Muting, echos, back ground noise, people talking when they are muted…they nailed it.

How are you surviving Zoom ministry? What’s working best for you?

I’ve used a couple of them with my jr high guys small group, and they went over well. They are pretty lite, so they don’t take a lot of prep. And just because they are simple doesn’t mean they aren’t good. There’s always a great take away and scripture to back it up. They are laid out in an easy to use format. One thing I wish is there were clip suggestions to use from the movie for each point, but usually, you can figure it out if you wanted to. For films that aren’t out for home use yet, I recommend using the trailer to kick it off to serve as a reminder of the movie. It might go without saying, but the studies include spoilers, so if your group is sensitive to that these might not be right for you.

If you are looking to do a God at the Movies series or need something that will connect with your pop-culture-obsessed students, this could be an excellent solution for you.

Geeks Under Grace Bible Studies

Today there are more youth ministry podcasts than ever. The DYM Podcast has now grown into a whole network: DYM Podcast Network. Some of my favorites (in addition to the DYM Podcast) are Youth Ministry Hacks and 15 Minutes with Frank.

Recently I saw a new youth ministry podcast network launched, the Youth Ministry Podcast Network. I listen to Controlled Chaos, my favorite jr high ministry show, and they are a part of it. I haven’t had a chance to check out the others, but plan to soon.

With so many choices now, what are your favorites?

What was your biggest upfront fail?

What are your thoughts? I’m excited for December 15.

It’s been awhile since I wrote about productivity, but I recently I had a big ramp up in my project load and needed something more than reminders on my iPhone as a todo list. I don’t remember which podcast I was listening to, but when they were talking about goals for 2017 Todoist came up and I thought I’d give it a try.

There are a few things that are requirements for me in a ToDo manager.

1. Native apps everywhere. Some of these platforms are great, but may not have a Mac app, or no iPad app. It’s really important to me to not have to jump between apps and web views depending on which device I’m working on. Todoist has me covered here. In fact all the apps are great and take advantage of the platform they are on.
2. Easy to add new tasks. If I can’t easily add new tasks from where I’m at, and what app I’m in I know that I won’t use it. With Todoist, I can add tasks from the task bar on my computer, the today screen on my phone, an extension in my browser, and even via voice with my Amazon Echo. If you pay for the premium level you can also email tasks in.
3. Scheduling Tasks. One thing that has always bugged me about many ToDo managers that I’ve tried is that you have to phrase everything just right for it to do what you want. I love that ToDoist uses natural language that for the most part works really well. I can type “Write blog post next Tuesday at 3” and it knows to set the schedule next Tuesday at 3. It sounds simple, but very few do it well.

If you could use a little ramp up in this area, give ToDoist a try.

https://youtu.be/GeoUELDgyM4

I found a few items that may be of note for youth workers who might be thinking of picking up the new phone or watch.

1. Water Resistance: this was mentioned for both devices. Now you don’t have to worry as much when you walk by the pool and someone tries to push you in.
2. No More Headphone Jack: this could be a big deal to you if you plug your phone into the sound system in the youth room to play music through it. Luckily they included an adaptor in the box. A second adapter is only $9, so you may want to order a second one to keep in your sound booth. You may also want to consider getting a Bluetooth dongle to setup in your booth.
3. Better Camera: The old saying that a picture is worth a thousand words is so true. Nothing tells the story of your ministry better than pictures and videos of your students. Now the iPhone 7 will give you one of the best phone cameras there has even been. Especially if you go for the plus and it’s dual lens setup for increased zoom and depth of field shots.
4. Cheaper Apple Watch: since most of us have to be budget conscious, you can now get a supped up version of the original Apple Watch for $269.  I know the watch isn’t for everyone but I love getting notifications and the fitness tracking. Plus, you’ll be able to play Pokemon Go from it later this year.

What stood out to you?