Final Post for 2009

Dear Friends,
This is the final post for 2009. For those of you closely following this weekly blog I DID NOT make an entry last week...on purpose. It was intentional. I knew I would be writing today, December 21st. And I know I will NOT BE WRITING December 28th! So, this is it for 2009!

We began this new journey with STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT, (SI/JP) April the 6th of this year, 2009. It has been a great ride! Bottom line, we connected some churches with some GLOBAL JONATHANS who were connected with unreached people groups (UPG's). And now because of the "sowing of the message" we are ready to connect many more in 2010! Essentially this is what we do: Connect churches (1) with UPG's (2) and with JONATHANS (3) who are trained and ready to go. This triad is what enables us to do accomplish this task the Lord gave us, "To go into ALL the world...."

1. We identify UPG's of 100,000 or more people
2. We connect churches with a UPG from the list we have prepared
3. We train JONATHANS who are entering that UPG we have connected with a church(es) to plant multiplying churches within that particular UPG.

Now obviously it is a little more detailed than the three easy steps above...but you get the point. Right now we have churches praying about the UPG's they are going to adopt for five years. We want to be sure that there is a relationship with all three- Church/UPG/JONATHAN! This is not some black hole "out there" but rather these are real people with real needs and a real hunger to hear the story of Jesus as told by real modern day JONATHANS. I can get excited about that kind of relationship and I know you can also! And that, among other reasons, is why we are in this CONNECTING position! It is great to see God at work among people who have never heard the story of Jesus...ever! People are transformed. The story of Jesus becomes a burning passion for so many of the people. Whole villages are transformed. The Lord Jesus does HIS work and you and I have the privilege to be a part of this eternal "Jesus Movement" with UPG's around the world.

So we are on pins and needles looking with anticipation and eargerness at what the Lord is going to do through STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT in 2010. Let me make sure you have our contact information.

Graydon and Judy Jessup

714.488.7922

gjessup@stadia.cc graydonandjudy.blogspot.com www.facebook.com/graydon.jessup

Judy and I wish you a Merry Christmas and a New Year in 2010 that exceeds all of your expectations and anticipations!

With prayer,

Graydon and Judy Jessup

P.S. I give this next information with a certain amount of hesitation. But people have been asking and so I need to humbly respond. People have asked, "can we help you and Judy in the telling of this story by not only praying for you but also in helping you along financially as we know you are serving in this position by faith?" Our answer is "yes, and thank you so much for wanting to partner with us." If this is your heart desire, (and not taking anything away from what you are already doing financially) you can send contributions to:

STADIA

P.O. Box 19700

Irvine, CA 92623

Include this information on the check registry: Jessup 6-805

Once again thank you so much! Graydon and Judy Jessup

Moving the ball towards the goal line!

Dear Friends,

I know, I know! "Moving the ball towards the goal line," does not sound real spiritual. And the question could be honestly asked: "What does 'moving the ball towards the goal line' have to do with reaching unreached people groups?" Hey...I am glad you asked!

This past weekend (this could be used in a Trivia game) we learned what Universities were going to play important football games in a variety of Bowl Championship Series games. (That is "BCS" for those of you not interested in U.S. Football!) Many people were happy...and many others were angry...angry because their team was not selected for the most prestigious BCS game, or at least a high level BCS competition. The fans will be upset, sports writers will write many column inches of pros and cons, sports talk radio will debate forever about who should have been invited and who should not have been invited and the BCS "stuff" will continue to move forward no matter how angry or happy anybody happens to be! What a national diversion!

And so "we move the ball towards the goal line!" In the STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT realm we use that expression of speech to help us understand that we are connecting unreached people groups (*UUPG's and/or UPG's)with church groups/small groups/families/individuals, through GLOBAL JONATHANS, who are prepared and ready to carry the Gospel into the hard places...or...who will actually be "moving the ball towards the goal line!" By making those "connections" the Gospel is being preached, Jesus is being exalted, lives are being transformed, and we are moving closer to the ultimate objective of Jesus Chrst- when all will have had the opportunity to have heard the Good News about HIM!

