Oi Sao Paulo!

Kyiv, Stockholm, Sao Paulo!

Hello Sao Paulo!

Finally, the doors opened and the line of thousands of waiting students made their way into Via Funchal for what turned out to be a massively loud celebration of the grace of God. We had been warned ahead of time that the Brazilians would be LOUD, and that was very much the case tonight. With the prayers of Stockholm and so many others behind us, we have launched stop three of the Passion World Tour here south of the Equator with an amazing first night and are eager to see what God has for us tomorrow. It is stunning and humbling to traverse continents to find a wave of students who are so passionate about making Jesus famous. There really is a generation united around the globe for His renown. Be back after tomorrow with more! LG

When Hearts Break Around The World

After quite a day of airports and buses (we spent about 25 hours going from our hotel in Stockholm to our new digs here in Brazil) we touched down in warm and balmy Sao Paulo to the news that our dear friends the Chapmans had spent the night grieving the loss of their precious daughter and sister, Maria Sue, in an accident at their home near Nashville. Though we are thousands of miles away and south of the Equator, our hearts are breaking for those we love and our arms are joining countless others around the world in extending a massive embrace to Steven, Mary Beth and their kids.

We have come to Sao Paulo to proclaim that our God is both great and good, something the Chapmans have done on practically every inch of earth for decades. Today, even in the fog of excruciating pain and confusion, we still believe both are true for us all. Tomorrow, Chris' opening set will lift the words "Your grace is enough for me" over the students of this city. Tonight, that is our hope and prayer for our friends in Nashville.

"Thank you, Father, that in this very moment Your grace is enough for the Chapmans. We believe You are great and You are good, and know that Your heart is breaking, too. Thank you that You are all they need, and You are there with them and in them. Be glorified as death is swallowed up in life and the grave is overwhelmed. Restore them with supernatural healing, redemption and grace. Thank you Jesus."

All of us at Passion and sixstepsrecords love you all so much.
Louie and Shelley

Passion Loves Stockholm

I'm fairly certain we're going to say this seventeen times before this tour is over, but we're pretty bummed about leaving Stockholm today, a city we have grown to love with every passing hour. Our down time here has been great (don't miss East for sushi) and has given us some needed time to catch our breath before heading out today for a new continent and all that awaits in Sao Paulo, Brazil. And our time here has given us the chance to process a little of what has happened over the past few days. Just being in Stockholm a few days longer has affirmed everything about why God put Sweden on the World Tour, and we are praying the deposit He made Sunday night will, in fact, echo throughout the nation (and all of Scandinavia) so that these beautiful people will have a chance to glimpse His face and accept His lavish offer of grace and an embrace that lasts forever.

While much of our team is already in Brazil, we have a full day and night of travel ahead of us to join them. After a stop in lovely London (Heathrow), we have an overnight flight that will have us waking up to Sao Paulo. Hello, South America! We've said goodbye to Charlie Hall and his band and Matt Redman (they were amazing) and will meet up with the Crowders in SP. Pray for our Passion team as they make final preparations there...and, as always, for the word to spread as the "last minute" people find out about Passion Sao Paulo and stake their places.

Thank you Stockholm for allowing us to join what God is doing here (and forgive the pic of the Latvian flag, we know it wasn't Passion Riga, though we loved those guys, too). We are carrying this night and all your prayers with us on our way.

We are humbled to be on this journey and know your hearts are with us (we can feel it).
Louie

Brightening Stockholm!

Meeting with friends and Swedish ministry leaders
before the night...














Waiting For Doors At Hovet














Prayer Triangle? That's the Latvian flag!















Start. Start = a little reserved. End = crazy!














Stockholm style














Matt showing mad language skills

It's late in Stockholm (early Monday AM, actually) and the hotel internet went down for a while, but I wanted to get some pics from tonight up before the day was over everywhere else in the world. We really felt your prayers tonight in Stockholm and had a beautiful night with 1400 new friends from Estonia, Latvia (50 people came from there), Norway, Finland, Holland, others and, of course, all across Sweden! If you're in New England, it felt a lot like Passion Boston to us...light breaking forth and God stirring things up in a city that is more dark than light. But, trust me. The church Jesus is building is alive in Stockholm and there is a generation here that wants to make Jesus famous with their lives. We felt so honored to be with these people tonight as God put His grace on display and invited us to let His awesome exchange (the Sinless for the sinful) move us to lives that are fully His. We believe God did something lasting tonight, and as one Swedish leader told me after, "This night will echo throughout the nation."

Two cultures in three nights. Two cities - one Jesus. A little surreal, but amazing!

Thank you to our Ukrainian friends who prayed for us tonight and gave $31,000 Ukrainian for this night. The Swedes are now praying for Sao Paulo and gave $50,000 SEK ($8200 US) for what's about to happen there. Pretty cool!

More to come. Passion loves you Stockholm!
Louie and the Passion Team

PS-Podcast coming soon!

