Passion

Passion is an American Christian worship collective and ministry best known for its large-scale worship gatherings, contemporary praise music and influence on a generation of young Christians. Founded in the 1990s by pastor and ministry leader Louie Giglio, Passion grew from a student-focused worship movement into an international ministry whose conferences, recordings and worship songs have reached millions of people. The movement is based in Atlanta, Georgia, and operates at the intersection of live worship, Christian music, conferences and youth ministry.

Unlike a conventional band built around a fixed lineup, Passion has always functioned as a collective. Its music has featured a succession of worship leaders and songwriters, including Kristian Stanfill, Chris Tomlin, Matt Redman, David Crowder, Christy Nockels, Brett Younker and Melodie Malone. Over the years, this collaborative structure has allowed Passion’s sound to change with each generation while maintaining a clear focus on congregational Christian worship.

Passion is particularly known for worship songs such as “Our God,” “One Thing Remains,” “Glorious Day,” “Even So Come,” “Worthy of Your Name,” “10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord)” and “God of This City.” Its live albums, recorded largely during the annual Passion conferences, have also become an important part of modern contemporary Christian music. By 2026, the collective had continued releasing new music, including the Just That Good project, demonstrating that Passion remains an active force in Christian worship rather than simply a product of its earlier years.

Quick Facts

Early Life and Background

Passion’s story began with Louie Giglio’s desire to reach college-age Christians through worship, prayer and teaching. Before Passion became an established music ministry, Giglio had spent years working with university students and developing a ministry centered on helping young people pursue their faith seriously. After moving to Atlanta with his wife, Shelley, in the mid-1990s, he began laying the foundation for what would become the Passion movement.

The first Passion conference was held in 1997. From the beginning, the purpose went beyond putting on a Christian music concert. Passion was designed as a gathering where students could come together for worship, prayer and spiritual renewal. Its central biblical inspiration has been Isaiah 26:8, which expresses a desire for God’s name and reputation to be honored.

Music quickly became one of the most recognizable parts of the movement. Early conferences brought together emerging and established worship leaders, creating an environment where new songs could be written, performed and experienced by thousands of young Christians at the same time.

How the Music Career Started

Passion’s recording history developed naturally out of its conferences. Rather than beginning as a conventional recording band, Passion used live worship recordings to document the music being created within the movement. Its early releases helped establish a model that would continue for decades: gather a large community of worshippers, bring together several worship leaders and songwriters, and capture the collective experience in live recordings.

The early years featured musicians such as Charlie Hall, Chris Tomlin, David Crowder and Christy Nockels. These artists maintained their own individual careers while also contributing to Passion’s recordings and conferences. This became one of the defining characteristics of the project. Passion was not built around one permanent vocalist or a single musical identity, but around a wider community of worship leaders.

In 2000, Passion Conferences established sixstepsrecords, providing a creative and recording platform connected to the movement. The label subsequently became associated with several major names in contemporary Christian music and helped Passion expand its influence beyond the conference environment.

Career and Breakthrough

Passion’s influence grew rapidly through its annual conferences and live albums. Releases such as Better Is One Day, Our Love Is Loud, Sacred Revolution, Everything Glorious and God of This City helped establish Passion as one of the most recognizable names in contemporary worship music.

The collective reached another important stage in the 2010s as its music became increasingly prominent on Christian radio, streaming platforms and church worship sets. Albums including Awakening, Let the Future Begin, Even So Come, Salvation’s Tide Is Rising and Worthy of Your Name introduced Passion’s music to new audiences while continuing its emphasis on large-scale congregational worship.

Even So Come, released from the music of the 2015 Passion gatherings, brought together several of the movement’s established voices, while Worthy of Your Name marked Passion’s 20th anniversary in 2017. The latter featured Kristian Stanfill, Brett Younker and Melodie Malone, who became central voices in the next era of Passion’s music.

The collective continued its run of live releases with projects including Whole Heart in 2018, Follow You Anywhere in 2019, Roar: Live from Passion 2020, Burn Bright in 2022, I’ve Witnessed It in 2023 and Call on Heaven in 2024.

Musical Style and Influences

Passion’s music sits primarily within contemporary Christian and modern worship music. Its sound has changed considerably over the years, reflecting both the changing tastes of younger Christian audiences and the different artists who have contributed to the collective.

