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Why you should not sign up to use PastorsLine

Let’s be honest. Our PastorsLine dashboard offers so much that at times, it feels overwhelming. Here are some options to consider.

Is this enough to convince you not to move forward? Let’s check.

PastorsLine is not the platform for you right now if you are looking for a “2-door sports car” and an older, bigger SUV utility vehicle may not do it for you.

We prefer to think of PastorsLine as a vintage truck. The engine is superb. The craftsmanship is solid. In fact, we’ve been tinkering with its performance and features for a few years, not based on what we think you need but based on feedback from hundreds of churches. As a result, PastorsLine has become very powerful and useful.

Here are things we do that others may not do well.

  • 2-way integrations with CCB and Planning Center. MailChimp is next on our list.
  • Multiple users with some advanced controls.
  • Multiple numbers to avoid the ‘inbox madness’.
  • Some multicampus options: go beyond just one account while keeping connected to your campuses/departments.
  • LandLine SMS: text-enable your church landline and reuse a number that your church already knows.
  • NEW - We’ve just launched multiple keywords per campaign. Imagine being able to set up several keywords (e.g. Pray/Prayer) to trigger the same campaign, in order to catch errors or to allow you to use different words for branding purposes.
  • Digital Connect Texts: because digital connect cards for guests are dead.
  • Though texting is what we focus on, having the option to send a voice broadcast or receive a call might be of value to your ministry. You can call out on the numbers from the desktop and not your personal cell phone.
  • Our pricing is very competitive at the moment. This might change in the future, so now is the time to lock in our rates. You get most of the features without having to pay an add-on fee.Recommended by friends. Signed up because: more comprehensive, right price, smarter system.
    And so much more…

However, the time spent on performance meant that the overall comfort suffered. The suspension springs are worn, so things get a little bumpy at times. The seats and exterior paint job are a little dated, so our web app doesn’t look as fresh as it could. The mobile app was still stuck in phase 1.

On the flip side, our church partners who use PastorsLine love what that vehicle can do for their church communication.

Essentially, PastorsLine is a workhorse for a fraction of the cost.

The good news is that for the next 3-6 months, we are putting a lot of TLC into that very area: the aesthetics. Of course, we will continue adding useful features as we think of ourselves as problem solvers: partnering with your church to bring more people closer to Christ. But comfort is important, too. When communication is comfortable, people tend to be in touch more, and that’s what we’re about—easily done, quality communication to build strong relationships.

So, here’s what we’re doing to improve things:

Cleaner Web Application that works across all browsers

We are working on a cleaner UI and better flow for our desktop app—same power but designed to minimize the overwhelming feeling and your learning curve. Our focus will initially be where most of the communication happens—the Inbox. Then we will move to the other areas. Here are a few samples of what we would be doing.

Web

 

Mobile App …

By Q1 or Q2 2019, we plan on re-launching our mobile application to utilize more native features (Phase 2). This is a huge project (complete recode). It's already in progress and we are excited to give you a cleaner way to communicate with your members and visitors from your mobile devices. The initial versions will focus on sending and receiving messages. Later versions will include calling and other campaign options. We want you to be able to manage most or all aspects of your account from your mobile device by 2020.

 

So what does your church communication need right now? A utility vehicle that can do more or something else? If the former, we are your best investment that will keep giving—with the big bonus that you can influence changes.

Update 2019: Changes are coming soon!!!

Reject All (Legacy)

By Team PastorsLine | January 5, 2022
As you probably heard, our team is almost ready to launch PastorsLine V3. However, we are still taking care of our Legacy version. This update is for that (the current) version. REJECT ALL As part of our improved process to resolve conflicted profiles, we added the Auto-merge option. Some of you didn’t want that turned on. Some of you didn’t want to have to go through a long list of duplicate profiles. We hear you! So, we have given you the REJECT ALL option. ScreenHunter 3743 This option will basically delete the PastorsLine profiles for these contacts. To proceed, accept the terms and conditions (turquoise 1 in image above) and then click on Reject All (turquoise 2 in image above). For more info, please read our January Update in this article.

