SMS for Churches: How to Amplify Your Outreach

What is a church texting service?

A church texting service allows religious organizations to stay in touch with their members through text messaging. It’s perfect for church marketing and outreach, helping you share everything from event announcements to weekly devotionals. 

You send these mass texts through a short message service (SMS) marketing platform, not directly from your mobile device. With just a few clicks, this platform lets you write, schedule, and send messages to your entire congregation or specific ministry groups.

The best part is that getting started with church texting is easier than you might think. First, set up your texting platform. Then, get your members’ permission to send them text messages. Once that’s done, create a plan for what you want to share and start sending messages.

Ready to learn more? The following sections cover the benefits, strategies, and best practices for effective church texting.

Benefits of using text messages for church communication

From instant communication to stronger community bonds, texting offers many benefits for churches. Let’s go over them in more detail.

Instant church communication

Nothing beats a text message when you need to reach your congregation quickly. Whether it’s a last-minute service change, urgent prayer request, or weather update, your message reaches members in seconds.

High open and engagement rates

The numbers speak for themselves: An impressive 98% of text messages get opened. Moreover, 90% are read within 3 minutes of hitting send. You don’t get that level of engagement with any other communication method.

Strengthened church community

Everybody wants to feel like they belong. Texting can help you nurture bonds with church members by keeping the communication lines open. A quick check-in, shared prayer, or reminder about an upcoming event can make a big difference in how connected your members feel.  

Effective text messaging strategies for church leaders

Text messages may be short, but they can have a big impact. The right message at the right time can remind, encourage, and inspire your congregation. By using the following strategies, church leaders can make texting an effective tool for building stronger personal connections.

Welcome new church members

When someone visits your church for the first time, you want them to feel like they belong. Sending a simple text within 24-48 hours of their visit lets them know you’re grateful they came and helps them feel at home. 

Keep your welcome message short and friendly. Thank your new members for attending the service, use their name if possible, and include a link to your website. You can also offer a tour or tell them about some of the things your church offers, like programs for kids or ways to get involved.    

Send service schedules

Want to boost church attendance? At the start of each month, send a text with your complete service schedule, including dates, times, and locations. This helps your members plan ahead and prioritize going to church.

If you have holiday services or any schedule changes, highlight them in your message. If all the details don’t fit in a single message, consider adding a link to your website or app so members can easily find more information.

Deliver a pre-service reminder

A quick text before your service can also help increase attendance and keep your church family engaged. Send a short message the day before or the morning of your service with the time, location, and any important details, like childcare availability.

For example, you could send something like, “Join us tomorrow at 10 am for worship. [Church Address]. Kids’ program available. See you there!” For added engagement, you could include a link to your live stream for those who can’t attend in person.

Promote upcoming church events

Get more people involved in church activities by sending text updates about upcoming events. For most events, it’s best to send the first announcement 1-2 weeks in advance, followed by a reminder a few days before. Bigger church events may need a month’s notice, so people have plenty of time to plan.  

Keep your message as simple as possible without leaving anything out. Share the essential details, like event name, time, and location, and how to RSVP. Include a clear call to action (CTA) like “Sign up now!” or “Bring a friend.” If you need volunteers, mention it briefly, but send a separate message just for that.   

Share sermon main points

Keep your sermon’s message alive throughout the week by sharing key points via text. Send the text while the sermon is still fresh in people’s minds, ideally within a few hours after the service. Only include the main scripture passage and 1-2 key takeaways from the message.

By reinforcing these important points, you help your congregation remember and apply the teaching in their daily lives. It’s also a great way to help those who missed the service stay connected with your church’s spiritual journey.

Encourage deeper reflection

Go beyond simply sharing your sermon by sending text messages that invite deeper connections. You could share a spiritual message or any other teaching point, then add a thoughtful question that connects it to daily life.

For instance, after a message about kindness, you might ask, “How could you show unexpected kindness to someone today?” These prompts help your members put their faith into action and make scripture relevant to their everyday lives.

Share learning materials

Support your church members’ spiritual growth by sharing helpful resources through text. Many church SMS platforms let you send PDFs directly through text, making it easy to share printable study guides, daily devotionals, and other resources.

You can also send links to digital content like recorded services, meditation apps, or online learning modules. Along with the resources, offer direction by saying how to use them. For example, “Use this 5-day devotional to deepen your prayer practice and connect with your faith.”

Provide inspirational messages

Start each day on a positive note by sending uplifting messages to your congregation. A carefully chosen sacred text passage, spiritual quote, or words of wisdom can provide the spiritual boost your church members need.  

Keep the messages brief but meaningful. For instance, you might say, “May this reminder of divine presence strengthen you today: [include relevant quote].” Schedule these messages for mid-morning when people are just starting their day.  

