ChurchTrac offers church texting, enabling you to send SMS text messages to a single person, a group of people, or your entire church directory with the built-in SMS or through our integration with Twilio, a 3rd party messaging provider. Learn More about Built-In SMS vs Twilio ›
To start, provide your church’s contact information as a contact your congregation can save on their phones. By doing so they are consenting to their carriers they want to receive text messages and e-mails from the church.
Churches must follow the same mass texting guidelines as businesses. Per carrier guidelines, all businesses are required to provide proof of how they are collecting their consumer's consent. An online form card is the best way to do this for churches. View an Opt-In Form Card Example › It’s important to note that while this is proof of consent, the member will still need to opt in to receive messages. This proof of consent is required by Twilio and other carriers for verification purposes.
To make sure your church's communication reaches everyone effectively, it's crucial your members take specific steps to avoid issues like blocked messages. Follow these steps to ensure that your SMS messages and emails are delivered without any disruptions. Learn More ›
Any and all messages sent back and forth during the opt-in process will incur fees. It's important to note, costs per message will vary depending on the platform you use and your region. Common interactions might include:
Even if the church does not receive a response message (one-way messaging forums), each message interaction will still incur a fee.
Yes. Every individual you text needs to opt-in to receive text messages. They do this by responding "YES" to the initial opt-in text. Check out the article below to learn more about why your people need to opt-in and how to do it.
The Text Messaging Tab is found by navigating to People > Messaging > Text Messaging.
You are given the option to text individuals or a specific Smart List or Group. ChurchTrac will only send SMS messages to individuals with a phone number in the mobile number field.
If you only want to include the checked names in your message, check the names on the People Screen first.
Then open the Messaging screen and select the "Include only the names that are checked on the People Screen" option.
Your text message can be up to 160 characters. You also have the option to send your text message immediately or schedule to send it at a later day and time.
If you have a Twilio account integrated with your ChurchTrac account, you can create auto-replies that will automatically be sent to someone when they text your church a keyword of your choosing!
To create an auto-reply, go to the "Messages" tab in the Home and Dashboard screen. Then select the "Setup Auto-Replies" button at the bottom of the screen.
In the slideout menu, scroll to the bottom and select "Add Auto-Reply."
In the following window, enter the keyword you want to trigger the auto-reply and the message you want someone to receive when they text your church that keyword. Then select "Submit."
Enter "Guest" as the keyword and a message welcoming a newcomer to your church with a link to fill out your church's connection card. Now, whenever someone texts the word "guest" to your church's Twilio number, Twilio will send this message on your behalf. Learn More about Setting Up Auto-Replies ›
Of course. Just select the checkbox next to the name(s) on the People screen, then go to the Messaging tab. You will find the option to "Include only the names that are Checked on the People screen."
Though every ministry is different, the sweet spot for church SMS is between 1-3 texts per week.
Yes. If you send a single message to 80 recipients, you will be billed for 80 text messages.
If you send SMS messages with ChurchTrac's built-in messaging, the cost is $0.03 per SMS recipient. Using our third-party integration, you can also purchase a phone number from Twilio and link it to your account. Learn More about Twilio Rates ›
ChurchTrac's built-in messaging is only available in the US and Canada. You will need to use our integration with Twilio to send messages in another country. Learn More about Twilio ›
We have an entire article dedicated to this. Learn More about Built-In SMS vs Twilio ›
Yes! With ChurchTrac Messaging you no longer need to pay for additional apps like Text In Church. We have an entire article dedicated to this. Learn More about Text In Church Alternatives ›
Yes, any and all messages sent back and forth during the opt-in process will incur fees. It’s important to note that costs per message vary depending on the platform you use and your region.