Monday, November 23, 2009

Back Home...Again!

Dear Friends,

It was a fast and furious trip to the National Missionary Convention, held this year in Peoria, IL. You know the drill: You work like crazy to get ready to go somewhere, you go, and then when you return you work like crazy to get all caught up! I can tell...you have been there too!

The Convention was everything I expected it to be. I met many, many friends and made many, many new friends. Our objective: Get the story of STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT out so that others know about this incredible opportunity, to impact for eternity, an Unreached People Group (UPG) somewhere in the world!

A very fascinating piece of this kind of "get together" is that you also learn what others have been called to do in terms of ministry within the Kingdom of our Lord! God's plans and purposes are HUGE! Many, many different people have been called into a kaleidoscope of ministries...all over the globe! As you listen, ask questions and talk with people in their "booths," you immediately discover that you are not in this Matthew 28:18-20 project alone! What a team! And we all get to be an active part of this team. A fun aspect is that no one gets to sit on the bench...we are all players. That was driven home to me once again as I was in Peoria last week!

Remember the STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT objective: Connect churches, individuals, small groups, etc., with GLOBAL JONATHANS who are prepared and ready to plant multiplying churches in very difficult Unreached People Groups. So that was my goal and purpose while in Peoria.

We are discovering it takes about three visits before a church or individual commits to adopting a UPG. Spending time at the Convention was one of those "first" visits. We will be following up with those first contacts and those interested in global outreach especially as it relates to the UPG's of the world! We have our hands full but that is really what ministry is all about...right?

Many years ago some people came to these shores looking for the opportunity to worship God the way they believed they needed to be worshiping Him. They had fled the oppressions of Europe to come to this "new land." Upon arrival it was not easy...but were they ever THANKFUL! And so the tradition of THANKSGIVING began as an expression of thanks to a Heavenly Father who had given them this time and place where they could worship freely. My word to you this Thanksgiving is be thankful for everything you have. But above all, be thankful to your Heavenly Father for His gracious gift to each one of us...Jesus Christ, and that we can worship Him freely!

Have a great Thanksgiving!
Graydon and Judy Jessup
P.S. Here are some speaking dates:
  • November 29th, Mission Viejo Christian Church, Mission Viejo, CA
  • December 27th, Mission Viejo Christian Church, Mission Viejo, CA
  • (For your info: www.mvcchome.org will give you times and location of the church)

Our contact info:

714.488.7922

gjessup@stadia.cc

graydonandjudy.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/graydon.jessup

Tuesday, November 17, 2009

National Missionary Convention

Dear Friends,
This week, November 19-22, the National Missionary Convention (NMC) of the Christian Churches, is being held in Peoria, IL! (Bradley University is located in Peoria! Just thought you would want to know!!!)
The NMC draws people from all over...the world! This is an opportunity for those from within the States to connect and reconnect with those who are serving in a variety of Mission efforts from all over the globe. The speakers and workshops are the best. The convention hall is filled with booths representing world wide ministries. People who attend the convention walk away with their arms filled with brochures...DVD's...flyers...ministry/mission opportunities in every kind of possibility- preaching, teaching, language translation, medical work, educational work, justice efforts, ministry to children and women, ministry to the poorest of the poor, construction opportunities- you name it, there is a global ministry for it! (May not be the best sentence but you get the idea!)
I will be "working the crowd" who will be passing by the STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT booth! We have new publication pieces explaining what this ministry is all about! And I am very excited about the opportunities to meet college students, young adults, those who are retired and anyone else for that matter who are looking for that possibility, that open door, that answer to prayer, that challenge to step out of a comfort zone and step into the Lord's comfort zone!
Remember what JONATHAN is all about! Some are Jonathans and take the impossible hill; others are the Armor Bearers who are supporting the Jonathans "...heart and soul" as they (the Jonathans) go after the hill! (I Samuel 14:7)
What is our entire objective? STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT exists to train and release global Jonathans to plant multiplying churches in very difficult unreached people groups within the context of what they have and who they are without the long term support of U.S. dollars. That is it in a nutshell.
Sent with prayer,
Graydon Jessup
P.S. You may not be attending the NMC, but perhaps you know someone who is! Give them a call or send them and email and make sure they visit us at the STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT booth!

Monday, November 9, 2009

Flying home!!!

