Saturday, January 9th, 2010

Do something now

IMG_0138A few days ago, Talitha and I were at Passion 2010 in Atlanta, among more than 21,000 enthusiastic university-aged people. Johnny has spoken there most years since the movement began, but this was the first time I had attended.

I knew Passion is a rich mixture of worship and missions. What I didn’t expect was how “now” the missions emphasis is–not just looking toward the future, but the challenge to do something now.

Here’s the report of the results, posted at the Passion blog by Louie Giglio–phenomenal. The goal of $500,000 for their partner ministries was more than doubled.

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The heartbeat of the Passion Movement is not simply about filling arenas, but a generation mobilized to carry the message of God’s fame to the unreached, oppressed and forgotten wherever they are on the planet.

To that end, one of the five statements of the 268 Declaration is:

Willingness To Shine The Gospel To All People—
Because God is seeking worshipers of all peoples, I will spread His fame among the nations, fully participating in His global purposes while engaging poverty and injustice in Jesus’ name.
[God, kindle in me the desire to go anywhere, at anytime, at any cost, to do anything to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.]

While the worship at Passion is vital, it is not an end in itself.  Rather, our songs and anthems are fuel for our journey to the nations. Thus, Do Something Now is front and center in all we do, a major component of every gathering.

At Passion 2010 we introduced 12 partner organizations with causes totaling $500,000. Our goal was not pledges for the future, but giving on site together in four days. In the end (and this number will continue to grow), the total passed on to our 12 partners includes:

Building an education center for the Dalit people of India through Operation Mobilization.  Goal–$75,000. Given–$92,753.91.

Small business loans for women in Haiti through Hope International.  Goal–200 x $200 loans. Given–$64,412.34 for 322 loans.

Bible translation for Shatika and Rom People of SE Asia with OneVerse.  Goal–translate 4000 verses at a cost of $100,000. Given–3134 verses/$78.359.

Sponsor 100 seminary students in the Middle East with E3 Partners.  Goal–$30,000. Given–$45,318/151 students.

Build 10 wells in Guatemala with Living Water.  Goal–$50,000. Given–$113.865/22 wells built.

Provide 100 cleft palate surgeries for children in Afghanistan with Cure International.  Goal–$55,000. Given–$68,160.54/111 children get surgeries.

Package and send Bibles to unreached people in Asia through Bibles Unbound.  Goal–3000 Bibles packaged and $3000 to cover cost. Given/Done–3000 Bibles packaged/$9,530.56 given to send more.

Build a border outpost in Nepal to intercept sex trafficking victims through Not For Sale.  Goal–$25,000. Given–$86,516.72 for 3+ border outposts.

Support a Child Survival project in Indonesia through Compassion International.  Goal–100 students x $20 a month for one year = $24,000. Given–205 students x $20 a month for one year = $50,170. (The 12 month commitment represents pledges for this cause).

Package meals through our partner Feed My Starving Children.  Goal–package 100,000 meals at Passion 2010 and give $17,500 to cover costs. Given/Done–108,432 meals packaged and $17,533.32 given.

Sponsor children affected by HIV/AIDS in Mozambique with World Vision.  Goal–200 students x $35 monthly/package 1000 Caregiver kits. Given–174 students x $35 monthly/1000 caregiver kits assembled.

Drink coffee and fund projects in Ethiopia through our partner Gobena Coffee.  Given–$24,548.

Total given at Passion 2010 = $724,480.42.

IN ADDITION, a family at Passion 2010 matched the total as of Tuesday morning with a gift of $668.597.00.

For a Passion 2010

DSNtotal

As well, 14,820 towels and 72,600 pairs of socks were given to assist the homeless shelters of Atlanta. [brought by students when they arrived]

Obviously, it’s not all about the money. But we know the verse, “where your money is your heart is also,” applies here, and believe many lives have been captured by His global purposes in these days.

Thanks to everyone who joined this amazing cause.  Let’s continue to give everything until His grace, hope and healing are extended to all.

Humbled,
LG

You can still give $5 by texting OMC to 20222 and by supporting the causes at onemillioncan.com. All monies given by text after Passion 2010 will go to onemillioncan causes.

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4 Responses to “Do something now”

  1. Praise be to God for moving on the hearts of his young people to do something now. May they be moved to give not only their money but their lives to spread his name among all nations. Wonderful!

  2. Elizabeth Chene

    That is great you were able to go this time. I enjoyed watching some of the Playback on the Passion site from our place in the Netherlands

  3. I am grateful for every person who spoke and the ones who got to listen and I hope that God will be honored with the responses and that the young and old will be transformed by the renewing of our minds in Christ Jesus and love God with PASSION in the power of the Holy Spirit and the WORD !

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