Comments on: Do You Use Text Messaging?

By: Danielle Hartland

Danielle Hartland — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 20:23:56 +0000

we are going to use text messaging to create our after Easter service topics and blog series. We are going to ask people to text in questions during the Easter service and see what happens. I can’t wait.

Hoping this will open the door for communication TO them as well.

By: Johnny Knox

Johnny Knox — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 17:50:53 +0000

How about textmarks.com They are free and you can use them to mass text message. We currently use this with our students and it is super simple!

By: #MHC The Church That Twitters | epicdialogue.com

#MHC The Church That Twitters | epicdialogue.com — Tue, 10 Mar 2009 00:05:05 +0000

[...] Magazine recently asked people to respond how their church was utilizing texting and twittering. @mikeyanderson let Collide know that Mars Hills Church in Seattle had recently been featured on a [...]

By: dan scott

dan scott — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 23:22:35 +0000

We do global communications to all of our student ministry small group leaders via text messages. It’s the only medium we know they will all HAVE to check. It’s been one of the best changes we ever made for communication purposes.

By: steven

steven — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 19:22:02 +0000

I’m in the missions office at Irving Bible Church and direct our Water is Basic program. Whenever we drill a new well, we send out a text message to inform our donors of what’s happened.

Also, as a church we’ve been using text messages during the lent season to send out a daily reading and question to help encourage our members to participate in the season.

By: Jon Reid

Jon Reid — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:27:24 +0000

I love the emerging technologies and want to see churches use them, not to be “cool”, but to help connect people, since the gospel works person-to-person. But it’s important to remember that there will always be a group that is not interested in a particular technology — even texting. I probably come from the stone age, because on my phone plan, I pay for each and every text I send or receive.

That said, I have seen one church use group messaging to get prayer requests out immediately. I could also see it used as a way of remotely praying at set times, a sort of Divine Hours. But some people will want certain messages that others are not interested in. How about setting up multiple channels? In fact, don’t dictate the channels from the top-down, but give the members the means of setting up their own (all listed in a common directory), for example, each small group could have their own channel.

By: Jake Rasmussen

Jake Rasmussen — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 04:18:28 +0000

Epic Church http://www.epicchurchonline.org uses text messages each week. Try it now: text the word: epic to 23907
We have a Twitter as well: http://www.twitter.epicchurchonline.org and Facebook: http:/www.facebook.epicchurchonline.org

We use different keywords as well for different things. We use a keyword each week where during our Gathering people register their cell phones then text in questions which are answered live off the cuff in the end.

If you would like to know more about the service we use please feel free to contact us: epic@epicchurchonline.org

By: @mknisely

@mknisely — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:55:25 +0000

Over the last few months, text messaging has becoming the next big thing in our church. We’ve been able to use it to answer questions and struggles to guide the course of the service. Audience members could text in questions and opt in for daily text memory verses and sermon points. We believe it’s It is a great tool and a way to deepen communication on multiple levels. We unveiled this method of communication two months ago in our traditional / transitional church and it took off like wildfire. We knew we stumbled on to something big, when sub-ministries and our 500+ youth department wanting in on the new communicational tool. In many ways text messaging is the new phone tree, but with more vibrant application. Whether it’s communications for volunteers, event notification, registration, and as interactive elements during services it a robust service that deepens communication for all of your attendees. Why use this? Because it’s the primary means of communication for people right now. The key with using this technology as a communicational tool is not to over do it, or It can feel intrusive, like you’re getting sales calls if not done with respect to the end user (frequency, permissions, etc).

By: Jan

Jan — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 20:21:28 +0000

We’ve been using group texting for a couple of years (via clubtexting.com), primarily to remind people about upcoming events. We added an opt-in box for text messages on our weekly Communication Card if they provide their phone number. We now get 3-4 new requests for text updates every week.

By: Scott

Scott — Wed, 04 Mar 2009 19:37:53 +0000

We update students with text messages. We have around 120 church folks in our Facebook group. We send out a weekly email blast to approximately 400. Only a few people on Twitter.