IAMSECOND.COM

Date: January 1, 2009



IF I AM THIRD, THEN WHY "I AM SECOND"?
Message to the e3 family about http://www.iamsecond.com/
By Curtis Hail, President, e3 Partners

Many of you are aware that e3 Partners had a significant role in the development of an exciting new web site and movement called I AM SECOND. If you've not yet heard about it or seen the site, here is the link: http://www.iamsecond.com/. Either way, we want all of the e3 staff to understand a little more about this initiative and its relationship to the mission of e3 Partners...and its potential for your ministry!

First, the e3 Staff involved seek no personal attention or notoriety from this. Indeed, e3 Partners as an organization has been careful not to make this a proprietary, self-promoting opportunity. You'll not find our name on the site for the reason that this is to be a tool for the Body of Christ, not just e3. And we are only now divulging this information to our staff and ministry family because we did not want the unveiling in early December 2008 to be "about us". We sought anonymity and a specter of mystery.

But, it is appropriate to say now that your e3 Creative Department under the leadership of Vice President Nathan Sheets, creative director Adam Leydig and communications director John Humphrey - along with their staff - were the conceptual and strategic driving force behind I Am Second. And, all of this was only possible because of the vision and extraordinary generosity of a long-time friend of the ministry. Then the contribution of extremely gifted partners in the video and web development arenas along with sister ministries, such as Need Him, and a few daring pilot churches have all worked together to bring this project to the public. As Nathan will tell you, "It has been a God thing all the way!"

So, as concisely as I can, let me answer a few questions for you and we will have more to say at the e3 Partners International Conference (www.e3partners.org) in a few weeks.

How did e3 Partners get involved in IAMSECOND?

Simply put, because a very good friend asked for our help to bring about a vision to "lift Christ up" in our city and nation. He recalled Christ's promise "...if I be lifted up, I will draw all men unto myself". He simply wanted our help to design a media strategy to lift Christ up and let the Holy Spirit work. We are honored that he recognized our team worthy to help bring this heavenly vision into a world class reality.

Why is e3 Partners involved?

We said "yes" to this request first because it feels great to finally be able to "give back" to someone who has done so much for us over two decades!

We said "yes" because America clearly needs the Good News of Jesus Christ. America is now one of the great mission fields of the world. Crazy, isn't it! We've long wanted to do more to help the Church in America to reach the lost in America. Here was our chance. We serve the church around the world, and here was a great way to serve the church in America.

So how does I Am Second relate to our e3 Mission and Strategy?

E3 Partners equips God's people (the Church everywhere) to evangelize His world (the lost everywhere) to establish His church (building up and multiplying the Body everywhere). So, technically this initiative falls within that broad Mission interpretation.

e3 Partners develops and deploys tools with training for believers to share the Gospel, make disciples and establish churches. The Evangecube ( http://www.evangecube.org/) is our low-tech, universal tool for sharing the gospel. First Steps is our universal e3 model for mobilization, discipleship and small group formation. New believers, maturing disciples and healthy, multiplying communities of Christians are our mission and strategy all rolled up into one - and all that is found within the IAMSECOND movement. The only difference is that http://www.iamsecond.com/ is our high-tech tool for "initiating the conversation" and communicating the Gospel.

Yes, our heart and focus remains helping our international brothers and sisters laboring from Africa to Asia, Middle East to South America, who have little resources to go with their huge vision, awesome faith and dogged determination. Why devote any time and money at e3 Partners to help reach North America? The need and opportunity is so great around the world, won't this distract us from all of that?

It could and we must be balanced and wise. However, there are several valid biblical and political reasons I might give in answer to these very good questions about our involvement in such initiatives. However, I will stick to this one very practical, less altruistic answer for now. Read this very carefully.

e3 Partners mobilizes resources - human and financial - to aid our international partners. I've stated and we've demonstrated our sincere, self-effacing approach to this IAMSECOND project. However, without a hidden agenda of any sort, we do believe that God will honor our intentions and efforts. How and when is purely His business - I frankly haven't a clue how it will come about. But, we are walking in faith, trusting that by humbly, demurely participating in this project that God is going to send us more people and more resources to help those in desperate need of e3 teams, tools and training!


