I first played an angel as a small child in a church Christmas pageant. The experience, it turned out, was instrumental in the formation of my faith. Years later I portrayed an angel again, and it has transformed my walk with God.

In 1982, I became the first person to play angel Gabriel in the Crystal Cathedral's holiday spectacle, The Glory of Christmas. The Crystal Cathedral, in Orange County, California, is one of the best-known churches in the U.S., due in part to the Hour of Power TV broadcast and its founding minister, Robert Schuller. Many consider The Glory of Christmas to be America's most breathtaking reenactment of the Nativity story. In addition to live flying angels, this musical extravaganza features dancers, actors, and a mini-menagerie that includes camels, goats, donkeys, and sheep. The production is made possible by hundreds of dedicated volunteers whose devotion to telling the story of Christ's birth is a labor of love.

To prepare for my role as angel Gabriel, I studied Billy Graham's book Angels: God's Secret Agents. Though I focused on the angels surrounding the birth of Jesus, Graham's book awakened within me a desire to learn more about angelology.

Angelology, for me, is the orderly study of biblical truth about angels. Some angel aficionados border on angel worship in their fascination with the beings. But I see my interest more as a way to learn about the love and power of the One who created the angels.

Angels crisscross the Old and New Testaments, being mentioned directly or indirectly nearly 300 times. Angel Gabriel is one of the most prominent angels mentioned in the Bible. In Hebrew, Gabriel means, "God's hero," "the mighty one," or "God is great."

As a choreographer, it is my responsibility to work artistically with those who portray angels in The Glory of Christmas. Yet as a Christian, it is my desire to work with them spiritually.

By seeking to accurately portray angels in The Glory of Christmas, I stumbled into a marvelous ministry as a Bible-study leader. Every year, as we prepare for the production, those of us who are cast as angels take part in a weekly study. Through these group studies, I've seen friendships formed, prayers answered, and people touched by the love of Jesus.

I have often quipped that being a flying angel at the Crystal Cathedral is a real faith builder. Originating the role of angel Gabriel required me to hover up to 90 feet above the audience. I have faced many challenges as a dancer and choreographer, but none as nerve-racking as this one. I remember well being filled with a sense of fear during rehearsals prior to the opening of my first show. Added to this negative emotion was the tight harness that was bruising my body, making any movement very difficult. (Individuals who are cast as flying angels are flown by Peter Foy, the leading engineer of theatrical flying in the United States. He is most famous for flying Mary Martin and Sandy Duncan in the Broadway musical Peter Pan.)

In spite of my anxieties, my heart was filled with a deep sense of joy, peace, and thanksgiving. I prayed that the love of Christ would radiate through me. I prayed that each audience member would be touched and inspired by the message of the angel I represented.

The word angel literally means courier, messenger, or ambassador. Angels are God's messengers whose chief business is to carry out his orders in the world.

The message of Christ's birth, which we celebrate each Christmas, is timeless. A special angel made the announcement to Mary that she was to be the mother of Jesus. Luke 1:26-31 reads:

As in the angel's announcement to Mary, so often God's message to people today is, "Do not be afraid." Throughout the Bible (and no doubt today), angels work on our behalf, protecting us from fear and danger. Psalm 91:11 declares, "For [God] will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways."

We are not to place our faith directly in angels, but rather in the God who rules them. Still, it's inspiring to meditate on the special role these beings play. Portraying an angel helped renew my devotion for the God who sent his only Son to save us. May this awesome message of love that the angels first delivered to Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds rule in our hearts this Christmas season.