Please Pray For Taylor University

This message was posted today by a student at Taylor University in Indiana.

Louie, I'm a student at Taylor University. Late Wednesday night, we lost four students and one faculty member. If the Passion house and the universities could please keep us in prayer in the midst of this tragedy, we would appreciate it. God Bless, Sarah

News of the accident can be found here.

Sarah, and all at Taylor, and especially the families of those who have suffered great loss, our hearts and prayers surround you, thanking God that even in the midst of the valley of the shadow of death His grace is enough. May the God who brings life from death comfort you all with His enduring presence and grace.

We are with you....
Louie

Everything Glorious Winners

Huge congrats to the winners of our little Everything Glorious CD contest that wrapped up on April 18.

The big winner was Sid B. of Marietta, GA, with a whopping 110 CDs purchased. Sid gets four tickets to Passion 07 and a room at the Omni Hotel for three nights! Right on.

Also from Atlanta, Kristin F. picks up second place with 75 CDs and gets four tickets to see DC*B when they are back in Atlanta this fall.

The botom line is everyone had fun and more people are getting to hear the music. Especially friends of Sid and Kristen!

The Survivors

Though few, there are some surviving wristbands out there. Looks and sounds like the Purple band's got something going on...a little extra something or another. But Maroon, Black and Silver are not to be denied! It's great hearing back from you guys. We are working on a little something special for the person who makes it the longest without assistance from duct tape, etc...and who is not doing the slip it on-slip it off routine.

3500 wristbands are already spoken for for 07...pretty amazing given we are over seven months away. Praying now for you and for each one of them.

Calling All Wristbands

Amazingly, this wristband has survived since Passion06!
If my math is right, that's 107 days onboard this collegiate arm...and still in such good condition.

Sure, many questions arise:
Does this student ever venture outdoors?
Toss and turn in the night?
Shower?
Perspire?
Get itchy?
Participate in recreational activities?

Is there special care for bands that last this long?
Does the band have a name?
Are clothing options assembled accordingly?
Do people still ask?
What's the strangest comment received?
Is there a psychological attachment?
How many more intact wristbands are out there?
Any?

Obviously, we are all carrying far more than vinyl 107 days after Passion06, but if you're still sporting yours let us know.
Post a Blog below or send a pic to info@268generation.com.

How many are out there? 10, 20, 100?

It's Still Easter

In Jewish culture, sundown marks the beginning of a new day. So, technically, Easter has just come to a close in Atlanta as darkness falls. Technically, it's now the forth day and Easter has passed.

But, thankfully, what happened at the garden tomb cannot be contained.
And though it's the forth day, it's still Easter in our hearts.

Stunning news.
Christ came out of the tomb to live forever.
That day.
This day.
And every day until eternity.
And forever.

So.
Today He is alive.
Today is Easter.
And today we who believe are alive in Him.

He will never again die.
Nor will we.
Easter lives on.
Today.
And tomorrow.

The message is just as powerful on day four as day three.
Fear not.
Jesus is alive.
In you.

Nails Not Necessary

Jesus affirmed...

"I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep. The hired hand is not the shepherd who owns the sheep. So when he sees the wolf coming, he abandons the sheep and runs away. Then the wolf attacks the flock and scatters it. The man runs away because he is a hired hand and cares nothing for the sheep.

I am the good shepherd; I know my sheep and my sheep know me— just as the Father knows me and I know the Father—and I lay down my life for the sheep. I have other sheep that are not of this sheep pen. I must bring them also. They too will listen to my voice, and there shall be one flock and one shepherd. The reason my Father loves me is that I lay down my life—only to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of my own accord. I have authority to lay it down and authority to take it up again. This command I received from my Father."
John 10:11-18

The nails were real.

Crucifying.
Rusted.
Penetrating.
Roman.
Hard.
Metal.
Used.
Filthy.
Bloodstained.
Driven.
Piercing.
Germ-infested.
Flesh-tearing.
Fastening.
Holding.
Searing.
Wounding.
Nails.

But something greater held Jesus to the cross.
Until he could not gasp for one more breath.
And the struggle thankfully ended.
He had done it.
Become sin.
Crushed under judgement.
Price paid.
Given all.
Finished.
Now dead.
And rushed before sundown into a nearby tomb.

No one on earth was calling this good.

Yet.....

Midnight Passion

Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. The man who loves his life will lose it, while the man who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. “Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!” John 12:23-28a.

Passion has little to do with zeal.
Or Enthusiasm.
Or Emotion.

Passion is not about feeling good.
Or enjoying life as if this life is all there is.
Passion is about determination.
And focus.
And pain.

Passion is about longing for something, believing in something, so much that you will do anything to get it.

Though the actual word is not in scripture, the closest we come is the concept of suffering.
Specifically, the suffering of Jesus Christ on the cross.
Thus, all over the world, this week is know as Passion Week.

