Sadie Robertson Huff kicks off Passion 2024 by challenging young people 'stay steadfast' on Scripture
Sadie Robertson Huff challenged thousands of teens and young adults gathered in Atlanta, Georgia, for Passion 2024 to know, live and share the story of the Bible, stressing that its transformative power is not lost despite an ever-changing culture.
“Why are you scared to share the most incredible story known to man that would change anyone's life that encountered it?” the 26-year-old podcaster and author asked those gathered at Atlanta’s Mercedes-Benz Stadium on Jan. 3.
“This is the greatest gift you could give someone is to share this news. You’re going to face hard things. I think some people … are like, ‘How do I know God is real? God, prove to me that you're real by everything working out in my life. God, if you're real, then I'll get the job. If you're real, I'll meet my spouse. If you're real, then everything will be OK.’ But it's not when things are good and perfect that proves that God is real. It's normally in the hardships that the evidence of His faithfulness becomes so real to you.”
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“There's a lot of bad things happening,” she added. “It's definitely scary. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. This story will not be lost on my watch. Don't let it be lost on yours. Don't let it be lost on your family. Don't let it be lost on this generation. When everyone turns to other gods, and they are, you know the one true God. Stay steadfast.”
Huff's message kicked off Passion 2024, held Jan 3-5 in Atlanta. Geared toward ages 18-25, Passion "exists to glorify God by uniting students in worship, prayer and justice for spiritual awakening in this generation."
Earlier in her message, the host of the “WHOA, That's Good podcast” reflected on a short letter received several years ago that posed a direct question: "Dear Sadie Robertson. How do you know God is real?" and requested "practical answers only."
Huff shared her struggle to answer this question practically, despite her deep personal experiences of faith. She recounted a conversation with Passion founder Louis Giglio, who simply answered, "Because of the Bible." This response led Huff to a deeper understanding of knowing God through the Bible, not just as a text, but as a living relationship.
She narrated the biblical story of King Josiah, drawing parallels to her own journey. Josiah, who became king at 8, and sought to follow God like his ancestor David, discovered the Book of the Law at 26. This discovery led to a transformation not just for him but for his entire generation.
Huff emphasized the importance of reading and understanding the Bible personally, rather than relying on others' interpretations.
“When Josiah read the Word for himself, it changed him,” she said. “I know the Word is not lost in our day because I'm holding the Word and literally on my phone, I have the Word, and we all have Bibles in here. But I just wonder, although we have the Word, and it's not technically lost, has it been lost on us? Has the value, has the power, has the gravity of the story been lost on us?”
Huff used the analogy of sports fans' conviction about their favorite athletes, like Michael Jordan, to illustrate how personal experience and knowledge underpin true belief. She contended that knowing God is real comes from understanding His story and seeing its impact on our lives.
“God actually could show up and prove it to you,” the mother-of-two said. “He could bring a fire from the sky right now and we're like, ‘Yep, He's real.’ He could enlighten our eyes to see the angels around us and we'd be like, ‘Totally real.’ But I just love that in Josiah’s day, it wasn't an angel appearing to him. It wasn't fire falling from the sky, although God has done that. He could do that. He's perfectly capable and able to, but it was just the discovery of the Word that changed everything. That was all they needed to know. How do I know God is real? Because I know the story. And because the story has changed me.”
Huff stressed the importance of sharing the Gospel, likening it to the ease of sharing information in the digital age. She challenged the audience to overcome fears of judgment or persecution in spreading the message of God's love and redemption.
The speaker and author encouraged her audience to remain steadfast in their faith, just as biblical figures like Shadrach, Meshach, Abednego and Daniel did, influenced by the faith of their generation under King Josiah.
“Take heart; know the story,” she concluded.
Other speakers for this year’s Passion Conference include Louie Giglio, Levi Lusko and Jonathan Pokluda, with music by Crowder, KB, Phil Wickham, Brandon Lake and more.
