A single word has been rattling around in my head and in my heart of late: passion.

I think it is because I saw so much of it last month at The Gathering 2010. I saw it in the faces of attendees as they told me about their stores, about things that had happened this last year—souls saved, people ministered to, children learning about Jesus.

I heard, too, about the financial struggles they were having, along with trying to build relationships with other staff members and the desire they had to improve in these areas.

I also found it in the stories vendors told me about why they had created the products they brought to The Gathering. And in the stories of the authors and artists who took part in our special evening reception, as they told us how they had come to write their stories or created their art.

But, always, I heard the passion for what they doing.

It started me thinking—what is passion and why do we call Christ's crucifixion "the Passion of Christ"? The plain and simple truth is the original definition and usage of "passion" was directly connected with the crucifixion. It meant suffering, agony—specifically, Christ's suffering and agony on the cross.

But there is a relation between the original meaning of the word and its present-day usage, which usually means strong emotion or zeal. Some scholars believe that the 13-century journey to the word's current meaning included a stop at a Latin word, passio, meaning "affection of the mind" or "emotion."

I would never be able to equate any "passion" that humans may have with the Passion—the suffering, the agony—of our Lord. But when you look at the evolution of the word, it truly embodies what I see and hear on a daily basis from those involved in the church bookstore ministry.

There is an affection for what we do. I hear it so often: "I love what I do." You tell me how your minds are constantly thinking of new ways to make your stores better. I see and hear the emotion in your voice or in your letters as you tell me of events or encounters you have had in your stores.

What we do is a modern-day passion, so my admonition to you is, "Don't let it die!" Hold onto that passion, seek the face of the One who instilled it in your heart and don't lose sight of the original purpose for which you were called to this ministry.

I challenge each of you, whether or not you have a mission statement, sit down right now and write down the purpose of that square footage you call a church bookstore. It could help renew that original zeal and emotion that you had the first day you opened the doors.