The 160-Character Church Text Formula: Clarity, Warmth, and One Next Step

You have 160 characters.

That's one text message. Go longer and it splits into multiple messages—which looks spammy and feels like too much.

The challenge: say what you need to say, sound like a human, and give a clear next step. All in roughly 25 words.

Here's the formula.

The Formula: Context + Detail + Action

Every effective text has three parts.

Context: What is this about? (5-10 words)

Detail: The essential info. (5-15 words)

Action: What to do next. (5-10 words)

Example:

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

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

61 characters. Clear. Complete. Done.

Another example:

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

• Context: Service canceled today
• Detail: Roads are unsafe
• Action: Updates: [link]

Same pattern. Different message. Works every time.

Counting Characters

You don't need to guess. Most phones show character count when composing. Online tools like lettercount.com work too.

The limits:

• 160 characters = one SMS
• 306 characters = two SMS
• 459 characters = three SMS

Every time you cross a threshold, it splits. That's jarring for the reader. Stay at 160 or below.

If you can't fit your message in 160, ask: Is this the right channel?

Warmth in Brevity

Short doesn't mean cold.

Cold:

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

Warm:

Hey—Men's Breakfast tomorrow, 8am, Fellowship Hall. See you there!

The difference: "Hey" at the start. "See you there!" at the end. Costs 20 characters. Worth it.

More warmth tips:

• Use their name when possible: "Hey Sarah," (10 characters, high impact)
• Use contractions: "we're" not "we are"
• One exclamation point is fine. More than one is too much.
• An emoji is okay—one max. (Church folks are mixed on emoji; read your audience.)

Warm enough:

Hey Sarah, just a reminder: you're on for greeting Sunday 9am. Thanks for serving!

107 characters. Personal. Grateful.

What to Cut

When your message is too long, cut:

"Hello, I hope you're having a wonderful week!" — Save that for email. Get to the point.

"As you may know, our church has been planning this event for several months..." — Nobody needs the backstory.

"Sign up, invite a friend, and bring a dish to share!" — Pick one.

"123 Main Street, Suite 100, Anytown, TX 75001" takes 45 characters. A link to a map takes 15.

"Please register at..." can just be "Register at..." You're saving 7 characters.

Link Strategy

Most texts include a link. Keep it short.

Use a link shortener:

• Bit.ly (free)
• Your church's custom shortener (if you have one)
• Your SMS platform's built-in shortener

"firstchurch.org/events/spring-retreat-2024-registration" takes 55 characters.

"bit.ly/fcretreat" takes 17.

Multiple links in a text feels like spam. Pick the one action you want them to take.

Before sending to hundreds of people, click it yourself. Does it work? Does it go to the right page? Is the page mobile-friendly?

Practice Examples

Before:

Hello church family! Just wanted to remind you that we have our annual picnic coming up this Saturday, August 17th, starting at 11am at Riverside Park. We would love for you to join us! RSVP at firstcommunitychurch.org/events/annual-picnic-2024

Problems: Too long (248 characters = 2 texts). "Just wanted to remind you" is filler. Full URL is excessive.

After:

Church picnic Saturday 11am at Riverside Park! Bring a side dish. RSVP: bit.ly/fcpicnic

Result: 88 characters. Clear. Complete.

Before:

Due to the inclement weather in our area this morning, we have made the decision to cancel all Sunday morning services for today. Please check our website for updates and stay safe!

Problems: 185 characters. "Due to the inclement weather in our area" is unnecessary.

After:

Sunday services canceled—roads are unsafe. Stay safe! Updates: bit.ly/fcupdates

Result: 80 characters. Same message. Half the words.

Before:

We are looking for volunteers to help serve at our upcoming community outreach event next Saturday. If you are interested in serving, please sign up at the Welcome Center or contact the church office.

Problems: 212 characters. Vague ask. No specific CTA.

After:

Outreach event next Sat needs 10 volunteers. Can you help? Sign up: bit.ly/fcserve

Result: 83 characters. Specific ask. Clear action.

The Decision Rule

Before sending any text, ask:

Yes → Send it.

No → Cut until it does, or reconsider if text is the right channel.

If you can't say it concisely, maybe this belongs in an email.

Quick Reference

Room to spare. Add a thanks or emoji if you want.

The formula keeps you focused. Context. Detail. Action. That's all you need.