Crunch time!

To all of our Friends...scattered everywhere!

Here are the points of interest I have written about this week:

• The word of the Prophets
• Our objective in THE JONATHAN PROJECT
• Telling the story as many ways as possible
• Would you, or the church you attend, want to know more?

Currently I am re-reading the Prophets- Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and Daniel. For some reason I am drawn to their message at this time in my life. As I read the words of these faithful followers of God I am so impressed with the timeliness of their messages to our current generation. There are so many powerful lines such as:

"My people have committed two sins: They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water." Jeremiah 2:13

Or how about this plaintive verse as spoken by the Lord to Isaiah?

"For when I called, no one answered, when I spoke, no one listened. They did evil in my sight and chose what displeases me." Isaiah 66:4b

Combine what God expressed from His heart to the Prophets so many years ago, with what we see happening in our current culture, and we begin to understand the tremendous need for the spread of the Gospel story of Jesus Christ. These are just some of the reasons why we are so drawn to ministry in general and to THE JONATHAN PROJECT ("JP")specifically. It is our passion to see that the story of salvation is told and retold not only to those who have heard it many times before, but specifically to those who have never heard.

This ministry (JP) has as it's goal and objective the telling of the "good news" to those who have never had the opportunity to hear the Gospel even once! "Unreached people groups!" Or as they are identified: "UPG's!" In these days this is what excites us. We are able to be involved in the project of training and releasing men and women for the propagation of the Gospel in areas where nobody has ever gone before.

Let me be quick to say that we are thrilled wherever and whenever the gospel is proclaimed. It might be one friend telling another friend the old, old story of Jesus Christ; or it could be from the pulpits of established churches in America; it might be from mission stations established all over the globe; or it could be from those who have been trained to preach and teach to "unreached people groups." No one way is the "only way" to get the gospel story out so that people can hear and respond. They all are needed especially in this day and age. It just so happens that we are currently drawn to this objective: sharing Jesus with unreached people groups.

Perhaps you would like to know more. Maybe the church you attend would be keenly interested in getting in on the "project" and would want more information about this specific ministry. Depending on scheduling and other commitments I would be happy to make arrangements to tell you more, in depth, of this exciting opportunity. You may contact us at our blog address, or you can email graydon.jessup@gmail.com or you can call: 714.488.7922.

Prayers and blessings,

Graydon and Judy Jessup

On an ADVENTURE!

To all of our Friends!

Here are the bullet points for this Post:

• Spread the Gospel
• It's raining
• Networking
• "Divine Appointments"
• The definition of "Adventure"
• Preaching February 22nd

Thank you for your continued interest in our lives and in THE JONATHAN PROJECT! As each day passes we find ourselves more deeply ensconced in this amazing ministry! As you follow this Monday "briefing" on a weekly basis you, too, will discover the depth and breadth of what God is doing through this one "networked" effort. As I discover so many other Godly ministries faithfully working for the spread of the Gospel, I am absolutely encouraged! Big things are happening under the radar screen of most of what is happening in the world today- political unrest; economic instablility; nations posturing and threatening; increasingly rampant immorality! So what is happening? The Gospel is being preached and Jesus Christ is being exalted throughout the world! And as I mentioned, essentially this is happening "under the radar" of the world issues!

First let me report: This morning it is pouring rain in Southern California! It is beautiful!

Second, we have been busy with that whole "networking" principle. People who know people are getting together with people who know somebody else who also knows the other person! You get the picture! New working relationships are being created and are forming. It is all good!

Third, I believe in "divine appointments." Judy and I just happened to be eating breakfast Saturday morning in a restaurant she selected. So, those of you who know Judy know that this place is going to be a "healthy place," right? We "just happened" to meet a friend we had not seen for years. This friend "just happens" to be deeply involved with the Center for World Mission, an organization that sets the curve for spreading the Gospel worldwide. As we quickly shared stories- you know, "quickly" because the health food we had ordered was getting cold, and "health food" is tough enough "hot" let alone eating it when it gets cold (-:)- we realized afresh Saturday morning that the Lord has us on a true ADVENTURE!

Here is what I mean by ADVENTURE. I heard a story recently as told by an adult. When this adult was a ten year old, his dad took him and some older boys on a climb up Mt Rainier. The ten year old opted out and chose to stay all day in the Visitor's Center, rather than climb the mountain. As an adult this man made this observation: "As a ten year old I was on the trip, but I missed the ADVENTURE!"

All of us are on a trip...and most of you reading this post are in a "journey" with the Lord. My prayer is "you don't miss whatever ADVENTURE" the Lord has asked you to join Him in accomplishing!

For us, whether it is "networking" or sensing and seeing the "divine appointments," we do not want to miss out on the ADVENTURE of this chapter in our lives. We are excited to be writing the pages of this new ministry to us, as we travel through 2009 and beyond!

I will be speaking at New Day Christian Church, Sunday, February 22nd, in Norco, where Ed Moreno preaches. Eastside helped Ed plant this church about five years ago. It is an amazing story all by itself. The church has purchased property and even in these difficult economic times they will be building this year.
New Day Christian Church
2191 5th St Suite 208
Norco, CA 92860
951.278.8367
Service times: 8:45 AM and 10:30 AM

If you are in the area we would be blessed to see you!

In on the ADVENTURE!
Graydon and Judy Jessup

Networking

To our many Friends...and to those of you who are just discovering this blog and whom we do not yet know! Greetings in the Name above all Names- Jesus!

