Why I love my iPhone (My top 15 Apps)

A few months ago I finally took the plunge I had long been wanting to take, I bought an iPhone. I waited too long.

Before listing my top 15 apps I must first mention some of the standard features that make the iPhone stand out. The integrated iPod is something I use everyday. I love listening to music and since the radio in my truck is broken my iPhone comes in handy. The calendar on the iPhone is something I also use daily. The functions are pretty basic but I would literally be lost without it. Texting is common on all phones today, many even have a full keyboard, but the iPhone allows you to keep entire conversations with people in a neat list.

Top 15 Apps

These are the apps I use basically everyday.

1. YouVersion Bible - a free app from LifeChurch.tv it features tons of versions to read plus a "Live" function that allows users to follow along with my sermons and even respond to questions in real time.

2. Logos - another bible program that I use. You don't need Internet connectivity or even cell service to use this one (if you download one or more versions).

3. TextLater - allows you to schedule a text for a later date and/or time. I mostly use this to remind me of important tasks.

4. Fox News - I like to keep up with current events

5. WSMV Channel 4 - Ditto

6. ESPN ScoreCenter - I get all the latest scores from just about any sport you can think of.

7. Google - if I don't know the answer, I can find it here. Plus, all you have to do is speak, no typing necessary.

8. Solitaire - great for down time and killing time. It also keeps the mind sharp.

9. QuickOffice - I can edit or create documents or spreadsheets and view PowerPoint slideshows. Fully compatable with Microsoft Office, this app allows me to work on and polish my sermons anywhere.

10. Maps - this app actually comes with the phone but it's functionality is much better than even MapQuest. It works with the GPS embedded in the phone and is highly accurate.

11. Dictionary.com - with all the writing I do a dictionary is a must! This app is simple but has some extras like a thesaurus and "word of the day" that make it a favorite.

12. TV Guide - with so much on television I use this much as you would the paper version. Ratings and synopsis' of each program makes finding family friendly programing a breeze.

13. Evernote - this app fully sync's with your online account which means you can use it anywhere. You can store any kind of info in Evernote and retrieve it in various ways. Can't remember the name of a person you meet two months ago at a conference but you need to call him? With Evernote you can take pics of business cards, store them by name, business name, phone number, etc. But the coolest thing is that even if you can't remember the name all you have to do is search your business cards by location. You remember meeting a person in Nashville then Evernote does as well.

14. Fandango - look up movie times and locations and even purchase tickets right from your phone.

15. GoVolsXtra - news about University of Tennessee sports powered by the Knoxville News Sentinel.

Honorable Mention

A few apps I use that could be on the list but due to their nature I just don't have need for them everyday.

1. Disney World Wait Times - gives you the wait time for every attraction in WDW Orlando. Users submit actual wait times and on our last trip to Disney I found it to be highly accurate.

2. iPitchPipe - just like the pitch pipe your song leader uses just easier to keep up with.

3. Sleep Machine - I must have background noise in order to sleep. This app gives several options and is always with you when you travel.

4. Travelocity and Kayak - have you ever been on the road and looking for a place to stop for the night? These work wonders and you don't have to make 10 different calls to find a vacancy.

5. BlogPress - this app lets me compose and post articles to my blog right from the iPhone (in fact, I'm using it right now!). I'm sure this one will move up the list in a hurry.

So what are your favorite/most used apps?



- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Location:Hurricane Hill Dr,Waynesboro,United States

Review of “Less Clutter. Less Noise”

The subtitle for this book is, “Beyond Bulletins, Brochures, and Bake Sales.”  It is authored by Kem Meyer, self styled as one who “used to think church was for out-of-touch people who just needed to “get a life.”  Now, after having left the business world, Kem is the Communications Director at Granger Community Church. 

The main focus of this book is about how churches can be more effective in communicating to our members as well as to the world around us.  You would think we would already be good at this, after all, as preachers it is our job to communicate!  Realistically, we know that we fall short in this area and because of that our ministries suffer.

Ms. Meyer is a huge believer keeping things simple.  At first I thought that her straightforward and practical style of communication was an effort at “dumbing down,” actually, it is just the opposite.  People are smart, people are also bombarded with tons of information on a daily basis, what about your message demands my attention?  Here is a small sampling of Kem’s minimalistic approach:

• The more elements you put on a page, the less important each element becomes.
• The more announcements you have from a platform, the less people hear. (I have always said the only announcement people hear is the one you didn’t make.  Think about it. Mitchell)
• The more brochures you add to the pile, the harder it is for people to find what they’re looking for.
• Which communication vehicles in my church or organization are most effective and why?  Which tools would not be missed if they were gone?  Can I identify communication pieces that exist purely to serve the internal politics of the organization?

The ideas in this book will help you reevaluate how you and your church communicate in every facet of every ministry.  Announcements, PowerPoint slides, bulletins, your website, email blasts, facebook, twitter, it all deserves your attention because realistically, it is probably not getting the attention it deserves.

If you are a minister, church secretary, elder, deacon, active church member, anyone who needs to communicate effectively in ministry then this book is a must read.  It is also a very easy read, written in everyday language with tons of insightful illustrations that really drive home the message.

Every Vote Counts

Matthew Morine, minister for the Castle Rock Church of Christ in Denver, former minister at Waynesboro and one of my dear friends, has received some exciting news!  Matthew's blog, Musings on Spiritual Matters, has been nominated for an award at this year's Christian Bloggers Luncheon at the Tulsa Workshop in the category, Best New Blogger. 

