10 Apps I Couldn’t Do Ministry Without
If you’re looking to boost your productivity this week, here are ten apps I use all the time, and highly recommend to you.
I use a MacBook Pro, so many of these apps are Mac only.
1. Accordance
What it does: Accordance is a Bible software program that puts the most important references books from your seminary’s library at your finger tips.
Why it’s great: It enables you to do complicated, yet lightning fast searches in biblical texts, primary sources (think Philo and Qumran), and commentaries.
Price: Packages start at $149.
2. Caffeine
What it does: Caffeine is a menu bar app that will keep your computer awake with just a click.
Why it’s great: No more having to wake up your computer during PowerPoint presentations. Keep your sermon outline right in front of you while reading commentaries.
Price: Free.
3. Dropbox
What it does: Dropbox allows you to store and access files from the cloud, from almost any device.
Why it’s great: It makes sharing files easy. It also acts as an automatic backup for anything you have stored online.
Price: Plans start at free, then go up based on how much space you want.
4. Evernote
What it does: Evernote stores and organizes notes, pictures, articles, and voice recordings. It’s like a digital filing cabinet.
Why it’s great: Everything is searchable in Evernote, so that illustration you tucked away a couple years ago that would be perfect for this week’s sermon will pop up when you search for it.
Price: There is a free plan, and there is a premium plan for $45 a year. I use the free one and have never come close to running out of space.
5. Gruml
What it does: Gruml is an RSS reader.
Why it’s great: Although the aesthetics are lacking, the functionality is off the charts. It sends articles to Evernote, Instaper, and Twitter with just a click. No more dealing with this ornate process with NetNewsWire.
Price: Free.
6. Instapaper
What it does: Instapaper has an iPhone and iPad version, which allows you to store articles in one place for easy reading.
Why it’s great: Instead of wasting a few valuable minutes on video games or Facebook, you can read something while you wait in line at Starbucks, or even offline (as long as you’ve synced).
Price: $4.99 for iPhone; $4.99 for iPad.
7. Mobile RSS
Why it’s great: Just like Gruml, I can send articles to Evernote, Instapaper, or Twitter, with just a couple of taps.
Price: I use the free versions. The ads barely noticeable. Otherwise the pro versions are $2.99 for iPhone and $4.99 for iPad.
8. OmniFocus
What it does: By far my favorite app on the list, OmniFocus is a to-do list on steroids.
Why it’s great: It allows you to see your tasks from several different angles. You can see everything that is due today, you can view them according to projects and goals, or you can just look at what you need from Home Depot. It is fully integrated with the Getting Things Done productivity methodology.
Price: $79.99 for Mac; $19.99 for iPhone; $39.99 for iPad.
9. Send to Kindle
What it does: Send to Kindle sends pdf. and mobi. files from your computer right to your Kindle device, just with a drag and drop.
Why it’s great: It saves you the trouble of emailing documents to your Kindle account. There’s even a PC version.
Price: Free
10. Quicksilver
What it does: Quicksilver let’s you access almost anything on your Mac from your keyboard. Control + spacebar opens a window, and then you just type in the app, folder, document, or website you want.
Why it’s great: Using your cursor and clicking on folder after folder to find something is slow. This is fast.
Price: Free
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