How to Send an Easter Text to Increase Volunteers 🚀

Strategy & How it Works

Increasing Easter Attendance: The Volunteer Connection 🤝

Did you know there is a direct correlation between the number of volunteers you have and the number of attendees at your church? Studies suggest that for every single volunteer, you can estimate your total attendance by multiplying that number by 3.5.

This means a powerful way to grow your Easter attendance is to first grow your volunteer base. To help you increase your volunteers, here is a quick, actionable text message strategy to boost engagement from Church Fuel.

The Strategy: The "All-Church" Text 📲

The goal is to send a single text message to your entire contact list—both those already serving and those who aren't yet involved—to inspire immediate action. They can sign up to serve simply by replying to your text! See how! Below! ⬇️

1. Choose Your Format You can choose between two effective templates:

   1. Text with Video (Recommended): Include a short link to a video from your Lead Pastor. This allows the pastor to share the vision, explain why extra hands are needed for the community, and create a better experience for visitors.
      1. Check out Pastor Ryan Keller's Video Example HERE.
      2. HERE is a script example from pastor Ryan Keller.
      3. Church Fuel has this text already written with the custom values created. All you have to do is INSERT your video link and send! Instructions are below!
   2. Text without a video: A simple, high-clarity message asking for partners to help serve visitors.
      1. Church Fuel has this text already written with the custom values created. All you have to do is the select the template and send!

2. Use a Keyword Trigger

   1. In the text, ask interested people to reply with the keyword "SERVE." This creates a low barrier to entry and allows them to jump to action in the moment.

How the Workflow Works ⚙️

Once a member replies with "SERVE," the software automates the heavy lifting:

1. Auto-Reply

   1. The person immediately receives a confirmation message, such as: "Thanks! Someone from the church will connect with you soon."

2. Automatic Tagging

   1. The system applies a tag to their contact (e.g., "Volunteer Interest March 2026"), making it easy to track who responded specifically for the upcoming holiday.

3. Team Notification

   1. Your leadership team receives an internal text and email alert with the person’s name, email, and phone number so they can follow up quickly.

How to do this in the Church Fuel Software 🔥

Before you jump in to the steps below, please watch and follow along with THIS VIDEO on the step by step process!

1. Prepare & Send the Text Message - 2:56 in the video

   1. Login to the Software - Beta.churchfuel.com
   2. Navigate to the contacts section.
   3. Select all contacts
   4. Click on 'More' and select 'Send SMS'.

2. Choose the Message Template - 3:05 in the video

   1. Select the appropriate template for the text message:
   2. 'Easter volunteer text, add video' (if including a video).
   3. 'Easter volunteer text, no video' (if not including a video).

3. Customize the Message - 4:12 in the video

   1. Insert the video link if applicable.
   2. Ensure the message includes a call to action: 'Reply with the word "SERVE" serve if interested in volunteering.

4. Send or Schedule the Message - 6:24 in the video

   1. Choose to send the message immediately, schedule it for later, or use drip mode to send it gradually.
   2. THAT'S IT!!!!

Monitor Responses & What Happens Next 💻

1. Monitor Responses - 7:08 in the video

   1. When someone replies with 'serve', they receive an auto-reply in your text thread that says "Thanks (first name)! Someone from the church will connect with you soon!"
   2. The contact is then tagged in the software as "volunteer interest / month / year"

2. Notify the Team - 7:41 in the video

   1. Your team receives an email and text notification about new volunteer interests, including contact details for follow-up.
   2. You decide how you want to connect them based on your church's unique assimilation process (e.g., welcome event, training, or connecting them with a ministry leader).

3. Review Volunteer Interest - 8:35 in the video

   1. On the Contacts page you can type "volunteer" in the Search bar to see a list view of who has shown interest.

We hope this can be a quick and effective way for your church to serve your community and your visitors this Easter! ✝️