Caged animals

I’m out of town and I’m driving down your typical suburban street when ALL of a sudden I noticed about 10 ELK. Elk are BIG animals. I’ve hunted elk. Elk are crafty creatures, hard to find, but here they were, right in the middle of suburbia...flippin amazing! The bad news is they were caged...stuck. Safe? Yes! But dangerous? No! In fact, I pulled over and found a double barrier fence complete with barbed wire. They definitely weren’t getting out.

What makes me SICK is the same is true of many Christians, caged...stuck...safe...BUT no longer dangerous. The only difference is that we’re walled up behind this thing called the church. People of The Crossing, this CANNOT happen to us! Jesus’ words in Matthew 16:18 (The Message), “a church so expansive with energy that not even the gates of hell will be able to keep it out.” The Crossing must be a church SO EXPANSIVE with ENERGY that not even the gates (fences) of hell can stop it.

Here’s the deal...THIS Saturday, November 14 from 8 a.m. – 12 p.m., we’re going to knock down some gates! There WILL BE energy. The Crossing is moving off campus to our community, four Elementary Schools within the Newport Mesa School District. You pick the school: Paularino, Sonora, Wilson, or Pomona. The church unleashed. This is our opportunity to make the name of Jesus FAMOUS! Sign up NOW!

Finally, it always humors me...before Halloween decorations are taken down, Christmas items go up in stores all across Orange County. Santa’s house at Fashion Island was already being positioned and the Christmas tree being put into place. Shoot, whatever happened to Thanksgiving?

At The Crossing, we’re preparing for Christmas of a different kind. Check out the Angel Tree booth on campus. This is a phenomenal, tangible expression of love for kids...kids of those in prison. They are often forgotten. This is our chance to care, to go beyond our borders and barriers as a church into the lives of those outside of its walls. The cost is minimal, the impact profound!

Loving being dangerous,
Tim Celek
Lead Pastor
The Crossing
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