Shelby Systems Blog

David Leonard and Leslie Jordan (better known as the praise duo All Sons and Daughters) will be leading us in worship at ISC 2013 in Dallas, TX on June 12th. In our latest podcast, David and Leslie join us from their home church in Franklin, TN to discuss how they met, their new album “Season One” and what it was like touring with Chris Tomlin.

Stay tuned until the end of the show so you can see what to expect from their live concert at the International Shelby Conference this summer!

If you can’t see the video below, click here.

If you want more information on the ISC 2013, you visit our conference site here. We hope to see you in Dallas in June!

What better way to learn and connect with others in your field than to come to a three-day conference jam-packed with other Shelby users and all of the trainers, support personnel and speakers that you can imagine? If you aren’t a Shelby user, this is a great opportunity to see what we’re all about and how our software can assist your ministry.

Our Events Manager, Karen Bishop, joins us to talk about ISC 2013, scheduled for June 12 – 14 in Dallas, TX. Karen reveals this year’s exciting keynote speaker, the worship and praise leaders, what’s new for 2013, how you can receive a discount by signing up early, and we’ll hear her #1 tip for first time attendees. Make sure you watch the conclusion to see ISC from the attendees’ point of view.

Today’s blog post is brought to you by MinistryLINQ, which is unique in the merchant payment processing field because of its dedication to furthering the good works of church and nonprofit organizations throughout the U.S. and Canada. 

Gooey peanut butter, thinly sliced bananas, and crispy bacon pressed together in perfect harmony on grilled white bread.  An odd combination, you might think. But to the King of Rock and Roll, there was no sandwich he’d rather have sitting on his plate. Aptly named the Elvis Sandwich, it’s been said that The King was so fond of this bizarre recipe he could be found “wolfing” down sandwich after sandwich all through the night.

Like the Elvis Sandwich, there are some combinations that are simply meant to be. Take Shelby Systems, MinistryLINQ, and Shelby customers for example. MinistryLINQ is a Shelby preferred payment processor, so when Shelby customers add MinistryLINQ’s merchant services to their existing Shelby products, like Arena and V.5, managing online transactions becomes even easier. And! Less time is spent on bank reconciliation, which just might be more satisfying than an Elvis Sandwich.

Peanut butter, bananas, and bacon. MinistryLINQ, Shelby Systems, and you. Some combinations can’t be beat.

If you’re going to ISC 2012, we’d love to see you. Visit us at ISC Booth #6 and enter to win a brand new iPod Touch! You can learn more about MinistryLINQ here or contact marketing@ministrylinq.com, too.

Michael Hyatt is the Chairman of Thomas Nelson Publishers and a keynote speaker at ISC (International Shelby Conference) this year in Memphis, TN. I follow his blog closely because he always has great advice and wisdom to share, while still keeping things interesting.

He recently posted a video that I’ve seen on a number of blogs about a violinist who was interrupted during a performance because of someone’s phone ringing. To me, taking the time to watch the 1:20 minute video didn’t seem appealing, so I had glossed over it with every other post. When I came to Michael’s, though, I realized there was a deeper message than what I had expected.

This violinist doesn’t stop what he’s doing to ridicule or embarrass the cell phone violator, but instead, he incorporates the ringtone into the end of his performance. It adds humor to the situation but also makes you respect the violinist even more.

Michael pointed out that situations like this can be used as an opportunity for good behavior. It also allows you to reflect on what the Bible says about being kind, patient, and understanding. We so often disregard others when something doesn’t seem right or fair.

“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.” Ephesians 4:31-32.

Think about what happens when a fire alarm goes off. Or when people go grocery shopping for their Thanksgiving meals. People lose a lot of their inhibitions and all chaos ensues.

My patience is most tested (like this morning when I was humbled in about 30 seconds) when I am late for something (which is my own fault) and someone else slows me down. This morning, someone left their empty lane to get right in front of me (going slower than I wanted to go). My frustration kicked in immediately and within seconds, they had their blinker on to turn right. Into a church parking lot. The church parking lot where I attend church. Yeah.

God has funny ways of putting us in our place. It makes it even more meaningful when someone else shows me grace after I’ve messed up.

Seems like we should all learn something from this violinist’s reaction.

Do you find yourself to be more understanding or more hot-headed when something isn’t fair?

The sales guys prepare for ISC 2012…

Shelby Systems invites you to ISC 2012 June 13 – 15, Memphis, TN. Register now for early bird pricing!

If you can’t view the embedded video, click here to view it on Vimeo.

