[Jonular]

The Passion '05 Live EP, recorded live at Passion '05 and released January 25, became an iTunes "Top 10 Albums" best-seller last week, the first time for any project in EMI CMG Label Group history. The EP hit the iTunes album chart alongside such well-known artists as Green Day, The Killers and Kenny Chesney, as well as the soundtracks from Garden State and Phantom of The Opera. Since its release date, the EP has additionally held the number one position on the iTunes Inspirational Chart.

The Passion '05 Live EP features new songs by artist-worshippers Matt Redman, performing "Whole World In His Hands," and Chris Tomlin, contributing "Holy Is the Lord," which is climbing multiple radio charts and is last week's most added single at AC radio (R&R). Also featured is the "Waking Up To The Whole Gospel" teaching by Passion Conferences founder, speaker and author, Louie Giglio. To download the Passion 05 Live EP, visit www.iTunes.com.

"The response to the Passion '05 Live EP on iTunes was overwhelming," says Passion Conferences founder, Louie Giglio. "But what is more satisfying than seeing Passion in the iTunes Top Ten – a very big deal for us! – is seeing the story of Christ in the midst of culture, something the Passion movement is all about."

"The overall 'Top Ten Album' debut on iTunes for the Passion '05 Live EP was great," adds Rich Peluso, EMI CMG Distribution president. "To have stayed there for a week is amazing. We are excited that the folks at iTunes were so willing to work with us on creating and featuring this special project. Given the nature of the Passion events and their core audience, college students and young adults, we felt that the iTunes consumer base was the perfect group to connect with and help promote the April release of Passion: How Great Is Our God. We are confident that this added exposure will help us build consumer awareness and grow our core retail customer's sales."

The full-length recording Passion: How Great Is Our God, scheduled to release April 12, was recorded live at Passion '05, a collegiate gathering of more than 11,000 students from all 50 states and eight foreign countries. Passion '05 challenged students to discover what it really means to live for the glory of God on their campuses and throughout the world. Immediately responding to that challenge and the great need of the tsunami victims, students at the gathering contributed monies toward the relief efforts in Sri Lanka. Passion presented further opportunities for students to make a difference throughout the world by connecting them with the 50 mission organizations that attended the gathering. Additionally, Community/Family Groups, General/Breakout Sessions and the 24-hour prayer and graffiti rooms encouraged students to express themselves creatively and worship with different people from all over the world.

A Passion '05 box set, featuring six main session messages from Louie Giglio, John Piper and Beth Moore, along with four breakout sessions by John Piper, Beth Moore, Matt Redman and Heather Mercer, is also currently available at www.268generation.com.

The unique purpose of Passion is to gather college students from campuses and churches across the nation, uniting them across ministry and denominational lines to seek the face of God together in worship and prayer. Affirming and valuing the work of local churches and campus ministries, Passion seeks to foster unity and connectivity among them, encouraging them to draw strength and encouragement from each other, resulting in a louder anthem of God's renown.