By LORETTA FULTON

Among the new faces at Hardin-Simmons University this fall is Shelli Presley, who will serve the students, faculty and staff as director of spiritual formation. 

She is a product of Abilene Christian University and most recently was Associate Pastor Family Freedom Ministry at Beltway Church. Presley is excited about the opportunity to lead the university in service to the larger community.

“Be ready!” she warns. “These HSU students, as well as our faculty and staff, will be finding ways to serve our Abilene community with joy and passion. It is going to be a great year.”

Shelli Presley

Shelli Presley Bio
Current position: Director of Spiritual Formation
Education: Bachelor of Arts in Education and Master’s in Marriage and Family Therapy, both from Abilene Christian University
Family: I have been married to my husband Erik, for 24 years and we have 5 sons. They are each such a gift and I thank God for the treasure of family.
Experience: Over the years I have had a wide variety of experiences and have learned so much about God and people. I attended University studies at ACU and upon graduation taught school and then moved into ministry. I spent my early years doing youth ministry and then decided I wanted to do my Master’s in MFT.  Upon completing my masters, I was still single and wanted to do mission work. I did a short-term mission trip–5 months–in Bulgaria and loved it.  After returning, I married my husband Erik and soon after we went through a missions training school and took our two sons as part of a team to do missions in Thailand. We enjoyed every minute of that time and experience.   
We returned to Abilene to broaden our reach to the nations through our company whose goal was to bring international students to private Christian schools and universities! We have seen many come to the Lord though that calling. Eventually, after some time raising my young children, I re-entered ministry within the church context and also did public speaking, teaching and equipping leaders as the director of our nonprofit. After years of telling my husband, “once I’ve raised our kids, I want to work at a Christian university and do spiritual formation” the Lord opened that door at HSU, and I could not be more thankful! 
Hobbies: I enjoy reading, worshiping, watching my boys participate in any sport, and traveling with my family and friends.  

Q Is working with college students something you had been considering, or did the opening at
Hardin-Simmons prompt you to think about the career change?

A I have always wanted to work with college students. I love this age and stage of life. So much transformation, exploration and revelation occurs in these years and I love shepherding and being a part of that process with students. When our children were young, we served as Section Parents in our church college ministry hosting and discipling leaders within that ministry. That time confirmed even more intensely my desire to serve in this type of role.

Q Do current students have a different view of what the church is supposed to be than when
you were a student? For example, students today are very service oriented and have a heart for social justice. How do you plan to build on that?

A I believe in some ways so many things have changed, yet so much has remained the same. I do believe our culture has awakened many to have a heart for social justice. But, I also see a hunger in this generation to be connected deeply to community. To know people and to be known authentically. I feel like the church has such an opportunity to bless students to have both deep community and the opportunity to impact the world in a profound way through serving people and the world’s needs. This generation is hungry to do both and the church can help facilitate that in beautiful ways.

Q Did you have one or more campus chaplains when you were a student who made an impression on your life? Will you be incorporating anything that you learned from them?

A While we did not have that exact office/role where I attended college, we actually had two or three who functioned in just that way. I was deeply impacted in my time at ACU by my treasured friend and Spiritual Father, Reg Cox. He mentored so many of us in the importance of seeking the lost, the power of prayer, of knowing and loving the Word of God, in how to hear and obey the Holy Spirit, in how to courageously love people and share/demonstrate the gospel by truly serving and meeting people’s practical needs. He led us in how to be a true disciple of Jesus and in how to disciple others. Two women also poured into my life. Jan Meyer taught me to be a person of my word and live a life of integrity as a leader in every area. And Pam Money modeled for me loving Jesus first, loving my family and always prioritizing my role as a wife and mom, as well as using my God-given gifts to faithfully serve the church and my community.  Every part of who I am was shaped by these mentors in that stage of my life. Even today,  they speak into my life. I have and will continue to implement these truths in every way possible as we develop Spiritual Leaders for the next generation at HSU.

Q What experiences in your background do you think will be especially beneficial to you as director of spiritual formation at Hardin-Simmons?

A Many experiences have shaped my life and will benefit me as work in this role at HSU. Some that have most profoundly shaped me are growing up in a God-fearing family who loved me well, taught me to live by the truth of God’s Word, and helped me see that God loves each and every soul on the planet..that Jesus’ life is the measure of their value to God. Spending time on the foreign mission field and seeing how other cultures carry and demonstrate different aspects of the heart of God.  Also, seeing the vast need in every way in our world today. Watching my father go through cancer. Yet His faith, even in suffering, grew stronger and stronger. The power there is in loving the one right in front of you like my mom did in caring for him in that time. I pray we raise up leaders who know their identity and value in God, who live by the truth of God’s Word, who know how to love, value, and serve others, who have a global vision and advance the Kingdom of God with a heart for all people and nations, and leaders whose faith grows stronger and stronger, never wavering even in the hard, until the moment they see Jesus and their faith becomes SIGHT!

Q Do you have any new programs or projects you want to institute or is it too early for that?

A I am definitely in the beginning phases of development in this role. But yes, absolutely we will dream big with God who is able to do more than we can ask or imagine. We have an incredible group of student leaders and have already begun implementing equipping times for them. We are very confident they will be the ones impacting and serving the students on campus and organizations in our city. Be ready! These HSU students, as well as our faculty and staff, will be finding ways to serve our Abilene community with joy and passion. It is going to be a great year. I believe God is moving in power in our city. I pray that as we live out God’s mission, truth and love here at HSU, we will be sending out many leaders who will fulfill the great commission and carry the Kingdom of Heaven to Abilene, our nation and the world.