About Us

What's in a name?

The church has always struggled to fulfill Jesus' call to go into all the world and make disciples (Matthew 28). In fact, on our own, it is an impossible task. Jesus, however, not only calls us, he also gives us every gift we need to follow his call! The Passage Institute for Youth and Theology was formed both in recognition of the difficulty the contemporary church has making our youth into disciples and in gratitude for God's good gifts.

The name "Passage" indicates our goal: to partner with churches to chart a course through the largely pathless wilderness that lies between adolescence and adult discipleship. The primary way we do this is through our year-long "Passage Fellowship."

The "Institute for Youth and Theology" indicates the way we pursue our goal: using the resources of LeTourneau University, a Christian institution of higher learning, to discover and share the gifts God has given His people for making disciples: 1) resources ranging from scripture to strategies, from God's promises to Christian practices and prayer; and 2) relationships with others who are committed to responding faithfully to God's call.

Please let us support you and serve you as you seek to respond faithfully to God's call to make young persons into disciples of Christ!

Our Mission

To equip youth and those who minister to youth for participation in God’s mission to reconcile and restore all creation through Christian study and practice.

Our Partnerships

Our work is funded by a generous grant (2016-2025) from the Lilly Endowment, Inc. and supported by LeTourneau University and the School of Theology and Vocation. We thank them for their generosity! To support our work, click here.

LUKE TALLON, DIRECTOR 

LUKETALLON@LETU.EDU

Why am I involved with Passage? 

My first exposure to the Lilly Endowment was while I lived near Los Angeles in graduate school. One of my professors was working on a grant for a program designed to help first-year college students explore vocation. He invited the whole class to help him think about how to do this. At the same time, I was studying urban ministry and seeing how churches were participating in the mission of God by living with, serving, and reaching out to the poorest folks in L.A. These overlapping experiences forced me to consider Christian vocation as something rooted in God’s mission to the world and relevant for all people, not just those who get to attend a Christian college. Little did I know that I would one day help coordinate a Lilly-funded project inviting high school students for the exploration of vocation!  

What does it mean to be “director of theology”? 

“Theology” is best described as “faith thinking” (P.T. Forsyth) or “faith seeking understanding” (Anselm of Canterbury). Based on God’s own gracious word to us (especially Jesus Christ, the word made flesh, God with us) and working under the authority of the Holy Bible (God’s written word), theology seeks to speak beautifully and truly of God as part of our walking in the way of the Lord Jesus. Theology did not begin as an academic discipline, but as a spiritual discipline by which the early Christians tried to conform their whole lives (praise, prayer, counsel, evangelism, service, etc.) to Jesus Christ. Continuing this work and inviting more Christians into it is my dream job! I thank God for the opportunity to work with you.

 

 

Stephanie Berglund, ASSISTANT DIRECTOR 

StephanieBerglund@LETU.EDU  

As the Assistant Director for the Passage Institute I have the honor of serving as a support to the program Directors, our Fellows, our Counselors, and our Passage parents. I coordinate our Yearlong Fellowship program as well as assist in executing program outcomes.