More than 65,000 people from around the world are expected to fill Mercedes Benz stadium in Atlanta next week – not to cheer on the Falcons football team but express their passion for God.
Passion 2020 will comprise students and leaders from more than 1,680 universities, all 50 states and 81 countries. This year marks a return to a single location, because past years have featured multiple venues and a mix of live and streamed performances and speakers. For the first time ever, Passion’s opening night, Dec. 31, will be broadcast live and worldwide on TBN.
Leading the way at the huge Atlanta event will be Passion founders Louie and Shelley Giglio, and Passion Band, joined by guests Christine Caine, Levi Lusko, John Piper, Ravi Zacharias, Tim Tebow and Sadie Robertson. Worship leaders and bands will include Crowder, Hillsong United, Lecrae, Kari Jobe and Cody Carnes, Elevation Music, Trip Lee, Andy Mineo, Social Club Misfits, Tedashii and Sean Curran.
Students will arrive to serve as well as worship. The END IT Movement was launched at Passion 2013 and to date has raised $8.3 million to fight modern-day slavery, assisting in awareness, prevention, rescue and restoration. Ending modern-day slavery is still a focus of Passion 2020; however, Passion also is calling students to give toward Share Light, a campaign to see the Bible translated into the 6,000 known languages during this generation’s lifetime.
Only one-third of the known languages currently have the Bible in their language, and Passion attendees can make an impact in realizing the goal of interpreting the scriptures for the remaining languages in this generation. A flame from Jerusalem is making its way to Mercedes-Benz Stadium for Passion as a symbol of the light of Christ going into the world.
“We’re not simply keepers of the light, but we are carriers of the light of Jesus to the world,” Louie Giglio said. “One of the practical ways that we can carry that light to the world is to participate in the goal of Scripture translation. We’re launching a bold initiative at Passion 2020 in this new decade to Share Light.”
–Alan Goforth | Metro Voice