Ministry Goals is built around one simple idea: faithful work compounds when you can see it. This guide walks you from a fresh install to a working goal in about five minutes.
1. Open the app
Ministry Goals runs on iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch. The first time you launch it, the Dashboard appears. It’s empty — that’s expected.
If you’re signed in to iCloud on the device, sync is already on. You don’t need to create an account.
2. Add your first goal
Tap the + button on the Dashboard (or File → New Goal on Mac).
You’ll see the New Goal sheet. The fastest path is to pick a built-in Template at the top — for example Daily Prayer, Read 40 Books, or Sermon Prep. The template fills in a sensible title, kind, cadence, and metric so you can save right away.
If you’d rather start from scratch, leave the template set to None and fill in:
- Title — a short name like “Morning Prayer” or “Visit 12 Families”
- Goal Statement (optional) — one or two sentences describing the why
- Kind — Lead for inputs you control, Lag for outcomes you’re praying toward (see Lead vs. Lag Goals)
- Cadence — daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or yearly
- Category — anything you like; it groups goals on the Dashboard
Tap Save.
3. Log your first activity
Open the goal. Near the top of the detail view is the Quick Log bar — a single tap records one occurrence with today’s date. For metrics that need a value (minutes prayed, score earned), a small sheet asks for the number.
The progress ring updates immediately. So does the streak count, if your metric tracks one.
4. Take a quick tour
Before you close the app, look at three places:
- Dashboard — a grid of cards showing each active goal with a sparkline backdrop and the count that matters most this week.
- Goal Detail — the screen you just used. Scroll down to find Reminders, Appearance, and (if enabled) TRMNL sections.
- History — the chart icon in the top-right of any goal opens a longer view with 30-day, 90-day, 6-month, 1-year, and all-time ranges.
5. Add a few more
Most people start with three or four goals: one daily discipline, one weekly rhythm, one quarterly outcome. Don’t try to track everything at once. Ministry Goals rewards consistency over breadth.
What’s next
- Choosing the Right Metric Type — picking the measurement that fits your work
- Organizing Goals with SuperGoals — grouping a season or initiative
- Lead vs. Lag Goals — when to use each
If you ever want to start over, you can archive any goal from its menu — nothing is permanently deleted, and you can restore it later from the Archive view.
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