July 2010

Dear Friends,

Judy and I both pray you had a wonderful celebration over the July 4th weekend. We certainly did. It was a little different in that it was so quiet for us. But with the rescent travels and all we were glad for the down time. This week finds us back at the helm and ready to go- or at least as ready as you can be when you come off of a four day weekend!

HEART & SOUL90.... In my last post I said I would explain this more, so what is this all about?

As we traveled around last year for THE JONATHAN PROJECT, it became clear to us that we needed to provide some way a busy person of 2010 and beyond, could connect with the reality that nearly 2 Billion (That is a "B") people have never heard the Name of Jesus Christ. They just do not know who He is! That can be pretty overwhelming. In fact it seems so impossible that people often just throw their hands up and think to themselves, "What can I do that will make any difference at all?"

So we asked ourselves a whole bunch of questions and out of those questions and conversations came this idea. Let's provide an opportunity for people to be supportive of the JONATHANS of the world by identifying with Jonathan's ARMOR BEARER who said in I Samuel 14:7: "DO ALL THAT YOU HAVE IN MIND...GO AHEAD; I AM WITH YOU HEART AND SOUL!"

I want to give credit where credit is due. The original idea was created by our daughter Carolyn Sessom. She lives with her husband Jody and their three children in Wasilla, Alaska. Her thought was, "I am a busy Mom. How can I get involved in something so huge?" And out of her thinking came this concept- HEART & SOUL90. I bought in to the idea- hook, line and sinker (as the fisherman says!) Essentially this whole ministry will be web driven. Currently we are getting our paperwork in order- which means, Articles of Incorporation, Filing a 1023 with IRS, satisfying the requirements of the State of California and putting together some Bylaws and other such details. All of our paperwork is in the process of going through "the system." The STADIA folk have been incredibly helpful as they walk through this process with every new church plant. We should have all of our approvals sometime this summer- depending of course on how quickly the paperwork goes through the governmental system.

Once we are approved I'll spell out the details to one and all. The end result: Busy people can be involved and they can make an eternally significant difference in the spreading of the Gospel to the "least reached" among us!

This whole concept- H&S90, is designed to support THE JONATHAN PROJECT and the planting of multiplying churches in very difficult unreached people groups within the context of who they are and what they have.

Stay tuned as this only gets better. I'll be seeing you next week.

Blessings,

Graydon Jessup
714.488.7922
graydon.jessup@gmail.com
graydonandjudy.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/graydon.jessup

Speaking opportunities:

• July 11th, Life Journey Christian Church, Bakersfield, CA
• July 18th, Life Journey Christian Church, Bakersfield, CA
• August 1st and 8th, Team Expansion, Kentucky (Teaching during the two weeks there)
• August 21st/22nd, The Rock, Fullerton, CA
• August 29th, Mission Viejo Christian Church, Mission Viejo, CA

A Little Break

Dear Friends,

We had a great time with Heart and Soul90 and the JONATHAN PROJECT two weeks ago. We unveiled H&S90 and I will write more about this innovative ministry for the least reached people groups in my next writing.

This note will be of a more personal nature. Judy and I are taking a break from our normal routine. We are in Nome, Alaska, with our son Wesley, his wife Cynthia, and their four children. We planned this trip for a few months and we could not have timed our arrival in this town on Norton Sound any better. The 4,000 residents celebrated the summer solstice this weekend with a parade, a staged bank robbery from the history of a real bank robbery many years ago (with Wyatt Earp an actual participant in that original bank robbery), and we watched about 100 people jump into icy Norton Sound to join the Nome Polar Bear Club. I mean, I was standing there with a vest, a felt jacket and then a winter coat and I was still cold. It "hurt" to watch the "Nomites" jump into the frigid water! Because of the celebration we were able to meet many of Wesley and Cynthia's friends as well as many of the people they work with. As if the celebrations on Saturday were not enough, the locals have an annual float trip on rafts- down the Nome River. These rafts are "rafts" which means they are glorified flat boards- all decked out with signs, etc. The race- if you can call it a race- takes about two hours for the winners, with the slower rafts taking up to four hours to complete the course. Let me say this: These people are way tougher than I am. It was 45 degrees with wind and light rain. But the participants were in and out of the water, spraying each other, and as the the boats went under a major bridge people were dumping large buckets of water on the folk below on the rafts! Everyone was having one grand time...and I was freezing! Our granddaughter Judith, was on one of the rafts! Let's just say we have had a great time here in Nome. Our kids are well and busy and they have many great friends here in the town.