The music frequently combines large live arrangements, contemporary pop and rock production, electronic elements, atmospheric instrumentation and strong congregational choruses. The songs are generally designed to be accessible to large groups, making them suitable both for conference settings and church worship.

One of Passion’s strengths has been its ability to bring different musical approaches into the same worship environment. Chris Tomlin’s songwriting, David Crowder’s roots and alternative influences, Matt Redman’s worship writing and the modern sound of later leaders such as Kristian Stanfill and Melodie Malone have all contributed to different eras of Passion’s musical identity.

The collective has also worked with artists outside its core worship team, including Christian hip-hop artist Lecrae and contemporary Christian singers such as Tauren Wells. These collaborations have helped Passion reach beyond a single style while remaining rooted in Christian worship.

Notable Songs and Albums

Passion’s catalog contains a large number of songs that have become familiar in churches around the world. Among the best-known are “Our God,” “One Thing Remains,” “Glorious Day,” “Even So Come,” “Worthy of Your Name,” “God of This City” and “10,000 Reasons (Bless the Lord).” Some of these songs were written or originally recorded by individual artists associated with the Passion movement, but Passion’s live performances helped introduce them to large worship audiences.

The collective’s major projects include One Day Live, Our Love Is Loud, Everything Glorious, God of This City, Awakening, Let the Future Begin, Even So Come, Salvation’s Tide Is Rising, Worthy of Your Name, Whole Heart, Follow You Anywhere, Roar: Live from Passion 2020, Burn Bright, I’ve Witnessed It and Call on Heaven.

In 2026, Passion continued its recording output with Just That Good, a project featuring contributions from Kristian Stanfill, JJ Hasulube, Chidima, Landon Wolfe, Rachel Halbach, Melodie Malone and other artists. The project reflects the collective’s continuing practice of introducing new voices alongside established members of its worship team.

Awards and Recognition

Passion’s influence has been reflected in both commercial achievements and recognition within contemporary Christian music. The collective has been identified as a four-time Dove Award winner, while several of its albums have reached the top of Billboard’s Christian Albums chart. Its recordings have also produced multiple RIAA-certified singles, including “Glorious Day,” “Even So Come” and “One Thing Remains.”

Beyond awards, one of Passion’s most significant achievements has been the longevity of its songs in churches. Music originally recorded at Passion conferences has frequently moved beyond the conference setting to become part of regular worship repertoires around the world.

The collective has also achieved substantial streaming success. Capitol Christian Music Group reported that Passion had surpassed three billion global streams, illustrating the scale of its reach in the digital era.

Current Career and Recent Activities

Passion remains active as both a music collective and a ministry. Its work continues to revolve around worship gatherings aimed particularly at young adults, while its music arm continues to release recordings from its conferences and other worship projects.

The 2024 Call on Heaven album followed Passion’s ongoing tradition of documenting its major gatherings through live music. The project was recorded at Passion 2024 in Atlanta and was followed by Call on Heaven (Come, Lord Jesus) – Live, connected to the 2025 Passion gathering.

In 2026, Passion released Just That Good, continuing its long-running practice of bringing together multiple worship leaders. The official Passion Music catalog lists songs including “Just That Good,” “The Blood,” “What a Worthy Name,” “Watch Him Work,” “How I Love You,” “Holy and Pleasing,” “It Really Is Amazing Grace,” “Greatness,” “Center” and a new version of “Glorious Day.”

The continuing involvement of established leaders such as Kristian Stanfill, Brett Younker and Melodie Malone, alongside newer voices, shows how Passion has maintained its collective approach rather than relying on a single permanent front person.

Legacy and Influence

Passion’s greatest contribution to Christian music is arguably its role in connecting contemporary worship with a generation of young Christians. What began as a student-focused conference developed into a major international worship movement whose music has become part of the vocabulary of modern church worship.

The collective has also played an important role in providing a platform for worship leaders and songwriters who went on to establish significant individual careers. Chris Tomlin, David Crowder, Christy Nockels, Matt Redman and others have all been associated with the Passion movement at different points in its history.

Rather than being defined by one artist, one voice or one era, Passion has remained deliberately collective. Its changing lineup has allowed it to adapt musically while keeping its central purpose consistent. More than two decades after its first conference, Passion continues to combine large-scale worship gatherings, songwriting, recordings and youth ministry, making it one of the enduring institutions in contemporary Christian music.