I am Second

If you haven't already seen it, you'll see it soon.

Just launched in Kansas City is the "I am Second" campaign (http://iamsecond.com). The movement started in Dallas as a local outreach, but quickly caught on across the nation and around the world, so they are now launching campaigns in various markets, and the KC market has just begun. "I am Second" is a phrase that comes from putting Christ first. (For those "I am third" fans from years ago, I think there's plenty of common ground here to not get tripped up by the differences.)

The idea behind IaS is simple: draw people to the website, which is then intended to draw people into the Church (not just a church building, but the Church, the body of believers). It's a very media-savvy approach, using billboards, TV, radio, and the Internet to pique the interest. I've seen at least three billboards already in KC - a black background, with someone's face, and the words "I am Second: iamsecond.com." That's it.

On the website, there are dozens of testimonies from both famous and non-famous people. All they do is tell their faith stories - the story of what God has done in their lives. Some stories are dramatic, some less so, but all are stories of what God has done. They also have a few videos from KC-based people to go along with the KC launch. The Benders and I attended the launch at Union Station a few weeks ago, and several of those featured on the site were there to share in person.

The testimonies are intended to draw people to find out more, and eventually get connected with a church, or even a specific small group within a church, that has registered with I am Second (we are registered as church). They are not competing with the local churches - they are very clearly trying to aid the local churches.

The power of their approach is very simply the power of story, which is far more effective to the current generation than the previous (who are more impacted by propositional truth).

The organization offers training and support for believers to join in the effort. One of their main goals is to encourage all of us share our stories as a way to help others want to know more about what it really means to be a follower of Christ.

We see the website in action on Sunday morning and talk more about the power of story. I recommend checking out the website, and thinking about how you might recommend it to others.

Glory or Help?

Every once in a while as I'm praying for the Lord to provide help for something going on in my life, I can feel a twinge of selfishness and doubt. Perhaps my prayers of late have only been to ask God to give me something. Perhaps the thing I'm asking for is selfish. Besides, I don't deserve God's favor, so how dare I even ask for Him to give His favor to me - especially after He's already given me more than I deserve?


Recently during my morning quiet time, I came across Psalm 31:3 (NET):


For you are my high ridge and my stronghold;
for the sake of your own reputation you lead me and guide me.


King David, who wrote this psalm, credits God for being his stronghold, and then acknowledges that God had provided him with the same kind of help that I feel selfish asking for (in this case, guidance). But this guidance was given "for the sake of your own reputation." For God's "reputation," the glory of His name among the nations. In other words, the help God provided was for David's benefit, but ultimately it was for His own glory.


This gives us helpful, simple advice on how to ask God for His help. Consider praying this way: "Lord, help us, but only if it glorifies You."


Ask for God's help in areas that are good and within His permissive will. Pray for God to help not only "me", but "us" - for the benefit of others besides yourself, too. But whatever help you are asking for, ask only if the answer would truly glorify God. Submit your desire for getting what you want to God's glory. Refuse answers to your request that do not glorify Him. Ask God to use the answer to your prayer as a means to glorify Himself or else deny the request entirely.


Keeping this in mind has helped me to pray for help more humbly. It has also caused me to not pray for some things that I might have otherwise. And it has lifted my prayers beyond my own self-concern to the things that concern God.

What is Success?

What is "success"?

This question gets asked a lot in leadership seminars, self-help books, and "positive confession" teachings. But I'm not asking the question in those ways. I'm not asking in a theoretical or philosophical way, either. I'm asking in a simpler way.

We sometimes experience disappointment because we don't feel "successful." We haven't accomplished something we wanted to, we haven't performed to someone else's expectations, we see people who have done better at something than we have, we assess our lives and don't find a very big sum total. (It's worse when the more successful ones are younger than we are!)

We know what it's like to feel unsuccessful. But one question I've learned to ask of those who feel unsuccessful is to ask them what success would be. Too often, they don't know.

I ask you - how can you expect to feel anything other than unsuccessful if you aren't sure what success would be?

I try to avoid definitions of success that rely heavily on factors I can't influence. For example, if I have a estranged relationship with someone, I can't control how the other person will respond. So for me to define "success" in this case as full reconciliation, my definition of success would be based in large part on something I have no control over. But if my definition of "success" is to do everything reasonable to seek reconciliation, to remove all stumbling stones within me that block reconciliation, to be the kind of friend I should be, then I can be successful in things that I have influence over (with the Spirit's strong help and guidance). Paul says in Romans 12:18 "If possible, so far as it depends on you, live peaceably with all people" (emphasis added).

Now, full reconciliation would always be the goal, but my personal success would be in fulfilling my part of reconciliation, and doing what I can to foster it in the other person.

If you feel unsuccessful, ask what success should really be. Make sure your definition of success is something you have major influence over (again, with God's help). Most often, success will be defined as obedience and submission to God's will. Don't let anyone other than God define for you what success really is - otherwise, you're almost certain to feel unsuccessful, and not even know why.

Return to Kenya

The plans are coming together! From June 24 through July 8, a team of four of us are planning on going to Kenya to serve for a couple of weeks. Our team will be: Joe Graham, John Harrison, and Janette Jasperson, and me. The "Three J's" will be going for the first (and I pray not last!) time; it will be my fourth visit to beautiful Kenya. We will spend one week in Ahero and one week in Wachara.

Our mission will be varied: teach Bible to orphans (from "baby" class up through 6th grade), teach ministry and leadership principles to seminary students, minister to the teachers and guardians of the orphans, teach at a pastors' conference, collect updated information and pictures for 300 orphans, and perhaps even introduce a new crop! Whew! Plus, we'll likely have some role in at least one church service.

Our team asks for your prayer support. We need prayers for:

• Safety
• Health
• Preparation (not only our lessons, but our hearts)
• Boldness
• Team unity
• Spiritual vitality, sensitivity, and growth
• Effectiveness in ministry
• Ability to communicate cross-culturally
• Finances

If you would like to support us financially, you can make a check out to Grace Fellowship Church (10201 W. 127th St., Overland Park, KS 66213). On the memo line, please write "Kenya 2011." If you want to support the whole team, that's sufficient. If you want to contribute to a particular team member's fundraising effort, include a note with your check with the team member's name on it.

Janette deserves double kudos for taking care of all the trip planning necessary. And our families deserve medals for their willingness to send us. The Missions Committee, Bob Graverholt, and the Elders have also been very helpful and supportive. The ministry team is more than just four people. Would you please consider enlarging the team by supporting us in prayer?

For more information on our ministry in Kenya, see http://hungry4him.com.