Use Campaigns Page for new groups with keyword(s) and/or autoreply

By Team PastorsLine | December 17, 2021

As you know, we always do our best to improve the functionality and clarity of PastorsLine. Technically, a group with a keyword and/or auto-reply is a campaign. So, we are recommending that from now on, when you create a new group with keyword(s) and/or autoreply, you do so from the CAMPAIGNS page. To support this, we have made a change.

ScreenHunter 3475

There is a new link option on your Groups page (gold box in image above). To add a new group with a keyword and/or autoreply, we recommend clicking on this link option.

Read more here.

They’re not duplicate campaigns – don’t delete

By Team PastorsLine | November 5, 2021

We hope you’ve heard that we are working hard to finish up Version 3 of our PastorsLine app, so we can roll it out soon. 

One of the design improvements in PastorsLine Version 3 (PL V3) is more editing cohesion. In other words, less back and forth. To get there, we need to make some changes to the current version, so the changeover will work more smoothly. 

THE CURRENT CHANGE

Since a keyword with an autoreply should actually be considered a campaign, your Campaigns Page now includes all your groups with keywords and autoreplies (see turquoise box and arrow in image below).

ScreenHunter 3033

These are not duplicates! Your keyword/autoreply campaigns have now been added to your Campaigns Page. Please do not delete your campaigns by mistake!

***********************************************

Eventually, when you are working in PL V3, you will edit all your campaigns from your Campaigns Page – not from the Groups Page. More cohesive, right?

EDITING FOR NOW

You have two edit options. 

Option 1

Option 2

ScreenHunter 3034 ScreenHunter 3035
Edit from your Groups Page (as before). Clicking on Edit (pencil icon) will open the edit page Edit Group. Edit from your Campaigns Page (new). Clicking on Edit (pencil icon) will open the edit page Edit Autoreply.

 

Cost reduction to number lookup/checking

By Team PastorsLine | February 25, 2021

Checking numbers is cheaper.

Each check (or recheck) only costs 0.5 credits. Even more of a reason to use this service, so you don’t waste credits sending messages to number which cannot receive them.

Here are the relevant Help Desk articles with more details:

Auto-Check Undelivered Messages

How to check your contact’s phone number information / classification (HUB)

How to check your contact’s phone number information / classification (Legacy)

Sending messages: Short code 77411 default

By Team PastorsLine | December 16, 2020

PastorsLine has made it easier for churches who wish to use our dedicated short code when sending messages.

Previously – You needed to manually switch to the short code.

ScreenHunter 561

 

Now – The short code is the primary number default (crown icon in brown box above). In other words, unless you change it, your SMS will be sent from our PastorsLine dedicated short code, 77411.

So that our software logic will work, check out the set up in this help desk article.

 

 

HUB: Add someone to a Group

By Team PastorsLine | June 8, 2020

Let’s say you are in the HUB. You want to send a group message, but before you do, you want to add someone to that group. Here’s how to do that.

Step 1: Click on the “+ Members” plus sign under the group’s members details on the right of the screen:

Update 1

 

Step 2: This screen will pop up.

ScreenHunter_1961 Jun. 14 10.02

Search for the person’s name or number to add to the group. If no name or number is found, and the person you are adding to the group is also new to your database, PastorsLine will add that phone number to the group and create a “shell” contact you can edit later.

Find more information here.

Short/Long code: additional messages and warnings

By Team PastorsLine | May 31, 2020

Due to increased carrier filtering, bulk text messages sent via a long code (10 digit, local number) may be flagged as “spam”. Here’s our current recommendation: sending your bulk messages and blasts via our shared short code.

To find out more about this in general, check out this Help Desk article.

We wanted to make sure that you are aware of this situation BEFORE you send such messages.

So, we added a few messages/warnings.

  • Trying to send an autoreply with a link from your long code number in a data capture or simple autoreply? You will see this message in orange:

SCK1

  • Trying to send a group message from the long code with a link? After hitting “send”, you will see this pop up warning to change to the short code:

SCK2a

  • Sending a message to a LARGE group? This message let’s you know we recommend using the short code:

SCK2

Move over to the new HUB!

By Team PastorsLine | May 21, 2020

Our HUB has been in beta for over 1 year! (How time flies!)

