United States (MNN) – I Am Second is a decade-long movement by e3 Partners. The movement began in the Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas area in 2008 with the goal of reaching people with the Gospel.
How?
By way of celebrity-status stories shared across multiple media platforms.
“These [are] stories of people that have experienced Christ and turned to Christ in their own lives,” e3’s Marketing Communications Manager Jeff Johnston says.
“Through the I am Second platform through all the media, we’re able to push those stories out.”
I Am Second
The platform has become an outlet for major names like Chip and Joanna Gaines or Brian Head Welch to share their stories of how God has moved in their lives.
(Photo courtesy of e3 Partners via I Am Second)
“It’s become a really good opportunity to plant seeds of the Gospel and in all sorts of people’s lives,” Johnston says.
Johnston says what began as a local movement has garnered astronomical attention both domestically and internationally. In 2018 alone, I Am Second had over 25 million content views.
However, videos are not the only medium the movement uses to spread the message. At its website are blog-posts and small group materials. I Am Second gear, such as bracelets and T-shirts, are helping get the word out, too.
“It’s helping the Gospel go viral because it’s just almost become a movement of people that have declared ‘I am putting God first in my life’,” Johnston says.
New Developments
The movement is also rolling out a second edition video series. The series features followups to conversations with previous interviewees. These videos revisit previous conversations for updates and a fuller picture of how God has moved.
“They’re really encouraging, they can be inspiring, and they can even just kind of help you think about things in a different way,” Johnston says.
Diving Into Discipleship
Today, e3 is going even further with this movement by connecting people to discipleship opportunities.
“Our focus now is on getting people to that next step…And so, we’re working on bringing those people from seeing an I am Second film to, you know, just accepting Christ into their life, and then connecting them with it with an e3 USA person. Or just with people in their area that can help disciple them and help them grow in their relationship with Christ, or get them plugged into a local church or into a local small group,” Johnston says.
How to Get Involved
One of the ways e3 is moving towards discipleship is through its collaboration with the app Takl for a project called Second Helping.
“Second Helping…is a partnership that I Am Second has with this app called Takl that allows you to do chores for people like mow their lawn, clean their house, all that kind of stuff,” Johnston explains.
“It’s just kind of a way to serve people, maybe even people you don’t know. That should lead to opportunities to get to know them or to share the Gospel with them.”
(Photo courtesy of e3 Partners via I Am Second)
Materials are available for Second Helping participants to help direct conversations towards Jesus.
For now, would you pray? Ask God to continue to use I Am Second stories to impact lives with the Gospel. Pray God would guide the I Am Second movement and that God’s story.
Want to get involved? Then check out some I Am Second films here.
To learn more, click here.
Header photo courtesy of e3 Partners via I Am Second.
