Reach People Anywhere
With ChMeetings, your church can efficiently message people across multiple traditional and digital channels. Send SMS, emails, or push notifications; connect on social messaging apps such as WhatsApp, or make calls. You can easily contact individuals or groups, no matter where you are.
Free, no credit card required.
You Are In Good Company
Join over 7,000 churches and ministries worldwide that trust us to help fulfill their missions:
INTRODUCING THE CHMEETINGS MESSAGING ECOSYSTEM
SEND SMS, MMS, AND VOICE MESSAGES
SMS, MMS, and Voice Messages are built into ChMeetings. You can use your phone plan to send instant or scheduled messages or purchase a ChMeetings messaging package that works for you. If you use a dedicated messaging service, you can use our Integrations to connect it to ChMeetings. Dedicated reports let you view your messaging history for further insight.
You can also request a free, dedicated phone number for two-way messaging and a more personalized member experience.
CRAFT BEAUTIFUL EMAILS
Send unlimited newsletters and visually appealing email messages; either immediately or scheduled at the right time. Customize emails with an advanced email designer, packed with ready-made templates and the ability to create your own. Attach files up to 20MB, and decide who should be displayed as the sender. Once your messages are sent, access a history report to see whether the email was sent and how many recipients opened it; to gain insight into your message's success.
SEND UNLIMITED PUSH NOTIFICATIONS
Send unlimited push notifications to members logged into the ChMeetings mobile app. You can schedule notifications to be sent at the right time, then browse a history report to learn more about how each notification performed.
CONNECT SOCIAL MESSAGING APPS
It’s easy to connect your ChMeetings people database with social messaging apps to make church messaging accessible to everyone, regardless of their preferred apps. You can message people from within their profile, using WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, Viber, and Telegram.
CRAFT COMPLEX COMMUNICATIONS
ChMeetings is a platform that lets you connect with people using more complex forms of communication; including digitally signed forms, a church app page that is easy to create, or a blog with social features.
Other Features of ChMeetings CHMS
Messaging frequently asked questions
If you have any questions we are here to help!
What communication methods does ChMeetings support?
ChMeetings supports various communication channels, including:
- Emails: Send individual or blast email newsletters directly from the ChMeetings platform, using an advanced designer, at no extra cost, and without having to use other external services.
- Text/SMS and MMS Messages: Communicate via text messages; MMS is available in the United States and Canada.
- Voice Messages: Send recorded voice messages that play when the recipient answers a call.
- Push Notifications: Deliver notifications to members’ mobile devices or desktops.
- Social Messaging Apps: Connect through WhatsApp, Viber, Telegram, and Facebook Messenger directly from member profiles.
Are there limitations on the number of messages I can send?
All ChMeetings paid plans come with unlimited emails and push notifications. The messages you can exchange by connecting to social messaging apps are also unlimited. Text and voice messages cost extra so are only limited by your chosen messaging plan. Learn more.
Which pricing plan provides communication and messaging features?
- Unlimited email and push notifications are included with all plans except the Free plan, with which such communications can’t be sent for security reasons. These features do not cost extra.
- Text messaging (SMS, MMS), and voice messaging are built into ChMeetings and are available with all pricing plans, including the free plan, at an extra cost.
- Connecting to social messaging apps and building forms are available with all our plans, at no additional costs.
What text messaging options are available?
With ChMeetings you can send both SMS and MMS text messages. There are three ways to send text messages:
- Using ChMeetings’ built-in messaging feature, which gives you access to text and voice messaging, at an extra cost. Learn more about how we bill text messaging.
- By installing the ChMeetings Mobile App (free with any plan), then using your phone plan to send messages. This incurs no extra messaging costs with ChMeetings.
- By integrating a third party messaging provider. This does not cost extra with ChMeetings either. We integrate with Twilio, Eazismspro, Clickatell, SMSGlobal, and Bulk SMS Nigeria. Learn more about our Integrations.
What are the fees associated with ChMeetings Built-In Messaging?
- Email and mobile push notifications are unlimited and free of charge, included with all our paid plans. Other communication features such as using external messaging apps, or creating forms, are also included at no extra cost besides your plan price.
- Text and voice messages cost extra, and pricing depends on your location. Learn more about how we bill text messaging. You can find out more about the pricing that applies to you by logging into ChMeetings and going to Settings > Payments & Credit. If you don’t have an account yet, we offer a free, 14-day trial. Sign up here.
Messaging is available with all ChMeetings pricing plans, including the Free plan. Costs don’t vary based on your price plan, but based on your location. The only exception is the Free plan, where message costs are slightly higher, though still based on location. Compare free and paid plan features here.
Where are the messaging services available?
Most communications services provided by ChMeetings are available worldwide. The only exception is MMS which is only available in the United States and Canada.
Do I need to pay ChMeetings to send text messages or can I use external tools?
No, you are not required to pay for ChMeetings’ messaging plans. You have two other methods available:
- When using the ChMeetings mobile app, you can choose to send text messages using your mobile phone plan. If you have text messages already included with your phone plan, this helps you save money by not paying for an additional SMS/MMS service.
- If you are sending larger amounts of text messages and are already using a dedicated service, you can simply integrate it with ChMeetings, which will enable text messaging within your church app with no extra costs paid to ChMeetings.
How long should a text message be?
SMS is meant for short communications, but you can definitely write longer messages. Keep in mind though that SMS is billed according to international standards stipulating SMS character limits as follows:
Format | First Message | Second Message Onwards |
GSM | 160 | 146 |
Unicode | 70 | 64 |
GSM is the standard used by a typical SMS message, while Unicode is usually used when you send MMS. For example, for GSM text messages, your first message ends after 160 characters, then the second one begins, and ends after the next 146 characters. Visit our help center for a more detailed explanation.
Can I schedule messages?
Yes. All of our communications features (email, SMS, MMS, voice messages, and push notifications) come with a scheduling feature.
How can I send messages to my congregation?
You can send messages in several ways:
- Individual Messaging: Access a member’s profile and choose the desired communication method (email, text, voice message, or social app).
- Bulk Messaging: Select multiple members from the People module and choose the appropriate messaging option.
- Group Messaging: Within the Groups module, select a group and send messages to all or specific members.
- Event Participants: From the Events module, message all or selected participants of an event.
- Follow-Up Module: Communicate with individuals listed in your follow-ups.
Can I get a dedicated phone number?
Yes, you can, and it’s free. Here is how.
Does ChMeetings offer advanced email editing?
Absolutely! With ChMeetings, you can craft visually-appealing emails using an easy-to-use, drag-and-drop editor that lets you create emails tailored to your congregation. Learn more.
How do push notifications work in ChMeetings?
Push notifications are free messages sent to members’ mobile devices. Recipients must have the ChMeetings app installed and be logged in to receive notifications. You can send these notifications individually or in bulk from various modules within ChMeetings
Does ChMeetings support group chats?
Yes, ChMeetings offers a Group Chat feature within the Branded App, allowing Group Leaders and members to communicate directly within their groups. This feature supports conversations with up to 200 participants and helps facilitate information flow and engagement. It’s built right into the ChMeetings mobile app, for hassle-free interaction.