We have, however, fielded scores of requests from Churches and individuals for copies of these beautiful videos and other supporting materials ranging from evangelism and discipleship tools, to collateral pieces such as shirts. We will be responding to this unexpected development, though true to our long history and current commitment, many of these materials will be made available as free downloads or as inexpensively as possible.

IAM2 has sky-rocketed in 3 weeks to the top 1% of 3.5 million web sites. It is getting local, national and international attention - almost all favorable even from secular public due to the incredibly high quality. We believe that is going to positively accrue resources for us to do more of our core ministry!

Already, the website has opened communication with churches around the country who are interested in evangelism, many who have never had previous contact with e3 Partners. We hope to grow these new relationships to also include domestic and international church planting activities.

And finally, this project has given us a wealth of experience in designing and developing truly world-class communication tools. I believe this is going to prove a wonderful "testing ground" for even greater applications with our Blackbaud software and social networking tools you'll soon see in January!

How Can IAMSECOND.COM Help Your e3 Ministry?

Over time, God will reveal more. But, here are a couple of suggestions for now. Tell every church you serve that you have a new tool to point them towards... http://www.iamsecond.com/ Encourage them to train their people to share the Gospel in their everyday life. We will soon have special collateral material for this site and of course Evangecube training remains the most effective evangelism tool and training at your disposal. (http://www.simplysharejesus.com/ ) Offer to provide this training to their church as "value added" ministry. If you prefer to have help on this, just let us know. Any of us in the Cabinet, me included, will be happy to come speak and train in general and share about the I Am Second opportunities specifically. I assure you, your stock will only go up with pastors and youth leaders as you share these resources with them!

Scripture and the Life of Jesus Teach Us That We Are Really Third...so why "I Am Second"?

Indeed, the model of Christ and the teaching of Paul, as clearly seen in Philippians, teach us that our interests are third. God's interests (glory and honor) are first. Others' are second. We are third. It's a little thing called "dying to self" and "taking up your cross daily".

But, it all starts with this confession, "I am second because Christ is first in my life."We thought long and prayed hard about this issue. But the truth is, until you make that confession you won't - indeed can't - truly put others ahead of yourself. Until you dethrone self and install Christ as Savior, you don't have the inclination, much less power to make yourself third. But, as you grow as a disciple, you come to follow Him as Lord and realize you serve your Master by serving others.

This site serves first and foremost as an evangelistic tool. It is designed to catch the attention of the seeker who then goes on to discover Who is first and how to follow Him. It is a platform for believers to open a dialogue with their friends and family, leading them to Christ and eventually teaching them to "obey all" that He has taught us. It is a Gospel tool, not a site that attempts to cover everything else it then means to then follow Christ as a disciple. There are a couple of other "sites" that cover that part...The Bible and The Church!

And finally, from a communication standpoint, Nathan cited one of the biggest fans of I am Second, Christen Nutter, who said it well:"Consider the audience. This site was designed for people who have never even thought of putting something first in their lives other than themselves. They are second to none. So the idea of placing something else in first place is new and a significant bridge to cross. It is step one."

Learning to live and love as Christ then comes in community - the Body. And that is why in this, as in all things e3, we involve the Church and point people towards growing in their relationship with Christ as part of His bride!

I trust that this lengthy explanation will help you understand this project better and assist your communication with others who may have questions about I Am Second. Please feel free to call or email me if you have further questions or suggestions.

Why "I Am Second"? Because it is a God thing.
Why am I second? Because Christ is first in my life.
Where does that lead? A life of sacrificial service to God and others.

Here to serve!


Curtis Hail
e3 President