Dear Friends,

It has been a good "run" but a long "run!" Judy and I left for Thailand September 24th. That was a great trip. I landed home for a couple of days then headed out for Alaska. I am returning today, November 9th. Essentially from the 24th of September to the 9th of November I have been living out of my suitcase...and it all has been good!

Here is the deal. When you are doing what you believe God has called you to do the days and the miles all run together and you really do not notice! You don't notice that you are living out of a suitcase- until maybe the day you head home...like today! And then you notice. But then that is only for a day and then you are home!

This Alaskan trip has been over the top. The only way it could have improved was if Judy had been able to make the trip with me. I was so warmly greeted everywhere I stopped. It hardly seems like seventeen years have passed since we lived in this "Great Land!" The Body of Christ- that is, the part I visited, is doing amazingly and wonderfully well! Churches are growing. Peoples lives are being changed. A view for the world is evident in the lifestyles and the choices of the people. And folks are being impacted all the way from local cities and towns here in Alaska to around the world. I was truly blessed.

As I shared the STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT story, people were moved. Planting multiplying churches in very difficult unreached people groups truly resonates with the Alaskan mindset. I anticipate much fruit from the efforts of these past three weeks as people begin to pray and adopt unreached people groups around the world.

Last post I spoke of 100,000 house churches started over these next five years. I am even more energized by this very real objective as people join the team in prayer and support. Once again if you would like further information please be in contact.

That is all for this post as I head in to Anchorage to catch a plane and return to Southern California.

Blessings,
Graydon Jessup
714.488.7922
gjessup@stadia.cc
graydonandjudy.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/graydon.jessup

Monday, November 2, 2009

100,000

Dear Friends,

Greetings. Here is what you will read in this blog:
  • 100,000!
  • The breakdown of how to establish 100,000 multiplying churches among unreached people groups in the next five years. (UPG's)
  • 100,000 by God's grace and within His purposes and power
  • P.S. An additional note!

That is right, 100,000!
When I wrote that number last week I gulped! 100,000! "So what's that all about?" "100,000 what?" That is, 100,000 multiplying churches planted in the midst of currently, unreached people groups (UPG's) over these next five years. These churches (all house churches) would be planted in the context of who they are and what they have without the long term support of U.S. dollars. Allow me to break that down just a little more:
  • That is 100,000 house churches in a variety of currently unreached people groups.
  • The House Churches are planted within the context of what they (the local people) have and within the context of who they are. (The local people once again.)
  • These House Churches would be "jump started" with American funds or financial support from other nations. But then there are some specific things the financial support would not do:
  1. There would be no purchase of property
  2. No church buildings would be built
  3. Now if the local people wanted to purchase some property and build a building they could do that within what they have and who they are. That is their decision, not STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT!
  4. Our observation is that the governments where we are planting these churches would be forcefully opposed to any and all church building construction and would probably "torch" them if they were built. Thus, the House Churches!
  • There would always be an exit strategy in place within a five year mark for American Churches and/or individuals who were financially supporting these church plants. In other words, the Gospel would be preached, House Churches would be planted, and the ministry would continue with the funds from within the unreached people group after the five year mark for each group. Churches and/or individuals who were supporting these ministries for a maximum of five years would be able to step aside knowing that the churches had been planted, that people were being saved and that the Gospel would continue to march forward, all without the financial aid of the American Churches.
  • These House Churches would be planted to be multiplying House Churches.
  • Within these Churches there would always be a prayerful watchfulness for other potential JONATHANS who would be assessed and trained then released to take the Gospel to other UPG's.

With all of this in mind you can see why 100,000 multiplying House Churches in UPG's over these next five years is a possibility...with God in it! We all know, none of this is possible, even remotely possible, without the Lord in it!

This is a simple prayer and a simple request...with eternal consequences. Would you join us in prayer and pray that over the next five years 100,000 multiplying House Churches would be planted and that they would explode into a global movement that could only be ordained by God?!

Thanks ahead of time for joining the Team with your prayer support!

Prayers for 100,000!

Graydon Jessup
P.S. To get more information you can email me at gjessup@stadia.cc or give me a call at 714.488.7922.
P.P.S. This weekend, November 7/8, I will be speaking at Faith Christian Community Church, formerly Parkside Church, the Church Judy and I led for 22 years while in Anchorage, Alaska. What a great opportunity and privilege to tell the STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT story to FCC! We'll be reconnecting with many friends. If you are in the area I hope you are able to come to one of the three services. http://www.faithak.com/