We recently looked at 13 essential iOS apps for pastors that are helpful for a pastors different rolls, responsibilities and tasks. Of course, not every pastor uses Apple devices, some use Android devices, and while there are many apps which are on both platforms, sometimes they are worse on one than another or there is an exclusive app which is better.
Now, let’s dive in and take a look at 14 amazing Android apps for pastors!
1. A Good Task Management App (Todoist)
If you are a pastor, then you have a lot on your plate, meeting different people, preparing sermons, discipling church members, organising various events, and trying to have a private life. Making sure nothing falls through the gap is a tough job and having a good task management app is important. For Android, the best option is Todoist. It has a great free level, lets you share tasks with other people, and has some really great premium options.
2. A Good Messaging App (Hangouts, Slack)
A pastor has to Pastor people and getting in contact with people is an important part of that (shock and horror I know). A good tool for staying in contact with your church members and church staff is vitally important.
Slack is a great tool for communicating in real time with your church staff. It is a bit like a private Twitter chat, except you can also add files and documents easily for people to see and interact with.
Hangouts combined SMS and text messages in one tidy package. You might not like this approach, and if that’s the case, you don’t have to use Hangouts for your SMS messages. The advantages with Hangouts include the combination of video chatting and messaging, from a single unified interface. If you add in Google Voice integration, you’ve got some features you can’t get anywhere else.
The best and worst thing about Hangouts is it imports all your Google contacts, so you can contact anyone who you follow on Google+ or who you have their email address. However, they can contact you. Luckily, with Google Circles, you can refine your settings and prevent random people from contacting you.
3. A Great Email App (Inbox, Cloud Magic or Mailbox)
Email can be a pain in the neck when it gets out of hands, having a powerful email client will really help you stay on top of your contacts and most importantly help you get back to doing things and not waste hours managing your email.
There are several choices you may want to consider on Android depending on your preferences. If you are on Gmail, then Inbox by Gmail maybe the best for you. Inbox organizes your email into different categories and manages to reduce your notifications during the day from emails that contain details such as the latest blog post from a site you follow, yet it still lets through and notifies you of urgent emails from real people.
If Inbox isn’t your cup of tea then you might want to consider cloud magic, although it notifies you of every email, Cloud Magic contains some sharing features that allow you to quickly send an email to Evernote to say a record of it, or add a task to Todoist or a selection of other task managers including Asana and Wunderlist. You can also add follow up reminders, swipe to archive, delete or mark as unread. The best feature of Cloud Magic is it supports SO many different email clients: Gmail, iCloud, Exchange, Yahoo, iMap and more.
A final choice that many people love is Mailbox, a lot of people really like Mailbox’s ability to delay emails for later. Personally this just aids my procrastination and I don’t need that. However, if you do like that and only have Gmail or iCloud (on Android? Really?) then this could be a great choice for you.
4. Note Taking and Article Saving (Evernote)
As you go about your day, you’ll want to save notes. Maybe these are ideas to discuss with someone, a website to check out, or notes as you study the Bible. The best tool for this is Evernote, where you can access it anywhere and save pretty much any type of data as a note. Take a picture, handwrite a note on the screen, type text or record some audio.
Evernote is the perfect tool for taking and recording a bunch of notes and insuring that you can find the information you want later.
5. The Right Social Media Platform
This really depends on your church’s social media strategy. If you are active on Google+, then you’ll need the Google+ app, If you’re active on Instagram then instagram. The only possible exception is Twitter which has a selection of third party apps. There are some advantages and disadvantages of the third party apps (notable no adds) and Fenix is the best. It looks good, supports multiple accounts and is easy to use. Buffer and Hootsuite are also good tools to help you time when you share items to social media and manage multiple social networks at one time.
6. A Great Calendar (Google Calendar or Sunrise)
Similar to a task manager, using a calendar is important to make sure you don’t double book yourself and get to the right place at the right time. The new material design update for Google Calendar will either delight or frustrate you. A good alternative is Sunrise, which is also cross platform compatible and supports alternative calendars, not just Google’s calendar.
7. Google Now
Google Now is the personal assistant that is always with you. If you are using Gmail, Google Calendar…you know the “whole Google”, then Google Now can show you upcoming events, an estimated time you should leave before, recommended articles from sites you like, the score of your favorite sports team, upcoming flights etc…
8. A Good Bible App (YouVersion)
Unsurprisingly there are some great Bible applications that you can get on your Android device. You might prefer having a paper Bible (I love my well worn, leather bound Bible), but I’ve certainly benefited from having a Bible with me all the time. YouVersion is a great Bible application because it’s completely free, has many downloadable versions of the Bible in hundreds of languages, and has built in Bible reading plans and verses for the day.
You can’t run side by side verse comparisons and you may prefer a more limited version of a Bible app than the bells and whistles version of the YouVersion Bible app.
9. The Internet (Chrome or Firefox)
I don’t know if you guys have heard, but the Internet is a pretty cool thing. There are lots of useful tools out there, great sources of information and more. The best web browser at the moment is Chrome, it has a great user interface and can sync with your desktop bookmarks and open tabs.
Not everyone likes Chrome though, the Firefox and Dolphin browser offer some good extra features.
10. A Voice Recorder (Cogi)
If you are attending an important meeting, want to record a conversation or simply want to publish your sermons online, then having a voice recording tool on your phone can be very handy. Many devices come with one pre installed, and Evernote also has a built in voice recorder too. However, Cogi is a great alternative if you really want a specific app. It has a simple interface and lets you share via a variety of systems like Dropbox and Google Drive.
