Texting in Church: How & When to Text Members

The first text message was sent on December 3, 1992. It simply said, “Merry Christmas,” and was sent by software programmer Neil Papworth. 

30 years later, and we’ve seen text messaging expand to every part of the globe. Over 6 billion texts are sent every single day. Americans are particularly responsible for this staggering statistic: nearly half of all text messages are sent within the United States. 

We send text messages to say “hello,” to ask quick questions, hold conversations, and even introduce ourselves to new people. Texting has become the norm for communication, especially for younger generations. In fact, when it comes to engaging with brands or organizations, Gen Z and Millennials prefer texting to sending emails. 

Texting is no longer limited to person-to-person interaction. More and more companies and organizations are sending mass texts to customers and members to share information, post updates, and send links.

In the following article, we’ll take a look at why texting in church is not only appropriate–but a great idea. We’ll also look at 10 examples of text messages you might send to your church community. 

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Choosing a Texting Tool for Your Church

Texting isn’t just for businesses that sell a product or service. Texting is also for churches that want to increase engagement with their church members throughout the week. 

Done well, texting can help church members connect with community, attend more events, give more, and even grow in their walk with Jesus. Texting is also a great follow-up tool for new visitors. Most importantly, texting has a 98% open rate. If you send a text, you can be almost sure that it will be read (the same can’t always be said for email). 

There are a number of tools out there that promise to help you text your church community or nonprofit member base. Look for one built for churches: it should handle both text and email, support two-way conversations, and connect to the systems you already use for people and giving. 

That’s why we built Tithely Messaging into Tithely Church Management, and why we think it’s the best church texting software for churches, ministries, and faith-based nonprofit organizations. To compare features and plans, see how Tithely’s church text messaging works. 

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Tips for Writing Text Messages to Your Church 

The beauty of texting is that it’s brief and efficient. But that also makes texting a challenge. How do you communicate everything you need to when you’re limited to 160 characters?

Here are some tips for writing effective mass text messages that won’t confuse (or bug) your church members. 

Be friendly

You may be limited on length, but don’t skimp on a warm greeting (“Hi!” works). You may be crafting the text message with a smile on your face, but unless you find some way to be friendly, your message will come off as terse and formal. 

Get to the point 

After a friendly salutation, get to the point quickly. Your recipients should be able to open the text message, scan it quickly, and understand your point. 

Stick to one piece of information

If you need to communicate more than one piece of information (change of church service time and an event registration reminder, for example) stick to email. A text message should have a singular focus and point of action. 

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When to Text Your Church Members [with examples]

Texting your congregants can be simple and affordable. And it helps you stay engaged with your church family throughout the week. But when do you actually do it?

Here are 5 situations or seasons when you might text your church members. 

Before a Special Event

Hosting a special event such as a worship night, conference, or social gathering requires lots of planning, work, and resources. You want church members–and new visitors–to come!

That being said, sending a text message before the event can help create anticipation and remind your church members to sign up and attend. For example:

Hey there! Don’t forget about [event name] tonight at 7 PM! There’s still time to register [link].

After a Special Event

Don’t forget to follow up after a special event, too. You may have asked for a special offering during the event, or you’d like to gather feedback about the event itself. For example:

Thanks for attending [event name]! Here’s an opportunity to give to [fund name]. [link]

Or…

Hi [first name]! What did you think of [event name]? Share your thoughts here. [link]

Before Your Weekend Service

Whether you’re looking to increase your attendance or simply send an important reminder to your church members, sending a text before a weekend service is never a bad idea. 

Here are a couple of examples. 

Good morning! Just a friendly reminder that church service times are moving from 9 AM to 9:30 AM today. See you there!

Or…

🌞Morning [first name]! We can’t wait to see you today! We’ll see you at the 9 AM or 11 AM service. 

During a Special Giving Campaign

Are you raising funds for something special–like a building campaign, church-wide mission trip, or community project? Then a special text message campaign can help you increase generosity across your church body.

Here’s an example of a text message you might send to ask for donations for a special fund. 

We hope you’re having a great week! We’re still raising funds for our new church building. Would you consider financially partnering with us? [link to give]

Or…

Hey there [first name]! We’ve got a special favor to ask. Would you give $10 today to our church wide mission trip? Thank you for partnering with us! [link to give]

During the Holidays

Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years are fun and festive, but can see a drop-off in church attendance as people visit family and travel for the holidays. 

To help church members continue to feel connected and engaged during the holiday months, consider a text message campaign. 

Here are a few examples. 

Merry Christmas [first name]! Just a reminder that we will be having a Christmas Eve service at 5 PM on December 24th. See you there! 🎄

Or…

Happy New Years from [name of church]! Join us for the first service of 2023 on Jan 1st. Our new series is “Loving the Family of God.” See you there! 

Or…

Happy Holidays [first name]! Have you had a chance to give to our end of year giving campaign yet? If not, you can give here [link]. 

A Final Note on Texting in Church 

Text messaging can be a positive way for your community to feel connected and engaged with you. Even a simple text can help lift someone’s spirits and help them feel encouraged. 

To get started with “texting in church” in a way that’s simple, inexpensive, and efficient, try Tithely’s church texting software, built into Tithely Church Management.