Deliver regular newsletters

Want to make your email newsletter more engaging? Break that monthly publication into shorter text updates for your church community. While your full newsletter can have all the good stuff, like articles, member stories, and ministry updates, try transforming the key points into quick text messages.

You might share what’s on your church leader’s mind one week and get people excited about an upcoming event the next. Then maybe spotlight someone from your community who’s doing amazing things. Just remember to keep it brief and pop in a link to your website where people can read the full story if they want to.

Make prayer requests

A text-based spiritual support system can instantly strengthen your church community’s bonds. Let your members send in their requests for prayers or support and then share these with your congregation.

Here’s the key, though—always be super mindful about privacy. Ensure you get the OK before sharing anyone’s information and stick to first names only.

Something like this works great: “Church family, let’s lift Xander up in prayer as he starts his new job this week. If you’d like to send a message of encouragement, reply SUPPORT, and we’ll pass it along.”   

Organize meal trains

When someone in your community has a new baby, is recovering, or needs extra help, rally your community to pitch in. Send a quick text to get things started, like “The Adani family just welcomed twins! Want to help with meals this month? Click [link] to pick your day or text MEAL for details.”

Don’t forget to include any allergies or dietary needs in your message. It helps everyone plan better meals. Send a reminder text the day before each person’s chosen date with the drop-off time and address. Follow up with a quick message letting volunteers know how meaningful their help has been.

Share volunteer opportunities

When your community needs helping hands, texting can help you get the word out. Send a text whenever you need to let people know about upcoming opportunities with a message like, “Just a friendly reminder, we need 5 volunteers this Saturday from 9 am to 12 pm to help with the food drive! Click [link] to sign up.”

Make sure to include all the key details, such as when you need help and for how long. If there are any special skills required, mention those, too. Schedule a reminder text for the day before and then follow up with a thank-you message afterward.

Raise money

Texting can help you raise funds for your church’s needs, whether for a mission trip, building project, or supporting a family in need. The key is being transparent about where the money is going and how it will make a difference.

For example, “Join us in making a difference! We’re raising funds for our mission trip to Guatemala. Every dollar counts—give here: [link].” Remember to celebrate milestones together and send heartfelt messages showing donors exactly how they’re helping.

Celebrate holidays

Holidays are a meaningful time to connect with your congregation and share the spirit of the season. Whether it’s Hanukkah, Christmas, Eid al-Fitr, or a smaller holiday, send timely text messages about special services and celebrations.

For instance: “Join us to celebrate Diwali! Community gathering this Saturday at 6 pm with traditional foods, music, and a lighting ceremony. Bring family and friends.” Remember to send a warm reminder the day before with any last-minute details about parking or what to bring.

Gather feedback

If you want to know how your congregation feels about your church events, services, or programs, just ask by text. By setting up quarterly polls or surveys, you can gather insights that help you improve your church programs, texting strategy, and community support efforts.    

To get the highest quality feedback, ask about a single topic at a time. Make it easy for your church members to respond, like using a short survey link or a simple reply option. Consider offering a small incentive, like “Take our 1-minute survey about last week’s youth event. First 10 responses get coffee on us!”

Share emergency updates

When unexpected situations arise, texting is the fastest way to keep your community informed and safe. It’s perfect for when you need to quickly let people know about weather closures, facility issues, or schedule changes.

Save time and reduce stress by creating message templates ahead of time for common situations. Prepare ready-to-send text messages for snow closures, power outages, and other possible events. Also, keep a template on hand for schedule changes so you can fill in the specific details when needed.

Important church text messaging service guidelines

Texting isn’t just a tool—it’s a church community builder. It’s amazing how a simple text can bring people together, but there’s more to it than just firing off messages. Follow these guidelines to create the kind of texting program your community will truly appreciate.

Choose a church text messaging platform

Choosing the right church texting software makes all the difference in how well you can connect with your community. Take time to explore different options, but don’t rush the decision. Many platforms offer free trials or demos, so you can test them out before buying.

As you compare various church texting platforms, look for these features:

• An easy-to-use interface
• Mass-texting service
• Audience targeting
• Two-way messaging
• Built-in donation tools
• Strong security

Think about your budget, too. While some church text platforms charge for each message, others offer monthly plans that might save you money if you text regularly. If you’re unsure how often you’ll text, create your communication strategy first to ensure you’re picking the best church texting service for your needs.

Set up a dedicated church texting number

Most text messaging service platforms will help you get set up with the right kind of number for your needs. You’ll have options like short codes (the 5-6-digit numbers you often see in marketing), regular 10-digit phone numbers, or toll-free numbers.

