West Jet Church Part 2 – I posted a few weeks ago about the West Jet church I want to add to my thoughts.
“Why do West Jetters care so much? Because they are owners.”
Instead of taking what the company has to offer the idea is that they will make it better. West Jet changed the airline industry. I remember in 1998 when they began flying to Prince George. They reduced airfares by 40%.
I did some digging on West Jet. Checking out their website, and listening to an executive who spoke at a church.

Can I take you on journey with me on how you can use the values or spirit of West Jet to illustrate the principles of a missional church? I want to remind you the end goals of West Jet and the church are different.

West Jet Mission’s Statement
Our mission:
To enrich the lives of everyone in West Jet’s worldby providing safe, friendly, affordable air travel.
Our vision:
West Jet will be the leading low-fare airline that: People want to work with... Customers want to fly with... and Shareholders want to invest with.

The Missional church
Our mission - To preach the gospel, make disciples, teaching in all nations
Our Vision – To become all things to all people to make our mission happen

West Jet’s purpose is to make money for themselves and attract investors; the church exists to build the kingdom of God. The other difference West Jet is a low-cost airline vs. Discipleship which is a high cost life.

West Jetters are owners - 85% of employees are owners. They contribute 13% of their paychecks to buy shares. They tithe to the West Jet god. West Jet’s pay structure is 95% of the industry average.
Who are the owners of the church?
Jesus Christ we belong to him the same way a wife belongs to her husband, the image is we are the bride of Christ
The Pastor: As a pastor I used the adjective my church, my youth, my congregation. This is a term of ownership or belonging.
The people – The church I was at in Calgary. A retired German man named Joe said this after the popular Sr. Pastor left.
“Pastors come and go and change the church but it is the people who stay and make the church.” This doesn’t make the people in the church the owners and the pastor the hired hand. It is more of partnership idea. That all of us are striving to make the church better.
How would church change if we looked as each other as partners in a mission instead of relying on the pastor or a few committed people. What would happen if the people in church took ownership of the church to fulfill the mission statement of Jesus Christ - GO AND MAKE DISCIPLES OF ALL NATIONS!!!! Rich poor hungry well fed. That we led the charge to live justly, with mercy and humility. For justice and true moral living.
We could change the world as a church if each believer truly took ownership of it instead of shopping from it. Where did the PAOC start? As a missions organization. A way for us to pool our resources so that we could make disciples of all nations.
The West Jet church involves a mind set change. I have sat in meetings at churches talking about how we need to satisfy our customers, those paying the bills in the church. And this is what is wrong with church models. The people on the membership list think that they are the customers and that the customer is always right. The customer of church is someone who is not a member. The ideal definition of church is an organization that exists not for the benefit of its members. Think about it!

So how do we become owners?

A West Jet executive spoke at Crossroads Church in Alberta – “Great customer service comes from the heart not from the manual.” The next section actually comes from the West Jet website.

There is something special about West Jet’s culture.It's a company with a unique corporate spirit...a close knit family that's building something legendary...and in the process changing the world.
Are you looking for a mission statement for your church?
At West Jet we have legendary values:
We are positive and passionate about everything we do.
We take our jobs seriously, but not ourselves.
We embrace change and innovation.
We are friendly and caring toward our Peopleand our Customers, and we treat everyone with respect.
We provide our People with the trainingand tools they need to do their jobs.
We celebrate our successes.
We personify the hard-working "can-do" attitude.
We are honest, open, and keep our commitments.
We are team West Jet!
At West Jet we keep the spirit alive by:
Being successful in the air.
Being successful on the ground.
Celebrating new markets.
Providing legendary service.
Experiencing legendary growth.
Creating internal 'magic' and external 'wow'.

What defines Church Spirit?

Acts 1:8But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."

Acts 2: Peter Addresses the Crowd
14Then Peter stood up with the Eleven raised his voice and addressed the crowd: "Fellow Jews and all of you who live in Jerusalem, let me explain this to you; listen carefully to what I say. 15These men are not drunk, as you suppose. It's only nine in the morning! 16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17" 'In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. 20The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.'

Here are some ways that we in the church can learn from West Jet.

At West Jet we have legendary values:
We are positive and passionate about everything we do.
We take our jobs seriously, but not ourselves.
We embrace change and innovation.
We are friendly and caring toward our Peopleand our Customers, and we treat everyone with respect. –
We provide our People with the trainingand tools they need to do their jobs.
We celebrate our successes.
We personify the hard-working "can-do" attitude.
We are honest, open, and keep our commitments
We are team West Jet!
Legendary Christian Values
1) Philippians 4:4 - Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!
2) Titus 2:7 - In everything set them an example by doing what is good. In our teaching show integrity, seriousness
3) My son loves the story of how Jesus healed the blind man.
4) They will know you are my disciples by your love.
5) All Scripture is God Breathed – useful for teaching,
6) Rejoice with those rejoice
7) I can do all things
8) Psalm 41:12 In my integrity you uphold me and set me in your presence forever
9) One God, one faith ...

At West Jet we keep the spirit alive by and ways to keep the Spirit alive for the church.
Being successful in the air. Outside the church
Being successful on the ground. Inside the church
Celebrating new markets. New opportunities to minister
Providing legendary service. Testimonies
Experiencing legendary growth. Growing churches and lives
Creating internal 'magic' and external 'wow'. Rediscovering the mystery of the HS

Here are some more of West Jet values that we could use in our churches
Smile - If the glory of God has touched your heart please inform your face.
Call people by name
Finding a way to say yes
Live the vision

How do we live the vision?
Let the Spirit guide us.
Employees of West Jet know the vision and mission not just the rules. They make decisions based on the vision and mission. How many of our church decisions are made on precedent, policy manuals or budget numbers instead of mission?
Work Together
All West Jetters including executives groom the plane, traveling business and pleasure. You know who lives out the policy without fail? The president of West Jet.

Own your faith
“When you own part of the company you usually make the right decisions.”
Presentation by Phyllis Cyr. Tailgate Party 2005

What if at the end of West Jet flight they invited those who want to part of the West Jet to stay behind and they can give their lives to West Jet. I think people who felt cared for and valued as customers would be much more likely to join West Jet than if they were made to feel unimportant.Would the same happen in a west jet church?
Bono said this
But in truth, I was wrong again. The church was slow but the church got busy on this the leprosy of our age.
Love was on the move.
Mercy was on the move.
God was on the move.
Moving people of all kinds to work with others they had never met, never would have cared to meet… Conservative church groups hanging out with spokesmen for the gay community, all singing off the same hymn sheet on AIDS… Soccer moms and quarterbacks… hip-hop stars and country stars… This is what happens when God gets on the move: crazy stuff happens!
Crazy stuff. Evidence of the spirit.

West jet is all about riding the wind. Our churches need to ride the wind of the Spirit our lives need some crazy stuff.