3 Reasons Your Youth Ministry Should Use Text Messaging

It’s practically a given that text messaging is the best and most efficient way to reach teenagers today. A recent Pew study showed that 88% of all teenagers own a cell phone. Three-quarters of them own a smartphone and 91% of them use text messaging daily. Youth ministry is no exception.

Think: When was the last time you saw a teen more than a few feet away from their phone? Because teen phone use is so widespread, text messaging, right off the bat, lets you reach every teen no matter where they are.

Here’s three great reasons your youth ministry should use text messaging:

Your Message is Almost Guaranteed to be Seen
At around 98%, text messaging, hands down has the highest “read rate” of any electronic form of media. It’s true, that an average of 98 of 100 people who receive a text message will read it. Granted, a youth minister must be careful of a text message’s content in order to keep youth tuned in and listening, but in terms of being able to reach people, text messaging has no parallel.
Text Messaging is How Teens Prefer to Communicate
The goal of every youth minister should be to forge a connection with their youth. Achieving that connection on their terms and where they’re most familiar — through text messaging — helps teens to see your approach as more of an offer and less of an obligation. Furthermore, once you’ve connected with a teen, they’ll be that much more likely to attend youth groups, interact with other youth, and grow in their faith.
You Can Do a Lot with a Little
Especially with a group messaging tool like Flocknote, where you’re allowed unlimited groups and messages for no additional cost, a simple text message can be used for any number of purposes. Send a quick reminder for youth group, ask for feedback on what snacks to bring (Flocknote allows direct replies), or simply send a message thanking them for being a part of your community. Want more ideas? We’ve got you covered.