A Recap of ISC 2011 and Plans for ISC 2012 in Memphis, TN

Shelby Systems held its annual International Shelby Conference (ISC) in San Antonio, TX this past June. The conference brings together current and potential customers who want to learn more about using our software at their churches and share ideas with Shelby staff members and other users from across the country.  Participants not only gain valuable information they can use on the job, but earn CPE and CEU credits in the process.

ISC 2011 was held at the Hyatt Regency Hotel on San Antonio’s famed River Walk and turned out to be another huge success for us. While there, customers benefitted from a variety of classes, speakers, performers, one-on-one training sessions, vendor demos and more.  They also heard an update from Shelby CEO, Frank Canady, on the company’s future plans and direction. “My favorite part was learning how Shelby can take our church into the future,” said Christina Andrews, Office Manager at Park Cities Baptist Church in Dallas, TX.

Ryan Fonseca, a Worship Leader at Wayside Chapel in San Antonio, TX, led a time of praise on Wednesday morning that got everyone on their feet and helped to kick off another great Shelby conference. Multiple Dove Award winner and two-time Grammy nominee, Nicole C. Mullen, gave an electrifying performance during Thursday morning’s assembly.

Session speakers included experienced trainers and staff as well as names recognizable in the not-for-profit industry.  Dan Busby, the President of the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, addressed several groups, as did Donna Lively, Director of Insurance Solutions and Services at GuideStone Financial Resources. Also participating were Elaine Sommerville, a CPA focusing on nonprofit organizations in areas of tax compliance, and her husband, Attorney Frank Sommerville. Linda Highbarger, Finance Director at Central Christian Church in Wichita, KS, said, “I enjoyed having instructors who know and use Shelby and have practical experience so they understand the issues churches encounter.”

Planning for the 2012 International Shelby Conference (ISC) is already under way. Next year, Shelby brings the conference home to Memphis, TN at the Memphis Marriott Downtown. ISC is an annual event that offers new and experienced users the opportunity to learn more about the software tools they use in their ministries, discover ways to be more effective in what they do, and network with other Shelby users.

For more information, please contact the Shelby Events Department by phone at (800) 654-1605 or email at isc@shelbyinc.com.

Take a look at our Skype video interview with Steve Hewitt, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, of Christian Computing Magazine. Steve will share what he taught in his very popular “What’s Hot and What’s Coming” class at ISC 2011. Discover the latest trends in mobile computing, why the tablet is so hot right now, the hidden dangers of cell phone tracking, why RFID tags are a concern, and listen for Steve’s #1 tip for utilizing cutting-edge technology in your ministry.

Take a look at our Skype video interview with Steve Hewitt, Founder and Editor-in-Chief, of Christian Computing Magazine. Steve will share what he taught in his very popular “What’s Hot and What’s Coming” class at ISC 2011. Discover the latest trends in mobile computing, why the tablet is so hot right now, the hidden dangers of cell phone tracking, why RFID tags are a concern, and listen for Steve’s #1 tip for utilizing cutting-edge technology in your ministry.

Shelby’s amazing Media Department put this video podcast together to highlight some of the best moments at ISC 2011. You’ll see performers Ryan Fonseca and Nicole C. Mullen, as well as an interview between Shelby’s Director of Customer Development, Ron Chandler, and Shelby’s CEO, Frank Canady.

Also, see what customers were saying about the conference and watch ’til the end for a little teaser on what fun you will have at ISC 2012 in Memphis, TN!

As most of you know, we just wrapped up our annual International Shelby Conference (ISC) last Friday and the results were better than we could have imagined. Many of you took to Twitter to share and document your time spent at the conference. We got some great feedback about the classes, the giveaways, the performances and the new relationships that were formed. Here is some of what was said:

“Just sent my 1st email in @shelbysystems It was so easy, thanks to what I learned at #isc2011” -@emily_e_simmons

“Just got home from #ISC2011. Great conference, learned a lot and met a bunch of awesome people.” -@alex_nicoletti

“I cannot believe I won an iPad 2 from #ISC2011 & #ECFA. Thank you so much. I love @shelbysystems Conferences.” – @Donnie_Payne

“Thank you Shelby!! What an incredible testimony and power worship this morning with Nicole C. Mullen at #ISC2011” – @batteberry

“Thanks everyone @shelbysystems @ShelbyISC @OurArena for a great #isc2011 and your dedication to equipping churches for greater effectiveness” – @JonathanESmith

A comment from a customer that couldn’t make it…

“Wishing I was going to #ISC2011 this year, especially to rock Arena better. You are gonna learn a boat load of stuff!” – @RobinMArnold

…and a comment left by another customer specifically about the software…

“@shelbysystems LOVE your software. It helps our staff to “get the job done”.” – @DebRosevear