Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you for choosing Compass Airlines...

Most of you know that I am part of a church plant in Roanoke, TX. We've had a number of challenges over the last couple of years, most of which have turned into major advantages. Check out Johnny's post for specific examples.
I've been thinking alot lately about the upcoming months and how we will design our services to really make an impact in our area. I've come to some conclusions:

I read an article about how before we put together our services we need to know who we are - personalities, etc. I think that up until now we've been trying to figure out what will reach people - what people will respond to. Well, if we first figure out what WE respond to, that will help us communicate with passion, excitement and actually reach the people God means for us to reach. God put our personalities together for a reason - and it's not so that we can do church like we always have. I think we are supposed to play on our strengths, passions, preferences, and styles and then - ONLY THEN - will we reach the people God is calling us to reach. Lets design a service - or Weekly gathering - that WE would be able to get excited about - and want to invite people to. Let's take the church goggles off and dream a little. We CAN have fun with this. Church is supposed to be fun - it's supposed to be creative - it's supposed to be different. People will respond to us if we're genuine and real - we've talked about this a million times. I think that it's time to put our worship service where our mouth is. It will take major dedication, creativity, excitement, passion, time - but we can absolutely make it happen.

It's like all of the sudden my eyes have been opened and I see things not for what they were or what they are, but for what they could be. It's the DUH moment. Actually I've had a lot of DUH moments over the last couple of weeks. I feel so stupid that it never occured to me before. God chose us - who we are - our personalities, etc. for this area at this time. We don't have to wait and see what God will do. HE's called US to do something. To reach out in an exciting and real way to the people in THIS area and tell them about Him. When we're obedient to do that - He'll move in a mighty way. It all seems so simple, now. God has given us the opportunity to be creative - to get excited - to be passionate and to have a blast at the same time. I've been saying that I'm learning what a privilege it is to be in ministry and to be a part of God's will.
It's like my first airplane ride - I expected something really cool. I knew that it would be great. But when the wheels of the plane left the ground for the first time and I realized that I was FLYING - Words couldn't express how I was feeling. My mind was expanded at that moment - suddenly the world was a lot bigger - and I was a lot smaller - and it was WONDERFUL! I finally saw a glimpse of the Big Picture - and I will NEVER BE THE SAME.

That's where we are as a church - the wheels are leaving the pavement. Just like in the airplane - I held on a little tighter to the armrest as the nose of the plane pointed toward the sky and the ground got farther away - we need to do the same now - hold on tighter. There is a natural excitement that we'll feel just knowing that the plane is going higher and higher and pointing more and more toward the sky - and the higher we get, the looser our grip will be on the armrests. The higher we go - the more we will trust the thing that is holding us up. The higher we go - the more of the picture we'll see. I'm so ready to fly. I've never been more ready.