Note: this article is the second of our five-part series on how churches and youth groups use text messaging. You can read our first article on getting more from your events here.

At the heart of a regularly-scheduled service is engagement with your congregation. Text messaging can be a good fit for increasing engagement with a device that’s right in your guests’ pockets.

New Members

Any church leader would agree, being able to connect with new members is critical to any church’s growth.

First time visitors are often looking for a church home – and that means finding the best fit for them. Of course, the best way for them to determine a fit is to get to know your church and leaders better.

New guests are often shy. They come for a service and walk out, not quite ready to engage with smiling greeters and the folks sitting next to them. What if you could engage new members from “the comfort of their own phone”? With txtsignal, it’s easy.

Using a keyword call-to-action (and txtsignal’s Auto Response feature) is a perfect way to connect with visitors and provide them with the details they need to connect.

Did I mention it was easy? Yes… well, here’s how easy it is. You can place some signage in the right spot that says something like this: “New visitors! Want to learn more about Church Name? We’d love to connect with you. Text NEWGUEST to 43506.”

When your visitor sends the text, they get an automatic text message response that gives them whatever details you want — a contact person and phone number, a link to find more details, or the date/time for new member connection lunch.

Of course, not everyone connects with the first church they visit, but this approach gives you the best chance to connect and give them the best chance of seeing what you’re all about.

Surveys and Polling

There are several free survey and polling services that many church leaders use (e.g., SurveyMonkey). Surveys can be short and simple (they really don’t have to be annoying). These well-crafted surveys can help drive feedback that church leaders can use for decision making and help create a great congregational experience.

Text messaging is a great way to connect members to the survey. With txtsignal’s link shortening and tracking, you can include a link in an Auto Response or send out a mess message with the link to the survey included.

Reminders: Live Streams and Broadcasts

An increasing number of churches are using technology to connect their congregation with other congregations or general causes. For example, many churches and church leaders have been active in participating in Leadercast.

A text message reminder about when a live stream is starting keeps your congregation engaged with messages they might otherwise miss. The immediacy of a text message reminder gives you an engagement advantage — your contacts will see your message within seconds of when you want them to see it. Newsletters and emails just don’t compare.