It’s been a pretty crazy, but immensely beautiful, week in Passion world…starting with last Sunday night:

Walking with my friend CT to church.
Well, a different kind of church.
Sold out Soldier Field.
Eighty thousand strong.
The people of the world going to worship.
You, too?
Bono said it was church.
Anthems of a generation.
I saw grace and compassion, though.
And saw sun come up.
Crazy early flight.
Live Link bound.
ATL, GA.
Students joining.
Passion spreading.
Wave is growing.
120 students in room with us = happiness.
14,000 joining via web.
America + 43 other nations.
Technology shrinks globe.
One spiritual space.
One voice.
One hope.
Jesus.
Thousands of people.
Praying. Singing. Believing.
China and Connecticut.
Burkina Faso and Baltimore.
Malaysia and Mississippi.
Ukraine and Utah.
Ireland and Idaho.
Great Brittan and Georgia.
South Africa and South Dakota.
We missed Hannah, though.
And our tears joined hers.
Met Bozo.
Smile.
God smiles on Bozo.
We want to smile on Bozo, too.
I believe Bozo will sing His song.
Soon.
Link ends.
Access continues.
Our guests and friends.
College campus/church leaders.
In our space at Passion House.
We love college leaders!
LOVE THEM.
The are the front-line servants of the movement we seek to foster.
We hang out.
We were still.
Loud.
Honest.
United.
Encouraged.
Good bye leaders.
We are with you.
See you soon.
Night falls Tuesday.
First big 2010 registration deadline.
Watching computer screens.
Thousands pouring in.
Man, nights like this fire me up!
Not about numbers, though numbers very cool.
But seeing people’s names.
People.
You.
Wednesday night church.
Old school?
PCC.
Core team.
On our knees.
Hearing God’s Word.
Speaking faith.
Covering our weekend gathering.
Thursday calm?
No way.
Everything’s buzzing.
Crowder coming.
sixsteps crunching.
Talk preparing.
Readying Passion.
Friday brings more friends.
Amazing friends!
Volunteer Team Leaders for Passion 2010.
These people make it happen.
We = small staff team.
They = our horsepower.
Passion 2010 planning officially underway.
Vision first.
Then the details.
Many details.
Looking around room thinking-What a team!
We can do this.
Saturday goodbyes.
Sunday church.
Early load in.
Fantastic team.
Finally, this day has come.
Passion City Church gathered again.
Soggy day.
Solid night.
Cobb Energy Centre energetic.
Grace amplified.
Jesus celebrated.
People cared for.
Met new friends from Bhutan.
Bhutan is a country!
Refugees displaced from their home.
But welcomed here.
The Church should be the first to welcome refugees.
I was a refugee when Jesus welcomed me.
Worship rising.
Church happening.
Not a building.
Don’t have one.
But people.
His.
So, so good.
Great night.
Early flight.
Through clouds and rain.
Sunny Texas landing.
Celebrating with radio winners at Crowder’s for lunch.
Rudy’s anyone?
Tonight DCB plays new Church Music.
Sold out.
Word is a robot will join band and play drums.
Only Crowder.
Tomorrow, album arrives to world as we fly home.

Humbled. Depending. Covered by your prayers. Excited.

Monday night’s Passion 2010 Live Link was such a beautiful and powerful time as 14000 of us connected from 43 nations and over 5000 locations around the globe. Yet, among the thousands who were with us our hearts were breaking for one who was not.

If you joined the Link or have followed this Blog, you know about Hannah, an amazing recent college grad who messaged us a few days before the Link from west Africa where she is working to share the light of grace among the Bozo people.

Hannah put the whole Live Link in perspective, and we were determined to pray for her during the night, and for the Bozo, an unreached nomadic Muslim people group numbering in the hundreds of thousands.

As the Link approached, we reached out to Hannah (who is from the Atlanta area) to find out more about her and the work of which she was a part. Monday morning an email arrived from Mali that made us smile…

Hey, wow, never thought one little blog comment would lead to so many supporters and prayers for the Bozo! God continues to blow my mind when I am not even expecting it.

So about me, um, I like traveling, hiking, spontaneous road trips, shrimp and grits….ok ok I’m guessing this isn’t actually the information you were looking for, i kid i kid.

Actually, I graduated from the University of Georgia just over a year ago and headed to Mali to work with the Bozo in April. I’ll be here for 2 years working to translate a chronological Bible story set into Bozo Tigemaxo (one of the four Bozo dialects) and trekking up and down the Niger river to share this amazing story of Jesus in Bozo villages. Most days, having this responsibility of sharing with a Bozo man or woman the story of Christ for the very first time is so daunting and overwhelming. I question so much, wow, “who am I to get this privilege?” But I am also constantly reminded that God decided to make His name famous here and in every nation a long time ago and certainly has the power to make His name famous among the hardened hearts of the Bozo.

