Two days in May 2009

Dear Friends,

One thing I really enjoy about this new assignment is that I have the privilege of meeting brand new people. That was the case this Tuesday when I was able to meet CURTIS SERGEANT.

I had heard about this man and all I had heard was pretty incredible. He was and is a real mover/shaker in the "planting multiplying churches globally," slice of God's Kingdom. He has a vision...but more than that...he is able to take that vision and put some definition to it! Many people in many different arenas of life have "vision." They "see things" and they talk about "what I'm going to do!" And for whatever reason it never gets done; it never sees the light of day; the vision dies for lack of development and application.

There are other people who see the "nuts and bolts" of a project. If somebody can define the "vision" they can develop it, frame it, build it, and accomplish it.

But when you have a person who can wear both hats you have an unusal person. Such is Curtis Sergeant. The vision is very simple: plant multiplying churches globally. Here is how the Apostle Paul said it to young Timothy: "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others." II Timothy 2:2
The story of Jesus is passed along to four generations as outline in this verse.

1. Paul is first.
2. He taught Timothy.
3. Timothy was to teach "reliable men."
4. The "reliable men" were to "teach others"
5. Paul...to Timothy...to reliable men...to others

What we heard from Curtis "these two days in May" was disciple the nations- teach, release, empower; teach, release, empower! You get the idea!

His final comments to the people gathered at Hope International University were very challenging: "God is not interested in multiplying mediocrity. So, are we living lives that are worthy of being multiplied?" It was a timely word to the gathered folk. It was a word we will not soon forget!

We were blessed as we stopped to listen and be challenged in the work the Lord has called us to!

With many prayers and blessings,

Graydon Jessup

P.S. I will be speaking at the Dedication of the Vision Center, Grace Korean Church, 5 PM, Sunday May 31, 2009, Corner of Commonwealth and Brookhurst, Fullerton, CA.

Special Meetings

To all of our Friends,

We have two very interesting meetings this week. The first is today in San Diego at THE ROCK Church, where Myles McPherson is the Pastor. The second will be tomorrow at HOPE INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY in Fullerton. Special thanks to both The Rock and to Hope for hosting these two events.

Rather than write ahead of time of what I think and believe will happen, I am going to write this blog on Thursday and let you all know what actually DID happen. Bottom line: These are people coming together to discuss, strategize and implement the "movement of planting multiplying churches globally!"

I'll see you on Thursday!
Blessings,
Graydon Jessup

An additional note to May 27th

Dear Friends,

When you read the blog below you might wonder: "Can I attend this free lunch with CURTIS SERGEANT?" The answer to that is YES! The only requirement: you need to either phone me at 714.488.7922, or email me at gjessup@stadia.cc before Friday, May 22nd. All of the other info is in my regular Monday blog below!
Blessings!
Graydon

May 27, 2009

Dear Friends,

We have an excellent opportunity to impact others in this "global multiplying church planting movement!"

STADIA has asked us, STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT, to host a special luncheon at Hope International University in Fullerton, CA, featuring CURTIS SERGEANT. Mr Sergeant is one of the foremost experts in the global church planting community. We are inviting a small group (20-30 people) to hear this man as well as be able to interact with him. This all takes place, May 27, 2009, from 11 AM to 1 PM on the Hope campus.

If you are interested in what Mr Sergeant is currently doing go to: www.e3partners.org and you can discover what is happening in at least one well known global church planting community. We are truly excited to be able to host CURTIS SERGEANT for this lunch time event.

Some of the key things we are doing is connecting people with people, parachurch organizations with other parachurch organizations, and ministries with ministries! This lunch will provide that opportunity as we have invited representatives from the larger context of the Body of Christ to come and listen in! When people get to know each other and know each other's hearts, all of a sudden a synergy takes place that can only be of the Lord! We know that this will happen May 27th as various people meet on the Hope campus and listen to Curtis Sergeant!

That is all I have for this week. Last week we had great productive meetings with people in the State of California as we shared the STADIA/JONATHAN story. Thank you for your continued prayers and thoughts. Remember, if you have any questions at any time you can email me at: gjessup@stadia.cc or you can call: 714.488.7922.

