michaelshelley.org is online!

So I've been wanting my own name as a domain for quite awhile. Unfortunately, michaelshelley.com and michaelshelley.net are not available. Interestingly, they are both owned by musicians (not sure if they are the same person)...one who calls himself a "rock superstar" and is in a band called The Cheeky Monkeys.

Really?

Anyway, I was just searching domain names, as I sometimes do, and discovered that michaelshelley.org was available. While I'm not an organization, I figured "What the heck?" and purchased the name. I decided to go ahead and use it for this blog. I'm still using blogger.com for it and the old address (themindofl4h.blogspot.com) will still work, but from here on, I'll be promoting the new address.

I'm planning to be much more active here in 2011 and hope to have much to share as I move forward in this walk of faith I'm taking with Jesus. He's put a lot on my heart this holiday season and I feel led to take action.

Stay tuned.

the drop - New Christmas Music

The Drop '10 Album is here!

One of the 4 tenets of Advent Conspiracy is [Spend Less], but that doesn't have to mean giving less.

Featuring five artists from around the country, "Drop" is a great gift idea that can also send the right message to friends and family members. Download the album & CD art, then make a donation directly to Living Water, and know that your contribution will help provide clean water to people around the world.

Let's do Christmas differently this year and from now on...because Christmas can [still] change the world.

Join the Conspiracy...and help Katie dig a well.

My friend Elizabeth has a 7 year old daughter named Katie who could use your help.

Katie has submitted a video to a contest being held by Advent Conspiracy and the winner of the contest gets to go with Living Water International to dig a fresh water well for people who don't have clean water.

Katie wants to save lives. And she's worked very hard, not only to raise money for Advent Conspiracy, but to spread the love of Jesus to people she may never know the names of.

Christmas can [still] change the world.

[Worship fully]
[Spend less]
[Give more]
[Love all]

Please watch Katie's video and then CLICK HERE to vote for her.

Tools vs. Technology

Yesterday's keynote speaker at WFX was Ed Stetzer. It was a very good talk on how to move people from being passive spectators to active participants in the mission of God in our local churches. He cautioned that technical excellence can turn people into passive consumers of the product of the local church. But, that's a whole other discussion.

This morning in a brief conversation with Anthony Coppedge, he noted how Ed used the terms "tools" and "technology" as almost synonomous things in his speech. Anthony argued that they are not the same and that a "tool" is not a "technology." He used the example of a monkey digging a hole in the ground with a stick reasoning that there's no technology involved just a tool.

I believe that the stick IS the monkey's technology. It's all he has to get that job done. Unless and until his job gets bigger, it's all the technology he needs. Advancements in technology, and therefore our tools, only comes out of necessity.

What do you think? Are "tools" and "technology" synonomous? Does a "tool" not count as "technology" unless and/or until it is used for a purpose?

Thoughts from WFX - Day One

This week I'm at WFX in Atlanta and I say this every time I go to one of these conferences.

I am truly BLESSED to be on staff at The Crossing.

There are SO many unhealthy churches out there with people who are hurting...really hurting...yet working to spread the gospel in an environment where it isn't being lived out.

It's TRAGIC...and it's not helping the Kingdom. It's not how He intended it.

I keep hearing folks say that when they come to these conferences, they find solace in the fact that other folks have the same challenges and the same issues that they have at their church.

Really?

I'm not talking about technical issues with gear. I'm talking about culture issues. Unhealthy culture issues. I find it disturbing that these folks are working in such unhealthy environments and yet accept it as normal when they find out others are too.

There's a lot of healing that needs to happen in local churches before the work of the Big "C" church can truly be done. My friend Anthony Coppedge says there should be an altar call at one of these events so that these folks can be prayed over. That might be a start, but I don't know if it's enough.

Is the culture in your church what you would consider "healthy?" What can we, as leaders, do to help spread the culture of our local "healthy" churches to other local "unhealthy" churches?

God knows...and I don't.

Last night, I was asked to be on a discussion panel about spiritual gifts in the Body Life class at The Crossing. Paul refers to spiritual gifts in Romans 12 and 1 Corinthians 12. Paul tells us that we all are given different gifts from the Holy Spirit and we are called to use these gifts to serve the kingdom.

On the panel, I made the statement that we must not confuse our talents with our gifts. I said that we all have different talents, but we aren't called to serve by our talents. For instance, I said, I consider myself a talented photographer, but I'm not called to serve the kingdom with my photography. I'm called to serve via my spiritual gifts of leadership, helps and administration.

Last Sunday morning, a good friend of mine lost his dad after a nine month battle with pancreatic cancer. I asked my friend several times how I could serve him. "What do you need?" I asked. For two days, his answer was "Nothing right now."

This morning, the day after my bold statement regarding the difference between talents and gifts, I received a text message from my friend asking me if I would be willing to take pictures of his dad laid in his casket and of the arrangements at the funeral home.

Really, God?

Just when I think I've got something about You figured out, You show me that I really don't know anything.

I was being called to serve my friend with my talent. My photography.

I LOST it. I felt God's presence like never before...and I've felt it before. Many times.

God told me to stop working so hard to figure things out. Stop putting Him in a box. Stop putting limits on what He can do through me and in me. Be still...and know.

