I Am Second
Encyclopedia
I Am Second is an evangelical Christian multimedia movement
and not-for-profit organization that is designed to inspire people to live for Jesus Christ and others. Founded by the CEO and Chairman of the Interstate Battery System of America
, Norm Miller, and in partnership with a group of individuals from e3 Partners Ministry, I Am Second has become a platform for Christian evangelism.
verse John 12:32, I Am Second was founded on December 2, 2008 in collaboration with a small team from e3 Partners Ministry with whom Miller had worked with before. Initially intended to only be an outreach for those individuals living in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in order to "lift up Christ so the He might draw the people of his city to Jesus", I Am Second quickly grew into an international movement inspiring individuals of all ages to become second in their lives. In trying to make Jesus Christ as popular as Tony Romo
in the Dallas area, Miller and e3 Partner Ministries have accumulated more than 14 million page views and 3.3 million visits from 214 countries/regions.
from a large group of individuals who claim to have been transformed by the power of Jesus Christ and have found the power to overcome various struggles through putting Jesus Christ first. Each video-testimony is featured to correspond with a specific subject area or common struggle that people are experiencing or have experienced throughout their lives. These subject areas or struggles include: abuse
, abortion
, affluence, anger
, cancer
, child abuse
, death
, disabilities, divorce
, fatherlessness, forgiveness
, grief
, marriage
, meaning
, molestation, pride
, prison
, prostitution
, purpose in life, racism
, relationships, satisfaction
, self-esteem
, selfishness
, sex addiction, substance abuse
, success
, trauma
, war
and work. In 2009, the I Am Second website was selected as a finalist in the Activist and People's Choice categories of the South by Southwest
Web Awards. They were unsuccessful however, losing to Tweet Congress and Lost Zombies in both categories respectively.
According to a recent press release from the I Am Second website, Scotty McCreery
, winner of Season 10 of American Idol
, has also pledged to being a Second in his life. He has shown outward support for the movement’s efforts to evangelize the Gospel of Jesus Christ by wearing a black I Am Second wristband that is sold on the movement’s website. “I thank the Lord, He got me here”, said McCreery following his win on the hit reality show.
I Am Second groups are open to anyone but have been recognized for significantly helping people struggling with destructive lifestyles. These groups have been thought to help people who are in bad situations find their spiritual path and purpose of life. People who have struggled with vices such as substance abuse, addiction and other destructive problems are encouraged to overcome these challenges by connecting with people who have had the same issues.
Movement
-In society and the arts:* Social movement, a coordinated group action focused on a political or social issue* Political movement, a coordinated group action focused on a political issue* Art movement, a tendency or style in art followed by a group of artists...
and not-for-profit organization that is designed to inspire people to live for Jesus Christ and others. Founded by the CEO and Chairman of the Interstate Battery System of America
Interstate Batteries
Interstate Battery System of America, Inc., a.k.a. Interstate Batteries, is a privately owned company that markets automotive batteries manufactured by Johnson Controls through independent distributors to more than 200,000 automotive shops worldwide. The company is based in Dallas, Texas...
, Norm Miller, and in partnership with a group of individuals from e3 Partners Ministry, I Am Second has become a platform for Christian evangelism.
History
Described as a "conviction in the heart of Norm Miller", and directed by BibleBible
The Bible refers to any one of the collections of the primary religious texts of Judaism and Christianity. There is no common version of the Bible, as the individual books , their contents and their order vary among denominations...
verse John 12:32, I Am Second was founded on December 2, 2008 in collaboration with a small team from e3 Partners Ministry with whom Miller had worked with before. Initially intended to only be an outreach for those individuals living in the Dallas-Fort Worth area in order to "lift up Christ so the He might draw the people of his city to Jesus", I Am Second quickly grew into an international movement inspiring individuals of all ages to become second in their lives. In trying to make Jesus Christ as popular as Tony Romo
Tony Romo
Antonio Ramiro "Tony" Romo is a professional American football quarterback in the NFL for the Dallas Cowboys. Romo's career passer rating - at 95.8 - ranks third-best all time. Tony Romo didn't play in the regular season in 2003, 2004, or 2005...
in the Dallas area, Miller and e3 Partner Ministries have accumulated more than 14 million page views and 3.3 million visits from 214 countries/regions.