It's not a week about a conference.
A collegiate movement.
A CD.
Or a gathering.

It's the week in which the Son of Man did the unthinkable.
Jesus wore the sinner's crown.
And He suffered and died alone.

In the earliest days of our journey, when most of you reading this were only a dream in our hearts, this definition of Passion guided our movement. Passion: the degree of difficulty we are willing to endure to accomplish the goal.

For us, this says it all.
And informs our story.
What Christ has done is unique in time and history.
His surrender gained for us eternal freedom.
His goal was to glorify God by showing Him to be the God of justice and mercy, the One who could be both just in regard to our rebellion and the justifier of those who put their trust in Him.

But the price would be steep.
Beyond compare.
Jesus had already voiced willing participation.
A babe had been born.
33 years of footsteps now led to this Passover meal.
To this upper room.
To this moment.

He looked them all squarely in the eyes.
This time, He declared as crumbs fell, I am the bread broken for you. The cup from now on, He affirmed, is my blood shed for your sins.

The time had come.
Nothing would deter Jesus now.

No disciple's desertion.
No weary flesh.
No soldiers commotion.
No false arrest.
No late night rail road in the court of the High Priest.
No lonely dungeon.
No dark night of the soul.

The goal of glorifying His Father was fixed in His gaze.
And a lonely journey had begun.
The mission would be accomplished.

A day we now call good seemed anything but that in the midnight hour.
A night of waiting none can fathom.

To be continued...

iTunes Finally Good To Go

Thankfully, it appears that Everything Glorious is now working fully at iTunes. "Awesome is the Lord Most High" is now available without glitches. Finally! We're not exactly sure how the refund/resend process will work, but have been assured that a clean version will be resent to everyone who has purchased the CD. Hopefully, now that the clean track is online we will hear an update from them about this process soon.

On that note, we met the key iTunes people at a Dove afterparty last week. It was great to actually see the people who run the Inspo page and iTunes as a whole. They were equally excited to put faces with the Passion Movement, and to find out who the guy is who is doing all the talking on the bundles.

So, if you've wondered, you have made an impact on their team in Apple-land....they know about Passion and wanted to hear more about who you are.

For those of you who have waited to download Everything Glorious or gift it to a friend, happy listening/giving. And thank you so much for your patience and influence.

Close Call Follows Great Week

Late Friday night storms raged through the southeast again, and around 5 AM a violent thunderstorm spawned a few small twisters in the Atlanta suburbs. From the looks of things, one took dead aim at the Passion House. But God was kind to spare us significant damage. Our phone lines were ripped from the house, so phone and internet service will be interrupted for a bit, but we will be back at it Monday. Given more substantial damage here and in surrounding states we were quite fortunate. But the timing was interesting. A few days after Passion 05 we had a fire at the house and now after the huge GMA week and the relase of Everything Glorious we have this.

Thankfully, Passion still has a home!

Favor

Well, what can we say? We got up at 4AM Tuesday and went to bed at 4AM Thursday. Lot's of 4 AM here, but this time we went to sleep in a daze from the Dove/GMA Awards. More to come, but thank you for your prayers and encouragement. Between us we received 10 Doves last night (Chris 5, DCB 3, Matt 1, Louie 1), and though Passion: How Great Is Our God was steamrolled by the powerhouse Narnia in the Special Event Album category, you were represented throughout the night and a part of it all.

Beauty was seeing the gifts and energy of our team/family recognized AND seeing our guys shine that light right back on Jesus. Chris, receiving the Artist of the Year Award at the end of the night opened his Bible and read Psalm 96:1-4 before sitting down at the piano and leading us all in How Great Is Our God. That he walked off as we sang How great Thou Art (like every tour night) and left all eyes on Jesus was a fitting sixsteps ending.

All glory to you Jesus!

Tired. Happy. Humbled.

Louie

http://www.gmamusicawards.com/categories/

Long And Glorious Day

The alarm went off at 4 this morning...

We're at GMA and have had a great/full and long week. Thanks for your prayers Sunday night. It was a huge honor to lead about 2000 people in worship as the week began, pushing Jesus to the front and center and reminding us all that there is just one person that this stuff is all about. We did our best to honor Him and focus our attention on the only one worthy. The hours before and since have been filled with interviews, meetings, video tapings, catching up with friends, getting awards and, this morning, the non-stop round of morning radio shows. The guys are veterans at this, but I was along with Chris talking about the Everything Glorious release and 4 AM is not my favorite time of the day.

Between 5 and 9:30 I think we were on live with about 10 stations, and then we capped it off with me, DC and Chris on with our friends Rick and Bubba by phone.

Lot's of questions for me about Passion...So Louie, we've all heard the music and know these amazing worship leaders, but what is Passion??? Can you tell us what it's all about. I wanted to say, "How long will you be on the air today?" But managed in a minute to cast vision for a generation going after the fame of God...lives turned around to see that we are here for Him and our lives matter most when they matter for what matters most!

