Ministry Friendly Software... Pt. 4 PRODUCTIVITY

Last time we looked at expanding our horizons visually with some free alternatives to graphical presentations. We've also discussed video and audio resources that are at your disposal to enhance your communication. Now we get into the boring stuff that makes all the difference in the world--what the grown-ups call "productivity" software. These are the programs that take ideas and turn them into text, outlines, footnotes, bibliographies, flow charts, and everything else. Few, if any, members of the church will ever see what their pastors pour into these documents, but they would notice something is wrong if their pastors suddenly quit tracking expenses or organizing their thoughts and taking notes.

Productivity

1. OpenOffice
   In my last post I introduced you to the PowerPoint alternative offered in the OpenOffice suite, but I wanted to give you a better familiarity with the potential this software has. When my laptop had to go to the lab for a couple weeks I was stuck using a loaner laptop from the store that didn't have my usual Microsoft Office installed. So I gave OpenOffice a shot and I was impressed! If your church office is expanding and you need to trim costs, your staff won't mind the transition to OpenOffice.
2. Google Docs
   During the same time that I was stuck on a loaner laptop mentioned above, I also tried out Google Docs. My favorite feature here is the ability to share and collaborate with other Google users, so if you are co-teaching with someone or you need your secretary to edit your sermon notes then Google will allow you to do so without emailing a dozen copies of the same document back and forth. You can also make certain documents available for public download, which means your church members would be able to download the notes from your research for personal use.
3. Evernote
   Now let me tell you about my favorite productivity program. Evernote lets you create and edit documents from your smartphone, iPad, or computer with constant backups to "the cloud" and the ability to append voice notes. Evernote won't give you presentation or accounting applications, but it can help you take notes across various platforms and computers. It's also the closest thing I've seen to Microsoft OneNote, plus it's cross-platform and free. So if you don't do well within the boundaries of bullet lists and paragraphs, then you might enjoy littering your notes with voice memos and images.

Remember, the most important part of productivity software is actually producing something. Don't be shy about trying various programs until you find the one that best complements your learning style and composition habits. If that program just happens to be free then why spend money that could also help a student go on a youth retreat or provide meals for a bereaved family during mourning. We don't find free options because we need to hoard the money from the offering plate, we free up Jesus' money to do more of his ministry.