So about how I got here, I don’t even know where to begin. It has been a long journey that I was sure would break me before I ever actually got to Mali. I’ll fill you in on the condensed version. So many factors including BCM ministers at UGA, summer missions trips, Passion Conference ‘07, a car accident leading to the death of one of the best people I have ever known and my best friend Miley and lots of hospital time for me, and the unavoidable desire and calling I had to make Jesus known among people who had never heard are what got me here. After being surrounded by some of the most amazing people at UGA who were dedicated to sharing the gospel everyday among college students I knew I couldn’t just sit on the sidelines anymore soaking up the “wow factor” and energy I got from seeing these people at work. I started looking into mission opportunities around the world and God led me to Mali, west Africa and the Bozo. If you knew me better you would understand that working with a people group called the Bozo is so fitting!

Currently there are no known believers among the Bozo and they are considered one of the toughest people groups in west Africa to reach because of their nomadic lifestyles. I ask that prayers be lifted for the Bozo people, that they would turn away from their idols, from their empty religion and turn instead to the true Father and Creator of the universe.

Thanks so much and I can’t wait for LiveLink tonight, I really hope the internet will hold out so I can be a part of it.

hannah

Can you imagine being in the heart of Mali and suddenly God marshaling thousands of people on every continent to pray for you and the people you are giving your life to reach?

But, then Monday took a difficult turn as we learned (even before Hannah did) that her mom had suddenly died of a heart attack here in Atlanta that day.  Soon, that crushing news would reach Hannah in Mali.

Tears flowed.  Yet God’s sovereign grace shined through.

Suddenly, the Passion Live Link became so much more… and I knew we were on holy ground.  Not only because we were worshiping the Maker of all, but because the Creator of the Universe was using our little gathering to extend His arms to a daughter who’s heart was breaking.  2 Chronicles 16:9 came rushing in to frame the moment: For the eyes of the LORD move to and fro throughout the earth that He may show Himself to be strong on behalf of those whose heart is completely His.

As we prayed for Hannah during the Link, and for the beautiful Bozo of Mali, she was on a flight to Paris that would eventually lead her home.  And today, as I type this post, she is celebrating the life of her mom, Anitria, and laying her body to rest.

Hannah’s mom loved Jesus, served him well and gave her life to seeing children grow and understand just how amazing He is.  As I talked with Hannah this morning, I assured her many around the world were praying for her family and for the Bozo, for whom I trust in some way God will redeem her mother’s death until Jesus’ name is known and praised in their tongue.

We love you, Hannah,

Louie/Shelley and all in the Passion Movement

Just a few days now until the Passion 2010 Live Link and our tribe is growing! As of this post, 5595 people have RSVP’d, and we think there are tons more of you linking in who haven’t let us know yet.

We’re excited to have more people joining the Link every minute, but realize every number represents somebody…somebody with massive potential to make Jesus famous in this generation.

With that in mind, we couldn’t be happier about this comment left on the last Live Link Blog post:

Hannah Says:
September 8th, 2009 at 1:33 PM
Working with the Bozo people here in Mali, but I’ll be listening on the 14th.

That, my friends, puts the Live Link, and Passion 2010, in total perspective.

Mali, in case you don’t know, is a land-locked West African nation considered one of the world’s poorest. Among several unreached people groups there are the Bozo, predominantly Muslim people who live along the Niger River and number (with all Bozo dialects) in the hundreds of thousands.

In the midst of the Bozo tonight is a light shinning, the face of Christ with skin in the person of someone named Hannah, one life extending His heart in the darkness.

Right on to that.

We are so looking forward to seeing every single face that’s going to be on the other side of this screen next Monday night. And we can’t wait to all be united as we pray for you, Hannah, and others like you around the globe!

Shine on,
Louie

We’re Back!

Yes, it’s true. The church that starts and stops and waits and moves is back as Passion City Church opens it’s doors again on Sunday night September 20 at 6 PM! It’s been a long few months since we were last together in May and we are so ready to gather again and set our course for the months and years ahead. Read more…

We’re only seven days away from the Passion 2010 Live Link and students and leaders are joining from coast to coast.  At our last Link Blog post a week ago 2343 people from 292 locations were on board for Monday night, September 14 [8:30 PM EST].  As of tonight, there are 4349 of you from 526 sites joining with us!  Exciting!  But the big question is, how far can we go?  How many of us will be linked via the web next Monday night for an amazing night of worship and prayer as we believe God for great things this semester and turn our hearts toward Passion 2010?  We’d like to see our numbers make a massive jump during the next few days, so help us spread the word and establish a link location where you are.  We’re talking about:

Suite-mates at SCAD.
Roommates at Rutgers.
A condo at Clemson.
Someone in the computer lab at Covenant College.
A girl’s small group at Georgia.
A men’s group at MSU.
Just you at Jacksonville State.
A little group in Leeds. [UK]
A dorm at Duke.
A campus leader in Louisville.
A bunch at Baylor.
Students at Shorter.
People at Purdue. And Palm Beach Atlantic. And Penn State.
Friends in Florida, as in The University of Florida…
Or Florida State, or The University of Central Florida, or South Florida.
Linkers at Liberty.

