Did you upgrade from PastorsLine to Text In Church? This FAQ covers the most common questions from upgraded accounts, from user permissions and contact records to messaging, workflows, and calling. If you don't see your question here, our Member Support team is always happy to help.
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Users
Admin-level access gives unrestricted access to all parts of the platform, including viewing, modifying, and deleting data. You can view and adjust access levels using the three-dot menu next to each user.
Regular Users can view and interact with certain features based on their permission settings, but their access is limited. Here's the default permission level your PastorsLine Users were migrated to:
Contact Records
Duplicates: Text In Church is built to prevent duplicate contacts. Each contact must have unique contact information. The system blocks duplicate contacts from being manually added and prevents duplicates from syncing in from integrations.
Integrations: Contacts are not automatically added to your Text In Church account when you set up an integration. You'll need to create a list or group on the integration side and choose to sync it. Contacts in those syncing lists who meet the criteria (for example, being an adult in PCO with unique contact information) will transfer between platforms.
Messages (SMS and MMS)
Where to find your allotment: Go to Settings, then the Subscription tab to see your monthly totals for texts, phone numbers, and Callers (if you have a Calling plan).
Credit usage: Texting credits do not roll over. One message to one contact counts as one credit. One message to a Group of ten contacts counts as ten credits. Messages with attachments count as two credits each, so one message with an attachment to ten contacts uses twenty credits.
Shortcodes: Text In Church does not offer a shared shortcode, but we can work with our carrier to help you obtain one if desired. We don't typically recommend short codes for most churches due to how resource-intensive ownership is.
Character limit: Text In Church allows up to 459 standard characters per message, broken into three segments of 160 characters. You are not charged per segment. If you use emojis or non-standard characters, the limit drops to 201 characters due to the increased data required.
Attachments: You can send images and audio files from your Text In Church number. Attachments count as an additional credit against your allotment due to how carriers count MMS messages.
Voice Broadcasts
Voice Broadcasts send a pre-recorded audio message to your contacts' phones like a phone call. If a contact is unavailable, it's left as a voicemail. They're a great option for contacts with landlines or those who prefer not to receive texts.
Credits are calculated at 1 credit per minute per person reached. A 1-minute message to 50 people uses 50 credits. A 2-minute message to 50 people uses 100 credits. Voice Broadcasts draw from the same shared credit pool as text messages.
Does Voice Broadcast cost extra? No. There are no additional charges beyond your normal credit usage.
Can I use Voice Broadcast on the Basic plan? Yes, as long as you have enough credits.
Email Messages
Unlimited emails are included in every Text In Church texting plan. When sending an email, you can set which email address receives your contacts' replies.
Note: Emails are not included in Calling-only plans.
Groups
Keywords: Each Group can have one Keyword. There is not currently a way to set fallbacks or assign more than one Keyword per Group. A Keyword can be attached to one or more phone numbers on your account. When a contact texts the Keyword, they receive an automated reply and are added to the linked Group.
Connect Cards
Connect Cards let you digitally collect contact information and add people to your account. You can customize the card's appearance, questions, and required fields from the Cards section of the Connect tab.
Every Connect Card includes three default fields that cannot be removed: Name, Phone Number, and Email Address. You can mark all fields except Name as optional by editing the question within the card.
Automated Workflows
Automated Workflows are Text In Church's version of Automated Message Campaigns. You can schedule a series of messages to send to specific contacts automatically. Workflows with Group Join, Calendar Date, or Person Date triggers require a Group. Workflows with Keyword or Connect Card triggers do not.
Text In Church offers five trigger types:
Group Join - Messages trigger when a contact joins the Group while the workflow is active. Best for guest follow-up sequences.
Calendar Date - Messages are scheduled around a specific date. Great for event outreach or daily devotionals where everyone receives messages at the same time.
Person Date - Messages send around a date stored in each contact's profile, like a birthday or anniversary. Best for recurring personalized outreach.
Connect Card - Messages trigger when a contact submits a specific Connect Card. Follow-up can be scheduled for minutes, hours, or days after submission.
Keyword - Messages trigger when a contact texts a keyword to your number. Follow-up is scheduled based on when the keyword was received.
Pages
Pages let you send a link over text that opens a custom page with video, images, and hyperlinked text. Because Pages have a much larger character allowance than SMS, you can share detailed information in a single message. Create Pages from the Pages section of the Connect tab.
Calling by Text In Church
Text In Church also offers Calling plans for an all-in-one phone solution. With a Calling plan, you can receive incoming calls and make outgoing calls directly from your Text In Church account. Depending on your plan, you may also have access to unlimited Digital Receptionists, additional SMS credits per Caller, and more.
Concierge Account Setup
Concierge Account Setup is an optional add-on for your Text In Church account that provides personalized, done-for-you onboarding to help you launch with confidence. It includes:
Done-for-you account setup (starting at $249)
1:1 kickoff call to uncover goals, challenges, and create a launch plan
1:1 advanced strategy and coaching calls
Customized, done-for-you Groups and Messaging
Priority access to our Success Team
Implementation of Text In Church best practices
90-day account review
How to add Concierge Account Setup:
New to Text In Church: Add Concierge Account Setup during checkout when starting your free trial.
Already started your trial or an existing member: Log into your account, open the Marketplace from the left-hand menu, and select Concierge Account Setup to purchase.
Still have questions? No worries, we're always happy to help!
Check out our collection of articles for PastorsLine upgraded accounts or reach out to our Member Support team at support@textinchurch.com.