We are beginning to move everyone over to the HUB so we can:

  • gather more data;
  • reduce the need to support two systems ( which frees up resources to complete our revamp and add new features).

We highly recommend giving the new HUB a try. First of all, it is faster. And as we gather more data, it should eventually be more intuitive. We do understand though, that switching from a sense of normalcy (what you already know and are familiar with) to something new can be difficult.

Here’s how we are handling that:

You can try out the HUB. If you don’t like it, you can switch back to the older interface by default. Note, however, that we are phasing out active support of our older interface. This means that we will no longer be adding new features or fixing issues.

Reprocessing of Failed Messages

By Team PastorsLine | May 21, 2020

I. Regular SMS text messages:

For SMS messages sent via your LONG code

We will auto-reprocess your messages using either the SHORT code or toll free number (depending on what you have selected in the Organization Settings page).

If you sent the SMS message via the SHORT code

We will auto-reprocess your message using your long code.

II. SMS text messages containing a LINK (URL):

If you sent these SMS messages via your LONG code

We will auto-reprocess your messages using the short code or toll free number (depending on what you have selected in the Organization Settings page).

For such text messages sent via the short code

We will auto-reprocess using your LONG code number.

III. MMS messages (text + image):

1. If you sent these messages via your LONG code:

1a. We first check internally to see if their carrier accepts MMS from a short code.

1b. If it does, we resend your message using the short code.

1c. For those who do not, we will convert the image into a URL instead of an attachment and then auto-reprocess your message using the short code.

2. For such text messages sent via the SHORT code OR a toll free number:

2a. We first check to make sure the carrier accepts MMS from a short code.

2b. If it does, we resend your message using the short code.

2c. For those who do not, we will convert the image into a URL instead of an attachment and then auto-reprocess your message using the short code.

2d. If it is still undelivered after all of that, we auto-reprocess your message again using your LONG code.

Site feedback bot

By Team PastorsLine | May 7, 2020

On the PastorsLine website, you will see our online chat option (yellow arrow below).

Besides asking us questions or getting help as needed, this is a place to:

  • provide feedback about PastorsLine
  • submit feature requests to be voted on by other churches.

When you sign in, it’s also available in your account anywhere you see the online chat option.

ScreenHunter_1680 May. 01 11.49

 

When you click on the icon, a pop-up screen gives you feedback options.

ScreenHunter_1682 May. 01 11.50

 

Smart Syncing: Improvements

By Team PastorsLine | May 6, 2020

We want to clarify how smart syncing works.

The first time smart syncing checks a contact it is quite strict.

Even if one match is found, if the first/last name, email, or phone number do not match exactly, smart syncing will not automatch it.

After the first time…

After this first initial match through smart syncing, when the contact texts in new information in the future, the system will update this profile automatically.

Before…

Before, we did this for only one record, and the data from PastorsLine would override the one in the integration (PCO, CCB). That is logical and works well assuming the person texting in gives good information. If they give garbage, it’s not great.

Read more about smart syncing.

Carrier Data for Canadian phone numbers

By Team PastorsLine | April 30, 2020

Previously

Canadian carriers gave us free access to use our Look-up API. This is a feature which allows PastorsLine to find out the phone number type (think: landline, mobile, VOIP, invalid number, etc).

Recently

Canadian carriers changed their privacy regulations and stopped allowing free access. Look-up access required payment of a fee. In order to provide our churches access to this service again, PastorsLine paid the fee.

Now, we can again use the look-up feature for Canadian numbers.

 

Long/short code reprocessing: Who gets the replies?

By Team PastorsLine | April 30, 2020

Churches are using a short code (or toll-free number) to work around the cell phone provider restrictions. Church text messages are processed via the short code/toll-free number and replies are received to that same code or number.

What happens if a church has multiple organizations or campuses? How does PastorsLine decide who receives the replies?

The PastorsLine system sends replies to the LAST organization/campus which sent a message.

Example:

Your church has 2 campuses: North and South Campus.

From the North Campus account, using the short code, you send a group message to all of your contacts. All replies to this group message will go to the North Campus account.

