How Good Shepherd Lutheran Church Is Reaching Hundreds Through a Text-Driven Outreach Pipeline
A Church with Deep Roots and a Growing Vision
For over 40 years, Good Shepherd Lutheran Church has been a faithful presence in Gardendale, Alabama. Under the leadership of Pastor David Moerbe for the last 23 years, this mid-sized congregation of about 300 members has become known for showing up in their community with love and consistency.
But as the church grew in outreach, communication became a challenge. “We needed a platform to make sure everyone was on the same page,” Pastor David explained.
In 2014, they adopted Text In Church and it changed everything.
From Communication Tool to Ministry Pipeline
At first, Text In Church helped with basic communication. But a pivotal shift happened after Pastor David attended a Text In Church ENGAGE Workshop.
“What really clicked for me was something I heard in an ENGAGE Workshop: ‘Use the tools to facilitate relationships.’ That changed everything,” David recalls.
With that mindset shift, Good Shepherd began to reimagine their communication strategy. Not just as a way to keep people informed, but as a way to build meaningful, lasting connections.
Event-Driven Outreach That Builds Momentum
Good Shepherd’s outreach calendar is packed with events designed to bring people together. Their Easter Egg Hunt drew 203 kids and 500 total attendees—all registered through Text In Church.
“This Easter, we had 203 kids at our egg hunt and used Text In Church to register them all,” David said. “That pipeline rolled into Easter services, Mother’s Day, and more.”
By capturing guest information at each event, the church can follow up with personalized invitations to future gatherings like Mother’s Day Brunch, Waffles with Dad, Vacation Bible School, and Pancakes with Santa.
Each event builds momentum for the next, creating a steady pipeline that turns one-time guests into long-term participants.
👉 Learn how to optimize your church outreach events with Text In Church
Prayer That Meets People Where They Are
One of the most meaningful aspects of Good Shepherd’s use of Text In Church has been prayer check-ins. Between events, David sends simple text messages asking, “How can we pray for you today?”
The responses have been powerful.
A grandmother named Dina once told him, “Those little prayer texts? They’ve come at just the right time. I always respond. And I know you’re praying.”
For Good Shepherd, these prayer texts have opened doors for ministry that go far beyond event attendance, they’ve become a lifeline of encouragement and connection.
👉 Check out how other churches are using Text In Church for prayer requests
Simple, Intentional Ministry
From registering event guests to sending storm alerts, Text In Church is now the backbone of Good Shepherd’s communication strategy.
“We started using Text In Church around 2014. Communication was always an issue for us, but now it's the tool we use to facilitate real ministry,” David said.
“It’s such a simple platform, but it facilitates deep, meaningful ministry. That’s why I recommend it to every pastor I talk to.”
The Heart of Nurture in Action
Good Shepherd Lutheran’s story embodies the Nurture stage of the IGNITE Your Church™ Hourglass Model: consistent, relational follow-up that makes guests feel known, noticed, and loved.
Through intentional use of Text In Church, Pastor David and his team have transformed one-time visitors into active participants, proving that when communication tools are used with purpose, they don’t just inform, they disciple.