With much appreciation!
Graydon Jessup

P.S. I will be preaching this weekend at New Day Christian Church, 2191 5th Street, Norco, CA. Service times are 8:45 AM and 10:30 AM.

I will be speaking at Grace Korean Church, corner of Valencia and Brookhurst in West Fullerton, May 31st, 5 PM. This will be the dedication service for Grace's new worship center. You will probably want to arrive early.

A little more background

Dear Friends,

I want to give you a little more background this week about STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT. This really is a developing ministry. Two very fine organizations have teamed up to get the Gospel out to difficult unreached people groups. (UPG's). STADIA has a great name and history of planting churches throughout the United States. JONATHAN PROJECT has a great story of planting multiplying churches throughout the world with special emphasis in the Philippines, East Asia and NW India. Over 1,000 multiplying churches have been planted among UPG's and over 300,000 people have come to faith...just in these past 12 years under the ministry of the JONATHAN PROJECT.

Both ministries recognized that they had something wonderful to offer in a global initiative. They asked the question, "How can we partner together to accomplish the task of taking the story of Jesus to 'all the world?'"

• STADIA asked, "What can we do from our position in the States?"
• JONATHAN PROJECT asked, "How can we make a greater impact in more UPG's in the world?"
• The simple answer to these questions was the formation of STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT. (SI-JP)
• That is where I entered the picture. Both ministries came to me and asked, "Would you be the face in the west of this global effort?"

Many of you know that I have had not only a heart for planting churches in the U.S., but I have also had the privilege of traveling the world, preaching, teaching, encouraging and consulting the body of Jesus Christ. This new opportunity with SI-JP seemed to play right to my strengths and passions. Judy and I really believe that this also was a direct answer to the prayers of the Eastside Elders, and many others for that matter, as so many came along side of us in the pursuit of God's heart for the Kingdom and for this next chapter in our lives. We truly believe that we really are right where God wants us to be in terms of ministry and work within the Kingdom of God.

Here is one blessing I want to share with you. This is all local but it has global implications. Our good friends at Grace Korean Church here in Fullerton, will be dedicating their new $40 million dollar plus Vision Center, May 31, 2009. I have literally traveled the world with Grace Korean. We have been so closely connected to this great church. Grace has started over 8,000+ churches around the world in the past 27 years and has grown to 5,000 weekend worshipers. For the first 20 years of their history they did not own any property. They rented space from schools, churches, etc. They were too busy planting churches all over the world to worry about owning and developing their own property. About 5 plus years ago they bought their first propertyand business complex buildings in America, in Fullerton to be exact, to build a church building they would use as the central hub for all of their local and world wide ministries. The dedication of this new space will take place at 5 PM, May 31st, in their brand new World Vision worship center on the corner of Brookhurst and Valencia in Fullerton. Grace Korean Church and Senior Pastor Paul Han, as well as founding Pastor David Kim, have asked me to be the keynote speaker for this dedication service. I count this to be one of those incredibly high honors to be with my friends from Grace Korean Church and together be able to dedicate their absolutely beautiful Vision Center to the glory of the Lord!

I believe this event is part of what STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT is all about. We are working together, with the nations, to accomplish the purposes and plans of God. This is done locally, right here in Fullerton! It is also accomplished globally as we work and pray together, as the Body of Jesus Christ, to accomplish the Great Commission Jesus gave to His disciples to carry the Gospel into all the world!

If you are interested in knowing more, join with others who are calling, seeking and asking-"What is this STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT all about anyway?" I'll be happy to spend time with you to answer questions, to cast vision, so you too can see the supernatural hand of the Lord hard at work not only here but all around the world.

With many prayers,
Graydon Jessup

P.S. I will be preaching May 24, 2009, for Ed Moreno at New Day Christian Church, 2191 5th Street, Norco, CA 92860. Sunday Worship services are at 8:45 AM and 10:30 AM. New Day is one of the church plants from Eastside Christian Church!