You get the idea…

And you don’t have to be a university student to join in.  Just mark the date, visit the Passion 2010 site, RSVP and let us know where you’re joining from… and get ready for a great night together!

By the way, if I missed you in the list above, drop a quick comment and let us know where you’re linking from!

Seven days to go.  Lots of people need to know.

Louie

Monday. September 14. 8:30 PM. EST.

Summer’s gone, school’s on and we’re just four months away from Passion 2010 [January 2-5, 2010, Atlanta, GA].  But closer still, and just TWO WEEKS AWAY, the Passion 2010 Live Link will unite students on campuses all across the nation…and around the globe.

All you need to join us for this night of worship and prayer is a computer and an internet connection, so make plans to link with us Monday, September 14 at 8:30 PM EST. Louie Giglio, Chris Tomlin and Kristian Stanfill will be leading live from the Passion House in Atlanta, while students and leaders [you] participate with us via the web from dorms, apartments, condos, churches, classrooms and iPhones everywhere.

The Passion 2010 Live Link is NOT something you watch, but something you participate in as we think about the semester ahead and get set for Passion 2010.  So gather your suite-mates, roommates, flat-mates (come on UK friends!), campus ministry mates, college church group or just you and join the movement for His renown.

As of tonight, 2343 people in 292 locations have RSVP’d for the Live Link and we want to see those numbers grow in a massive way over the next two weeks.  Check out the details on the Passion 2010 site, RSVP and let us know where you’ll be joining us from and help us spread the word.  (Would be nice to see lots of Facebook profile pics change to the Passion 2010 Live Link logo over the next 14 days!)  See you Monday night, September 14th!

Louie

The latest from my friend (and neighbor!) Matt Redman is nothing less than what you would expect from the guy who has crafted a wave of new expressions for the Church around the globe, bringing his blend of theological depth and poetry to the forefront of worship music for over a decade.  His latest, We Shall Not Be Shaken, is instantly singable and profoundly relevant, with many of the album’s tracks birthed in the midst of the economic upheaval and uncertainty that has rattled the world.

I LOVE this record, and have not been able to get the CD out of  my player or the songs out of my head.  I’m especially glad  “You Alone Can Rescue,” a song that has been a huge part of Passion gatherings for the past year, is now available to all.  But every song on this CD has something powerful to say.  And, with a stellar creative team, led by producer Robert Marvin (Matt Kearney), it sounds amazing!

We Shall Not Be Shaken is available everywhere tomorrow, 08|25|09.  Don’t miss it.

Louie

PS- This is the third project from our small sixsteps label this year…coming soon, new music from The David Crowder*Band and a Christmas CD from Chris Tomlin.

In case you missed it, I have taken quite a large leap into the twittering world, replete with my sincere and heartfelt apology via press conference a few days ago. [Non-tweeters may view it here].

Without saying too much about the transition from “twitter hater” to “twitterer,” I would like to expand on the Tozer Tuesday Quotes, the first of which was successfully tweeted this AM from Atlanta, Ga, and has now reached fellow tweeters around the globe.

As you know, the beauty of twitter is that the communication is limited to 140 characters or less, a challenge for most people like me and certainly for Aiden Wilson Tozer.  I picked Tozer for Tuesday quotes because he has been a mentor to me during my whole walk with Christ, speaking with sharp and penetrating insight that cuts through the layers of stuff that so easily cloud the simple invitation to draw near to the Holy One in Spirit and truth.  Though he died in 1963, and never was a poster boy for expansive church growth, Tozer knew what it was like to hunger and thirst for the presence of God, and he could unpack that desire for people who wanted to know Him more.  His writings, many of which were compiled after his death, often seem more relevant for the current Church than the one to which he preached a generation ago…and for me they remain as timely as those of any modern writer I know.

This week, the 140 character quote is shortened from these lines:

God formed us for His pleasure, and so formed us that we as well as He can in divine communion enjoy the sweet and mysterious mingling of kindred personalities.  He meant us to see Him and live in Him and draw our life from His smile. (The Pursuit Of God)

Whether tweeted or typed, read or recited, no words strike closer to the core of who I am today…and who you are.  We are living souls created with one central purpose-interaction and intimacy with the God of all creation.

Lord, let those words sink deep into our hearts right now.  Forgive us for spending so lavishly on that for which we were not made. And let your divine invitation awaken in us our true sense of worth, and a desire to seek Your face with everything we have and are.

Louie

More Tozer next Tuesday on twitter…if we can squeeze it all in!