Preparation for Chiang Mai, Thailand Sep/Oct 2009

Dear Friends,

As so many of you know Judy and I will be in Chiang Mai, Thailand, in a Jonathan Training seesion, September 28-October 10, 2009. This two week, intense training course is required for all "Jonathans!" We are going to experience and taste in the classroom setting what our Jonathans who eventually will be working with "difficult unreached people groups" experience and taste in terms of classroom training, vision casting and vision setting. We are very excited about this experience.

We have a lot of homework to do in preparation for this Jonathan Training- which training will all be done in English!

• We are reading Garrison's book, CHURCH PLANTING MOVEMENTS (www.churchplantingmovements.com/download.php)
• We are working hard on a "people profile." Every Jonathan who is trained is preparing to enter some specific "unreached people group" that they have identified and for whom they sense a calling of God to penetrate for the preaching and teaching of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is a huge part of the preparation for the two weeks of training. I will tell you the "people group" Judy and I have been working on at a later time!
• We are learning new terms and new methods. I suppose a question we can all ask is this: "Can you teach an old dog new tricks?" The general answer is "no." But when you make yourself available to whatever God is up to, and you lay aside all personal ambition, and you check your presuppositions at the door, and you enter without a hidden agenda, you can learn new methods, new concepts, new principles, new paradigms! Our prayer is that we are able to lay aside the past without laying aside our foundation in Christ, and that we are able to grasp and own the new terms and new methods we are learning in the presentation of the Gospel to unreached people groups. In other words we are praying that "these old dogs (Judy and myself) break the mold and in fact do learn new tricks!"
• Ultimately we want to be incredibly effective in finding, challenging, training and releasing new Jonathans- "global Jonathans," who think of the world as their ministry field.
• And we want to be absolutely successful in connecting unreached people groups with churches, groups, individuals, families- whomever, for the express purpose of sharing Jesus Christ and seeing eternal fruit born and mature in the eternal Kingdom!

Well these are just some of the requirements we are currently working at meeting. As we take these methodical steps we move closer to the goals and objectives of THE JONATHAN PROJECT!

We had a really fun weekend with Mission Viejo Christian Church last Saturday and Sunday. Not only did we fellowship with a great church, we met many, many others who are also engaged in all kinds of ministry within the Kingdom of God. Let me say that there are some very passionate people out there...all happily working in the specific ministry to which they have been called by God. It was encouraging to rub shoulders with these fellow servants of the Most High God! "Thanks Mission Viejo Christian Church for hosting should an excellent weekend and for inviting us to be a part of the experience!"

If there is any way we can be of help to you, or, if you would like to know more about STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT please be in contact: 714.488.7922 or hit us with an email- gjessup@stadia.cc.

In the meantime, we pray the very best for you this week.

Blessings,

Graydon Jessup

Speaking/Traveling Opportunities:

• September 13 LifeSpring Church, Beaumont/Banning with Dwight Addelman. I will be speaking in the morning worship service and then speaking at the afternoon dedication of their new meeting place there in the Beaumont/Banning area. This is a real milestone for this new church!
• September 24-October 11, Chiang Mai, Thailand. Jonathan Training
• October 18, 25, November 1, 8, 2009, Speaking in Churches in Alaska

October 18th Farewell Ave, Fairbanks, AK

October 25th Homer Christian Church, Homer, AK

November 1st Baxter Road Bible Church, Anchorage, AK

November 8th Faith Christian Community, Anchorage, AK

• November 19-22, National Missionary Convention, Peoria, Illinois
• January 2010, India

New Friends

To our "Old" Friends and our New Friends!

Be careful there- not "old" like you were thinking because none of us is getting older! Right? The children all grow up and get old...but not us! So I mean "old" as in "we have been friends for many years!" No matter how you cut it though, it still comes out "old!" Well, maybe I had better start this little post all over again!

As we travel we have had the unexcelled privilege of meeting and making, new friends! There are wonderful people all over the place who are faithfully serving the Lord Jesus Christ. And in their sphere of influence they are making a difference! I believe that is what the Lord is asking of all of us- make a difference. Well Jesus said it a little differently. He said "...bear much fruit!" In fact as you read John's Gospel, chapter 15, you get the clear picture of what Jesus meant about making a difference!

These new friends come in all shapes and sizes. They come from large churches and from house churches...and everything in between. Their backgrounds are as varied as one can find. And they all have a story, not only personal stories but also ministry stories! And are these stories ever fun!

• Some are serving faithfully in feeding the poor...not only around the world but right here in America.
• Some serve in churches as Elders, or Deacons, or Musicians or Artists or Teachers of Children.
• Some have traveled the world serving others.
• Some have barely made it out of the county in which they were born and they are serving the Lord with great sacrifice right there!
• Some are living paycheck to paycheck- really, by faith.
• Others are living out retirement dreams as they serve the Lord.
• Many if not all, have been on some sort of a short term mission project- somewhere around the world.
• Some have been followers of Christ since they were tiny.
• Others have made that choice to follow Jesus just recently.
• Some know the Bible inside out.
• Others have a difficult time knowing the difference between Genesis and Concordance!

Here is the bottom line though. They all love Jesus and they want to see His Kingdom advanced. They want to know that not only are they learning the Gospels, and not only do they know the Epistles, and not only can they navigate the Old Testament, but most importantly what they are doing in the Name of the Lord counts for eternity! When you love Jesus, you have the values of eternity in mind!

One passionate young man told me that if Jesus was so driven to choose to come and live among us, and if He was so committed to our salvation that He was willing to die on a cross, then he wanted to give that same dedication and extraordinary commitment back to Jesus Christ! When you meet people like that...people who "get it," you just get pretty excited about what this entire "Jesus venture" is all about! It is not "just a ride!" It is an "adventure!!!"

