So many pastors have a smartphone because they are multitasking beyond belief. I know one pastor at one point with their phone was working on a sermon in Evernote along with the presentation on Keynote while taking phone calls, texting staff, and sending emails for the upcoming board meeting. At that point, I feel like the “productivity” that they wanted to achieve with their phone may have limited how well they were doing ministry.
For those of you with an iPhone, this newest update may be able to make you be a better pastor.
Pre-Programmed Busy Response
The phone app has been given the necessary update of having pre-programmed messages that you can send to someone that is calling you when you are busy. For those that have regular Sabbaths, weekly meetings, or services, create some busy responses to send to those who are calling you so that they know another way to reach you. My approach: Ask them to send me an email or leave a voicemail and let them know it will be a while til I get to them.
Do Not Disturb
This feature has so many possibilities. First, use it when you go to bed and at meals. Make family a priority and keep it. Secondly, quiet times and Sabbaths, this feature is a MUST!
Maps App Turn-By-Turn Directions
For those of you going on another retreat that last year you got lost, no need to fear because Apple has build their own Maps app that will be featured to include a GPS replacing turn-by-turn navigation. This is awesome! (Saves my youth budget $200!)
Passbook Organizes
This is simply an organizational tool that will allow you to skip Angry Birds and the Facebook app to go straight to the apps you need at the time and not have to worry about your A.D.D. self jumping on YouTube for another two hours.
Facetime Off WiFi
For those of you who utilize Facetime for ministry, you now are not restricted to WiFi hotspots and can simply use 3G connections. Note that this is still problematic with slow speeds, but great for pastors that want to report to the church on a missions trip or connect face-to-face with volunteers.
VIP Emails
I personally get too many emails a day and miss so many important ones from supervisors and parents of students. This new system allows you to focus on those most important in ministry and let you check the rest later.
What’s your favorite feature on iOS6?
John Hughes says
Header reads Facebook off Wi-Fi but talks about Facetime. Sneaky ninjas should change that.
Chad Gleaves says
I love:
Siri opening apps
Panorama shots
Facebook integration
Schedule of do not disturb
Safari cloud tabs
Maps itself is not amazing but the integration in the phone is the magic
Carl Franzon says
Maybe I am missing something but I am not seeing how some of these work as the article seems to suggest.
Pre-Programmed Busy Response: seems like all this does is allow you to manually click on a button to send someone a message when they are calling. It would be nice if I could set it automatically do that, so I could set it for a time period or until I change it to automatically send a message, but I don’t see that option. If I am having quiet time, yes I could pick it up and click to send a message, buy why not just use do not disturb.
How does Passbook organize? Other than coupons and boarding passes?