Ministry Helper Apps (Android edition)

Since the inevitable Android move has happened, I have been getting acquainted with my new device and the OS that powers it.

As in everything else tech, I try to find a way to bridge it to ministry. Here is my list of Android Applications that currently are must haves:

YouVersion Bible: Yes, I know at this point, I sound like an indefatigable cheerleader with a crush, but YV is really all that... and a BIG bag of chips. With Live integration, Note availability and creation, downloadable version (NLT is one) and built-in reading plans, this is a serious tool for the serious Android-carrying church worker. YouVersion is all the bible you need on the go.

Get on the bus. The possibilities are endless. You can literally run a entire bible-based message from your phone. You can tweet, send to Facebook and add study notes for the church directly from the app.

HanDBase: Relational database on steroids. This bad boy is an app of a thousand apps. Think data entry and utility creation. You can create expense ledgers, member lists, even giving records. Need a task list? A building catalog? List of guest speakers? parent list? Nursery roster? HanDBase is there. It is syncable to desktop/laptop, too.

I have used HanDBase since my Palm days, and it has been a staple on my devices since. I have my unofficial time clock on it. Helps me keep track of my ministry hours, and allows me to send reports (like weekly output). I also use it to catalog my training plans and player stats in soccer. The scary thing is that I don't think I have even touched the surface with regards to its functionality.

Extra bonus: HanDBase is owned by a christian artist, David Haupert.

Pocket Informant: I am a churchworker, soccer coach and also manage our church's online calendar. I also need to have access to my wife's calendar to stay on top of the kid's events.

I run a lot of calendars. Pocket Informant helps me manage everything.

It syncs well with Google Calendar, right down to the color coding. If a fellow staffer adds an entry to Google Calendar, it populates to the general Google Calendar, which populates to my device. Pretty seamless. Besides syncing to the Google Cloud, it also syncs to Toodledo, a fantastic task manager with GTD capabilities. All in all, PI is one of the best PIMs out there.

Dropbox: Dropbox has been around for a while, and I am shamelessly late to the party. Still, it made it's way into my heart quite easily.

Dropbox is a storage repository conveniently located in the "Cloud" an accessible from anywhere with an internet connection. This connectivity has given Dropbox the secondary ability to serve as a universal jumpdrive.

How can this help you? Church workers move more paper and information than the US Mint and Library of Congress combined. Say a busy pastor needed to collaborate with the music minister and head deacon about the upcoming Easter program. We are talking about music, graphics and budgetary concerns... with a click of the button, everyone's physical input could be uploaded instantly to a common file, collaborated on and then re-accessed.

I use Dropbox heavily on the fly, to help get media out on our webpage, FB page and the church twitter account. Instead of hoarding event pictures on my phone, I simply upload them to my Dropbox. It's one less reason to carry a laptop, when I can simply access the the info from any computer.

Dropbox offers free accounts that are upgradeable, but I have not yet used up my generous free allotment. You can also download the app for free on iOS, BlackBerry OS and Mac.

Save a tree: use DropBox.