ðə fˈɜːst pˈæʃən kˈɑːnfɹəns wʌz hˈɛld ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti sˈɛvən ɪn ˈɔːstɪn, tˈɛksəs wɪð ɐbˌaʊt tˈuː,zˈiəɹoʊzˈiəɹoʊ zˈiəɹoʊ jˌuːnɪvˈɜːsᵻɾi stˈuːdənts ɪn ɐtˈɛndəns.
The first Passion Conference was held in 1997 in Austin, Texas with about 2,000 university students in attendance.