Platform
I Am Second's primary platform emanates from its website, which serves as a catalyst for exploring the many ways in which an individual can become involved with the movement and become "second" in their lives. In particular, the website attempts to capture its visitors by allowing them to view video-testimoniesTestimony
In law and in religion, testimony is a solemn attestation as to the truth of a matter. All testimonies should be well thought out and truthful. It was the custom in Ancient Rome for the men to place their right hand on a Bible when taking an oath...
from a large group of individuals who claim to have been transformed by the power of Jesus Christ and have found the power to overcome various struggles through putting Jesus Christ first. Each video-testimony is featured to correspond with a specific subject area or common struggle that people are experiencing or have experienced throughout their lives. These subject areas or struggles include: abuse
Abuse
Abuse is the improper usage or treatment for a bad purpose, often to unfairly or improperly gain benefit. Abuse can come in many forms, such as: physical or verbal maltreatment, injury, sexual assault, violation, rape, unjust practices; wrongful practice or custom; offense; crime, or otherwise...
, abortion
Abortion
Abortion is defined as the termination of pregnancy by the removal or expulsion from the uterus of a fetus or embryo prior to viability. An abortion can occur spontaneously, in which case it is usually called a miscarriage, or it can be purposely induced...
, affluence, anger
Anger
Anger is an automatic response to ill treatment. It is the way a person indicates he or she will not tolerate certain types of behaviour. It is a feedback mechanism in which an unpleasant stimulus is met with an unpleasant response....
, cancer
Cancer
Cancer , known medically as a malignant neoplasm, is a large group of different diseases, all involving unregulated cell growth. In cancer, cells divide and grow uncontrollably, forming malignant tumors, and invade nearby parts of the body. The cancer may also spread to more distant parts of the...
, child abuse
Child abuse
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
, death
Death
Death is the permanent termination of the biological functions that sustain a living organism. Phenomena which commonly bring about death include old age, predation, malnutrition, disease, and accidents or trauma resulting in terminal injury....
, disabilities, divorce
Divorce
Divorce is the final termination of a marital union, canceling the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage and dissolving the bonds of matrimony between the parties...
, fatherlessness, forgiveness
Forgiveness
Forgiveness is typically defined as the process of concluding resentment, indignation or anger as a result of a perceived offense, difference or mistake, or ceasing to demand punishment or restitution. The Oxford English Dictionary defines forgiveness as 'to grant free pardon and to give up all...
, grief
Grief
Grief is a multi-faceted response to loss, particularly to the loss of someone or something to which a bond was formed. Although conventionally focused on the emotional response to loss, it also has physical, cognitive, behavioral, social, and philosophical dimensions...
, marriage
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
, meaning
Meaning (existential)
In existentialism, meaning is understood as the worth of life. Meaning in existentialism is unlike typical conceptions of "the meaning of life", because it is descriptive. Due to the method of existentialism, prescriptive or declarative statements about meaning are unjustified. Meaning is only...
, molestation, pride
Pride
Pride is an inwardly directed emotion that carries two common meanings. With a negative connotation, pride refers to an inflated sense of one's personal status or accomplishments, often used synonymously with hubris...
, prison
Prison
A prison is a place in which people are physically confined and, usually, deprived of a range of personal freedoms. Imprisonment or incarceration is a legal penalty that may be imposed by the state for the commission of a crime...
, prostitution
Prostitution
Prostitution is the act or practice of providing sexual services to another person in return for payment. The person who receives payment for sexual services is called a prostitute and the person who receives such services is known by a multitude of terms, including a "john". Prostitution is one of...
, purpose in life, racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, relationships, satisfaction
Satisfaction
Satisfaction may refer to:* Contentment** Computer user satisfaction** Customer satisfaction** Job satisfaction* Satisfaction , running * Satisfaction , a 1988 drama...
, self-esteem
Self-esteem
Self-esteem is a term in psychology to reflect a person's overall evaluation or appraisal of his or her own worth. Self-esteem encompasses beliefs and emotions such as triumph, despair, pride and shame: some would distinguish how 'the self-concept is what we think about the self; self-esteem, the...
, selfishness
Selfishness
Selfishness denotes an excessive or exclusive concern with oneself, and as such it exceeds mere self interest or self concern. Insofar as a decision maker knowingly burdens or harms others for personal gain, the decision is selfish. In contrast, self-interest is more general...
