Christ vs. Christians

May 17th, 2012

I saw a quote the other day (not sure of the source) that said, “I wish I had met Christ before I had met a Christian.”

I immediately thought, “That’s offensive!” I then immediately thought, “That’s sad.”

It was one of those things that you read two, maybe three times. There’s a lot of meaning in that one little sentence, and it’s true that many people really feel that way.

Obviously Christ would be the best role model and teacher for non-Christians (and Christians… for that matter), but as Christians, we are representing Him. We are responsible for spreading the Gospel and telling non-believers’ about Christ.

Things Visitors Look for

May 15th, 2012

New visitors aren’t all alike. People walk through your doors each Sunday for many different reasons, so it’s important to cover all of your bases. Even if the message is great, it might not be enough to make visitors want to come back. Consider the minor details just as important as the major ones when you are considering your visitors.

I’ve compiled a short list of things that might be some of the most important details in a visitor’s first experience:

  • How a visitor was welcomed and acknowledged throughout his/her time there.

Interpreting the Bible From A Distance

May 9th, 2012

So, we’re Christians. We go to church, we study the Bible, and we try to live morally.

We are all consumed with sin, no doubt, so it is a constant battle to try and live the way Jesus did. Impossible, really.

Something a lot of us do, though, is read the stories in the Bible and try to interpret the message… from a distance. Without always taking into account the fact that we are the people described in the Bible, we often (secretly) find comfort in comparing ourselves and deciding that we aren’t as damaged as some of them.

Death

May 8th, 2012

Death surrounds us every day. It is the only guarantee in life for everyone. If you are a Christian, life after death is a guarantee, but doubt about our future still has a way of inching into our minds every now and then.

It’s never easy letting someone go, but it can be a huge relief on our hearts when we think about our loved ones being with God and finally feeling that complete peace.

[Video] Making a Difference In Our Community

May 2nd, 2012

Shelby Systems has been partnering with Orange Mound Outreach Ministries (OMOM) for over 2 years to help reach out to some of the unchurched youth in our hometown of Memphis, TN.

Reverend Reginald and Mrs. Mary Tucker join us to discuss their vision for OMOM, their mission, the activities they offer, their partnership with Shelby Systems, and the positive results that they are now seeing in the community.

To watch the video, click here.

ShelbyPODCAST: Partnering With Orange Mound Outreach Ministries from Shelby Systems Media on Vimeo.

[Comic] How Do You Plant A Church?

April 30th, 2012

What would you say are the three main components for planting a church?

Michael Hyatt at the International Shelby Conference

April 25th, 2012

Meet our Keynote Speaker – Michael Hyatt- “I help people live and lead on purpose.”

Michael Hyatt’s philosophy is that if you are going to lead well, you must be thoughtful and purposeful about it.  Michael writes and speaks on leadership, productivity, publishing, social media, and many other topics.  His goal is to create insightful, relevant content that staffs can put to work in both their personal and professional lives.

He has written four books, one of which stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for seven months. His newest book, Platform: Get Noticed in a Noisy World, comes out in May 2012.

What You’ll Take Away From Our Regional Demos

April 18th, 2012

As some of you may know, we have been holding regional demos on Shelby Arena and Shelby Financials for almost a year now. We are trying to reach as many people as possible so that everyone has the opportunity to speak face-to-face with our Sales team and see what our software has to offer. We provide lunch and attendance is free.

It’s a great opportunity to ask questions, meet other people in the same profession, and take home some great information.

Truth-Based People

April 13th, 2012

I heard an interesting point made at church on Sunday that really stood out to me. When we call ourselves, or we are referred to by others as “faith-based people”, we should think about how that stereotypes us. To be literal, we are really a “truth-based” group of people.

“Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”" -John 14:6

To Our Customers In Texas…

April 5th, 2012

We want to take a minute and reach out to all of our customers in Texas who were affected by the tornadoes earlier this week. We are keeping everyone affected in our thoughts and prayers and we want to help in any way that we can. Please let us know how we can make the recovery process easier for you.

We are offering hosting and restorative assistance for anyone who needs it. We are available by phone at (800) 697-4352 or by email at support@shelbyinc.com.