Church Text Message Templates for Every Situation (Reminders, Follow-Up, Volunteers, Giving)

Text messages get 98% open rates.

That's the good news. The bad news: one bad text and people opt out forever.

Text is the most personal channel you have. It shows up alongside messages from their family and friends. If you treat it like a broadcast channel—or send too many—you'll lose access fast.

These templates work. They're short, warm, and useful. Copy them, customize them, and send with confidence.

The Rules Before the Templates

Longer messages split into multiple texts, which feels spammy.

Don't combine a volunteer reminder with a giving ask. Separate messages.

For general congregation: 2-4 texts per month max. Volunteers can receive more (schedule-related), but respect boundaries.

If someone reads it and thinks "why did I need to know this?"—you've wasted a text.

Include opt-out instructions in your initial text, and honor them immediately.

Now, the templates.

Event Reminder Templates

Purpose: Reduce no-shows for people who registered.

When to send: 24-48 hours before the event.

Hey [Name], just a reminder: Men's Breakfast is tomorrow at 8am, Fellowship Hall. See you there!

VBS starts Monday at 9am! Drop-off is at the east entrance. Questions? Reply to this text.

[Event] is in 2 hours. Address: [address]. Can't wait to see you!

Last day to register for the Women's Retreat! Sign up by tonight: [link]

Tips:

• Include the event name, time, and location
• Use their name if you have it
• Keep it friendly, not corporate
• Don't send reminders for things people didn't register for—that's just an announcement, not a reminder

Volunteer Communication Templates

Purpose: Scheduling, reminders, and appreciation for serving teams.

You're on for greeting this Sunday at 9am. Thanks for serving!

Hey [Name], we have a gap on the kids team this Sunday at 11am. Any chance you could cover? Reply YES if you can.

Got it covered—thanks, [Name]! [Original person], you're all set.

Thanks for serving this morning! You made a difference.

Worship team rehearsal tomorrow at 6:30pm. See you there!

Tips:

• Volunteers can receive more texts than the general congregation, but keep it relevant
• Always acknowledge responses quickly
• Don't use text for long updates—that's email territory
• A simple "thank you" text after serving goes a long way

Welcome and Follow-Up Templates

Purpose: Connect with first-time visitors quickly.

When to send: Same day or next morning after they visit.

Hi [Name], this is [Your name] from [Church]. Thanks for visiting today! Let me know if you have any questions—happy to help.

Thanks for joining us at [Church]! We'd love to see you again. Service times + info: [link]

Hey [Name], hope your week is going well! If you're looking for a church home, we'd love to have you back this Sunday.

Tips:

• Send from a real person's name when possible
• Keep the first text short—just a connection, not an information dump
• Don't include a bunch of links in the first text
• One follow-up text is enough; let email handle the rest

Giving and Generosity Templates

Purpose: Invitation and acknowledgment—never guilt.

When to send: Sparingly. Once per campaign at most. Never weekly.

As the year wraps up, thanks for your generosity to [Church]. Give online: [link]

[Campaign name] update: we're at $[X] of our $[Y] goal! Give today: [link]

Your gift was received. Thank you for your generosity!

Want to simplify giving? Set up recurring giving in 2 minutes: [link]

Tips:

• Never guilt or pressure
• Keep it focused on mission and impact, not church need
• Thank quickly when gifts are received
• Don't send giving texts every month—once a quarter max for asks

Urgent Communication Templates

Purpose: Time-sensitive information that can't wait.

Sunday services are canceled due to weather. Stay safe! Updates: [link]

Tonight's event starts at 7pm, not 6pm. See you soon!

Roads have improved—services are ON as scheduled. See you at [time].

Church campus is closed today due to power outage. Check [social/website] for updates.

Tips:

• These are the texts people actually need
• Send to everyone affected, not just your regular text list
• Keep it short—this isn't the time for paragraphs
• Include where to get more information

Templates to Avoid

Not every message belongs in a text. These don't work:

Hi everyone! We have so many exciting things happening at [Church]. First, don't forget about VBS coming up in June. Also, our women's ministry is planning a retreat...

Too long. Not urgent. This is email content.

Sign up for small groups, volunteer for VBS, and don't forget to give! Also, Easter services are coming...

Pick one thing. One text, one purpose.

We really need more volunteers. If you're not serving, please prayerfully consider...

Guilt doesn't work long-term. And it really doesn't work in text.

Something big is coming. Stay tuned...

This isn't a movie trailer. Text is for useful information, not teasers.

Any message that spills into multiple text bubbles. If it's that long, send an email.

The 160-Character Formula

When you need to squeeze a message into standard text length:

Formula: Context + Key Detail + Action

Example breakdown:

Small group tomorrow | 7pm at the Smiths' | RSVP: [link]

• Context: "Small group tomorrow"
• Key detail: "7pm at the Smiths'"
• Action: "RSVP: [link]"

Another example:

Service canceled today | Roads are unsafe | Updates: [link]

Each text answers: What's this about? What do I need to know? What should I do?

Warmth in Brevity

Short doesn't mean cold.

Cold: "Event reminder: Men's Breakfast, 8am, Fellowship Hall."

Warm: "Hey—Men's Breakfast is tomorrow at 8am. See you there!"

Small changes that add warmth:

• Use their name when possible
• "Hey" or "Hi" instead of launching straight into content
• "See you there!" instead of just ending
• "Thanks!" when they do something
• One exclamation point (never more)
• An emoji is fine—one max

You're texting as a church, not as a corporation. Sound like a person.

When to Text vs. When Not To

Text is right for:

• Event reminders (for people who signed up)
• Volunteer scheduling
• Urgent/time-sensitive updates
• Quick personal follow-up with visitors

Text is wrong for:

• Weekly announcements
• Long updates
• Multiple asks
• Anything that can wait for email

When in doubt, don't send the text. You can always email it. You can't un-send a text that annoyed someone into opting out.

Setting Up Your Text System

You need three things:

Use a dedicated texting platform like bltn, or the texting feature built into your church management system.

Choose based on: cost, ease of use, and integration with your database.

People must opt in to receive texts. This can happen via:

• Connection card checkbox
• Text-to-join keyword ("Text CONNECT to 55555")
• Website form with SMS checkbox

Texts feel personal because they're personal. When someone replies, a person should respond—not an auto-reply that goes to a dead end.

The Templates: Copy-Paste Ready

Here's a quick-reference list:

Event reminder:

Hey [Name], just a reminder: [Event] is [day] at [time], [location]. See you there!

Volunteer reminder:

You're on for [role] this Sunday at [time]. Thanks for serving!

Coverage request:

Hey [Name], we have a gap on [team] this Sunday at [time]. Can you cover? Reply YES if so.

Visitor follow-up:

Hi [Name], this is [Your name] from [Church]. Thanks for visiting! Let me know if you have any questions.

Cancelation:

[Service/Event] is canceled due to [reason]. Updates: [link]

Thank you:

Thanks for [serving/visiting/giving] today! You made a difference.