We are about to experience a takeoff into the uncharted skies of massive change on a global scale. Before takeoff begins, we need to make sure we are prepared for the coming flight.

When I was a pilot, a critical document was found in each aircraft I piloted. That document was the preflight checklist. A completed checklist made sure all the systems in the aircraft were fully operational before I pushed forward the throttle and began my takeoff roll. Ignoring the checklist has proven to be a fatal mistake for pilots and the passengers who entrusted their lives to an ill-prepared and sloppy pilot.

As we begin the coming takeoff roll we will eventually ascend into skies filled with a massive change in the global financial markets, into storms created by political entities who are taking us into the horror of WWIII, the resetting of the historic compass of faith to a deconstructed heading no longer able to provide a safe landing, and levels of persecution we only thought happened “over there”, not here. These are the skies into which we will soon ascend.  Without having completed our spiritual checklist, we will place ourselves and those we love in jeopardy. Our faith requires a basic checklist to include the following:

DOCTRINE – Biblically sound doctrine provides the integrity of our spiritual airframe. Without its presence on our checklist, our faith will come apart when stress is applied to our lives during the coming flight. This coming apart happens when we are offered and embrace a compromise that demeans the Lordship of Jesus Christ and the purpose of His Kingdom.

FELLOWSHIP – There are different ways to experience fellowship. It’s not limited to coming together once a week on a Sunday morning. Though the traditional Sunday morning model has great value, fellowship can happen when only two or three meet together where they encounter God, participate in the sacraments, and explore Scripture.

INTEGRITY – Just as an airplane requires an Airworthiness Certificate and an annual inspection to be considered airworthy, so it is with our faith. Integrity is assured when all our systems of faith are examined and found operational and not subject to failure when needed most. The depth of our integrity is discovered when we examine the condition of our hearts for any fissures of a broken character. This inspection is conducted when no one is looking and our integrity or lack of it, is clearly seen. An examined and repaired integrity will be able to fly through the most dangerous forms of turbulence and still remain intact.

TRUST – Trust is what a pilot exhibits in flight not worrying about everything that could go wrong but being prepared for all imaginable contingencies. Their trust is built upon matters outside their control. They simply keep flying the airplane, like a believer will do when nothing is making sense, yet they still continue to trust in God because all other options have failed. 

LOVE – Once we have “slipped the surly bonds of Earth” as referenced in the poem “High Flight” by John Gillespie Magee Jr, we will realize it is only love that can carry us safely into the uncertain skies of the future. Love will endure the weakness of our faith and life’s uncertainties and by God’s mercy, experience what Magee continued to write in his poem. After we gain altitude and have experienced “The high and untrespassed sanctity of space.” a person of faith will be able to say I reached out “my hand and touched the face of God.” 

Prepare well for the coming takeoff. We are about to fly into turbulent skies none of us have yet flown. Make sure your checklist is complete. The flight of your faith depends on it.