, sex addiction, substance abuse
Substance abuse
A substance-related disorder is an umbrella term used to describe several different conditions associated with several different substances .A substance related disorder is a condition in which an individual uses or abuses a...
, success
Success
Success may refer to:* a level of social status* achievement of an objective * the opposite of failure- Places :* Success, Western Australia, a suburb of Perth, Australia* Success, Arkansas, United States* Success, Missouri, United States...
, trauma
Trauma
Trauma can refer to:-In psychology and medicine:* Trauma , an often serious and body-altering physical injury, such as the removal of a limb...
, war
War
War is a state of organized, armed, and often prolonged conflict carried on between states, nations, or other parties typified by extreme aggression, social disruption, and usually high mortality. War should be understood as an actual, intentional and widespread armed conflict between political...
and work. In 2009, the I Am Second website was selected as a finalist in the Activist and People's Choice categories of the South by Southwest
South by Southwest
South by Southwest is an Austin, Texas based company dedicated to planning conferences, trade shows, festivals and other events. Their current roster of annual events include: SXSW Music, SXSW Film, SXSW Interactive, SXSWedu, and SXSWeco and take place every spring in Austin, Texas, United States...
Web Awards. They were unsuccessful however, losing to Tweet Congress and Lost Zombies in both categories respectively.
Seconds
Effectively labelled as "Seconds", those individuals who commit to sharing the dramatic effects of their faith through the movement’s website, consist of ordinary Christians, as well as more well known individuals, professional athletes and celebrities. Below includes a list of famous Seconds who are involved in the I Am Second movement and have dedicated their lives to Jesus Christ by being transformed through the power of their Christian faith:- Anne RiceAnne RiceAnne Rice is a best-selling Southern American author of metaphysical gothic fiction, Christian literature and erotica from New Orleans, Louisiana. Her books have sold nearly 100 million copies, making her one of the most widely read authors in modern history...
- Alex KendrickAlex KendrickAlex Kendrick is an associate pastor at Sherwood Baptist Church, in Albany, Georgia. He has been in Albany since 1999. He oversees the movie outreach for the church, which includes Sherwood Pictures, the movie-creating entity that produced Flywheel , Facing the Giants , Fireproof , and Courageous ....
- Baron BatchBaron BatchBaron Batch is an American football running back for the Pittsburgh Steelers of the National Football League. He played college football at Texas Tech University . Batch is from Midland, Texas.-College career:...
- Bethany HamiltonBethany HamiltonBethany Meilani Hamilton is an American professional surfer. She is known for surviving a shark attack in which she lost her left arm, and for overcoming the injury to ultimately return to professional surfing. She wrote about her experience in the 2004 autobiography Soul Surfer: A True Story of...
- Bailee MadisonBailee MadisonBailee Madison is an American actress. She is most famous for her role in the 2007 film adaption of Katherine Paterson's Newbery Medal-winning novel Bridge to Terabithia in which she plays May Belle Aarons, the younger sister of Jesse Aarons. She films a webshow with her babysitter and fellow...
- Bradie JamesBradie JamesBradie Gene James is an American football linebacker for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League.-High school career :...
- Brant HansenBrant HansenBrant Page Hansen is an American radio personality.On June 29, 2011, he ended an 8 year run of his Mornings With Brant show on WAY-FM.Brant begins as afternoon show host on Air1 Radio Network on July 19, 2011....
- Brian SumnerBrian SumnerBrian Sumner is a professional skateboarder for Reliance Skateboards, Truth Soul Armor Clothing, Airspeed skate shoes, Rocket Wheels, Independent Trucks, Ninja Bearings, Furnace skate shop, Project Hardware and Fender Guitars...
- Brian WelchBrian WelchBrian Phillip Welch , better known as Head, is an American musician best known as the former guitarist and co-founder of the nu metal band Korn...
- Chris CoghlanChris CoghlanChristopher B. Coghlan is a Major League Baseball outfielder and second baseman for the Florida Marlins.-Career:Coghlan attended East Lake High School in Tarpon Springs, Florida...
- Colt McCoyColt McCoyDaniel "Colt" McCoy is an American football quarterback for the Cleveland Browns of the National Football League. He was drafted by the Browns in the third round of the 2010 NFL Draft...
