Re-Engage Your Community
How Churches Are Reconnecting with People Using Text In Church
Why Re-Engaging Your Community Matters
Over time, people drift away from church for various reasons—busy schedules, life changes, or feeling disconnected. Re-engaging your community isn’t just about bringing people back to a building; it’s about reminding them they’re seen, valued, and still part of the church family. These real stories from Text In Church members reveal how thoughtful communication can reignite connections and rebuild relationships.
Rekindling Connections with Lapsed Members – Donna Paulk’s Experience
Problem
Donna’s church noticed a decline in regular attendance, especially post-COVID. Members who once attended faithfully began to drift, and attempts to reconnect through emails and calls had little success.
Solution
Using Text In Church, they launched a six-week re-engagement workflow targeting members who hadn’t attended in several months. Texts acknowledged the absence with care and provided gentle invitations to upcoming events and services.
Result
28.5% of those contacted re-engaged with the church by attending services or signing up for classes. Members expressed gratitude for being remembered and welcomed back without pressure.
But the best part is the positive response we’ve had from members and visitors. Several times I’ve had people say, “I wasn’t planning to come today but I got a personal text message from someone at the church, that’s why I came. That was really nice.” It has been very effective at helping us reach out to people.
Community Outreach Beyond Sundays – Angela Smith’s Story
Problem
Angela’s church wanted to reconnect with community members who hadn’t engaged with the church beyond special events. Traditional outreach methods, like flyers and mailers, weren’t getting the desired response.
Solution
They used Text In Church to send personalized texts inviting community members to upcoming outreach events and to check in with those who hadn’t attended in a while. This included a follow-up to attendees of previous events like food drives and youth nights.
Result
Attendance at follow-up events increased noticeably. During hurricane relief efforts, the church also used Text In Church to re-engage volunteers and community members, coordinating over 200 volunteers to serve those in need.
This tool has been our way to connect to so many. Without it, we struggled to move past the first few weeks of connecting. Now that we have also started an online campus, we are excited about TIC and its ability to reach even more
Bringing Families Back Through Creative Outreach – Laura Simone & Chris Staffin’s Approach
Problem
Laura and Chris’s church found it challenging to keep families engaged after one-time visits or seasonal events. Many attendees would come for events like Vacation Bible School (VBS) but wouldn’t return for regular services.
Solution
They implemented a text-based raffle during events, collecting contact information for future outreach. Using Text In Church, they followed up with attendees, inviting them to family nights and Sunday services.
Result
The raffle strategy led to collecting 90 new contacts in the first year and 61 the following year. Several families reconnected with the church, with some enrolling in Sunday school and becoming regular attendees.
It has made life so much easier for so many different things we are doing at the church. Our people feel more connected than ever before
Key Takeaways
Automated workflows make it easy to re-engage guests and lapsed members consistently.
Personal, caring messages help people feel seen and welcomed back without pressure.
Creative outreach methods, like raffles or text-based invites, increase engagement beyond initial visits.
Reaching out after events encourages attendees to stay connected and participate regularly.
Consistent follow-up fosters long-term relationships, not just one-time interactions.
Try Text In Church for 14 Days
Ready to re-engage your community and welcome people back? Start your 14-day free trial today. Try Text In Church now.