Then, from the South Campus account, using the short code, you send a message to the same contacts group. Now, all replies will be sent to the South Campus account—even if the reply is to the North Campus message.

The idea is we will always send the reply to the last organization a message was sent from.

Sharing Templates

By Team PastorsLine | April 23, 2020

Make the workloads of everyone in your church lighter by sharing your templates.

Creating a new template? Toggle on the Sharing button during the creation process.

Template already exists? Edit the existing template by toggling on the Sharing button.

Either way, it is one click to a lighter workload.

The walkthrough is in this article.

Group Message Statistics: easier viewing

By Team PastorsLine | April 21, 2020

PastorsLine has made it more convenient to see the message statistics of your group messages.

After choosing your group, the statistics will display in the middle column of the page.

ScreenHunter_1653 Apr. 23 18.26

The full “how to” is in this article.

Voice Broadcasts: two important updates

By Team PastorsLine | April 18, 2020

Update #1

There is a new voice broadcast module. This article will show you how to access it from Inbox 1.0 or from within the HUB.

Update #2

We’ve gotten feedback about the delay between when a contact answers the call and when the system plays the voice broadcast message. Even though the delay is only 3 seconds, some people are feeling that this is too long.

Here is our solution: Call Screening Greeting. You will find the explanation in Step 3 (Edit your settings).

Short code: Current Situation

By Team PastorsLine | April 14, 2020

MAJOR updatethe mobile carriers have approved our short code: 77411.

We have tested and implemented it in our system.

Note: The use of the short code requires a signature. A signature lets recipients know who the message is from, provides a number to reply to, and allows them the chance to “opt out” of receiving future messages from you. This signature cannot be removed. The characters for this signature are included in the total character count for your message.

Here’s how you can use our short code:

  • Send bulk messages in both the legacy inbox and the new HUB—MMS or SMS.
  • Select a signature (required) when sending messages.
  • Reprocess failed messages to increase the deliverability.
  • Use the short code as the “from” number in Automated Message Campaigns

You can’t:

  • Use this with keywords (coming soon!).
  • Apply it to campaigns except for Automated Message Campaigns.
  • Use it outside of US marketing.

Why a short code?

HUB: Sending via the short code

By Team PastorsLine | March 28, 2020

Basically, this is the same process as in Inbox 1.0. It just looks a little different.

Get the walkthrough in this Help Desk item.

Birthdays: Easier editing

By Team PastorsLine | March 25, 2020

Previously, editing the date of birth (DOB) was only by means of clicking the dropdown calendar. This was time-consuming.

Now, the PastorsLine team has made the DOB box editable. Just type in the DOB in YYYY-MM-DD format.

For more information, check out this Help Desk article.

Signature format: editing bug fixed

By Team PastorsLine | March 20, 2020

The “Reply STOP to Opt Out” option was disappearing when switching back and forth from short codes to toll-free numbers.

Now, it appears consistently in both cases.

Importing birthdays (DOB) from CSV file

By Team PastorsLine | March 17, 2020

If your .csv file has a birthday column, it needs to be in MM-DD-YYYY format to import correctly.

If yours is not in that format (MM-DD-YYYY), click HERE.

Importing addresses

By Team PastorsLine | March 17, 2020

PastorsLine now allows the importing of address via the CSV upload option, and this information will sync to the system.

Find out more about importing, editing, and managing your contacts at this link.

Templates management: update

By Team PastorsLine | March 6, 2020

The situation

Sometimes, as you clean something up, another issue is revealed. This is what happened with templates. Everyone using PastorsLine in the church was seeing all the templates…theirs and all the others.

Quite confusing to be sure.

 

The fix

Existing templates: Everyone will see all the templates. However, the list they see is linked to their user name. So, they can clean up that list (delete templates) without impacting the lists that other users see.

Any NEW template a user creates will only appear on that user’s individual template list.

Templates in the new HUB

By Team PastorsLine | March 6, 2020

Are you are a fan of the PastorsLine Templates feature?

Then, you will be happy to hear that it works in the new HUB, too.

 

Not yet using Templates to do more in less time?

Perhaps this is the opportunity you have been waiting for.

 

Basically, Templates in the HUB work the same way as in the Legacy App. The process just looks a little different.

