About Us
By Gregory Ciola
Crossing Jordan Ministries is under the inspirational leadership of Jesus Christ and is directed and managed by Gregory and Rachel Ciola. The significant spiritual name of this ministry began in 2009 after the birth of our son Jordan who was miraculously saved by God during a life-threatening experience he encountered at birth. The Israelites were led across the Jordan River in a miraculous way to get to the promised land.
(See Joshua Chapter 3 and 4 entire chapters).
The Bible account says that as soon as the priests carrying the Ark of the Covenant touched the water that the river split in two and dried up allowing the Israelites to cross like the parting of the Red Sea with Moses.
John the Baptist spent his entire ministry preparing the hearts of the people to be ready to meet the Messiah. The thing he is most noted for is the national baptism he was conducting in Jordan to get people to repent and get ready to meet Jesus. John’s entire ministry was situated around the Jordan River near the spot where the Israelites first crossed.
“In those days came John the Baptist, preaching in the wilderness of Judaea, And saying, Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. For this is he that was spoken of by the prophet Esaias (Isaiah), saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. And the same John had his raiment of camel's hair, and a leathern girdle about his loins; and his meat was locusts and wild honey. Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.” – Matthew 3:1-6
Like the Israelites crossing the Jordan to go into the promised land, John wanted the people to get baptized in the Jordan River to be cleansed from their sins. Jesus was also baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River and that is when the Holy Spirit came down like a dove over him and a voice from Heaven proclaiming him God’s beloved Son.
“Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” -- Matthew 3:13-17
God has used the Jordan river throughout history for some very significant events. Crossing the Jordan has several interesting symbolic meanings, including leaving the world behind and going into the promise land or presence of God.
Prior to our son Jordan being saved from a near death experience, my wife had already chosen the name Jordan to be his name. After Jordan was physically saved in ICU by medical doctors, the name Crossing Jordan was a name that I couldn’t seem to get out of my mind. I kept thinking that it would be a terrific name for a ministry.
Much to my surprise, we were able to purchase the website domain www.crossingjordan.com in 2011. I felt for a long time that I was called into ministry, but there were lots of things that happened and sidetracked me. What made this domain purchase such a “God thing” had to do with the fact that it was controlled by Hollywood for a popular TV mini-series called Crossing Jordan that ran on NBC from 2001 until 2007. For the show producers to end the series and give up the website with that name is highly unusual in the online world. In most instances businesses will hold domains because they cost virtually nothing even if you don’t keep it active.
The other interesting thing you may notice about our ministry is our logo design. Several years prior to the birth of our son Jordan, I was driving my oldest son to private Christian school every day. On one of those days after I dropped him off, I was driving to work, and I noticed a very interesting cloud formation in the sky. It looked like a road was going from the earth up into the sky and at the top was the sun.
What I discerned from this was Jesus talking about being on the straight road that passes through the narrow gate. Since he came to save us that road goes from this world up into the next and the only way to get through the door is Jesus Christ. Beyond that door is a blast of light 10,000 times brighter than the sun. The cross is the way Jesus got through that door again and it is through him shedding his blood on that cross that grants us the right to also go through it provided we believe in him, accept his blood as payment for our sins and follow him on this road to the Kingdom.
“Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many there be which go in thereat: Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” -- Matthew 7:13-14
The birth of this ministry, the logo design and the domain name are three very significant events that I feel compelled to share with others wondering who we are and why we chose this name. It will be interesting in the years ahead to see where God takes this.
As far as our logo design, I hired a Christian artist who has professionally designed the most amazing pictures I have ever seen. The straight road, the narrow gate, and the Rainbow are all connected in God’s Word, and I will be sharing this incredible information with the world. I hope and pray you enjoy what we are doing and are supernaturally blessed by all of it.
In the beginning of 2022 when I decided to finally move forward full time with this ministry, I applied to the National Association of Christian Ministers https://nacministers.org/ and became a Licensed Independent Minister. Any churches or ministries looking for other ministers to help spread God’s Word and Truth, please feel free to reach out to me to see how we can assist you.