Jezreel Faith Manugue Jez Manugue JRC Jesus Revival Church G12 St. John's Academy CLSU

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Passion Manila

Passion Manila
August 1, 2008
Philsports Arena (formerly ULTRA)
7:30 PM
Note: Click on the photos for larger views
PASSION MANILA was, as Passion founder Louie Giglio has put it in their blog, “WOW. WOW. WOW. I believe, however, that such is still an understatement of how the Lord brought Philsports Arena down!
Typing at 1:41 AM, I totally have no idea on how to begin with this blog entry. Overwhelmed MUCH-MUCH-MUCH? You can say that :-)
Two weeks of announcing stuff about the conference-concert stirred up much excitement in me. More than seeing and hearing Passion worship leader CHRIS TOMLIN, singer & composer of my superior fave song How Great is Our God, my heart was full of enthusiasm because I had this faith that the Lord will truly move and take over the event. I also was thrilled about it ‘cause I knew that the Lord would also store something in the hearts and spirits of my co-young people from JRC through it – kaya nga I really tried hard to push through our attendance (feeling organizer and ticket distributor. ahaha). There were 24 from my church that attended the event, btw. Shoutout: Thanks to Kuya Aldwin of Back to the Bible Ministries for helping us avail tickets. You have been a GREAT blessing!
Not minding our not-so-comfortable (but fun) 5-hour travel from Nueva Ecija to Pasig (Manila), we lined through ULTRA/ Philsports Arena to surrender our low-cost tickets (all tickets were sold at only PhP150 –around $3) and get our über cool bright-colored wrist-straps, which served as gate passes.
We headed to the gallery ‘cause we wanted to have a full view of the event (we were at the upper center section), plus we thought that the ground level was already filled by excited young people by the time we entered the arena, and indeed it was.
After the opening animated presentations, the night was followed by worship lead by the Passion Worship Band. I don’t have a Passion/ Chris Tomlin CD collection, so some of the songs their played were knew to me. However, this didn’t stop me and my co-youth from singing, jumping, dancing, shouting, and really showing our passion for the Most High. As Ptr. Loiue Giglio has observed it,
“I’m not sure how to fully describe what happened, but let’s just say these guys have fully embraced the message and music of Passion and were up for everything that came their way. They even started singing on “Jesus Messiah” like they knew it…and funny thing, they did! YouTube?!?!”
Haha. If not YouTube, it’s prolly the musicality of Filipinos that gave them the impression that we sing like we knew it. Haha. On a another thought, I knew about Jesus Messiah, a song included in C.Tomlin’s new album to be released on September, through frequently visiting Chris Tomlin’s MySpace! Anyhow, it truly was another great experience to worship the Lord together with thousands of young people who are “crazy” for Jesus as I am.
Louie Giglio went upstage after Passion Worship band’s first set. He asked us to do a prayer of three, though I regrettably wasn’t able to join in this ‘cause my little brother kept on bugging me on getting him a drink. After buying candies and bottled waters, we rushed to go back inside the arena ‘cause I heard Chris sing GOD OF THIS CITY, carrier single of their latest group album. You guys must know that I even downloaded that song the night before the event ‘cause I knew it’ll be sung! Ahaha. Disclaimer: I hate piracy. Pardon my download—I will compensate by buying their new album:-D
Thank goodness, it was sung twice that night!
Louie also got to speak for less than an hour – a very brief period for a really good and equally funny speaker. He used Isaiah 26:8, the scripture and commitment they’ve been sharing with hundreds of thousands of young people since 1997. His message was about us just saying YES to the LORD – a name which you can’t stick with words like no, later, maybe, perhaps, and stuff like that. He also told us a story about a college girl named ASHLEY. Feeling all screwed-up, Ashley has received and experienced the grace and love of the Lord through a Christian room mate whom she funnily labeled as FRUITCAKE. Alright, I do not wish to give details about this story ‘cause after Manila (Philippines), Passion will be going to many other places where they will be sharing the same thing, and I don’t wish to spoil the momentum of their conferences at those other places they’ll be ministering to. :D
Anyhow, with that story I must say, “I WANT TO BE A FRUITCAKE!”.
Louie also shared about living this 5-second life that we have. He told us that we can either let this life [that’s similar to a lit matchstick] happen so quickly with a little fire that dies after its time, or let this lit matchstick be connected with a fire that is indelible and eternal – Jesus Christ. As for me, I just say YES to a life devoted to the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I say YES to a life consumed by that One who died for my sins, who died all out of LOVE FOR ME. (Do you say yes to that life, as well?)
I do choose to live my life telling a story that’s bigger than me, a story for HIS renown. I want to make the Lord famous in this generation. I want to live a life that just says “YES, LORD!”
After Louie Giglio delivered the word of God, he called Chris and the band on-stage again. He went on like “I think there’s still one song that these people wanted you to sing, Chris.” (not his exact words). After which, the Filipinos “took over” and altogether sang HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD, without accompaniment. It was the best chorus I’ve ever heard (so far). I was truthfully awestruck by the flow. I’ve even observed that during the crowd chorus of How Great is Our God, Louie brought his cellphone out and let I face the crowd. After we sang, we were told that we’ve been just put on Passion’s live internet podcast! He mentioned, "Chris was about to sing it in a minute, but these people can't wait!".