- Christian HosoiChristian HosoiChristian Rosha Hosoi is an American professional skateboarder. He is also known by the nicknames "Christ" and "Holmes". Hosoi is married to a former night club dancer Jenn Lee and has four sons, James Hosoi, Rhythm Hosoi , Classic Hosoi and Endless Hosoi...
- Daniel SepulvedaDaniel SepulvedaDaniel Wade Sepulveda is an American football punter for the Pittsburgh Steelers. He was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers in the fourth round of the 2007 NFL Draft. He played college football at Baylor. He is the only two-time Ray Guy Award winner.-College career:He was an All-American at Baylor...
- Darrell WaltripDarrell WaltripDarrell Lee Waltrip is a 3-time NASCAR Cup Series champion , 3-time runner-up , winner of the 1989 Daytona 500 and 5-time winner of the prestigeous Coca-Cola 600 ,...
- David Murphy
- Greg Ellis
- Jack GrahamJack Graham (pastor)Jack Graham is the Pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church and the voice of PowerPoint Ministries, the broadcast ministry of Prestonwood. Prestonwood is one of the United States’s largest congregations, with a membership exceeding 28,000....
- Janine TurnerJanine TurnerJanine Turner is an American actress who starred on the prime time television show Northern Exposure from 1990 to 1995. From 2000 to 2002, she appeared on the Lifetime original series Strong Medicine...
- Jason Castro
- Jason WittenJason WittenChristopher Jason Witten is an American football tight end who plays for the Dallas Cowboys of the National Football League. He played college football at the University of Tennessee....
- Joe GibbsJoe GibbsJoe Jackson Gibbs is a former American football coach, NASCAR Championship team owner, and two time NHRA Pro Stock team owner. He was the 20th and 26th head coach in the history of the Washington Redskins...
- Josh Hamilton
- Ken HutchersonKen HutchersonKenneth Lee Hutcherson is a former American football linebacker in the National Football League who is now the pastor of the Antioch Bible Church in Kirkland, Washington, where he has been since 1985...
- Landry JonesLandry JonesLandry Jones is an American football quarterback for the Oklahoma Sooners.-Early years:Jones attended Artesia High School in his hometown where he led the football team to two consecutive Class 4A state championships, throwing for a combined 7,013 yards and 89 touchdowns. As a senior in 2007,...
- LecraeLecraeLecrae Moore is an American Christian Hip Hop artist signed to Reach Records, the record label that he co-founded. Thus far Lecrae has released five solo studio albums, and his latest Rehab: The Overdose was released on January 11, 2011...
- Matt BarkleyMatt BarkleyMatt Barkley is an American football quarterback and student athlete at the University of Southern California, playing for the Trojans football team. As a high school player, Barkley was named 2007 football Gatorade National Player of the Year, and then the 2007 Gatorade national male athlete of...
- Michael W. SmithMichael W. SmithMichael Whitaker Smith is a Billboard top ten Billboard Hot 100 recording artist and Grammy Award-winning American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. He is one of the best-selling and most influential artists in Contemporary Christian music. Smith also has achieved a considerable amount of...
- Michelle Aguilar (winner of The Biggest Loser: FamiliesThe Biggest Loser: FamiliesThe Biggest Loser: Families is the sixth season of the NBC reality television series The Biggest Loser. The sixth season premiered on September 16, 2008, featuring Alison Sweeney as the host and Bob Harper and Jillian Michaels as the contestants' trainers.The cast was revealed on August 29, 2008...
) - Mike HuckabeeMike HuckabeeMichael "Mike" Dale Huckabee is an American politician who served as the 44th Governor of Arkansas from 1996 to 2007. He was a candidate in the 2008 United States Republican presidential primaries, finishing second in delegate count and third in both popular vote and number of states won . He won...
- Sam BradfordSam BradfordSamuel Jacob "Sam" Bradford is an American football quarterback for the St. Louis Rams of the National Football League. He was the first overall pick in the 2010 NFL Draft, and played college football at Oklahoma. In 2008, as a redshirt sophomore, Bradford became the second sophomore to win a...
- Stephen BaldwinStephen BaldwinStephen Andrew Baldwin is an American actor, director, producer and author. One of the Baldwin brothers, he is known for his roles as William F. Cody in the western show The Young Riders and as Stuart in the movie Threesome...
