Tag Archive - iphone

Make your WordPress website mobile-friendly

April 13, 2010 in for Churches

Make it easy for people to view your site on their iPhone or other mobile device.

Install the WPTouch iPhone Theme.

It’s super-easy to configure, and will serve your visitors well.

For example, this is what a post on Communicate Jesus looks like on my iPhone:

And this is what the homepage looks like:

If you don’t use WordPress, you might like to check out:

Launched – ESV for iPhone

March 19, 2010 in Christian Living, Pastors

Crossway, the publishers of the English Standard Version (ESV) of the Bible have just released a free Bible app for the iPhone.

You can see a list of features on the ESV mobile website.

I’ve used a couple of different Bible apps – YouVersion, Logos and Holy Bible.

There’s some quality options out there – which do you prefer?

Should I put my iPhone away?

February 22, 2010 in Christian Living, for Churches, Pastors

I’ve been using my iPhone to take sermon notes in church. I just use the standard ‘Notes’ app, but there’s lot of other options for the iPhone note-taker.  In church we provide paper note-pads for people to take notes but I’ve found it preferable to use the iPhone because:

  1. I don’t have to worry about losing the piece of paper with my notes,
  2. I can easily email the note I created to (either to myself – to store in some other location, or to someone else – for their encouragement), and
  3. I don’t have to find a sharp pencil to write with!

Here’s my dilemma.

Is my use of the iPhone as a note-taking device a source of potential discouragement for others?

I’m concerned that people (the preacher and other people in the gathering) might look at me tapping away on my phone and think that I’m sending a text message or searching the web. I’m concerned that they might be encouraged to use their phone for ignoble purposes, or (in the case of the preacher) be discouraged that I’m not listening.

I can assure the preacher in advance that I really am listening and taking notes, but I speak with everyone in the church and tell them that when they see me on my phone I’m actually taking notes and not looking up the movie times.

How should I love my brothers and sisters with my use of this technology? Refrain or maintain?

Book of Common Prayer for iphone

November 24, 2009 in Christian Living, for Churches, Pastors

I had never been much of a fan of liturgy but two years of working in an Anglican church has slowly changed my opinion. There are good reasons to use liturgy, including:

  • it’s a way of preserving and communicating doctrinal truth,
  • the wording is clear, elegant (for want of a better word!) and memorable,
  • it encourages systematic Bible reading,
  • it helps people lead services who are less articulate (or even doctrinally unclear).

I’ve come across an iphone app that delivers a version of the Book of Common Prayer. Check out the iBCP iphone app.

The big issue working against this app is its cost – AU$5.99. Considering the Book of Common Prayer is available in printed form (e.g. the Australian version) and online, and because the app is basically (from what I can work out) an e-book, $5.99 seems a bit steep.

On a related note – I’m still on the lookout for a good app for people to record prayer points and answers to prayer!