Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow!

Wouldn't it be awesome if some of that cold white stuff made it's way to Orange County? Some of you might think so, while others wouldn't be all that thrilled. However there is something we CAN get excited over, the arrival of Jesus. Yet with Black Friday and Cyber Monday, many get more amped in preparing for the killer deals, instead of planning for the advent of the SAVIOR of the world.

At The Crossing we are taking the entire month of December to ready ourselves spiritually, personally, and relationally for Christmas! I promise you it IS going to be a great month. We kick things off this weekend, December 3 & 4. DO NOT miss out! I GUARANTEE you, you'll be encouraged. I PROMISE you, you'll be refreshed. I ASSURE you, you'll be energized.

At The Crossing, we are seeking to recapture a bit of the startling and astounding GOOD NEWS proclaimed that very first Christmas. So I urge you, set aside each weekend during this often chaotic and hectic month to celebrate Jesus with us at The Crossing. I am praying BIG prayers that you will meet Jesus in new and fresh ways over the next 30 days.

Making Jesus Famous,

Tim Celek
Lead Pastor
The Crossing

Time Change Weekend, "Fall Back!"

Yippee, this weekend we get what will seem like one more HUGE hour of sleep on Sunday.  This, quite possibly, is the best weekend of the year; sorry it's due to such shallow reasoning.

Being from the Midwest, this has always been my favorite time of the year.  Through the months of autumn, September, October and the beginning of November, the colors of leaves were often vibrant and the air crisp.  The leaves would fall and we'd rake them into incredibly large piles and proceed to dive into them while catching football after football after football.  Fun times, great memories!  So. Cal. is a bit different, but I enjoy Fall just as well.  I appreciate the change in temperature and the soon coming winter rains.

This weekend is going to be OFF the CHARTS!  Such amazing feedback from last week as I shared the speaking with Sue, my bride.  Thanks!  We have 3 more weeks of this series, Sex, Dating, Mating.  I promise you, you do not want to miss any one of the three.

Come Saturday night at 5:30 p.m. and sleep in on Sunday!  Or after that wonderful one hour of elongated slumber, attend on Sunday at 9:15 or 11:15 a.m.  The next two weekends we will dive into the book of the Song of Solomon.  If you've never engaged much with these chapters in the Old Testament, I can tell you from experience it's amazing that God gave us the gift of these words.  It's really clear, sex IS His idea.

So whether it's Saturday or Sunday, I look forward to seeing you this weekend!

Tim Celek

Lead Pastor
The Crossing

A Great Beginning

It's quite difficult to not put "sex" in the subject line of this email, but then your spam filters would kick it into junk mail and that would not be a good thing. However, it is a good thing that we are talking about sex in the church, after all, it's all around us; magazines, internet, TV, movies and advertisements.  It's about time the church discusses it, since God is the author of our sexuality.

In just one week, the buzz is huge.  So DO NOT MISS this weekend!  Just to remind you, we have service times on Saturday night at 5:30 p.m. and on Sunday morning at 9:15 and 11:15 a.m.  We have children's (nursery – 5th grade) programming and Junior High (6th –8th grade) at all 3 service times.  

What is amazing is how often in the realm of relationships we'll "settle" or compromise.  I see it more so with women.  Often someone is looking for "Mr. Right," but they settle for "Mr. Right Now."  This compromise only leads to hurt, emotional drama and trauma.  God DOES have something better in store.  

Ultimately, what a man AND a woman desire is intimacy.  Yet, societally we have substituted sex, something easily obtainable, for that which seems elusive, deep intimacy with another human being.  Do not miss this weekend as we continue to unpack timeless truth from God's Word.  Plus, bring a friend!  

See you this weekend,

Tim Celek

Lead Pastor
The Crossing 

New Weekend Series at The Crossing

It's every where; television, internet, magazines, movies and NOW at The Crossing.  We are launching a new series, "Sex, Dating, Mating."  Someone asked me, "Why in the world would you talk about these things in church?"  I said, "Because God talks about it and He talks about it A LOT.”

Plus, the world we live in is consumed with it.  Think about it.  Movies like, My Big Fat Greek Wedding, What Woman Want, Hitch, There's Something About Mary, The Proposal, Knocked Up, How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days,  He's Just Not that Into You, Crazy Stupid Love, No Strings Attached, etc., etc., capture audiences with plots about dating, marriage and the intricacies of sex.  The escapades displayed in movies such as these and more have become the classrooms where the vast majority of culture takes their cues.