- Tony Evans
- Tony DungyTony DungyAnthony Kevin "Tony" Dungy [DUN-jee] is a former professional American football player and coach in the National Football League. Dungy was head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers from 1996 to 2001, and head coach of the Indianapolis Colts from 2002 to 2008...
- Trevor BayneTrevor BayneTrevor Bayne is an American NASCAR Sprint Cup Series and Nationwide Series race car driver. He drives the No. 21 Motorcraft/QuickLane Ford Fusion for Wood Brothers Racing in the Sprint Cup Series, and the No. 16 Ford Mustang for Roush Fenway Racing in the Nationwide Series.Bayne began his racing...
- Vitor BelfortVitor BelfortVítor Vieira Belfort is a Brazilian mixed martial artist and former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. Belfort was born in Rio de Janeiro and studied jiu-jitsu with the Gracie family, namely Carlson Gracie. He received a black belt under Carlson and currently trains with Xtreme Couture, fighting in...
- Wayne SimienWayne SimienWayne Anthony Simien, Jr. is an American former professional basketball player, who last played with Spain's Cáceres Ciudad de Baloncesto. He was a member of the Miami Heat team that won the 2005–06 NBA championship.-High school career:Growing up, Simien was a University of Kansas fan due to his...
- Wayne HuizengaWayne HuizengaHarry Wayne Huizenga is an American businessman who grew Blockbuster Video, Waste Management, Inc., and AutoNation into successful companies. He is the former owner of the National Football League's Miami Dolphins, the National Hockey League's Florida Panthers and the Major League Baseball's Miami...
According to a recent press release from the I Am Second website, Scotty McCreery
Scotty McCreery
Scott Cooke "Scotty" McCreery is an American country singer from Garner, North Carolina . He also won the tenth season of American Idol on May 25, 2011. His debut studio album, Clear as Day was released in October 2011...
, winner of Season 10 of American Idol
American Idol (season 10)
The tenth season of American Idol premiered on January 19, 2011 and concluded on May 25, 2011, on Fox. The show underwent a number of changes from season nine, including the reduction of the judging panel to its original number of just three judges , a returning executive producer, a new music...
, has also pledged to being a Second in his life. He has shown outward support for the movement’s efforts to evangelize the Gospel of Jesus Christ by wearing a black I Am Second wristband that is sold on the movement’s website. “I thank the Lord, He got me here”, said McCreery following his win on the hit reality show.
Groups
In order to strengthen connection to others involved in the movement and in their Christian faith, I Am Second groups have been established by the organization. These groups are centred on discussions wherein people share and discuss daily struggles and issues of life in a Christian context. One of the main goals of these groups are to introduce the idea of people restructuring their life in a way in which they put God first and themselves second. Furthermore, I Am Second groups function in order to help members explore and discover their own personal purpose in life, as well as unite people who are on similar spiritual journeys.I Am Second groups are open to anyone but have been recognized for significantly helping people struggling with destructive lifestyles. These groups have been thought to help people who are in bad situations find their spiritual path and purpose of life. People who have struggled with vices such as substance abuse, addiction and other destructive problems are encouraged to overcome these challenges by connecting with people who have had the same issues.
Funding
Since I Am Second is a not-for-profit organization, it must aim to generate funds for its organizational goals through donor support and funds received through the purchase of I Am Second paraphernalia. I Am Second has launched an online store, which aids in the organization's efforts to generate funding. This store is run through an online purchasing company called Advanced Online which is based in Texas. I Am Second "gear" is promoted through the website and allows members to purchase a number of different items including; apparel, business accessories and promotional products.Critique of the I Am Second movement
While igniting a fire within the world of contemporary Christianity, I Am Second has received criticism from Mark Roberts of Westside Church of Christ in Irving, Texas which is aligned with Christian Primitivism. Although he praises the I Am Second movement for its strong outreach to the secular world, he argues based on biblical teachings that the movement itself is flawed in three distinct ways:- I Am Second strictly teaches faith-only salvationSalvationWithin religion salvation is the phenomenon of being saved from the undesirable condition of bondage or suffering experienced by the psyche or soul that has arisen as a result of unskillful or immoral actions generically referred to as sins. Salvation may also be called "deliverance" or...
, and in his understanding of the Scriptures, he believes that this is a religious error on behalf of those involved in the movement - I Am Second teaches that personal relationship with Jesus Christ means immediate improvement
- I Am Second teaches that where one goes to church is irrelevant