It was Oct 2002 when Steve Hill called me.  I’ll never forget the passion in his voice and the significance of his words.  “Daniel, I’m coming off the evangelistic field.  The Lord has spoken to me about starting a church in Dallas.”

“My sheep need a fold” was what Pastor heard Jesus say.  The word was simple.  The impact was huge.  Those five words that pastor penned onto a note pad in 2002 became the seed of a dream that would change not only the life of my family, but the lives of thousands of families in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex and eventually millions around the world.

Pastor shared with me that as he was looking towards his final 25 to 30 years of ministry, he refused to make the mistake so many of his peers had.  He didn’t want to cross the finish line without having raised up disciples to carry on the work of the ministry.  He and Jeri had worked all over the world, planted churches, been part of two major revivals, and seen millions come to Jesus.  Now it was time to plant a church that would do the same.

Jenna and I have been a part of that church from the very first day and from the beginning we have dreamed some big dreams about this church called Heartland.

We Dreamed about a Powerful Pentecostal Church

Pastor would constantly challenge us.  Don’t go looking at other churches.  Don’t try to copy what someone else is doing.  What God was going to do here was going to be different.

Pastor believed it was still possible to raise up a powerful church that didn’t shy away from Pentecost, the need for repentance, or the message of cross.  He didn’t want this to be a program-oriented church, but a power and presence driven church where you could come and experience God’s power.  He wanted a church that was in revival!

We Dreamed about a Church for your Whole Family

The first motto that our church used was, “A church for your whole family”.  That’s still true today.  Pastor stated that he wanted to see a church were lives are always being saved, healed, delivered and set ablaze for Jesus. Where whole families come to the Lord and marriages are restored. Where men and women who’ve been spiritually complacent are set on fire for God. Where children are being powerfully touched, teenagers are having encounters with God and sons and daughters are answering the call to fulltime ministry, receiving training at our school. A church where believers grow in God and discover that they can be used of God.  Truly, a Church for your whole family!

We Dreamed about a Large Church

During our first conversation Pastor said that Heartland would become church of 25,000.  It wasn’t about being large to say we are a large church.  It was about calling a great army within our city to do great things for Jesus.  The greater the vision, the greater the need!  Many hands do indeed make light work and Heartland has a lot of work to do.  When pastor planted Heartland he wanted a church that was able to not just make an impact around our city, but also around the world.  The kind of impact that only a large church can make.

Heartland is now seven years old and over that short period of time we have already seen glimpses of that dream become reality.  We have also endured our fair share of trails over that time as well.  Any endeavor you pursue will involve some degree of sacrifice.  A dream this great was always going to require fighting through some great battles.  We’ve been through some great battles, but it’s a great dream.  You want to know something?  I still dream the dream!  I refuse to give up on it or to diminish it.  It’s the vision we were planted with, it’s the vision we are running towards.  It’s who we are.  It’s who we will become.

The Lord told the prophet Habakkuk, “Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.  For the revelation awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.”

Heartland, don’t take your eyes off the vision! Though it linger, wait for it! Don’t stop dreaming!

July 11-14, Dallas TX

Special Guest: Jeanee Mayo, Richard Crisco, Frank Hechavarria, David Hall, Joe Oden, and Daniel Norris.  Worship with Aaron Crider and theREVOLUTION.

Come join us as we seek a face to face encounter with the power and presence of God!

For This Generation,

Daniel K. Norris

www.collisionconference.com

I had an epiphany 10,000 feet above Dallas Fort Worth.  My flight was on its final approach into DFW and as I was looking out the window on my city it occurred to me, “this city looks different from up here.”

It just so happened that our flight path that day presented views of both cities of Dallas and Fort Worth.  I could see Texas Stadium in Irving and the new billion-dollar Cowboys stadium in Arlington from that vantage point.  I could see old cities and new cities that were springing up from the fresh excavated ground.  And I could see all this at once.

I heard the spirit of Lord speak to me, “Son, I want to shift your thinking!  I want to give  you a God perspective on your city. Because if I shift your thinking, I shift your life”  

Perspective Is Everything.

As I pondered that thought I came to a realization.  A pilot most likely doesn’t drive the road in a car the same way a non-pilot does.  The reason is that a pilot’s world is higher.  His perspective is on a different plane (pardon the pun) than the simple soccer mom in a minivan.  A pilot doesn’t just see his immediate surroundings but foresees what is ahead.  He has a greater sense for where he is, what direction he is headed and all the terrain that lies between. 

Perspective is everything.  Your perspective is shaped by a lot of factors.  Your education, upbringing, faith, experiences, hurts, and culture all pay a role in shaping the lens through which view or hear anything.  We all have different perspectives and because of this we all see things differently.

For Example, I’m astounded how clear communication is truly a difficult task to master.  I can make a statement and mean one thing by saying it.  Though it is often interpreted differently from what I meant.  The reason is their perspective shapes the way they hear what I’m saying. 

Shift Your Perspective, Change Your Life

Proverbs 23:7 says, “For as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.” 

Solomon understood the power of perspective and pursued God’s wisdom because it expanded his perspective. God’s ways are not our ways.  His thoughts are higher than ours.  Our human, carnal thoughts are foolishness to Him.  

When we choose to pursue wisdom and adopt a higher perspective, it changes your life.  Shift your perspective, Change your life!

In the corporate world people are paid well because of the wealth of their knowledge and their unique perspective.  You could say that what they know, creates their value to a company.  The more they know, the more they’re worth.  This is why a good education is so important.

It’s true in the natural, because it parallels a spiritual principle.  If you desire success in life, if you aspire to lift your limitations, if you want to expand your horizons then it is time to shift your perspective and change your life.

If you always see the glass as half empty you can expect that your life will always seem limited.  Though if you shift your perspective and begin to see things from a God’s eye view, you’ll begin to see your life change.  Possibilities open up!  Prospects abound!  Prosperity follows!  This is the current journey I am on. 

I end by giving you a few steps that I myself am making a conscious effort to employ in my day to day life:

1.)   Get In the Word!

God’s wisdom is clearly laid out in His word.  But that wisdom does no good to you if you leave it on the pages. Get on a disciplined Bible reading plan.  Take your time, consume the word and pay attention to the principles of the word.  They work!!!

2.)   Look Through Another Persons Eyes!

Once a day try to imagine life through some else’s eyes.  Try to think like they think.  Ask questions, lots of questions.  Think about how you view something and why you see it that way.  Then think about how they may see it differently.  Remember, shift your perspective, change your world!

3.)   Read then Grow!

A great mentor of mine once taught me that the moment you stop learning, you stop growing.  You should always have a book in front of you and you should always be learning.  Remember what you know creates value and lifts your possibilities!

These are just a few thoughts, but I guarantee they are potentially life changing thoughts.

It’s time to Shift!