Okay, so this post is for the iPhone users out there. I just bought an app that is going to save my youth ministry budget a ton of money! Sweeeeeeeeet.
It’s called Group Text, and it’s a simple little app that integrates with your iPhone’s text messaging. It enables me to send mass texts to TONS of people; I can create lists from my contacts, and then use the app to blast out messages to everyone on the list. Part of what I like about it is that unlike other mass texting services out there that are email/web based and pop up as an email or some random phone number, this uses my actual iPhone messaging system so it blasts out as a text message from me. The app is only $2.99, which makes it a steal for anyone regularly mass texting – especially since it’s a one time expense.
For me, the youth ministry application is huge. I’ve been using a mass texting subscription service for several years now; it’s the best way to communicate with the teens, with my volunteer leaders, and a growing way to communicate with parents.
If you don’t have an iPhone, Simply Youth Ministry Tools (formerly called Simply Txt) is still the way to go for mass messaging.
Matthew McNutt 
Hey McNutt, I've got this for my iPhone too… except for some reason it sends my messages as a picture message so the teens who have texting but can't receive pictures/MMS don't receive my messages. Is this happening to you/anyone else too, or just me? Is there a setting I need to change? For the most part, this app is pure gold! I'll be canceling Simply Text once I figure out this MMS issue…
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That's weird; I haven't had that issue. Check out the FAQ on their website. It's been working great for me; I'm about to cancel Simply TXT, too. I loved it for the last few years, but a one time $3 charge beats $30 a month any day!
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