We also got to pray for Passion Kuala Lumpur (hello, friends from KL!), like London did for Manila (thank you, Passion London attendees!). I believe the Lord continually move through those 4000+ young people from Malaysia. Our wristbands actually have Passion KL printed at the back!

On a really cute note, we all were struck when Chris Tomlin started to sing How Great is Our God – the Filipino version! O, ‘di ba, may translated version na. Akala niyo Fire Fall Down (Fuego De Dios) lang? :-D Really awesome!
Okay, inasmuch as I DO NOT want to share the video clips I shot, my heart can’t contain this excitement to let you guys hear the Filipino/ Tagalog version of How Great is Our God, my top favorite song.
Okay, things to remember before watching the vid:
1. no visuals are present (if there are, you’ll only see bits of lights). Because I didn’t want to be distracted by video-ing, I just knotted my camera’s handle at my jeans’ belt string while it was recording:-D
2. You’ll hear the messed up voices of
(of moi!) the people beside me ! Haha. Chris Tomlin said we should just sing our lungs out, and so I did! HAHA. Please understand that we’ve been screaming since 7:30, while How Great was sung at round 11 PM! Okay, these all are (factual) self-serving excuses and biases, I know. The truth is that you’ll never really care about singing in a good tone when you’re singing along thousands of people!
HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD (Filipino Version)
Performed by Chris Tomlin, the Passion Worship Band,
and the Filipino young people
How great is our God, indeed!

Dakilang Diyos // Awitan ang // Dakilang Diyos // Awitin ang //
Dakila Ka, O Diyos


Thank you, Passion Conferences, Ptr.Louie & Sheryl Giglio, Chris Tomlin, Becca Music, House of Praise, Passion organizers, Passion media team, Passion volunteers.
May the Lord richly bless you and your ministries!

PHOTOS WERE POSTED HERE.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

I cant stop listening to How Great is our God(Tagalog Version). haha! :))

Jez said...

To angel: Awesome, isn't? Chris Tomlin says "di-yows". hehe. I was amazed talaga. Were you there, too?

Anonymous said...

yep :D i was amazed too. as in like.. 'WOW'. haha!

go fruitcakes! :)

Anonymous said...

waa... gusto ko malaman yun story nun fruitcake!! haha

ang ganda nun How Great is our God na nirecord mo. whaa... ganda talaga!!!

yes, dakila talaga Sya!!

MERiE said...

i got problems on how to start blogging about Passion too, OVERWHELMING MUCH MUCH MUCH indeed!

wow.. dami niyo pumunta. i wish i could have brought my 40 other active youths too.. We all need some awakening like what happened that night...

and yeah I was actually surprised that they were surprised that we FILIPINOS knew those songs.. I didn't come to

know about it through YouTube rather through our praise and worship team and C.Tomlin's MySpace of course. How cool

is that?!?! and yes Filipinos are born music-lovers (Filipinos can sing songs they don't even understand?!)...

I SAY YES TO THAT LIFE AS WELL.. (i know you know to what part I'm responding to.. :D)

I also also love love love the song HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD//DAKILA ANG DIYOS!!! IT's just that the lyrics are so so

so so TRUE!!! No one is greater than HIM. NO ONE!!! the HOW GREAT IS OUR GOD impromptu singing by the FILIPINO

YOUTH (with us in it of course :D) is just so so so so POWERFUL that it made my heart cry out, it made me scream

FOR HIM. I didn't care that there's thousands else around me (but singing with thousands of filipino youth craving

for Christ is overwhelming too), didn't care that my voice is nevermind, i just can't explain how horrible my voice

is (but with my voice singing praises, i know it's all wonderful, just for HIM) all I cared was just to HONOR HIM

that night...to SING FOR HIM!!! He owns us! Why not just give it all back to and for HIM!!!

and and GOD of THE CITY... I know you already know how Philippines will be used?? Right?? Particularly the

prophecies on the FILIPINO YOUTH. And I guess, God is ALREADY MOVING... Now, we must all be FRUITCAKES. We don't

need another Passion Tour, all we need is a heart that burns for HIM. a heart that resounds HIS GLORY. A heart

that's thirsty, that's longing for HIM...

again summing it all up... WOW. WOW. WOW.WOW to infinity

p.s. sorry for the comment-gone-blog-entry..i know you know how overwhelming it is..
p.p.s. i hate you!! kiddin... YOu have the shirt?? I wanna have one.. How much was it??