11. A Journal (Journey)
I’m a big believer in reflection and keeping a log of the day. You could just use a text editor or Evernote, but my favourite tool is Journey. It supports markdown, has a Chrome app and saves your notes as text documents on Google Drive. You can add pictures as well.
12. Presentation and Office Apps (Google Slides)
If you use slideshows along with your sermons then it’s useful to have a tool on your Android device to create a good slideshow or even show a slideshow when you’re on the go and all your tech fails, but you happen to have a USB to HDMI adaptor (or Chromecast).
There are several options here depending on if you use another tool or not. Microsoft Office on Android supports presentations and lets you access your OneCloud Microsoft docs as well. If you are completely in the Google ecosystem, then why not try out Google Slides which lets you access your Google Docs presentations from your Android device.
13. Creating Graphics (Over and Sketchbook)
As part of your sermon, you may want some graphics to help demonstrate a point. These might be a sketch of an image or simply adding some text over a thematic idea. If you have a Note device from Samsung then some of the built in apps will help, otherwise you may need to look else where.
For adding text, Over is a great app which has some nice little sketches you can use too.
For creating a sketch to use in a graphic, then the sketchbook series has some great features for helping you to create a good looking image. There is a free version which will do for most basic images but if you are slightly more skilled at drawing and need more layers and features, then the pro version may be right for you.
14. Podcast (Pocketcasts)
People prefer taking in information in different ways. For some, reading is a great way to learn, for others it is better to experiment with the practice of a task, while other still prefer listening to instructions. Even if you prefer to learn via one of the other methods, there are benefits to learning via several methods. Podcasts are a great way to learn via listening and pocketcasts is the best Android podcast player. it has a sync service so you can stop and start on different devices.
What apps do you use?
As we mentioned at the start, not every pastor is the same and some have very different jobs and tools to do them. If you use an app that you think would be useful for other pastors to hear about then leave a comment with it below.
Eric Dye says
This is list is SO #EPIC!!!
Jesse Gruber says
The only thing I would add as an elder would be a good RSS reader. We should be always learning and growing and understanding the weird and our culture. I currently use Amber RSS (http://goo.gl/LxWlJy) and Google Newsstand (http://goo.gl/AmUYmV)
JB says
I do have YouVersion, but in the last couple of weeks BlueLetterBible (website is http://www.blueletterbible.org) finally released their long-awaited Android app. I believe they have the greatest Web-based Bible service out there for serious students, and I will be using this app.
Keep in mind that it’s version 1.0 right now. It isn’t as loaded as YouVersion. However, it is a GREAT first offering and I know it will become better and better.
The guys behind the site are deeply spiritual, ministry-minded believers.
David Caradoc says
I am pastor David A. Caradoc; Wisehouse Chapel local pastor in Ghana.
I will say your lists of apps is very useful. I have used a couple of them. However I will gladly recommend “Logos Stream” http://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.philecom.logosstream
This app has helped me because it offers a free way to publish my podcasts and at the same time manage my followers including my church members.
I think it is a must have app for every pastor and leader who want a good and free platform dedicated to Christian content to manage their audience.
you can also listen to preaching and messages from other pastors and christian leaders.
Rev Jason Allen says
I wish someone would make an Android app where the English and original Greek of the New Testament are in parallel form w/ the ability to click on a Greek word and all the possible meanings pop up. The Greek is transliterated. Bonuses would be notepad and ability to Mark and highlight. Not sure but, I would imagine this would be, technically, a lot of work going by how much work is involved doing it the old fashioned way.
Just a little thought brothers and sisters:
Some are leaning on their pastors to get them there rather than opening the Book that Life is in. We must yearn Christs’ words w/ vigor. We, with ears, must hear. We must hear the path is narrow, but also few will find it. We must hear follow Him we that are burdened, but also hear take up His yoke (attach to him) & learn from Him to be meek & humble. And, like when two oxen are attached with a yoke in the field, rather than one, the burden becomes much lighter. And, please if you have ears; if eternal salvation is your desire hear this because today it just seems so many w/ ears haven’t got the message.
ON JUDGEMENT DAY
We all will be separated to His left or His right & He will say to some very stunned people
“For I was hungry and you gave me nothing to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not invite me in, I needed clothes and you did not clothe me, I was sick and in prison and you did not look after me.”
(The homeless, addicted, oppressed, mentally ill, mass incarcerated, refugee, The 50 MILLION CHILDREN living in poverty IN THE WEALTHIEST NATION IN THE HISTORY OF THE WORLD, & on and on)
“Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me. And these will go away into eternal punishment”
I thank God I gave up my selfish ways in time. I say this as a testament & w/ gratitude to the only Father I’ve ever known. I was called to ministry at 15 but but, 17 years later I was working as an executive for the largest bank in the world & just as Jonah was cast overboard I broke my neck and injured my spinal cord in a car accident. That was 2006. By 2014 I had learned to do everything over and go through a year of torment coming off the most powerful painkiller made. Now, I live below the poverty line and I live in physical pain 24/7 often crying myself to sleep AND I COUNT IT ALL JOY because I have degrees in Theology and psychology and I counsel teen addicts for free. It’s a peace that passes all understanding.
I went to speak my mind as stated and He took over. Read the red! Let’s not lose our flavor or allow the enemy to snuff out our light. If we treat the unsaved as enemies or they see us as a bunch of Pharisees why would they want anything to do with Him. Love; just love.
Frank says
I used to use Evernote for note taking, but a recent price hike affected my budget so I switched to Simplenote, its cross platform free too. For my Bible, I use Olive tree bible reader, several versions of the bible available offline in one app! Some versions are for sale though, I bought the amplified and message translations (one time purchase).