May 31st, 5 PM, Dedication of the Vision Center, Grace Korean Church, corner of Valencia and Brookhurst, West Fullerton.

It is a brand new day!

Dear Friends,

I trust you are thankful in the Lord! You know that this is God's will, right? And we DO want to be walking and living in the will of the Lord, right? Read this word from the Word: "...give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."
II Thessalonians 5:18

That is a very easy verse to read. It is a very difficult verse to put into practice! "Give thanks in all circumstances Lord?" "But Lord, You don't know my circumstances!" Or maybe this is what you have inwardly thought: "Lord, NOBODY has ever walked through what I am going through right now! I am the only one to (you fill in the blank)!" You all know what I am writing about. We just have those moments, those days, perhaps even those weeks where "thankfulness" is not a part of our vocabulary and is not a point of consideration...at any time!

Interestingly enough when Paul wrote these lines to the Thessalonians he did not go into all sorts of explanations. He just wrote it...by the power of the Holy Spirit: "...give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." Pretty straight forward. Not real fancy. But very, very true!

You are thinking, "get off of this already. I don't need a sermon!" And if you are not thinking that then you just might be thinking something sort of like that! You get my point. We deal with it. We have heard it. We understand it. But living "it" and putting "it" into practice, like I said above, really takes a lifetime of daily, consistent, thoughtful application. It is not easy, but it is very doable. And, it is "the will of God for you in Christ Jesus."

What does all of this have to do with STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT? Well I think it is probably pretty obvious. I am attempting to live a life of "thankfulness." I am not always successful, but I am working at it by the grace of God. One of the HUGE parts of my life that I am really thankful for is this ministry: STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT. Here are a handful of my thanksgivings regarding this global initiative:

• I am thankful for the ministry itself- that is, preparing JONATHANS to take the Gospel to very difficult, unreached people groups. Translated- that is preaching Jesus to people who have never even heard the word or name of Jesus!
• I am thankful for the thousands who have received Jesus Christ who had never heard of Him before. That would be over 300,000 in the past 12 years!
• I am thankful for 12 years of JONATHANS, trained, empowered and released to preach the Gospel and to train others who in turn train others in the telling of the story of Jesus Christ. (II Timothy 2:2)
• I am thankful that over 1,000 multiplying churches have been planted in these past 12 years among people who had never heard of Jesus, or of church, or of forgiveness, or of eternal life and who now not only hear regularly of these eternal truths, but who also are learning to live them out in their daily lives!
• In these 1,000 churches these kinds of things have happened for which I am eternally thankful: (Remember, these were all unreached people groups for Jesus Christ just a handful of years ago!)

1. Families are reunited.
2. Broken relationships are healed.
3. Little daughters are not sold into the worldwide sex trade.
4. Little boys reject being trained in terrorism.
5. New followers of Jesus change their businesses, for example from growing "poppies" (for drugs) to creative businesses that are consistent with their new found freedoms in Jesus Christ.
6. Education is encouraged.
7. Health issues, such as sanitation, clean drinking water, and diet are introduced to the believers and these new practices contribute to a healthier environment for the new followers of Jesus Christ.
8. The above results profoundly affect the quality of village/town life so that a discernable difference is seen between unreached people groups touched by the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and those yet unreached.

This list could go on! I am so "thankful" to be part of a global initiative that touches the hearts and lives of men and women, boys and girls not only in the physical and current, but in the spiritual and eternal! God is so good...and I am so thankful!

Serving with a Spirit of Thanksgiving,

Graydon Jessup

P.S. Preaching Dates:

May 10, 2009 Mother's Day

Christian Church of Carson, Conrado Montefalcon, Pastor

356 E 220th Street, Carson, CA

Sunday Morning at 10 AM

Lunch will follow the morning worship and Judy will speak on "Mothers."

May 24, 2009, New Day Church with Ed Moreno, Pastor

2191 5th Street, Norco, CA 92860

Worship Times: First Service, 8:45 AM ; Second Service 10:30 AM