Tomorrow, June 22nd, we head down to Wasilla where Jody, our daughter Carolyn, and their three children live. We will be there for a week spending time with them. We are looking forward to our time there with our kids as well as we'll be seeing other friends while in the area. The timing of this trip was for Judy. She will be celebrating her 50 year High School reunion from Anchorage West HS, when it was the only HS in the town! I know many of her classmates from the 22 years we lived in Anchorage. Judy has been reconnecting with many classmates via emails, etc. She is certainly looking forward to the weekend- and I am also!

We return home June 28th when we will be jumping back into our responsibilities.

One sidenote, while in Anchorage I will be visiting with some folk about JONATHAN and H&S90- connections from the past as well as connections from last fall when I spent time in Alaska visiting many churches and friends about JONATHAN.

Thanks for your friendship, your support and your prayers,

Graydon and Judy Jessup from Nome, Alaska
714.488.7922
graydon.jessup@gmail.com
graydonandjudy.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/graydon.jessup

Future speaking dates:
July 11th, Bakersfield, CA, LifeJourney Church
July 18th, Bakersfield, CA, LifeJourney Church
August 21/22, Fullerton, CA, The Rock

Heart&Soul90

Dear Friends,

We are about to go public with an entire new ministry to support JONATHAN- Heart&Soul90. All taken from I Samuel 14:6-7 we see a powerful connection between the JONATHANS of the world and the ARMOR BEARERS of the world.

We will be talking about all of this in depth this Sunday evening, June 13th at 6 PM. We have three groups coming together- and you can be a part of this story if you would like. But we need to know you are coming so you could hit me with an email at graydon.jessup@gmail.com and we would make sure you had a spot. At that time we would give you the location, etc.

This really is a result of our first year with JONATHAN and continues to establish the base of operations for reaching the least reached people groups on the planet! It will be ONE fun evening and if you can come just let us know.

That's it for this week!

Prayers,

Graydon Jessup
714.488.7922
graydon.jessup@gmail.com
graydonandjudy.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/graydon.jessup

Memorial Day Weekend

Dear Friends,

I am writing this early. I head out for Northern California in an hour or so and will be at Adventure Christian Church in Rocklin, CA, for both of their Sunday morning services tomorrow, May 30th. You can check church location and service times on their web site.

As many of you know, when I am in town on Saturday, I gather with some others for an early morning prayer time. This group has been doing this for about 4+ years. We pray every Saturday of the year, from 6 AM to 8 AM. The regular attenders are: a Korean Pastor, a Chinese Pastor, an Egyptian Pastor, a Latino couple headed out for a mission assignment and myself. (For the first three years we had a Messianic Jew who joined with us each week. He and his family moved to Israel but whenever he is back in town he joins up with us!) As I look at the group I recognize that the prayer of Jesus in John 17 is being answered.

This morning we had five more Chinese meet with us as well as a couple from Khazakstan. The Chinese lead about 20,000,000 believers in unregistered house churches in China. The Chinese leader who was with us is highlighted in the book, "The Heavenly Man." The couple from Khazakstan led a church of about 3,000 people and in the past twenty years the church they led started approximately 275 other churches- mainly in Khazakstan but also throughout Central Asia.

We all were blessed in the prayer meeting this morning. All of the people have one focus in mind: see the Kingdom of God expand until Jesus comes a 2nd time!

I am thrilled to be a part of such a movement of God. Be encouraged! Sometimes it can seem like we are in a negative free fall- and in many instances that would be a true observation. But ever remember, God is on HIS throne. He is Soverign. His Son Jesus is King of Kings and Lord of Lords...and He will return...sooner than later!

May the peace of the Lord be with you all,

Graydon Jessup
714.488.7922
graydon.jessup@gmail.com
graydonandjudy.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/graydon.jessup

A New Week

Dear Friends,

This week continues to be a travel week.

