A while ago I wrote about becoming a Robo-Pastor. In Part 2 of that post I outlined a number of tools, particularly online tools, that can help ministry staff increase their efficiency and effectiveness. I thought I might take this opportunity to add a couple of helpful admin tools to that list. They may not necessarily be helpful in your situation, and they all do different things, but I think they are all tools that are at least worth a look.
In Part 1 of our series on the Robo-Pastor I discussed what it looks like to include technology in the life of the ministry staff. It is evident that technology is advancing at a rate that significantly changes workplaces and what is expected from employees. Tasks can be automated or eliminated, reducing the required output from staff. This can lead us to fear for our jobs. This fear is not valid, however, particularly when it comes to clergy. Technologically assisted ministry staff (or Robo-Pastors) have more time to invest in people and the life of the church.
How does this happen? What kind of tools are available for the Robo-Pastor?
The 21st Century has well and truly arrived, and with it comes technology only previously seen in science fiction. We still have not seen artificial intelligence of the ilk of The Jetsons and 2001: A Space Odyssey, but surely these are not too far away. Many of the tasks that took up our time in the past have been replaced by much less time consuming technological processes. Soon many jobs will be threatened by technological advancements. So what does this mean for ministry staff? Are our pastors going to be replaced by Robo-Pastors?
