June 2009

“And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds,  not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.” Hebrews 10:24-15

There are two parts of these verses that are big parts of what I see happening at I am Second. On our Fanpage, I’m consistently seeing us spurring each other on. Also, one of the core parts the I am Second movement is the small groups that are starting all over the country right now.

But the first four words “Let us consider how“… I’ve neglected a little bit. So let me get your thoughts. What’s most encouraging to you? What, when you hear it/see it, spurs you on to love others and to do good deeds? Is the fanpage helping? Is the blog helping? What would like to see more of? I’d love your thoughts!

-Shay

I’m writing to you from Baton Rouge this evening. I came to the 220 conference at the Bethany World Prayer Center to do some research with a guy named Ben from A&M. I heard a sermon this evening that got my heart pumping for Christ. The message was simple: He is enough. The point was not to use God as a supplement in our lives, but rather to view Him as the only thing we really need—to change the thought from “My life is better now that I’ve added Christ to my weekly routine” to “My life is now about Christ.” On another side of that, we should make sure that we don’t get so caught up in the ministry we’re trying to do, that we lose site of the fact that He is the point of it all.

He’s all we need. Just get back to Jesus. He’s all that matters.

It’s simple. But it works.

-Shay

“I ran around the room again
I ran outside and ran back in
And I just couldn’t get away from myself
I don’t care what tomorrow brings
I won’t back down for anything
I want to think that I was made for something else”
Bethany Dillon, All That I Can Do

I had a conversation with a friend of mine this weekend that I thought might interest some of you. He said that he was jealous of people that had faith and that he personally wished he could. He said he always defended his friends that were devoutly religious because he knew it was something personal and real to them.

Wow.

I rarely hear things like that. It reminds me of the scripture that says we should be looking for People of Peace to stay with. We should be looking for people who are seeking to find answers like my friend. Those people are looking for Christ whether they realize it or not. Before I really knew Christ, I remember feeling like Bethany did in that song—wanting to be made for something else. That seems to be the same feeling my friend is having.

So do you know anyone in your life who’s seeking? Have you asked them what their reservations are about different faiths? Have you shared your story with them? A great video to show that person would be Pete Briscoe’s.

Just an encouragement to you to always be on the lookout for people that are looking for answers—

-Shay

“The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.” -Galatians 5:6

This verse hit me today. I always put a lot of stock in faith. But, how does faith express itself? This verse says through love. So love someone today. Express your faith through love.

Shay

“Young and old, near and far
there’s a place for ev’ry heart to
join in your song” – All over the World, Matt Redman

Every person is capable of singing His song, and singing it loudly. There’s a guy who works at the office named Mike. He encouraged me a few months ago to set my expectations a little bit higher. When I’m talking to someone about Christ, instead of just looking at him or her as a potential believer, Mike encouraged me to look at that person as potential leader. This instilled a since of urgency in me. If a friend of mine could potentially be a leader for Christ (and doesn’t currently believe in Christ), I should be sure to share Christ’s love! My challenge to you is that you look at the people around you as potential believers who could be potential leaders for Christ.

Let me know how it goes!

-Shay

I keep hearing this song by the Fray on the radio. “I found God…” You know which one I’m talking about? It seems that the more I open up my ears to the “secular” music, the more I find a search for significance and meaning. Jason Mraz has a line that says, “If this is all there is then we’re just filling in the words like Madlibs!” Or what about the Something Corporate (I know they’re kind of old school) song that says, “I want to hang on to something that won’t break away for fall apart like the pieces of my heart.”

And then I realized there are so many seekers out there! They’re looking for answers.

So what if we used secular music as a platform for talking about faith? Find a song that hints around spirituality and talk about it with someone. Who knows where it can go from there. Relient K is a Christian band who has had some success in the Pop world. What about “Hanging by a Moment” by Lifehouse? Most people think it’s a love song, but what if you look at it from a spiritual perspective? What about Flyleaf? They’ve also had some worldly success with spiritual songs. If you like musicals, try taking “All I ask of You” from Phantom of the Opera and imagine God singing it to you instead. This way, you’re taking something that someone is familiar with and taking it to the next level.

Try it sometime soon. I’m interested in where it takes you.

J

-Shay

The “I Am Second” campaign kicked off its concert series Saturday night with a performance by award-winning Christian band Casting Crowns and special appearance by All-Star center fielder Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers.

Around 15,000 attended Saturday’s concert at Rangers Ballpark in Arlington ahead of the Rangers vs. Oakland A’s game, which was sold out as a result.

Though he was both a speaker and a player that night, Hamilton said Saturday’s concert was “a lot of fun.”

“I’ve been able to tell a lot of people about my story,” he said, according to the Dallas Morning News.

Though Hamilton today is one of the Rangers’ top players and the American League leader in the State Farm Home Run Derby Fan Poll, few would have imagined where he would be today after his life took a turn for the worst in 2001 – when he took his first drink and snorted cocaine for the first time.

Hamilton’s drug addiction led to eight trips to rehab, 26 tattoos, a heartbroken family, and three years away from baseball. From 2001 to 2004, the one-time No. 1 draft pick played in only a few games and was suspended by Major League Baseball for violating their drug policy.

“I went down a path toward destruction,” he says on the “I Am Second” website, which contains videos of the personal stories of struggle, transformation and restoration of musicians, actors, athletes, pastors and everyday people.

Then, one October night in 2005, a paltry 180-pound Hamilton covered with tattoos of demons without eyes showed up on his grandmother’s doorstep and asked if she would take him in – which she did.

Saddened by the appearance of a grandson who she could barely recognize, Hamilton’s grandmother challenged him that month to surrender to God – and, by grace, she got through to him.

From then on, Hamilton began reading the Bible and, with God’s help, gave up drugs and alcohol.

After going to rehab and training again in 2006 under heavy watch of the MLB, Hamilton was drafted by the Chicago Cubs, placing him back on track.

“Josh Hamilton symbolizes what ‘I Am Second’ is all about,” said Nathan Sheets, vice president of e3 Partners Ministry, the organization behind “I Am Second.” “No matter how big your problems seem, putting Christ first in your life will provide the answers you need. The combination of Josh, these great bands and Rangers baseball will make for a special time at the ballpark.”

On Saturday, Hamilton shared his story with the 15,000 who attended the “I Am Second” concert, as he has done around the country.

“I’m telling everyone about Jesus and how great he is and what he’s done for my life,” said Hamilton, according to the Dallas Morning News.

In addition to Hamilton, other Dallas athletes featured in the “I Am Second” campaign include Cowboys tight end Jason Witten and linebacker Greg Ellis. Since the site launched in December 2008, “I Am Second” has had more than 870,000 unique visits from 187 countries.

Another faith-oriented concert in the series will be given by award-winning Christian band MercyMe on Sept. 19 while the family-friendly music ensemble Los Tigres Del Norte will perform following the Rangers’ 2:05 p.m. game June 14 against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

The games and concerts are the first of the campaign’s “Bring a Friend” activities, which also include service and training events.

By Josh Kimball|Christian Post Reporter