TCASC College Students Embrace Passion 2012
By Jamie Beam
On January 2-5 2012, Ecclesia College Ministry took around 25 students to Passion2012 in Atlanta. If you are not aware, Passion is an annual gathering of thousands of 18-25 year olds. According to the official Passion website, “Passion exists to glorify God--uniting students in worship and prayer for spiritual awakening in this generation.” The large group is known as the 268 generation, which derives from Isaiah 26:8: “Yes Lord, walking in the way of Your truth we wait eagerly for You, for Your name and renown are the desire of our souls.”
The section of the Georgia dome designated for this conference was filled to the brim with young hearts yearning to meet with the living God. While there, the students attended one main session Monday night, three on Tuesday and Wednesday, and one on Thursday before leaving. Community groups were a brief time in the morning and at night where the 45,000 divided into groups and discussed everything they had been learning. During the main sessions, there was worship in music and hearing God’s Word taught. There was a focus on truly loving and breathing in the Bible, so one of these eight sessions was spent simply reading the book of Ephesians.
A huge part of worship at Passion is called “Do Something Now.” It is simply people wanting to glorify God by serving and caring for the least of these, those who have no voice, which God has called us to do. This year, God opened many, many eyes up to the slavery going on right now, not only in over parts of the world, but in Atlanta. They learned the disturbing fact that right now there are 27 million people in slavery… more than ever before in human history. It’s disturbing because this is not another number, it is 27 million actual people who were made in the image of God and do not know freedom. Each of them with a personal story yet to be heard.
An enormous monument shaped like a hand was constructed outside of the dome, made of things slaves typically make such as toys, jeans, and shoes, along with prayers written by students on white flags. Everyone there gathered around the structure at midnight with candles held high, to pray for the enslaved. If anyone, Jesus’s church should be the ones standing up for these. Louie Giglio spoke at the last session of how the rescued are now called to be the rescuers. God used the specific group of people He ordained to be there, and together they gave over $3 million to help rescue missions, training, and restoration through several organizations. Students of Ecclesia are now making plans to spread awareness about human labor and trafficking among the University of Montevallo’s campus.
