Music Streaming Playlist. Music costs money and buying the latest, greatest songs, as well as keeping some of the classics cost money and space on your phone or tablet. By getting Spotify or Apple Music you can stream the latest music while saving space on your phone. Now, both cost money, but it is relatively inexpensive and as long as you have the login available you can login to any phone or tablet and be able to stream your music from that device (it’s not contingent on that one particular device).
Scannable App. This isn’t flashy or fancy in any way. However, what Scannable does is simple. It scans documents from your phone or tablet and allows you to send it as a pdf to others. This comes in handy when you have something paper and need to send it quickly to your volunteers quickly without having to go to a scanner (do they even have those anymore?) and then send it to them. You can send it to them via email or text app. I use this more than I ever thought I would. Plus, it connects to Evernote as well and allows you to scan in form right to your Evernote app.
Slack. This is a great app that helps teams communicate. This is especially good since not everyone loves their email as much as the other. Slack provides ways for your whole team to talk and respond to things happening in it. It creates better opporutitnes for people to coordinate and work on specific projects as your team can set up different “channels” and private messages for people to communicate. I have found this to be great about getting a faster response from people as well as being able to better track previous conversations about a specific topic. If you are not fond of Slack, there are other alternatives as well. You can check them out here.
iPad or Tablet. I’m particularly biased towards the iPad but there are so many tablets out there that allow you to do the same things so pick one that you prefer. Why this tech tool is extremely useful is that it is perfect on the go. If you need it to check in people for a particular event, use your Tablet. If you need/want it to play music, your Tablet can help. Want to take pictures? Your Tablet can help here, too! Even if you need an impromptu game to play, use your Tablet to play Heads Up! There are countless ministry uses for at Tablet and the great news is that they aren’t as expensive as they used to be and it is well worth the price.
Projector. Back when I first started doing ministry in the late ’90s, having a projector was the end all be all! However, they were so expensive .Now, they are much less expensive and while having a project is NOT a “must have”, but if you have some extra money in your budget, I would recommend you getting it. The reason why is because they are so small and portable that at any moment you can show a movie or do a presentation anywhere at any time. Here is a great list of portable projectors that your ministry can get and use.
Apple TV or Streaming Device. The same thing with a projector, an Apple TV is not a “must have”, but I have found it to be more useful than a projector it can be cool to have handy. Now, you can get any kind of streaming device that will be great to have in a pinch to play some games or watch a movie/show. However, not all streaming devices are created equal. So do your homework and look at the advantages and disadvantages of all of them. An Apple TV is more useful than other streaming devices because you can do more with an Apple TV. Sure, you can watch TV and play some games games but I can also post my messages through them as well and that is a bonus for me. The simple fact that all of these streaming devices are so portable is really helpful.
Digital Curriculum. When I first started off in ministry we had curriculum that you could order and came in book form only. So you would essentially have to rewrite or tailor everything on your own based off the curriculum you got. Well, thankfully, things went digital and there have been some great groups that have come up with some really digital curriculum you can simply download once you buy them. Then it is easier to tailor the curriculum to your style. Some I really like are: Grow Curriculum, Orange and Ministry Downloads.
So that is the list of tech that is most helpful to me and my ministry. But I know these aren’t the only great tech out there.
What have you found to be extremely effective for you and your ministry. Share below or social media using #ymsidekick when you post.
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