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On New Year's Eve, Atlanta's Philips Arena throbbed with the music of Widespread Panic. A few days later, the faint smell of marijuana still lingered as a different crowd gathered for its fourth day of loud, demonstrative worship. At center stage, Matt Redman struck up a new song for the nearly 20,000 college students who packed the arena. At least 3,000 more students in an adjacent venue watched the same image of Redman that Philips Arena projected on 12 screens. But this concert wasn't about Redman. Unlike other concerts, this event also projected lyrics. The words guided an animated throng to behold something bigger than the musicians on stage, something bigger than themselves.

We will shine like stars in the universe,
Holding out your truth in the darkest place.
We'll be living for your glory.

Two banners slowly climbed toward the ceiling, joining memorials for Atlanta Hawks basketball greats. Faint in the banners' background were the names of nearly 1,200 campuses represented in the audience.

We will burn so bright with your praise, O God,
And declare your light to this broken world.

In the banners' foreground were names of the world's great cities—Kuala Lumpur, Mexico City, Sao Paulo, Nairobi, Toronto. Finally, the spotlights dimmed, and black lights revealed S-H-I-N-E written down each banner.

Like the sun so radiantly, sending light for all to see,
Let your holy church arise!
Exploding into life like a supernova's light,
Set your holy church on fire!

Based on the success of songs performed at previous Passion conferences, "Shine" may soon become one of the evangelical church's most beloved songs. And it may be another reason this conference, like those before it going back 10 years, will set churches on fire.

Passion has not just shaped evangelical worship music, but a generation of American evangelicals. In the last few years, Christianity Today has reported on various trends among younger evangelicals—from new monastics to hip emergents to throwback Calvinists. Passion incorporates elements from each. None has yet marked the broader evangelical movement like Passion.

After 10 years of large crowds and larger influence (a few hundred more students attended Passion '07 than InterVarsity Christian Fellowship's famed triennial Urbana conference), the leaders of Passion have decided to suspend the conferences—and take their message on a world tour. CT talked to Passion leaders and followers to discern what makes Passion so influential, and why it is suddenly changing direction.

More than 10 years of Passion conferences have imprinted Isaiah 26:8 on a generation of young evangelicals: "Yes Lord, walking in the way of your truth, we wait eagerly for you, for your name and your renown are the desire of our souls." Isaiah 26:8 reveals the theology that guides Passion's leaders, worship artists, and teachers. Passion promotes the sovereignty and glory of God. One reason for its success is clear: It has stayed on mission.

Louie Giglio's gift for engaging and challenging college students was evident during the mid-1990s. He led a Bible study attended by 1,400 of Baylor University's 11,000 students, he said. But Giglio grew alarmed by statistics that showed only 20 percent of American college students described themselves as born again. In 1995, he saw a vision of a massive gathering of students worshiping God. Less than two years later, he partnered with like-minded college ministers to host the first Passion conference in Austin, Texas. Passion conferences have reached more than 500,000 students since.

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April 2007, Vol. 51, No. 4