Applause and cheers of gratitude erupted in the worship center on the morning of February 1, 2025. The Crosswalk Redlands community and members part of its Global Network filled the worship center to standing-room capacity. After ten years of dedicated ministry, Tim Gillespie, former lead and teaching pastor of Crosswalk Church, preached his final message as lead pastor. Iconically, he ended the service by reminding each member to “remember to Lovewell.”
Gillespie, who accepted a call to serve as vice president for mission and ministry for the Rocky Mountain region of AdventHealth, leaves a community deeply influenced by his leadership. Over the culmination of his ten years with Crosswalk Redlands and the church’s intentional mission expansion, Crosswalk has grown into a worldwide movement.
Rather than upgrading local facilities to accommodate growth, Crosswalk chose to plant churches—a move that shaped the next six years of Gillespie’s ministry and continues to define the Crosswalk Global Network today. He noted, “by expanding the mission of Crosswalk outside of the four walls of Redlands, we began to meet more people who were committed to the gospel, to expand the kingdom of God, and who are willing to put in the work in order to attend the churches that they were willing to build.” He clarified that the goal was never to simply broadcast a preacher from Redlands to multiple locations but to empower local leaders to serve their communities.
Crosswalk’s worship experience was intentionally structured around three key values: Belonging, Momentum, and Experience. From hospitality teams to children’s ministries, every aspect of the church was designed to create an inclusive and dynamic environment where people felt connected and engaged.
While some may assume that a church with a modern worship style might lack biblical depth, Gillespie emphasized that the opposite was true. Crosswalk, he explained, has a strong Christology that informs its mission and church structure, offering extensive discipleship opportunities through small groups, podcasts, and structured trainings. Gillespie reflected with pride for the growing community seen through the church, Lovewell groups, and their home-based watch parties.
As he steps away from pastoral ministry, Gillespie shared advice for the next generation of church leaders: “The church is a living organism that allows for new growth, new ideas, and new opportunities. As you gain the trust of the organization and the people you minister to, you will be able to do so much more than you can imagine today.”