Bonsoir de Paris

Hello from glittering Paris, a city which is finally growing quiet outside my window as the wee hours of the morning approach. Judging by the pic you'd think we just held an amazing Passion gathering here tonight, right? But not so. Today was just a small step in preparing the way for the Passion World Tour to hopefully land in the City of Lights next summer.

Our Paris Team has been here for several days, making connections and scouting out possible venues. But I just came in last night after a few days of speaking to national ministry leaders from around the world at a gathering on the coast of Spain. Today in Paris we hosted a lunch meeting in a "viby" little art gallery that attracted over thirty ministry leaders from across the city and nation. Our team shared the heartbeat of the Passion Movement and cast vision for what could happen in this place as students come together from multiple streams within the church to amplify the name of Jesus over Paris.

For all of its beauty, Paris is a place where the church is slowly making headway and spiritual darkness seems to shroud the city. Yet, what we saw in our meeting today was just a tiny representation of those who are alive with passion to see Jesus' fame echo in the streets, so there is no doubting God is at work. But in reality, anyone in Paris will tell you the obstacles are daunting and a university-focused gathering like this one has not been attempted for the city. But today many grasped the vision as it resonates with the one they've been carrying in their hearts, and together we want to see God do what we know in and of ourselves we cannot make happen.

This afternoon I was totally floored by the enclosed picture, a small section of a huge photographic mural hanging in the offices of one of Paris' hottest venues. The image is just a random concert crowd, not worshipers of Jesus. But as we stepped into the office lobby I was arrested by the sight of these French young people and thought, what if? What if this was a picture of what is to come, a generation of university students alive to His wonder and engaged for His fame? What if what has never been done before can become a reality? What if a venue was packed for His name and the ripples never ended?

While we still have a few logistical hurdles to overcome before the Paris date is firm, Lord-willing we will humbly come and build up the beautiful church He is building here. What could be better than light in the city that bears its name?