(The Top 5 is our quick list of resources, recommendations, or reasons that we feel you should know).
As of July of 2018 there are over 5 million different apps on iOS and Android. And 4.77 billion people have a cell phone in the world. So apps are a big deal. We are going to go over the top 5 apps that help you and your youth ministry. We are not including any social media apps as that is a separate list. As always we do not own or represent any of these apps (except for the USMB Youth one). Yeah, that’s right we now have an app for you!
ONE – Bible (The Life.Church Version) (Apple & Android | Free)
This goes without saying but this app has evolved into much more than just a Bible app. Besides all the versions of the Bible, ability to now read the Bible out loud, scripture verse look up, meme creator, there is one feature that just came out this year that every youth worker should know. The “Plan with Friends” feature is a must-have. How it works is you choose a devotional plan (there are thousands) then choose the option “with friends” where you can invite your friends to join you in doing that plan. You’ll complete days together at the same pace, be able to discuss it through the app, and track people’s progress. You can have a small group or whole ministry keep each other accountable and increase spiritual depth through discussion by doing a devotional together. And it’s all for free!
TWO – GroupMe (Apple & Android | Free)
There are a lot of communication apps like GroupMe, but this is the original and the most popular. This is a MUST if you want to communicate to your teens, adult leaders, or even ministry as a whole. It’s like a group texting app. All you have to do is create a group by adding phone numbers or email of the people you want and then send them messages. Only the people in the group will see the message. And you have an unlimited number of groups to be in. I have one for just my small group leaders, student leaders, my small group, and teaching team. You can upload files, send texts, or even pictures. You can create polls, schedule events, and more. And a person doesn’t even have to download the app to respond it just comes across as a text message for those people. The only downside is you better turn off notifications because of how often students chat back and forth within the app.
THREE – Buffer or Hootsuite (Apple & Android | Free/Paid Plans Available)
Both of these apps basically do the same thing. They post on your social media platforms all at once! No more switching back and forth copy and pasting from Twitter to Facebook. By linking your social media profiles you can make one post and be done! They even have the ability to schedule posts (which is the feature we enjoy the most). You can schedule a whole month’s worth of social media posts at the beginning of each month.
FOUR – A Task List Database app (there are many different kinds)
If you need help remembering sermon ideas, keeping track of what items you need to purchase for your next event, or having a to-do-list hand than you should have some kind of note app. The best ones are Evernote (Apple & Android | Free), Google Keep (Android | Free), or SimpleNote (Apple & Android | Free). Each of these apps allows you to keep track of lists, pictures, meeting notes and pretty much everything else in the cloud. Throw out that paper notebook, because you can update these apps on your computer, phone, or tablet and you’ll never lose anything again.
FIVE – Expensify (Apple & Android | Free & Paid Version)
Ever have to pay out of pocket for an expense only to lose the receipt? Never again with this expense, travel, budget, and report management system. You can simply take a picture of each receipt, load it up to a report and your ministry’s treasure or bookkeeper gets it all automatically. It’s basically a virtual accountant.
Honorable mentions:
- Encounter Outreach (Apple & Android | Free) Helps individuals or groups to develop effective outreach strategies and track the progress of praying for every person in their community.
- God Questions? (Apple & Android | Free) Has over 5,600 common asked questions and answers about God, the Bible, and more.
- Canva (Apple & Android | Free) Design posters, memes, cards, and graphics all without hard to use or expensive software.
