Option 1: Use An Email Account to Send SMS-Txts
Every cell phone has a email address that allow you can send texts to. (ex- Verizon wireless is the cell#@vtext.com). Here's how I recommend setting up a list of your students to text.

1. Create an email account to send text and receive requests from users. (ex- text@church.org)
   
2. Have your students/users send a text message to your email using their phone with something generic in the message field (ex - "add me"). Something that identifies they want to be added to your text messaging list. Once your students do that you will get an email from that text. Save the contact to a contact list.
3. Reply to original mobile email you received with a generic message. (ex- "You have been added to the ______ where you will receive ______. To be removed at any time text "remove" to <<text email address>>.)
4. Now you are ready to send texts from your email address. Remember to put your contact list into BCC: field and not the To: field.

That's it! Good luck.

I asked a couple youth ministers who are ahead of the technology curve, "What is something you would like to do with technology that you haven't figured out yet?" Answer, "I want to be able to txt message all my youth at the same time for the following reasons..."

• Devotions
• Event Updates
• Encouragement
• Prayer-chain

I've come up with two options (besides Pinger)... next two posts.

Want to create an online map of your members, small groups, house churches and/or whole church? Use Google Maps.

Now you maybe asking, "Why would I want to do that?" I'll give you 5 reasons.

1. Visitor follow-up: have a church member in the neighborhood stop by instead of the pastor.
   
2. Pastoring/Shepherding: assign Elders or Community Pastors to oversee families in a particular area.
   
3. Small groups: helps to see a map when you are suggesting a small groups to church members
   
4. Service projects: organize city-wide service projects, meeting specific community needs.
   
5. Community/Cultural: find out what communities in your area that your church doesn't reach, and possible could or should.

What is it?
Google Maps is a free online mapping program (similar to MS-MapPoint, MapQuest) that allows you to place markers on specific addresses.

What are the benefits?

• Maps can be public or unlisted. However even, if it is unlisted you can send it only to certain users.
  
• Marks are quickly and easily exported to Google Earth via KML file (it's like an html file for Google Earth)
• Visually amazing!
• Easily managed when working with small groups
  

What are some limitations...
The biggest limitation is that Google Maps (as of today) only shows 50 marks at a time. You can add more than 50, but it pushes it to a separate page. My suggestion is to tentatively organize your church into groups smaller then 50 address and set up a Google Map for each. Then, if you want them all on one map export each group to Google Earth via KML file. Then you can open then all up in Google Earth together. FYI - Google Earth doesn't have "detailed maps" of smaller cities or towns.

Example - I made two maps for demo. John the Baptist's (House Church A) and Peter, the Rock (House Church B). To view the Google Map via Google Earth click the KML link. If you don't have Google Earth, download it. It's free.

To get started using Google Maps go to http://maps.google.com and click on the 'My Maps' tab. Feel free to ask if you have any questions.