If you doubt that God exists, just ask Him to reveal Himself to you. He will and you'll see that He does. If you think you've got God figured out...just ask Him to reveal Himself to you. He will and you'll see that you don't.

UPDATE (09/23/10): Yesterday afternoon, my friend texted me again and said that he'd changed his mind and didn't want me to photograph his dad. Knowing my friend the way I do, I speculate that he made that decision to "protect" me from a situation that he thought might be awkward for me. I respected his decision and told him that I was willing to do whatever he needed me to.

I still believe that God made a very clear statement to me that He can use my talents as well as my gifts to serve His kingdom as He sees the need.

On Death and Thankfulness...

So, my mother-in-law passed away last weekend. Now before you go getting your sympathy caps on, that's not why I'm writing this post. I'm writing because as I reflect on my relationship (if I can be so bold as to call it that) with her, I'm realizing something I didn't expect.

My mother-in-law had a hard life and she made life hard for a lot of people that she had contact with...my wife and her siblings especially. I've heard all of the stories of her alcohol and drug abuse during their childhood and teenage years. It's a tragic story of selfishness and neglect fueled by mental illness.

I never really LIKED her much because of it.

I know I didn't LOVE her.

But I realize now that I am extremely THANKFUL for her.

If it wasn't for her life here on this earth, I wouldn't be where I am today. I wouldn't be married to the girl of my dreams. I wouldn't have the most amazing 5 1/2 year old daughter. I wouldn't live in St. Louis. I wouldn't be on staff at the most incredible church I've ever had the privilege of setting foot in.

I may not even have JESUS in my life.

We all have a story. People come in and out of our stories and each one of them has an impact on that story.

And we impact theirs.

Sometimes people that we think are having a negative impact on our story are actually making our story better. And sometimes when we think we are having a positive impact on someone's story, we might actually be doing harm.

Ultimately, it's all God's story.

So, thank you, God, for writing Your story to include Francis Joan Miller. Thank you for letting her story intersect with mine. The impact that has had has shaped who I am today.

Too Many Thoughts...Not Enough Words

My brain is on over-drive.

My last blog post was back in April. In it I committed to blogging at least once a week. It hasn't happened.

I just haven't been able to formulate my thoughts into words on a page. I actually have four (make that five...I just had another idea) separate posts in progress, but I just can't seem to get any of them finished. It's like the wires in my brain are crossed or something. I've suddenly become unable to think in complete sentences. Or I've developed A.D.D.

Oh, lookie...a squirrel.

I have so many thoughts rolling around in my head and each one of them seems like a good blog post, but then I can't seem to put any substance around them. Maybe I should just post random streams of consciousness (oh, wait...I already do that on Twitter).

For those of you that blog regularly, what tips can you pass on for consistently completing posts?

My Four [Health] Goals

Our Programming Director at The Crossing asked each member of her team to come up with 4 goals that were measurable and that could be accomplished by June 1st. Here are mine.

While all four of these goals are very personal in nature, I believe they will have significant impact on the way I function in my role at The Crossing. I think that improving my “health” level in each of these areas will be reflected in my personal and professional conduct and have a direct influence on my team.

1. Physical Health – I’ve really neglected my physical health over the last two years. I’ve not been going to the gym regularly and not regulating my nutrition effectively. This has led to me carrying around about 30 extra pounds.

I will resume regular workouts and meal planning following the Bill Phillips “Body for Life” plan. This is the program I followed more than 5 years ago when I was in the best physical (and emotional) shape of my life. I hope to lose 15 pounds by June 1st, but the bigger impact will be in the way I feel physically, which will enable me to be more effective in all aspects of my life.

2. Spiritual Health – My approach to my spiritual health has been haphazard at best. I’ve not been intentional with my prayer time or my study of the bible. I’m always envious of other people who know their bible so well, but haven’t dedicated myself to achieving that level of knowledge myself.

I will plan and schedule a minimum of 3 hours a week to pray and spend time in the Word. I will read the letters of Paul by June 1st.

3. Emotional Health – I’ve always needed some sort of emotional outlet whether that is deep discussions with a trusted person in my life or simply journaling. I’ve really neglected this part of my life over the last couple of years. I’ve been through some major life changes in that time, but for the most part have kept a lot of my feelings about those changes to myself.

I will resume blogging on a weekly basis, beginning with posting these goals. I will ask to be held accountable for a weekly entry on my blog and will use my postings to enter into deeper conversations.

4. Relational Health – Relationships have always been one of the most important things in my life and still are. I’ve always made friends easily and surround myself with people that I trust and value.

I’ve not protected the relationships that are most important in my life. Those with my wife and daughter especially have not been given the quality of attention that I think are necessary. I’ve also not developed my relationships with staff and volunteers to the depth that they deserve.

I will dedicate myself to quality time with my wife and daughter incorporating a weekly “date night” with my wife and spending the better part of my day off on Tuesdays with my daughter. I will be interruptible at home and make the relationships with my family my priority.

I will develop deeper relationships with staff and volunteers that go beyond the time spent together on the weekends. I would like to have monthly get-togethers with my teammates and their families that will enable us to build stronger community. I will take the time to learn the stories of the tech team volunteers so that I may know more about them than just their names and what capacity they serve in.

That's it. I've made them public now. I must now dedicate myself to making these goals happen and to being accountable to them. If you're reading this, I ask that you hold me accountable too.

Peace!