Why My IPhone Makes Me a Better Pastor

They are trendy, fast, sleek, and way cool.  But, they are also extremely practical.  I haven’t met an iPhone user yet who regrets getting one.  The iPhone is much more than a phone, it is a personality and prioirty statement to who you are and what you value.  The difference  the “Apps” are what catapult the iPhone above other phones.  I have tailor made my phone so as to add the apps I need or want to compliment my personality and priorities.

Beside the cool and practical factors, my iPhone actually does make me a better pastor.  Here is the rationale to back my reasons that my iPhone makes me a better pastor (my rationale is merged together  with the reasons with Bob Hostetler, a fellow pastor with Cobblestone Community Church in Oxford, OH., who says his Iphone makes him a better pastor).

1. iPhone gives me a Bible wherever I go. There are many versions of the Bible that you can buy for little to nothing and have with you always.  You can read as you go, without wondering if you packed your Bible.
2. I pray with my iPhone. I get text, email, and can check Facebook (app) from my iPhone that enable me to stay in touch with my congregation and friends so I can pray for them.
3. I worship with my iPhone. I recently went out of town and failed to pack my standard Bible.  I got my clothes, but forgot my Bible (I know misplaced priorities):)  However, late one evening I felt a need to spend some concentrated time with the Lord in prayer, worship and Bible study so I took my iPhone, found a place of solitude, and read from my iPhone Bible.  I used the standard “Notes” application to journal any thoughts, then closed the time by going to my ipod and Pandora app to for some worship in song.  With God’s Spirit as my teacher, the iphone was a great companion for the “Sweet Hour of Prayer”
4. My iPhone makes me stronger and healthier. Ministry is demanding on the body, mind, and spirit.  Staying physcially fit is something pastors and ministers don’t do well.  The two apps that help me become healthy and stronger are “Lose It” and “Fast Food Calorie Counter.” Since I always have my phone with me, I can always be monitoring what I eat and how much I excerise.  Itv helped me loose 4 inches in the waist.
5. iPhone helps me to find people and where I am going. With the standard “Maps” application I can punch in any address of a person or place and find them with relative ease.
6. iPhone keeps me on task. The “Key Task” app syncs with my computer to help me do “Ministry by Objective” rather than ministry by the squeaking wheel.
7. IPhone is a phone. Sounds noble right, but having a mobile phone helps me make calls as I am moving from place to place; therefore, being most efficent with my time.  Also, with our “On-Call” minister system, when I am on call, and a member needs to reach the on -call minister after hours, they can call the church and reach one of us 24/7.

NOTE: Don’t think, I am trying to justify the church buying me an iphone, I bought mine with my own money:).  There is no doubt that the cost of an iPhone is cost prohibative for most, mine came through a Christmas gift; however, if you have a birthday coming up or have been a good boy or girl, ask for one for Christmas and take a step forward in technology and application.

This entry was posted on Friday, August 7th, 2009 at 3:00 pm and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.