I am so excited for Matthew.  Matthew has always been an encourager to my ministry, a modern day Barnabas, he deserves this award.  If you haven't read Matthew's blog then follow the link above and prepare be entertained and challenged.  I also encourage everyone to vote!  Visit http://vote.theobloggers.org/ and vote today.

Podcast Now on iTunes

My podcast is now officially a part of iTunes!

Until today you could use your iTunes software only to subscribe to my podcast through the RSS feed but as of today I have been officially approved by iTunes! 

This means that you can go directly to the iTunes site and search "Mitchell Skelton" or "Waynesboro church of Christ" and you will be taken to a page on the iTunes site that contains my podcast and from this page you can subscribe for automatic downloads each time a new podcast is added.  For a direct connection you can click the iTunes link here.

Technorati Tags: blog,church of Christ,evangelism,iPod,iTunes,podcast,technology

Everything New is Old in Ten Minutes

I graduated from Lipscomb University with a degree in Marketing. One bit of information I learned from my major studies was, according to federal regulations, a product could only be advertised or promoted as new for a period of six months. I can remember thinking that six months seemed quite a long time for something to still be considered new but who was I to question federal regulators. My how things have changed! In todays age of instant information and constant reformation six months seems like ages.

Today information flows as fast as one's fingers can tap the keyboard. People don't need to wait until the nightly news at five or six to get information, you simply log on to the internet and google it, twitter it, facebook it. . . well you get the idea. I love technology and I love being able to get the information I want any time day or night. However, there is a downside to this fast and furious flow of information. Anyone can set up a blog in about ten minutes and begin to "report" the news. In a perfect world this is great but in our world it has created a group of people desperate to stand out from the crowd. As a result, information is reported with no regard to the facts. Some blogs in cyberspace make the National Enquirer seem as reputable as the Washington Post. This doesn't mean that you should discount all blogs it just means that the old adage we learned as children rings even more true today, "You can't believe everything you read."

This mindset of constant updates and continually evolving products is good for the consumer in the marketplace but what is it doing for the mindset of the individual who is seeking information regarding Jesus Christ? How receptive will a person be to the gospel of Christ, which does not change, if they have grown up in a world where they expect the latest and the best at their fingertips? This is the challenge we face in proclaiming the gospel in a post-modern world. How do we spread the gospel message laid down over 2,000 years ago to the person who believes that everything new is old in ten minutes?

One thing we cannot do is change the message. The gospel is set in stone, unchangeable, with dire consequences for anyone who tampers with what God has done. While we cannot change the message, we absolutely must change the way we communicate the message. The message is timeless but the conveyance of the message is not bound by time. On of the apostle Paul's more famous statements is "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some." (1 Corinthians 9:22) I think we at the Waynesboro church of Christ are using technology in a pretty advanced way. Not that there aren't others that do a better job but, all in all, we are above the curve. The use of PowerPoint in worship is an absolute must in today's culture and if you aren't using it yet you should be. This, in my opinion, is the one thing no congregation should be without if you want to be able to communicate the gospel to our new culture. Blogs are another form of communication that multitudes of people are taking advantage of today. Matthew and I both use blogs and they have been a huge success (Matthew is much better with his than I am, you should check his out). Facebook is huge! Again, Matthew and I both have facebook pages and it is amazing how today's generation likes to communicate through this medium. We have also set up a facebook page for the church, while this is new for us I believe it will become one of the major forms of communication for the church. (Waynesboro church Facebook Page, Mitchell's Facebook, Matthew's Facebook)

Our times are changing fast and we must change with them. If we don't change the way we communicate the message of the gospel will be lost.

New Items Added!

Although I haven't been able to post much recently, I have been working behind the scenes to update various aspects of this blog.

I've added two new widgets to the right hand column you might find useful one to facilitate daily bible reading and another to satisfy your sports itch. The bible widget is called B.R.E.A.D. which stands for Bible Reading Enriches Any Day and the scratch for your sports itch is the ESPN headline generator. Enjoy!

More items have been added to the del.icio.us tags as well as to my Technorati favorites as I continue to scour the web for sites of interest.

You can help make this job much easier and faster by sending in your favorites. What blogs and/or sites do you find helpful? What sites do you keep returning to in your studies or everyday surfing?

If you haven't already done so, send in your favorites so that everyone can benefit. Many of you are already enjoying the links on a daily basis, if you haven't tried them out yet, take a minute to do so.

Worship Technology

The technological advances of our time absolutely amaze me. The one bit of technology that has taken the church by storm is PowerPoint (or other presentation software). During my previous ministry, as the pulpit minister for a congregation of about 70 members, we adopted this technology with the intent of enhancing the worship experience for our younger members. Much to my surprise, it wasn't the younger members who benefited the most from this aid to our worship.

The older members of our congregation, who we feared would be resistant to this addition, were thrilled! They could now follow along with the scriptures used in the sermon without having to look up the passages and the size of the font was much easier to read than even their large print bibles. The same result was seen with our announcements and bible study.

The congregation at Waynesboro is in the process of adding this technology and it got me to thinking about all the ways this one bit of technology can be used. Please take a minute and participate in the poll located in the menu bar to your right. While it's not possible to list every use churches make of PowerPoint, I have tried to list the major categories. If your congregation is using PowerPoint in a different way please leave a comment (or email me) with this information and tell me a little bit about how it is working and the level of success you are experiencing.

I'm also interested in who congregations are utilizing to "run" the technology. We are considering putting together a group of teens to work in this ministry as they seem to know more about computers and software than all of the rest of us combined. Let me know what you think.