God desires incredible marriages, but unfortunately faulty foundations for marital unions are poured during the days of dating.  Check out this 7 week series beginning this weekend.  The series will be provocative and will cause you to think.  This series could irritate.  In fact, I'll go even further, it may just change your life.  You do not want to miss it.  Bring a friend, you will be glad you did!

See you this weekend,

Tim Celek

Lead Pastor
The Crossing

P.S. See you Friday night, October 7, at fan-ta-bu-lous on the campus of The Crossing.  Get there early.  The pre-program begins at 6:30; the main event starts at 7 p.m.

Bald Tires & Bad Brakes

Most of you know that my wife, Sue, and I have been on a Harley riding journey through Arizona, Colorado, Wyoming, and now as I write this, Utah.

However, this weekend, I will be at The Crossing. I'm really looking forward to it!

In regards to this road trip, the memories are many. The arguments are few. The sights are most often supernatural. Yet, the one thing that I can't get away from daily are the decisions I have to make.

Sue and I marvel at how the decisions that I'm constantly choosing between are often, no joke, between life and death. I've had to make decisions in the middle of severe lighting storms, as well as, while looking at the radar of what might be heading into our path. Decisions to stop, speed up or juke to the right or left when deer or elk are crossing the road. Decisions to pause and refill, refuel and/or relax. It's not a good thing to have slow reflexes when you're on two wheels.

One of the big decisions was to wait a day and get a "kinda" bald rear tire replaced, even though I REALLY wanted to ride a mountain pass that's been on my "bucket" list. In fact, as I write this, I'm contemplating another choice I have of whether or not, tomorrow, to get my brakes checked. A sensor light keeps coming on, but the problem is I have plans to go to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon before we finish this journey and I REALLY want to go. What do you think I should do?

Isn't it true, our lives are the sum total of the decisions we make; daily decisions, weekly decisions, monthly and yearly. Some of us in the moment make wise choices and others of us make some pretty stupid ones. We don't have all the time necessary to learn how to make the best of choices. The reason being, good choices are frequently learned from making bad ones. I learned a long time ago, I'd rather learn from others who have made both good and bad decisions. This way I'm taking advantage of the experience of others.

One such person who made a dumb decision was a guy named Jonah. You might have heard of him. He's the guy who was swallowed up into the belly of an incredibly big fish. His stupid decision was to say "no" to God and do what he wanted to do. It cost him BIG TIME! But you've been there and so have I. We've made some dumb decisions and it has cost us; cost us money, relationships, jobs, business, etc.

The good news is this, God continuously offers dumb decision makers like us the opportunity for a Second Chance. I want to ask you to join me this weekend as we dive into this very subject. Invite someone to come with you!

In fact, this Saturday night is the last night of our free Summer Concert Series following the Saturday night service. Moi Navarro's band is playing. Let me tell you, I've heard this guy and he's really good!

Either way, Saturday at 5:30 p.m. or Sunday at 9:15 or 11:15 a.m., I look forward to seeing you this weekend as we learn to make smart choices and wise decisions!

See you this weekend,

Tim Celek
Lead Pastor

The Crossing

Day One! Road Trip!

What a day! It started off early. We spent the night in Palm Desert at a friend's home. Sue & I got a great start at 5 am. What beauty to see the sunrise over the desert landscape. God's goodness on display.

When we did this ride 2 years ago, I thought it was hot then, today the temp gauge on the Harley read 115, it was hotter this time. However the smell of pine trees heading into Prescott, the twisty road to Jerome, and the Red Rocks of Sedona, more than made up for the heat. We love riding. Sue does, I do. I'm blessed to have someone like Sue.

We ended our day reading God's Word together. We read the Gospels of Matthew 1, Luke 1, and John 1. I'm encouraging everyone to journal using something called S.O.A.P. I've already stated the "S" the Scriptures. The "O" stands for observation. My biggest observation was how from the people of the Old Testament listed in Matthew, to Luke's Gospel with Zechariah, Elizabeth, Mary, and John the baptist and then to John's writings about the first disciples, Andrew, Simon, Phillip, and Nathaniel...to this very day, God uses ordinary people. People like YOU and me.

It's all about Jesus, yes, however, God uses us in big ways. As frail and fouled up as we are God works in and through ordinary people. The "A" stands for application. My application is to do my best not to allow my stupid biases and petty judgments to get in the way of seeing how God desires to use those who cross my path so very often at The Crossing.

"P" is for prayer, which is what I'm off to do, right now!

So read through the Gospels in 30 days. We'll travel with Jesus together.

Thanks for reading,

Tim Celek
Lead Pastor
The Crossing
tim.celek@thecrossing.com