Fross said...

well i must really thanks you poeple ( passion manila)it was u who had make this event possible for us in malaysia. well what more can i said. you people had bless us with ur prayer and money from miles across the ocean for this event to happen. more then 4,000 college and teen attended to passion kuala lumpur. the event is so happening is like more then a WOW u can heard of. we dun have enough time for salvation prayer but i know there sure are soul save and people are eager for PASSION MORE. well they are heading to Jakarta this 5 august.

jOkEr said...

Hey.. thank u for praying for passion KL.. God has answered ur prayers.. God bless u all!!!!!

Jez said...

Mau: Yeah! Ang ganda talaga ng story na yun. Louie Giglio's time for giving his message was consumed mostly by telling us Ashley's testimony.

Merie/MSheng:That was a long comment! I can still feel the Passion aftermath in you! I still have it, too! ..and I believe, like what you've said, we don't need another passion con-- we should just keep whatver the Lord stored in us and let our friends get to know Jesus as well.
The shirt I got was large! haha. I had no choice but to buy it or I will regret forever. ahaha. It's cheaper than the I Heart shiort available during United's Manila worship concert which was 600Php. Passion shirts were sold at only 500Php each.

fross & joker: I'm glad that we, Filipinos, have been a blessing to you there in KL. All glory to the Lord! Let's keep the prayer chain going.

MERiE said...

sorry again for the loooooong comment... overwhelming and WOW lang talaga!

im praying that every youth who attended Passion Manila would continue to be burning for HIS RENOWN...

wooow... I still want a shirt...

and Manila's prayers were answered! Answering God of course!!!

p.s. i didn't remove the wristband just yet! gross?? lols... I know Passion Jakarta might be even over now but it's just that the wristband is a reminder of my YES LORD.. hehe

KZRemojo said...

Nice Job narrating it, though it wasn't an easy job i know, sabi nga ni "msheng12"-it was very overwhelming!

That was a Great Story - the one about Ashley. Kuya Allen told me about it. Tama ung spkr-it wasn't a tragedy, it was a fairy tale (with a happy ending, yet it's not yet over).

and yes, i also want to be a "Fruit Cake". pero maxadong girly un, kaya "Buko Pie" na lang.

Isa pang WOW para sa Tagalog Version ng How Great! I felt a strong sense of patriotism and nationalism after hearing and singing it. alam mo ba, nung minsang pinapakinggan namin ni mommy ung different versions ng How Great (Spanish?, Chinese), sinasabi niya sakin "Compose ka ng Tagalog version." and I did. halos kapareho nung kay Pareng Chris, it goes like this:

Dakila (How Great)
Ang Ating Diyos (is our God)
Awiting Dakila (sing with me How Great)
Ang ating Diyos (is our God)

hahaha, naunahan niya ko.
I am very glad to hear it and sing it.
I love the Philippines!

God bless you!!!

KZRemojo said...

Our God is very innovative at hindi nahuhuli sa panahon. Eh pano naman, eh "Time is in His Hands".

He's The Master of The Times and
Author of The Seasons
He's The Alpha and Omega,
Beyond our dimensions

He is Boundless and Timeless
and no one can tame Him
Yet He Rewards and He blesses
So let all His peoples sing. . .

How Great is our God

Carla said...

Yes to that life Jez...

Life that's full of Love to our dearest Jesus. Let's live our lives similar to a lit matchstick.

Spread the good news through our Lord Jesus... Tell the world how great is our GOD!!!!

Thank you for sharing this beautiful experience of yours...
I learned something new...

Jez said...

on Zion: I'm glad Kuya Allen was able to share Ahsley and Christa's story to you. It truly was a moving story lalo na the way Ps. Louie delivered it kasi he read direct from Ashley's journal.
AND wow. Ang lapit nga ng ginawa mong Filipino version ng How Great sa version ni Chris Tomlin! Iba ka talagaaa :D

on Carla: I'm really glad to hear people getting inputs from this blog. All glory belongs to Him. Miss you, girl!

-Ben Soo- said...

Haha! Woah.. So many people commented! haha! I shall add to it! XP Awesome to hear the great things God is doing over at the Philipines! haha! Watch out Laos because here HE comes! ;) God bless ya Jez!

Anonymous said...

and, up to now, im still listening to How Great is our God(tagalog version)... Amazing. :)

pasto♛ej said...

uy, sayang, we didn't hear abt it... buti nlng u blogged it... so i gotta read sum of d highlights/notes! TFS!