by Bethany Kemming, Trinity Digest senior writer/editor
On January 2–5, many Trinity International University students made the trek to Atlanta, Ga., along with 45,000 young adults form around the country, and fought for freedom this year at the 2012 Passion Conference at the Georgia Dome.
For four days, Trinity students sat under several pastors and teachers, such as Francis Chan, Beth Moore, John Piper, and many others that spoke about the physical and spiritual freedom found in Christ alone. Through sermons and music with The David Crowder Band and Hillsong United, the conference focused on true freedom in Christ as well as fighting for the freedom of victims of human trafficking and slavery.
While the theme of the Passion Conference changes each year, sophomore Abigail Wickman said the conference did a good job of stressing the importance of fighting against human trafficking and slavery and not simply attaching it to the conference as an afterthought.
“They showed that Jesus doesn’t just free us from the slavery of sin, but he also has the power to free those people from physical, tangible slavery and bring them into the hope of the gospel,” Wickman said.
Through donations from conference goers and those following online, Passion raised over $3.3 million towards fighting human trafficking and slavery through the Do Something Now campaign, far surpassing their original goal of $1 million. In addition, they presented Atlanta Mayor Kasim Reed and Georgia Lt. Gov. Casey Cagle with $100,000 to be used for a new police task force to stop human trafficking in Atlanta, which they had collected exclusively through cash donations at the conference. Many waited in line outside the Georgia Dome and the Georgia World Commerce Center just to donate. Conference goers also donated 33,880 towels and 170,250 socks for Atlanta area homeless shelters.
Passion Conferences are geared toward adults ages 18 to 25, but leaders of groups attending were permitted to attend the conference as well. Despite the magnitude of conference attendees, the structure remained simple. Before and after main sessions of teaching and music, conference goers went to the Georgia World Congress Center and divided into pre-assigned community groups ranging from 400 to 4,000 people. From these groups, attendees divided into smaller “family groups” of eight or more people, where they had the opportunity to digest what they heard and learned that day at the conference. Conference goers could also visit several “freedom stations” to learn more about human trafficking around the world.
Trinity students in attendance said the conference affected them in many different ways. Junior Alex Walters thought that Pastor of Passion City Church and founder of the Passion movement Louie Giglio’s message was applicable to everyone at the conference. Giglio spoke about the importance of fulfilling God’s calling at any place and time in life.
“He said that although we always stress about finding God’s place for us, we are called to witness wherever we are, and God will do the rest,” Walters said.
Senior Kelsey Sherwell had never been to a Passion Conference before and said that it far exceeded any expectations she had. She said her favorite speaker at the conference was John Piper, whose message has had an impact on her everyday life.
“Everyday I’m re-evaluating the way I act, the way I work, what I spend my time on. I want to use every moment to glorify God,” Sherwell said.