Mobile Tools Impact Church Culture: Youth Ministry Implements Text Messaging Strategy

RPM: Revolutionary Passionate Ministry youth pastors effectively implement text messaging to help disciple and reach kids.

Featured Products: Mobile Messaging
Nonprofit Sector: Faith
Client: First Baptist Church Eustis, RPM—Revolutionary Passionate Ministry
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GETTING THE WORD OUT Church leaders work tirelessly preparing messages, planning services and coordinating programs. Pastors are constantly using creative talents to empower members, engage visitors, disciple youth and reach the lost. What many Christians fail to realize is that the bible clearly teaches that the method of communication is often as important as the content of the message. In other words—if a message doesn’t reach the hearts and minds of people in a way they can hear and understand—it’s ineffective.

WOULD JESUS SEND TEXT MESSAGES? God loves kids and Jesus was in the habit of going where people needed him the most and speaking to them in a way that related to their lives. It is undeniable that texting is the language of teens.  Pastors that desire to reach kids where they are must be texting. Did you know?— 95% of text messages are read and 80% of those are read in 15 minutes.

FLORIDA CHURCH REACHES YOUTH
RPM: Revolutionary Passionate Ministry—a youth movement of First Baptist Church Eustis—has creatively and strategically implemented mobile tools into their ministry this past year. Here’s what happened when pastors Daniel and JP decided to go mobile:

Weekly attendance before SMS=40-60 kids
After implementing SMS=70-90 kids

Event attendance before SMS=20 kids
After implementing SMS=60 kids

HOW DID THEY DO IT? RPM pastors, volunteers and kids promoted their Text2Broadcast keyword “RPM” and shortcode “27138” at youth and adult gatherings to build their mobile list. Pastor’s Daniel and JP began sending text messages of words of encouragement, bible verses, conversation starters, relevant links, special event alerts, and community service opportunities. They also built their list by having live mobile polls at events in which participants could opt in for future messages. RPM currently messages 150+ kids with SMS. RPM also has plans to use mobile donation tools to teach kids how to give.

UNEXPECTED BENEFITS FROM A PASTOR

Kids love responding to live mobile polls—They are great icebreakers too.

Receiving SMS responses from kids helps keep ministry fresh and relevant.

Parents love being connected to youth ministries via SMS.

It is comforting to have a 100% safe way to text message with kids.

Text messaging opens up healthy pastoral conversations with kids.

WHAT KIDS ARE SAYING

“We love it… we know exactly what is going on.”

Learn more about MobileCause fundraising and engagement tools for nonprofits.

Text Pledge GAS to Donate—Help Fuel Up the Steve Irwin on Whale Wars

Sea Shepherd Conservation Society sends text messages to receive text pledges during the Antarctic Campaign.

Featured Client: Sea Shepherd Conservation Society
Featured Products: Mobile Messaging, Mobile Pledging
Nonprofit Sector: Environmental & Animal
Endorsement: Whale Wars—Discovery Channel
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CRISIS Sea Shepherd’s flagship vessel “The Steve Irwin” was facing a fuel shortage during their Antarctic Campaign. They desperately needed fans to participate in a Mobile Pledging campaign to raise $1000 of emergency fuel.

CAUSE Sea Shepherd Conservation Society (SSCS) is an international nonprofit, marine wildlife conservation organization. Their mission is to end the destruction of habitat and slaughter of wildlife in the world’s oceans in order to conserve and protect ecosystems and species.

BACKGROUND Sea Shepherd spent several months building a Mobile Messaging list which resulted in over 1,800 subscribers. They regularly communicated with the list as part of their overall communicate strategy by (1) asking for feedback, (2) inviting fans to join important conversations, and (3) providing exclusive content. Through mobile messaging, social networking, and email—Sea Shepherd has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars.

SOLUTION Within hours of the fuel crisis Sea Shepherd was able to implement a spontaneous Mobile Pledging campaign to its Mobile Messaging subscribers. Subscribers were offered the opportunity to participate in an immediate way by replying to the text message with the keyword “GAS” and any dollar amount to donate to the crisis. Similar calls to action were made through the organization’s email and social media campaigns. In 30 minutes $1000 was raised for emergency fuel.

HIGHLIGHTS

Mobile messaging and mobile fundraising were effectively integrated into an overall communication strategy.

1800+ fans were empowered through Mobile Pledging during the crisis.

$1000 was raised for emergency fuel in 30 minutes.

Learn more about MobileCause fundraising and engagement tools for nonprofits.

Text Messaging to Educate Tourists about Marine Mammal Preservation

Text RINGTONE—Marine Mammal Preservation at Pier 39 in San Francisco

Featured Client: The Marine Mammal Center
Featured Products: Mobile Messaging
Nonprofit Sector: Environmental/Animal
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CAUSE The Marine Mammal Center mission is to expand knowledge about marine mammals – their health and that of their ocean environment – and to inspire their global conservation. Our core work is the rescue and rehabilitation of sick and injured marine mammals, supported by state-of-the-art animal care and research facilities, a corps of dedicated volunteers, and an engaged community.

OPPORTUNITY Every year thousands of tourists come to see the seals and sea lions at Pier 39 in San Francisco.  The Marine Mammal Center, located nearby, had a unique opportunity to place an educational aid at the end of the pier, offering tourists additional information about the Sea Lion population. Though the sign would be small, it would have high visibility.

PROBLEM The Marine Mammal Center wanted to build a text message list that they could use to invite tourists to visit the center, as well as send important educational information and special opportunities. Pier 39 is a popular tourist location with many distractions, so a text initiative was likely to be unseen and ignored.

SOLUTION To compel Pier 39 tourists to join the text list MobileCause and The Marine Mammal Center worked together to develop a creative Mobile Messaging campaign where subscribers would receive a free ringtone download of a sea lion’s bark. To receive the ringtone and join the Marine Mammal Center text message list individuals could text “RINGTONE” to 27138. This integration of compelling valuable content into the subscription process has resulted in 2449 subscribers. Only six of these subscribers have unsubscribed.  These supporters can now being educated in the mission to rescue, rehabilitate and preserve marine mammals.

HIGHLIGHTS

Exclusive content was effectively used to build a Mobile Messaging list.

2449 subscribers (and counting) are able to be educated in the mission.

Learn more about MobileCause fundraising and engagement tools for nonprofits.

FreeFest Music Festival by Virgin Mobile USA: Text FREEFEST 20222 to donate to homeless youth