Faith Grows in Community

Only let your manner of life be worthy of the gospel of Christ,

so that whether I come and see you or am absent,

I may hear of you that you are standing firm in one spirit,

with one mind striving side by side for the faith of the gospel.

—Philippians 1:27

There are 16,888 seats in the State Farm Arena in Atlanta. Every single one of them was filled last week—not by basketball fans, but by college students seeking a closer relationship with Jesus. This was Passion 2025.

The Passion movement was initiated by Pastor Louie Giglio and Christian songwriter and recording artist Chris Tomlin back in 1997 to ignite a spiritual awakening among 18-to-25-year-olds in America. Even in 1997, I was already well past the age of inclusion for this movement, but I was aware of it and wished I could attend.

Last week I got my chance when my husband and I served as hosts for sixteen college students who were home on Christmas break. I was pumped! Finally, I would get to see what I had missed by being born in the wrong decade. 

As I expected, the music was fantastic, led by some of my favorite artists like Kari Jobe, Brooke Ligertwood, and David Crowder. Everyone rose to their feet to sing loudly, passionately, with their hands raised in praise. There was a good mix of speakers—young and old, male and female. The topics they shared were relevant to young adults, and they were delivered in a style that resonated well with the young audience. Jesus said, “For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them” (Matthew 18:20). I found this to be true at Passion. At times, the Holy Spirit’s presence was palpable. Though there was much to take in and remember, I’ve been reflecting on what was missing.

As a “seasoned” Christian, I was able to listen to the talks with understanding, meditate on the messages being shared, reflect on their application in my own life, and assess where and how I might need to make changes. Many of these young adults who were attending the conference for the first time, however, found themselves drinking from a firehose with no opportunity to discuss and process what they had heard.

We stayed in a lovely hotel about a mile walk from the arena. Each morning, a couple of volunteers from our group would go stand in line at 5:30 a.m. (in 30-degree temperatures) to ensure we would get decent seats together once the doors opened. It wasn’t possible to dine as a group for breakfast, lunch, or dinner during the conference, and when the sessions ended each night, we walked back to the hotel (in 30-degree temperatures) exhausted. 

The experience made me think of Jesus’s sermon on the mount. Beginning in Matthew, chapter 5, we learn that when the crowds began forming, Jesus “went up on a mountainside and sat down. His disciples came to him, and he began to teach them” (vs. 1-2). Two chapters later, after sharing no less than eighteen lessons, we read, “When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching because he taught as one who had authority and not as their teachers of the law” (Matthew 7:28-29).

Though scripture doesn’t say this, I suspect that the people went home discussing what they had just learned and asking questions to determine if they heard the same thing and how they should interpret the lessons. “Did he say we are to love our enemies?” “How exactly am I the salt of the earth?” “If someone strikes my cheek, am I really supposed to give them my other cheek?” “Does he truly expect me to gouge my eyes out if I look at another woman with desire?” “How exactly am I supposed to stop worrying about tomorrow?”

The Passion Conference provided many nuggets (both good and questionable) that deserved reflection and consideration, but there was no time built into the program to address this. I’m sure that was done on purpose to encourage groups that attended from colleges across the U.S. to go back to their campuses to debrief. But I was with a group of young adults that didn’t attend the same college.

As a former public-school teacher, I was reminded that lessons stick best when students are involved in discovery and discussion. Without it, there's no telling how much of what those students heard at the conference will be interpreted incorrectly or make any difference in their lives. The same can be said for people who attend church on Sunday mornings and do nothing more than listen to the sermon. Hearing does not transform lives. It plants a seed, but without watering it in community and exposing it to the sun through discussion, growth is limited. I speak from experience.

On the flight home, one of the students said to me, “I want to work on a personal relationship with Jesus, but I don’t know how to do that.”

Though the apostle Paul tells each of us to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” (Philippians 2:12), the writer of Hebrews instructs us to grow our faith in community. “And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25).

I will be the first to tell a college student that I spent too many years catering to secular desires while treating church like a spectator sport. It took more years than I care to count to realize that church is a gathering place where believers praise God in community, encourage each other in life, and grow in active faith.

So, what did I say to that student who wondered how to pursue a relationship with Jesus? “Don’t do it alone. Until you find a community that provides spiritual sustenance, call me.”

SHARING A FAVORITE SONG WE SANG AT PASSION: I’ve Witnessed It 

Favorite lyric: “Your promises never fail. I’ve got stories I’ll live to tell. So I’ll pour out my praise again. You’re worthy, God. You’re worthy of all of it.