
Thanks Louie, for posting this blog – it’s always enjoyable to look back and remember what God did on the WT (and what Amazing things He did!)!!!
I’ll be praying for Kyiv and the other cities!
Love and Prayers
Karahly
May 16th, 2009 at 11:48 PM
Much love & prayers :
Melissa francis ( Malaysia )
May 17th, 2009 at 1:39 AM
Hi, I think this is excellent, but what I’m truly wondering is how do I contact Louie, or anybody associated to him with my story – via e-mail?
I want to let him know, how he and God, changed the worst in my life….
My prayers with evryone,
Gen.
May 17th, 2009 at 12:10 PM
Hey Louie, I remember sitting in the international students get together at passion 07. We came from Ireland and wanted our Christian friends back home to experience Passion!! Then when you mentioned the WT and the huge funding it required, it seemed like a far off dream. But it happened and it was awsome.
May God Bless the Passion Team and keep His hand apon you for the future.
The Irish crew
May 17th, 2009 at 1:18 PM
Praying for all of you brothers and sisters in Kiev! Take heart and be encouraged, because greater things are (still) yet to come! We love you!
May 17th, 2009 at 3:25 PM
Thanks for writing about this anniversary. I’ve been thinking of it this weekend myself. I was there at the Sports Palace a year ago- a volunteer trekking through Eastern Europe seeking to clarify what I thought was God’s call to this part of the world. Today, I am nearing the end of my first semester of Russian Language study in Kyiv! I love it. Being here gives me life. God is at work here, no doubt. Keep praying.
May 17th, 2009 at 6:33 PM
wow… it doesn’t seem like it was a year ago… time is speeding by…
May 18th, 2009 at 12:15 AM
i always hear that even if we are the only human on earth…God will still come and redeem us..
thus, if there are only 210 ppl there.. I know that it will still be an unforgettable tour..because you and your team are called to minister to the 210 lives
Gosh..seriously it has been one year…
Passion team has a lot of “anniversaries” to celebrate ever since WT !
I’m missing Passion WT,
Celine – KL – Malaysia
May 18th, 2009 at 8:42 AM
Praying for Stockholm!
May 19th, 2009 at 9:27 PM
One year? Wow… Is almost hard to believe. Seems like yesterday I was counting the days so I could see the Passion team in Sao Paulo! Unforgettable!! Days like that is hard, really hard, to forget! Greater things have yet to come!!
June 9th, 2009 at 2:26 PM
Hello! I beforehand apologize for possible grammatical error , because I badly know english.
Thanks you very much for this ministry. It is very enormous blessing for us! We never shall forget this time.
However, i want asked one question (it is important for me): why was forbidden to take pictures [photograph]? I do not know for sure, as it is accepted it beside in USA, but there is no point in Ukraine to fix such a prohibition. This is a prohibition has very much distressed me, because I wanted make video recording for memory, but it was not allowed for me. And, apropos, large part of people all the same has broken this prohibition. Necessary somehow to solve this problem. Please send me answer. Beforehand thank you!
We wait next your visit, arrive [come] to the Kharkov!
June 10th, 2009 at 6:54 AM
*lifts her eyes in wonder*
Lord thank You for this entire team that’s just so sold out for you and just ALL OUT and untiring in declaring Your name to the world. Thank You for their work that – BY YOUR GRACE – has never failed to touch lives, the world over, even years later.
Thanks Louie & team, we are inspired to keep going for our Lord.
July 9th, 2009 at 1:33 AM
Hi Pastor Louie
Greetings!
It’s almost a year since Passion Manila and the truth is I still got a hold of the fever back then. It’s like a wildfire in our church and into the campus ministry. Thanks. More power to the movement.
GOD BLESS.
For His Renown(love this),
harry
July 14th, 2009 at 11:43 PM
Wow. Still in awe. I have been waiting to hear news about awakeningthebook, but can’t seem to find any anywhere. When can we expect to see it on the shelves? I am so excited to see all of Jeremy’s pictures from the tour.