As you continue to get your arms around THE JONATHAN PROJECT, just like we are, you will discover that there are others out there doing similar ministries- maybe not exactly like THE JONATHAN PROJECT but very close in vision and mission. And we discover that there are those areas we can work together and accomplish way more in partnership than if we just kept everything to ourselves! This is "teamwork" and "networking" at it's best!

In my last blog I asked you to send any email addresses or contacts you might think of as you connected THE JONATHAN PROJECT with what you had heard from other ministries. Let me show you specifically how that all worked in just one week:

1. Judy and I had lunch with Dave, a person whose ministry is to manage a website you will want to know about. It is http://www.goconnect.org/ This web site is incredible for networking purposes. We discovered a friend in Dave as well as a person whose heart is to capture the world for Jesus Christ. Our paths, our energies and our ministries will intersect in the future. Dave was recommended to us by one of the families out of Eastside Christian Church. That is what networking is all about.
2. This week I have scheduled a breakfast with a man I have never met- except through email. He was recommended to us by another family from Eastside. What I know thus far is that the vision of THE JONATHAN PROJECT, "to plant multiplying churches with national indigenous leaders, among difficult unreached people groups, within the context of who they are and what they have, without the continued financial support of the American Churches," is his vision. And in fact he has been doing this kind of ministry for sometime. Once again that is what networking is all about. I am looking forward to the breakfast!
3. Judy and I attended three different churches this past weekend, February 8th. (I have kiddingly said that I need to be in at least two church services on Sunday mornings to get my "church fix" because of the four to five weekend services I have preached over the years!) We met the pastor of one of the churches. A few years ago he and his wife were living as missionaries in the Ukraine and they were doing there what we see God calling us to do with THE JONATHAN PROJECT. His eyes immediately lighted and I knew we would be getting together. And that is exactly how we left it- we would be networking together in the next couple to three weeks, not only to share a meal but to also see how we might be able to collaborate in shared ministry.

The three illustrations above are from one week. We believe God really has some HUGE projects out there for us. As we continue to press forward we'll "network" with many, many other people who have a shared vision in the spread of the Gospel to unreached people groups.

Keep us in your prayers. And if any recommendations come to your mind of other people or of other ministries, in light of THE JONATHAN PROJECT, get contact information to me and I'll follow up and see where it all goes.

This Sunday, February 15th, I preach at Wilshire Community Church in Fullerton. They have two services, 9 AM (Traditional) and 10:30AM (Contemporary). The church is located at 212 E Wilshire Ave, Fullerton, CA 92832. One of the reasons I am speaking at Wilshire is as a result of "networking" with Pastor Kirk Mackie over ten years ago.

Yours for Networking!

Graydon and Judy Jessup

JONATHAN PROJECT Page Two

Dear Friends,

Thanks for your comments, your calls, you support...and your thrill of what God is unfolding in our lives. This has certainly been a "faith walk!" Let me give you a little clearer picture of what we will be doing by describing in more detail what THE JONATHAN PROJECT is all about and our involvement in it.

First, you will not find JONATHAN PROJECT on the web. That is for a very important reason. Much of the JONATHAN work is done in difficult places. Some governments are not friendly towards JONATHAN. Some religious groups around the world are very opposed to THE JONATHAN PROJECT. Consequently it is important to fly under the radar...thus no web site.

Second, here is a simple three line statement of THE JONATHAN PROJECT:

• Great Faith
• Little Money
• Large Impact

This three line statement captured my heart. "Great Faith!" That is what the biblical Jonathan was all about in I Samuel 14. He his armor bearer were taking what looked like an impossible hill to win in battle- especially with only two people. He trusted the Lord each step of the way as he climbed up that hill. He, along with his armor bearer, even though outnumbered ten to one, took that hill and won that battle. The resulting confusion among the enemy gave Israel and King Saul an opportunity for a great victory. The Bible says, "So the Lord rescued Israel that day..." (I Samuel 14:23) The faith Jonathan displayed in God, released the power of God. And even though Jonathan had to take that "first step" up thehill it was the Lord who did the rescuing. In 2009 we are taking that "first step" of faith as we move towards our multitude of "hills." But ultimately, it is "the Lord" who will do the rescuing...even in our day!

"Little Money" could be misunderstood. It does take money...obviously. But once people are trained, empowered and released to establish churches within the context of their people group (or wherever they are) there is no need for continued American/European dollars to sustain the church. And to top it all off the churches planted by THE JONATHAN PROJECT are taught to be "multiplying churches," once again, in the context of who they are and what they have materially. As a result of these JONATHAN principle's currently put into action, over 1,000 churches have been established in the past twelve years! Twelve years! That is how long THE JONATHAN PROJECT has been in existence.

"Large Impact!" Naturally I jumped ahead of my story in the paragraph above. Not only have 1,000+ churches been started, well over 300,000 people have come to faith in Jesus Christ in these past twelve years as a result of THE JONATHAN PROJECT!

You can see why Judy and I are challenged by this incredible opportunity. We happily gave 46 years of our lives in the Pastoral Ministry- and we loved it. In this new chapter and new season in our lives, we are thrilled to be able to impact unreached people groups as well as nations, all for Jesus Christ.

Third, you may know churches or individuals who would be interested in hearing more about THE JONATHAN PROJECT- to get in on something huge with the Lord and with others! Send me names, or numbers, or email addresses and I will follow up with all I receive. In it all we will trust the Lord because we are "taking hills together!"

Blessings and prayers,

Graydon and Judy Jessup

P.S. Each Monday for sure, I will add to this blog. If there are new developments I believe I need to add at other times I'll make that judgment and make the additions accordingly.