Here is a walk-through and video for more information.

Major new feature: Voice broadcasts

By Team PastorsLine | December 23, 2019

Even though texting is still the top communication form, there are many situations in which a voice message will be more effective.

Set up your Voice Broadcast by starting at the Inbox Tab or the Groups Tab — whichever works better for you. The full walkthrough is at this link.

There are currently 5 options for your voice recording:

A) Web Record – Record from your computer / web your voice broadcast
B) Mobile Record – Record your voice  broadcast over the phone (PastorsLine will call you)
C) Upload MP3 – Upload a MP3 file you have already created
D) Text to Voice – Have an automated voice read your text to the recipient
E) Broadcast Library – Select from a list of previously used broadcasts (if saved as templates)

VoiceBroadcast with new HUB

By Team PastorsLine | November 27, 2019

MAJOR UpdateComing soon: voice broadcasts with the New Hub.

It’s an improved design with the following options:

  • record a voice broadcast directly from your browser
  • do a phone call record
  • upload an MP3

and then use and preview your text-to-voice option all via a sleek simple interface.

ETA for beta release is before Christmas.

Maybe you can send a nice heartwarming voice broadcast to your list wishing them a Merry Christmas.

You can even verify your cell or church landline as the caller ID, so they know who’s calling.

Links and templates in the new HUB

By Team PastorsLine | November 25, 2019

The legacy app (Inbox 1.0)

PastorsLine gave you the option of adding images, merge fields, templates, and/or links to your text messages.

The new HUB

Now, all these 4 options are available in the new HUB, too.

Time to check out the new HUB?

Have you been sticking with Inbox 1.0 because you use templates/links and they were not previously available in the new HUB? That made sense but now they are.

This means that most of the features of Inbox 1.0 are available via the HUB in a faster and more user-friendly way.

We suggest that it’s time to check things out for yourself (if you have not already done so).

Read more about links and templates.

Organization Settings Page

By Team PastorsLine | November 21, 2019

ScreenHunter_1363 Nov. 25 20.14

This new page has not finished its development, but you can begin using it now.

Its purpose is to capture some global details about your organization.

At the moment, one of the big uses of these details is when reprocessing (resending) failed messages via a short code in cases of filtering by the mobile carriers. Read more about this here.

Short Organization Name

This field will allow up to 12 letters. This short name will be part of the unique signature created when resending failed messages.

 

 

 

New Hub (and continuing Legacy App)

By Team PastorsLine | October 30, 2019

So often, duality is seen as something negative (think Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde or multiple personality disorder).

In this case, our PastorsLine duality is positive and very beneficial to everyone.

The way we are working at the moment

Each week, we spend dozens and dozens of hours on developing our new Hub AS WELL AS maintaining and improving our Legacy app.

Why aren’t we just working on the new hub?

We realized that the PastorsLine platform is huge. That means a new hub could take months and months to get right.

BTW…just to remind you…the new hub is not just a reskin. It is a completely new and separate app, written from scratch, which needs proper development and testing.

So, working just on a new hub would leave our current clients (who have supported us for years, thanks!) without the features they need.

Since we always prioritize our clients’ needs, there was no real choice. It was obvious that we needed to keep our Legacy app not only in great shape but even add the features which our current clients need now, and later move those features over to the new hub.

New clients

Those joining PastorsLine now are being directed to the new hub. They are helping us work out all the bugs, identifiying where we need to tweak the code.

Even some older clients are touching the new hub in some areas.

Want to try the new Hub?

Log in to PastorsLine. Click on My Profile. The User Settings page will open. At the top, it should say “New Hub Beta Testing (Try It)” [green arrow]. Click on that. The toggle switch [blue arrow] should be turned on, switching you over to the new hub by default.

Want to go back to the old hub? Just toggle the switch off and back you will go.

ScreenHunter_1358 Nov. 06 14.16

 

Why should you try the new Hub?

Inbox

Everything which you could do from the old Inbox you can now do more easily and quickly from the new Hub.

Templates and Links

Yes, these are also on the new Hub. Recently added.

What’s next?