Well, we are meeting some great folk. And we hope to meet you. I am speaking at different places about STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT and it is a real joy to see "OLD" friends and it is equally wonderful to meet "NEW" friends...all in Jesus Christ!

Prayers and blessings,

Graydon Jessup

August 22/23 Missions at Mission Viejo Christian Church, Mission Viejo, CA

September 1/2 Prayer Walking Salt Lake City, Utah

September 13 Dedication of LifeSpring Christian Church, Beaumont/Banning

Sep 28-Oct 10 JONATHAN TRAINING, Chiang Mai, Thailand

Oct 18, 25, Nov 1, 8, Alaskan Churches

Nov 19-22 National Missionary Convention, Peoria, IL

January 2010 India

The Bottom Line

Dear Friends,

So, for STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT, what is the bottom line? Here it is: "STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT identifies, assesses, trains and releases/empowers, Global Jonathans (I Samuel 14:6) to plant multiplying churches in difficult unreached people groups, within the context of who they are and what they have without the long term support of American dollars."

As you read the statement above you discover FIVE Bottom Lines:

1. We identify Jonathans- "Global Jonathans" which means these Jonathan types, according to I Samuel 14:6, can be from anywhere in the world. Once identified we assess them- "are they truly Jonathan material?" You are asking, "what is Jonathan material?" Good question. We use I Samuel 14:6 as our model: "Come, let's go over to the outpost.... Perhaps the Lord will act in ourbehalf. Nothing can hinder the Lord from saving, whetherby many or by few." Modern day Jonathans do not talk about what they cannot do, or what they could do if they had this or that. Rather, they take what they have and by God's grace they move forward even as Jonathan did. We are looking for modern day Jonathans- those who will move forward with boldness and confidence in the Lord. We train these Jonathans and then they are sent to unreached people groups.
2. We train Jonathans to "plant multiplying churches." These are all multiplying house churches because the "difficult unreached people groups" are difficult and unreached for a number of reasons. The main reason for this "difficulty" is that the situations these people live in are not sympathetic to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. So we train people who in turn train people who in turn train people. (II Timothy 2:2)
3. "Difficult unreached people groups" are in this category due to geographical location, or maybe the nations they live in are violently opposed to Jesus Christ, or the political situation is such that being a Christian is also being an outcast...in that particular people group.
4. Since we are not building church buildings nor are we emphasizing numbers for numbers sake, we teach the people how to do church with what they have and with where they live. Once again, these are house churches, or churches meeting in other spaces where they can be secure yet faithful.
5. We are teaching the Jonathans to live within the context of what they have and who they are. All of us in STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT live by faith. We teach the Global Jonathans how to live by faith- right where they are. Consequently we are teaching the leaders and the churches how to exist and thrive without the long term support of U.S. dollars.

This is our BOTTOM LINE! Once again let me emphasize that this is not the only way to do ministry globally. There are some incredible ministries going on all over the world. But for STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT, this is what God has called us to in this day and hour.

Blessings,

Graydon Jessup

Future Speaking/Traveling Dates:

August 16 Gover Beach, CA

August 22 Mission's Banquet, Mission Viejo, CA

September 1/2 Prayer Walk in Salt Lake City, Utah

September 13 Beaumont/Banning, LifeSpring Dedication

September 24-October 11 Chiang Mai, Thailand for Jonathan Training

From the foggy, cool shores of the Oregon Coast

Dear Friends,

I don't know where you are in the world today, but as I look out on my world the fog has rolled in over the Pacific and the temps are in the 50's. All sorts of people are traveling Hiway 101 as they move North and South on this ribbon of a road connecting the beach towns of the Oregon Coast! The word is that if it is cool on the coast it is warm in the valleys. If it is cool in the valleys then it is warm on the coast. I have not read nor seen the news yet but it must be warm in the Oregon Valleys!

The Week of Missions at Winema Christian Campgrounds has such a history in this section of the world. I wrote about this fact last week. The Bible Teacher for the week, Dr Mark Scott, Academic Dean of Ozark Christian College, made mention of this fact. He is from the midwest and he had always heard of this week wherever he traveled. Now on the Winema campgrounds he was beginning to catch a sense and a flavor of what happens over these five days. I can tell you it will be good.

We are telling the STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT story and it continues to capture the imagination and the heart of people. Interestingly some people do not know what to do with it all. When I tell the story there are those "aha!" moments. People get it. But then they need time to process and pray. "Process" what they have just heard; "pray" because they do want to jump on board without having heard from the Lord. But what we are discovering is that people make these kinds of "support" decisions slowly...and that is OK. It takes time to make paradigm shifts...and that is really what this is all about. Planting multiplying churches is key. Planting them within the context of what people have who are planting the churches is really different. And then making certain that there is not this long term financial commitment from the American Church is something many have never considered. You can see it takes time to process all of this.

Now I recognize that there are many, many wonderful ministries, missions, agencies and services that are accomplishing amazing things for the Lord Jesus Christ. We are cheerleaders for such ministries. Having said that we like the opportunity to lay this new JONATHAN PROJECT concept and practice on the table for prayerful consideration. And what we are discovering is that people are doing the "both/and" part of spreading the Gospel around the world. We do not have the "final say" on how this is all accomplished. Rather in partnership with many, many others we will see the commission of our Lord fulfilled. And STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT is one important component of the story!

Prayers,
Graydon Jessup
Speaking Opportunities:
August 9, 2009 Newberg, Oregon
August 16, 2009 Grover Beach, CA
August 22, 2009 Mission Keynote Address, Mission Viejo, CA
September 13, 2009 Beaumont/Banning, LifeSpring Dedication