Short codes are easy to remember and great for high-volume messaging, but they’re typically more expensive. Regular 10-digit numbers are more affordable but have lower sending limits. Toll-free numbers offer a good balance. They look professional, handle decent volume, and usually cost less than short codes.  

Your platform can guide you through choosing what works best for your needs and budget. They’ll also handle the important technical details of getting your number registered and approved for mass texting service.

Choose simple keywords

Keywords are the magic words that let people interact with your church’s text messaging program. They’re how people join your text list, get event info, or sign up for things like volunteering.

Text messaging keywords work best when they’re short and memorable. Think “EVENTS” for upcoming activities, “YOUTH” for youth group updates, or your community’s nickname for general information.

Always share your keywords with clear instructions, like “Text EVENTS to 12345.” This way, everyone knows exactly what to do to stay connected. 

Obtain proper consent

Before you can start texting your church members, you need their permission. It’s required by law. The good news is that getting consent is simple with text-to-join keywords. When someone texts a word like “JOIN” to your number, they’re automatically giving permission to receive your messages.  

Share your text-to-join keywords everywhere to help people opt in:

• On your website and social media
• In printed materials and bulletins
• On signs throughout your building
• During announcements at gatherings

Always be clear about what people can expect. For example: “Text WELCOME to 12345 to receive weekly updates about church events and services.” This way, everyone knows exactly what kind of messages they’ll receive, and you build trust with your community from the start.

Honor opt-out requests

You also need to make it simple for people to stop receiving your messages if they choose. Most texting platforms automatically handle this when someone replies “STOP.”

Regularly remind your church members of this option with a brief note like “Reply STOP to unsubscribe” at the end of your messages. Confirming that your platform successfully processed opt-out requests is also a good idea.

Comply with regulations

Getting permission to text people and making it easy for them to opt out is just the start. Text messaging comes with a few other common-sense rules:

• Send SMS messages at reasonable times.
• Make it clear who’s messaging.
• Keep contact lists up-to-date.

Don’t worry, though—most texting platforms have features that help you follow these rules automatically.

Plan for 2-way communication

Here’s something to think about: When you text someone, they often want to text back. This is a good thing—it means your congregation’s engaged and wants to connect. But you need a plan for handling these responses as they come in.

Set up a clear system for who checks incoming messages and when. Whether it’s church administrators during office hours or volunteers taking shifts, make sure someone’s responsible for monitoring and replying to text messages promptly. Quick responses show your members you care about what they have to say and help keep your community connected.

Segment your audience

Sometimes, a message must go to everyone, like service changes or community-wide events. But other times, it’s better to target specific groups who’ll find your message most relevant.

It’s simple to do this when using a church text messaging platform with advanced segmentation features. These features let you organize your contact list into smaller groups based on interests and involvement. Then, you can send youth program updates just to parents, choir practice reminders to your Music team, and so on.

Craft engaging messages 

Text messages work best when they’re short and personal. Keep the length around 160 characters or less so your message arrives in one piece. Longer messages get split into multiple text messages, potentially costing you more and confusing your readers.

Write like you’re chatting with a friend, using words that inspire action, like join, discover, or celebrate. Personalize messages whenever you can by including first names or group names: “Hi [Name]” or “Our Valued Volunteers.” Always end with a clear CTA, like “Reply YES to sign up” or “Tap [link] to RSVP.”

Choose your timing wisely

The right timing can make your messages more effective. Consider your members’ daily routines and send messages when they’re most likely to see them right away. This means avoiding early mornings, late evenings, and typical work hours when possible.

Be thoughtful about how often you text, too. Around 2-4 text messages per month is a good baseline. Of course, you may need to text more often if there are special events, urgent updates, or schedule changes. Pay attention to your response rates and feedback for signs of problems.

Track your progress  

Monitor your text message metrics to ensure you’re effectively serving your community. Most texting platforms show important data like how many people open your messages, who responds, and which texts get the most engagement.

Watch for patterns that can help you improve. Maybe certain types of messages get better responses or specific times of day work best for different groups. Use these insights to adjust your strategy and improve engagement over time.

Key takeaways

• Connect your community: Text messaging creates a direct line to your church members between gatherings, helping you share updates, reminders, and more right on their mobile phones.
• Maximize your message: With 98% of text messages opened within minutes, SMS delivers unmatched engagement compared to emails, phone calls, or social media posts.
• Craft your content: Keep messages under 160 characters, personalize when possible, and send 2-4 texts monthly to maintain engagement without overwhelming your members.
• Build trust through transparency: Getting permission, making opt-outs easy, and following messaging guidelines shows respect for your members’ preferences and privacy.
• Use smart targeting: Break your contact list into groups based on interests and involvement so everyone receives messages that matter most to them.