Getting Set For Stockholm

Just a quick update for anyone out there checking the Blog regularly (I know the US is just waking up to Sunday!)...we all made it to Sweden last night after a full day of travel and about a four-hour lay over in Amsterdam. Starting to think we should have done an event n Amsterdam as we are going to be through there several times on this Tour. Honestly, it was hard leaving Kyiv behind after such a special night with the people there, but hopefully it won't be our last visit to Ukraine AND we're excited to be in Stockholm. Stockholm is made up of many islands and mainland, has lots of water, tons of old and an edge of new (this is the home of IKEA after all). It's cloudy and a bit rainy today (not unusual for Stockholm or Passion!) and our team is busy at Hovet (our venue) getting everything set for tonight. Sound checks for the bands are happening right now. Online tickets closed yesterday at about 800, but we are praying the word is spreading and many people will just shown up at the door. From what we can sense, we have come to the right place with the light of His renown. We are praying for boldness and power, and believing the Holy Spirit will be the "difference maker" as tonight becomes a part of God's "greater things" for Stockholm and all of Sweden. Be back later tonight with an update and pics. Believing and grateful for your prayers! LG

How Do You Say Wow In Russian?

It's past 12:30 AM here in Kyiv and Passion World Tour stop #1 is ringing in our hearts. Honestly, it feels surreal. In a word, tonight was beautiful. No, unbelievable. No, crazy. No, God!

We weren't sure what was going to happen, but by the time the "Hello Kyiv" video was rolling there were over 4000 people in Sports Palace...and when the words "Just in case you missed it, JesusIsAlive" rolled up the screen a huge roar went up in the place.

There's so much flying through our heads right now, so many great God moments. But hearing them sing "God Of This City" in Russian was pretty special. They were blown away when we told them tonight was a gift from the students of the US, and then in that same spirit they gave for the night ahead in Stockholm. Students giving and praying for students...that's a movement.

Our Passion Kyiv team did an incredible job along with our Ukrainian friends. And we could feel your prayers the whole time. If this night is an indication of things to come...woah!

An early flight to Sweden awaits. More later. Jesus is amazing!
Louie

Hello Kyiv!

Inside Sports Palace














Some Of Us














Saints To Be?















Friends Who Lead One Of Kyiv's Churches















Praying Many People Find This Place Tomorrow














What You Imagined?














Out In Kyiv














Beautifully Man Made














Glimpse Of Kyiv














Crew Arrives At Sports Palace














Cool Kids














They Call Her "Big Mamma"

Hello from sunny and gorgeous Kyiv, a city where old (the place is 1500 years old) meets new and soviet meets Europe. We all made it... and finally everyone's luggage has joined us. The big news of the day is that Tomlin's band's guitars have arrived, but, sadly customs failed to release our resources and they are on their way back to Atlanta.

We've had an amazing day out and about in the city, and on behalf of the Ukrainian board of tourism want to say you all need to come and check this place out. The city is awash awash with warmth and covered with blue skies today. The city is emerging moment by moment, yearning for the next and newest...striving for change and a future. Yet, you notice few smiles among the people, and a quick look around tells you the Story we are carrying has not reached the hearts of many.

Pray for smooth set up as the crew continues in the AM and power and clarity for all of us as we seek to tell His Story well. Continue to pray the word spreads throughout Kyiv tomorrow!

"Lift up your heads, O you gates, be lifted up, you ancient doors, that the King of glory may come in. Who is He, this King of glory? The Lord Almighty, He is the King of glory." Psalm 24:9/10

LG
PS-The images accompanying our journey are in large part be from crazy-talented photographer Jeremy Cowart. Jeremy is traveling with us, photo-journaling the whole World Tour for a book we hope to release at the end of the year. Enjoy!

Countdown To Kyiv

Well, it's on people! The Passion World Tour is happening! Finally, after 18 months of prayer and planning we have people on the ground in Kyiv and our flight leaves in a few hours from Atlanta. Finally! We have carried this vision for so long now and we are all ready to have a WT baby!

As we go we feel the prayers of so many around the world and are confident we are going to see our God do amazing and history-changing things.

Speaking of prayers, if you haven't heard the "Countdown To Kyiv" Podcast, we have all visas for Brazil and just received a text from our team in Hong Kong this morning that we have a venue there for October! The HK venue seats 3200, is right in downtown and is being renovated as we speak. Right on!

Please keep praying for Kyiv as we head to Friday night and Stockholm Sunday. Your first assignment, if you haven't already, is to grab your World Atlas (please tell me you do own a world atlas!) and find out exactly where these cities are. Then, you can known where in the world we are as you're praying. We'll land in Kyiv (Ukrainian spelling vs. older Russian spelling of Kiev, just in case you wondered) Wednesday afternoon after flying through Amsterdam Wednesday AM. Our core Passion team and logistics people are already arriving in Kyiv now.

Just imagine growing up under communism all your life, knowing very little else, experiencing some measure of political change and being part of the birthing of a new nation, yet never really hearing the story of rescue and grace, nor knowing what life is for and how to live it for the stuff that matters most. In large part, that's the student who is walking through the door Friday night. So let's pray the Story of God will be well told, fully received and celebrated by all!

Louie