It was so cool to be in the Renaissance Hotel (where all these stations broadcast live during the week) and across the street from the Gaylord, remembering our days here and telling the nation about His glory. And as a bonus, most talked about the CD and K-Love and KTIS in MSP played tracks for their listeners this morning, too. Very kind.

All that to say, it's 9:30 PM and the day is still rolling. DC is at the Grand Ole Opry doing a sound check for his song at the Doves tomorrow night and we are yet to wind down after a really full day. But there is much favor on this humble movement of ours and people are noticing the ripples of your lives, this mighty army running after God.

Passion is not about GMA, but nonetheless, we are here in the midst of it, wanting to be true to who we are and who He is. On many occasions we have had the chance to say in front of lots of people, "It's all about one name-Jesus Christ." And we're not the only ones feeling that way. The place is filled with lovers of Jesus in all shapes and flavors. Yesterday, we were recognized with the GMA Impact Award, an acknowledgement of the way God has used Passion and sixsteps in the past few years to touch Christian music and the world. Crazy. Humbling. God. Thank you.

Tomorrow brings more stuff and then the Doves, where sixsteps/Passion hold about 18 nominations. Whatever is given, we will gratefully receive. Either way, our mission is clear.

Shelley mentioned Isaiah 26:12 (not 8!) in accepting the Impact Award yesterday, where it reads in part..."All we have accomplished, You have done for us."

Jesus, today You are glorious still!
LG

FIIIIIINAAAAALLLLLLLLYYYYY!!

Well, well, well. Today has finally come and Passion: Everything Glorious is on store shelves all across this fine nation. As we have heard, a few lucky campers got yours a bit early in the mail! But today's the day everyone can listen together--north, south, east and west--so let's turn it up and let the songs echo across the land!

I read a really great review today that really seem to grasp the heartbeat of what Passion and this CD are all about. The production is amazing, but not over-cooked, making the music great while holding onto the vibe we shared together in the GEC.

We'd love to hear your thoughts and any cool EG stories that are out there. And while we're here, can I just say thanks to a few people you might never meet, but who were priceless in the journey of bring this CD to you:

Producer, friend and musical genius-Nathan Nockels.
The CD was recorded and mixed by Shane Wilson.
Mark T. mixed the live sound at Passio06 and was joined by an amazing tech crew.
Brad O'Donnell helped shape the project on the EMI side.
Gary Dorsey is responsible for the cool pink and brown Passion06 logo, look and feel.
Shelley was the rock beneath it all and connected all the dots.
Every musician/vocalist who brought their artistry and passion to the table.

I know Chris, David, Charlie, Matt, Christy and Kristian will get much of the thanks...which they so deserve. But Everything Glorious was a family event, and many, many people made it happen. Thank you everyone, and thank you Jesus. You became nothing so that we could become glorious. There are not enough songs, moments, days, anthems to do you justice.

Turn it up!
Louie


PS-4/4 Update at 2:19 CST
Well, once again our friends at iTunes have left us wanting. It's not that we haven't given them lots of love during the past few months.....but we can't quite seem to launch without a flaw. A) the track listing is not there. You can find it at 268Store.com. itunes has added a 2 minutes glimpse video from 06 that we produced as a bonus.....it's amazing frames of the gathering for those of you who have been looking at pictures in your mind and would love to see some moving images again. B) the first track (Awesome Is The Lord Most High) skips. Bummer. Strong opening, huh? We are talking to our people, but things, as we have learned, move slowly at iTunes so I'm not sure when a fix will happen. I just downloaded and had the same problem. Go to http://www.apple.com/support/itunes/musicstore/songs/ and fill out the form there. It's a bit of a pain, but let's let them know en mass what's up and see f they can speed along a solution. We apologize to all who have anxiously waited. Buy now. Enjoy the other 12 1/2 tracks and a refund and clean version will be on the way to you soon.

Everything Glorious Has A Face

More than a cool title, everything glorious is what God makes.

So, I mentioned that the communion/worship reflection was pretty potent at Thirsty Thursday night, right? Well, I was meeting and saying goodbye to our new Japanese friends Friday (10 of them came with a group from Tokyo Baptist Church--five leaders and five students) and the leader of the group introduced me to Natsuki. She'e the one on my left in the pic/on my right as you are looking at it. Turns out she put her trust in Christ and became a Christian right in the middle of the communion service Thursday night! The beaming brightness on her face said it all.

I'm not thinking a huge wave of college students in Tokyo are comming into the Kingdom every day, so that one did all the way over here at Thirsty is so exciting.

We love you Natsuki! And pray for all of you as you spread His fame in Japan.

God, it's true. You make everything glorious!

Louie

PS- we have arrived in N'ville. Such a special place for so many of us now. We kick off by leading the GMA Sunday night worship service tonight in the Ryman. Pray for us... all we want is to make it all about Jesus.