MOBILE APPS For Church and Ministry WHY APPS

MOBILE APPS For Church and Ministry

WHY APPS? • They are on the most personal and persuasive communications device ever – the mobile phone • They are accessible to most people 24/7 • They are familiar and fit into the normal routine of your congregation. • They can contain a LOT of information

WITH AN APP THEY CAN… • Read the Bible at a coffee shop • Listen to worship music via Bluetooth as they drive • Donate during the week if they forgot on Sunday • Get prayer points and church notices • Engage with missions and Christian events

FUNCTIONS OF APPS • Connecting Christians In Fellowship • Coordinating Activities for Church and Missions • Engaging, Instructing & Informing Disciples • Inspiring Prayer and Worship • Facilitating Outreach and Evangelism • Helping With Accountability Issues • Fundraising, Donations and Church Finances

HOW APPS FIT IN…. • The app should be a nearly invisible adjunct to normal church, missions or organizational activity. • It should create small opportunities for grace to function • It should connect things so they happen better • It should stop people “falling through the cracks”

DEFINING THE PURPOSE • Purpose – what are you wanting to do with the app? e. . g. “We want to find an easy-touse app that will help the congregation engage with Scripture throughout the week and it should be available for both Apple and Android and have English and Chinese languages and operate offline as well as online. ”

CAREFUL SELECTION • Most people only use 6 to 8 apps regularly so you are competing with FB, Instagram etc for home page space and mind space. • So test the app for two weeks first! • No one wants to install an app then be told to install another app because you changed your mind. • Carefully vet the app for ratings, comments, usability, reliability, doctrine, spam, privacy

PROMOTE THE APP • Have the pastor/ leader demonstrate it a few times and make sure it is validated by leadership. • Create the clear expectation of adoption and use e. g. “we expect that you will all install Blue Letter Bible and use it as we go through our series on Matthew” • Remind people at regular intervals • Have a one-liner in the church newsletter / bulletin

SECURITY • Check how many permissions it wants • What country is it based in? • What kind of ads does it run if any? • Does it seem scammy or spammy…. ? • Use a web version of the same thing

BIBLE APPS • Blue Letter Bible • Bible Gateway • The Bible App by You. Version • Glo Bible • Olive Tree’s Bible+ • Sword Project • African Bible • Bijbel. is • Deaf Bible • Bible App For Kids • Daily Audio Bible

SCRIPTURE MEMORY • Remember Me • Bible-Minded • Fighter Verses • Scripture Typer

PRAYER APPS • Prayer. Mate • Echo • Prayer. Buzz • Operation World (pray for nations) • Pray As You Go (10 -13 minute devotional sessions) • IHOPKC (Intercession)

INDIVIDUAL WORSHIP • Prazor • Christian Radio FM • Spotify (select a Christian genre) • Apps for a particular band / genre e. g Jesus Culture • Soaking Music / Atmosphere for Healing

EVANGELISM • H 2 BAC • Yes. He. Is • Evangelism Explosion • God Tools • New World Gospel Presentation • Project Hannah (for women)

MISSIONS • Operation World • Missionaries Biography • God Tools (dual language mode) • Jesus Film App • 5 Fish (10, 000 languages) • Joshua Project Languages • Unreached of the Day

TEACHING • Sermon Audio • i. Disciple • Individual preacher/church preaching apps • E-Reader Prestigio Book Reader • Kindle (find the free books) • Got Questions? • i. Disciple

ACCOUNTABILITY • X 3 Watch Accountability • Covenant Eyes • Ever Accountable (paid) • Accountable To You

ADMIN • Paypal • Square (credit-card processing) • Gum. Road (selling small items e. g ebooks) • Planning Center (worship planning etc)

DIY • Have very clear specifications • Know exactly what features you want • Know the use cases it will be used for • Have a development team that can update the app and fix glitches • Have a decent budget

CONTACT John Edmiston johned@cybermissions. org