One last redesign

We’ve been building our new app for about a year now. Even during that relatively short time, technology has changed so much. As a result, we are doing some redesign. We really want this version of our app to be very future-forward.

Also, we are paying a lot of attention to the back end, including our different integrations.

A general makeover

PastorsLine is going to be easier on the eye with a toned-down theme.

In addition, it should be cleaner to work with.

Next big feature…voicemail

The current voice broadcast feature is a little bit dated and recording messages is not so user-friendly.

Our new voice broadcast feature, which will probably be ready in 3-4 weeks, will be much more dynamic.

You will be able to record voice messages with several, easily accessed options.

But there’s more…

Eventually, you will be able to write a message which can then be converted into a voice broadcast and later sent as an email. In this way, you will be able to communicate in a variety of ways with just one input.

 

 

 

 

PastorsLine: New skin

By Team PastorsLine | August 21, 2019

New look

We recently re-skinned our legacy PastorsLine app by applying basic UI and UX fixes.

This fix is a short-term solution.

We are continuing to rebuild our entire app from the ground up. The newer version is still in beta, and we are tweaking it weekly. This rebuild will include new features.

Why the reskin?

We recognized that rushing through a rebuild doesn’t add value to you, but we also recognized you need a better experience now in how the app behaves and how easy it is on your eyes.

We hope these tweaks will help you and your team with your current day-to-day texting as we continue to commit to doing a full revamp in the coming months.

Please report any issues you see.

It’s here!

By Team PastorsLine | May 23, 2019

Thanks for checking out our new hub.

It’s in early beta testing. We are still working on tweaks to complete our “Phase 1”.

Before using it for a large campaign, send yourself a test message, and then reply to it. Send a small group test…just to be sure it works as expected.

Please provide feedback (bugs or features) here –> https://feedback.pastorsline.com/

7 More Days…

By Team PastorsLine | May 16, 2019

We require another week to completed all the modules before we can release it to you.

Duplicate Handler

By Team PastorsLine | April 30, 2019

Option to handle your duplicate data within PastorsLine 2.0

Milestone 9 of 14 done. Milestone 10 is in progress.

By Team PastorsLine | April 23, 2019

Milestone 9 of 14 done. Milestone 10 is in progress. ETA May 20th for beta testing. Maybe sooner.
Here’s a preview.

Phase 1 Update: Milestone 9 of 15

By Team PastorsLine | April 16, 2019

We are on milestone 9. New ETA for beta testing is May 15th. Here’s a video update.

Phase 1 Delayed

By Team PastorsLine | April 14, 2019

We apologize for the delay.

As of April 15th, 2019, we are on milestone 8 of 14 for our new Hub (communication hub – Inbox). It’s a major revamp. It started out in September 2018 with our designer and front-end developer, but we are closer towards the end than we ever were. The earlier milestones were the most challenging. New projected date for beta testing is May 15th.

Phase 1 covers a revamp of our inbox now called the “Hub” which should allow you to do most of your messaging, voice, groups, and contact management from this single center.

Later phases will cover other modules like the full contact page, groups, voice suite, campaigns, etc.

We are committed to ensuring we create a modern, fast app. Thanks for your patience.

Phase 1 Launch Planned (April 15th, 2019)

By Team PastorsLine | January 14, 2019

Our aim is to complete our new, redesigned, communication hub inbox named The Hub.
More specifically…

* In the newer, revamped web app, you should have the ability to do everything you already do in our current version of the PastorsLine Inbox .

* You should be able to manage groups, contacts, and voice from The Hub.

* You should have access to our improved, top navigation flow.

* You should be able to work across all major browsers (Safari, Chrome, Firefox, and Edge).

Why you should not sign up to use PastorsLine Web
Dozens of churches are already using
PastorsLine and seeing success.

The PastorsLine platform is a church-driven, bulk texting platform developed and managed by church ‘insiders’. We know churches intimately. We’ve attended them, been part of their management teams and worked with them for many years. Our goal is to serve you by helping you spread the Good News of Jesus Christ. We’ve positioned ourselves to be your in-house, IT team for solutions to your communication issues. In addition to everything our platform can do, our partners love our responsiveness to their needs and fast tech support.

author: Jason Alexis

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