I’ve heard it said numerous times, “If you’re not measuring it, you can’t manage it.” It is a statement that is so true in the business world but does that really translate to ministry?
I certainly believe so. We can see from the teachings of Jesus that there is an expectation of growth. The parables of the talents and the sower clearly demonstrate that. It is also obvious that they counted the number of people that were listening to Jesus during these teaching moments and that practice continued in the book of Acts. However, I believe that often there are times that we are so focused on counting that we forget what we’re counting for.
As leaders we need to make sure we’re not counting to feed our egos or to feel a sense of personal accomplishment. We’re counting so we can effectively lead and make decisions in the best interests of those God has asked us to serve.
There are lots of tools out there to aid in tracking measures. If your are in the market for a new database and your church can afford to spend some cash I’ve worked with both Fellowship One and People Driven Software and both services have good tools, that provide helpful reports, and they have solid customer service. However, if your strapped for cash and would like to use a free tool just to aid you with some broad measures Church Metrics may be the right tool for you.
For other great articles on technology and ministry visit TechPastor.net
Norman Vincent Peale said,
Plan your work – work your plan. Lack of system produces that “I’m swamped feeling.”
I think we can also get that feeling when we are not grounded in the one thing that gives us a glimpse into the way God sees the world. Regular Bible reading can not only be a source of comfort during tough times but also a source of direction when making choices and wisdom in daily living. However, when some people look at the Bible the just don’t know where to start and that is where You Version can help. On their website You Version says,
We aren’t just building a tool to impact the world using innovative technology, more importantly, we are engaging people into relationships with God as they discover the relevance the Bible has for their lives.
Technology really has made reading the bible easy. After creating your account (which is free) you choose your plan and begin the readings for that day. There are over 20 reading plans to choose from, to view them click here. After you choose you plan you can get started today! They’ve also made it easy to read on the go. You Version can be accessed easily through your web browser, cell phone, blackberry, and i-phone (or i-pod touch). They have lots of different apps to make it easy. So, hopefully you’ll join me in choosing a plan for reading the Bible this year! Here is a video that gives you an idea of how easy it can be…
Google Voice is a favorite new tool I’ve begun using this year. Don’t confuse this with the voice activated search on your phone, Google Voice is a new phone number assigned to you by Google. A phone number that saves you, your friends and family time and frustration. People don’t have to make a decision to call you at home, work, or on your mobile… no, they call one number and you decide where that number rings.
The best part for you… no more listening to long voicemail messages!!! Google Voice transcribes all your voicemail into an email. I can’t even begin to tell you how much easier this had made things for me. My voicemail hits my blackberry as an email and I can click through and call that number back if I need to return the call. SOOOOOooooo convenient. If your still now just beginning to catch on, watch the video below for a simple explanation:
Now here is where it gets better, If you’re smart your already thinking, “But my caller ID will still show up, they won’t see my new Google Voice number.” That is where the nifty application comes in. If you are using a Blackberry or Google Android phone, this app fixes everything. Using the app you have access to your entire address book and you place calls through the application instead and PRESTO – your caller ID number that is displayed is your Google number. Again, here is a video that explains it quite simply:
Click here to learn more about Google Voice or click on the button below to check out some other free tools you may like!
So, you don’t want to blog and put all the effort into maintaining a website… you don’t have to! You can keep things really simple and still maintain a web presence to create a vehicle for people to stay in touch with you. John Saddington recently helped someone develop a wordpress theme that basically acts as a digital business card. Simple, clean, easy to set up, and no maintenance. The best part is you can link it to all of your social media tools so people can simply click through and link up with you in the places you hang out on the web.
Click here to check out more and download this cool wordpress theme from John.
- String on the finger
- Post it notes
- Voice recorders
- Calendars
- Favorites (in our web browser)
And when those traditional methods fail us we leave ourselves voice-mails and send emails to ourselves so we don’t forget! Have you ever wished you could have all those things you didn’t want to lose in one place? You can with Evernote… Oh yeah… and its FREE:
Evernoteallows you to easily capture information in any environment using whatever device or platform you find most convenient, and makes this information accessible and search-able at any time, from anywhere.
Here is a quick list of things Evernote can help you remember:
- Tasks and to-dos
- Notes
- Research
- Web pages
- Info on a whiteboard
- Business cards
- Handwritten notes
- Pictures
- Twitter messages
- Instant Messages
- Emails
After you store these things in evernote it makes them completely search-able. It even has the ability to read the text in your pictures.
You can use Evernote with your Mac, PC, I-phone, Blackberry, Palm Pre, and windows mobile devices. The great thing is that all the different places you use Evernote sync! Here is a brief overview video of some of the great features:
Click here to learn more about Evernote and sign up, did I mention its free???