As I see it we are involved in the biggest, most eternal BCS of all! Ours is not just a temporary win at the end of a long football season. The BCS we are playing in is for keeps! We are not limited to a parade and a moment of fame on the TV (High Def...of course!) on the first weekend of the New Year. The parade we'll be in is eternal...it never ends! The band will play forever! The Marshall of the parade will always be the Marshall...the Grand Marshall...the Ultimate Marshall...none other than Jesus Christ. HE is the star. In the middle of the parade the TV announcer will not announce the NEXT BIG THING coming up on Channel so and so in such and such a city! There will be NO "next big thing!" The BIG THING will be taking place in front of our eternal eyes- we'll be there simply because we accepted the terms for getting to the parade as set out by the Grand Marshall...Jesus Christ! We want the WHOLE world to know that story, those terms, and have the opportunity to make that choice to choose to attend this Game of all Games- eternity in heaven with Jesus Christ.

And so we happily say, "we are moving the ball closer to the goal line" when another unreached people group (*UUPG and/or UPG) is adopted by a church, or a small group, or a family, or an individual! I invite you to consider being a part of this team. I visited with two churches this past week- one in Arizona and the other in Nevada. Both are jumping into the mission with us. Among the many wonderful things they both are doing they have determined, "we want to be involved in moving the ball closer to the goal line." They will be adopting either *UUPG's and/or UPG's and in partnership and in teamwork we will together, purposefully work at "moving the ball closer to the goal line!"

Please be in contact with me if you would want to know more about joining this growing team!

Merry Christmas,

Graydon and Judy Jessup

714.488.7922

gjessup@stadia.cc

graydonandjudy.blogspot.com

www.facebook.com/graydon.jessup

*UUPG "Unengaged, unreached people group." To the best understanding of those who study and track these situations, people living within a UUPG have NEVER heard the Name of Jesus Christ and they have NEVER heard any word from the Bible. We believe that there are over 500,000,000+ people currently on the globe who fall into the UUPG category.

Christmas is in the air!

Dear Friends,

You can feel it can't you? Christmas is really in the air- you can just sort of sense it, see it, feel it. And it is a good thing. Jesus Christ was born! What an amazing story! I just never get tired of living out the story of Christmas. In story, in song, in drama, the greatest story ever told is repeated and repeated! And it is a good one, a true one, a life changing story!

In fact as I was pondering the story once again I thought to myself, "the story is why I am in STADIA INTERNATIONAL-JONATHAN PROJECT!" I want people who have never heard the story to hear. SI/JP gives me a method, a platform, a detailed opportunity to make sure that people who have not heard...hear! Even though I live 2,000 years this side of the point of origin of the story I still get to tell it, to describe it, to paint word pictures for people so that they also see it and get it! And that is exactly what happens when unreached people groups (UPG's) hear the story for the very first time. They catch it all through word pictures.

Did you realize that over half a billion people on the planet have never even heard the name of Jesus Christ. They have no idea that the only Son of God was born in a lowly manger in a stable in Bethlehem. They don't even know that there is a Bethlehem. This is not to demean anyone. This is just simply a reality in our world. The half billion plus people who have never heard essentially live in "oral cultures." That is, they do not have a written language. They therefore do not read nor do they write. What they know they have learned "orally!" Somebody tells them a story. They hear the story and then they repeat that story. The stories are handed down from generation to generation. Then one day one of their own people, or at least somebody who can communicate in their language or in a common language such as a trade language comes and tells them this amazing story. "There is a God who loves you. And He sent His one and only Son to live on this earth...." And the story goes from there. People hear the story. They believe the story. The Person they hear about becomes real in their lives. Transformation takes place. An unreached people group has been reached...for the purposes and the plans of Jesus Christ.

As I think about all of this this Christmas I get very excited. We are involved in a huge undertaking. The objective is to tell "the story," to those who have never heard! Thanks to all of you for your prayers, your thoughts, your emails, your support. And I pray that for you and your family and your friends, that this Christmas is the very best ever! I imagine "you can feel it also!"

With prayers,

Graydon Jessup