• I'll be speaking to a Mission's group at William Jessup University in Rocklin, CA this Monday evening the 24th. It is a great opportunity to talk about the JONATHAN PROJECT.
• I'll be back in So Cal during the week.
• The weekend of May 30th I will be preaching at ADVENTURE CHRISTIAN CHURCH in Rocklin, CA, in all of their services. You can check their web site for service times.

This JP is multiplying and expanding. If you would like to know more be in contact. I would be blessed to come speak at your place or to any people you would have for me to meet. If you are interested in world change- especially to the least reached people groups on the planet- then we need to talk because you CAN make an eternal difference in ways you possibly do not even realize.

That is it for this post! I look forward to hearing from you.

Prayers,

Graydon Jessup

graydon.jessup@gmail.com

714.488.7922

Singapore

Dear Friends,

This morning I leave for one week in Singapore. Purpose of the meeting: To meet with global Jonathans who are coming to Singapore from all over the world. This meeting happens once every two years. The basic purpose is to assess the past two years and then to plan strategically for the next two years.

One of the commitments THE JONATHAN PROJECT has made is that those involved will be brutally honest in assessing and re-evaluating all facets of the ministry. The ministry with the least reached people groups of the world demands that there be no territorialism, no hidden agendas, no personal pride. People come to the table as clean slates before the Lord and with one purpose in mind: How can we make sure the Gospel is preached to the very least reached folk of the world? This is one reason why I am so drawn to the JONATHAN PROJECT.

Since I have not attended such a meeting before I am going with eagerness and anticipation. This meeting will set our course for the next two years plus. We will build on the past but we will also engage all tools and skills for the future. And ALL of this will be in the context of seeking the very heart of God for anything and everything that we do!

I'll be back at you next Monday!

Prayers,

Graydon Jessup
714.488.7922
graydon.jessup@gmail.com
graydonandjudy.blogspot.com
www.facebook.com/graydon.jessup

Midstream adjustments

Dear Friends,

I trust all of you are doing well. Judy and I have made some "midstream adjustments" in how we function with STADIA and with the JONATHAN PROJECT.

• We have changed our status with STADIA. Rather than work FOR STADIA, we are now PARTNERS with STADIA
• This enables us to be PARTNERS with other various church planting/global initiative organizations more easily.
• For example, we are currently in PARTNERSHIP with these three agencies:

1. STADIA www.stadia.cc
2. TEAM EXPANSION www.teamexpansion.org
3. OMF INTERNATIONAL www.omf.org

• As we enter other PARTNERSHIPS we will add names of organizations, etc.

It is important to note: We are still doing exactly what we were doing before this adjustment in organizational structure. We are still connecting people and churches with JONATHANS who are working with the least reached people groups on the planet. (UUPG's and UPG's)

For those of you supporting us financially you will still send your contributions to the same address and post number. We are keeping that system in place. Your gifts are all tax deductible and they will still come through STADIA offices and STADIA accounting offices. Do not change anything until we give you the green light! STADIA has been so gracious to work this arrangment at this time.

This past year has given us a clear direction of what we sense we need to be doing. JONATHAN is huge and we want to be sure that organizationally we can do all we believe we need to be doing...not only with STADIA, but also with any other Christ centered ministry carrying the Gospel to the least reached.

We will keep you informed...you can count on that.

There are two huge objectives currently on our plate:

1. I will be in Singapore, May 3-9. This strategic meeting is critically important to the overall direction and ministry of JONATHAN. I will give you more details upon my return.
2. We are doing the JONATHAN TRAINING for the very first time on American soil- August 2-13. The introduction of JONATHAN to American Churches is part of our foundational development for this global ministry.

What we are discovering is that we are training and teaching leaders of leaders. This ministry will be multiplied exponentially as we follow that course. And that is what we want to see happen- a true "movement of God" among the least reached people groups on the earth!

Thanks for your prayers and for your support. Any questions- be sure and be in contact via the info below.

Blessings,

Graydon and Judy Jessup

Notice the email address: graydon.jessup@gmail.com