Could you even imagine running an entire outreach event from an Android phone, even in the remotest part of the world?

Russ Martin thought through this challenge and using an app, TextItIn, created a process you could use to organize an outreach and continue to challenge the people you meet through your campaign. All using texting.

Managing an Outreach and Contacts on Your Android Phone

Watch the video for the details on how to use texting to:

• Invite people to your evangelistic event
• Gather individual responses to Christ on your Android phone
• Automatically move them along an individualized path challenging them to their next faith step
• Arrange to meet a group afterwards for follow-up
• Automatically send them to the JESUS Film in their language or to a gospel presentation.

Either that list overwhelms or excites you. Don’t be overwhelmed! The automated process does a lot for you and, in a sense, filters people so that the ones you meet personally after your event are truly interested.

Russ even has a phone number for you to experience this for yourself. Text “Film” and next try “Grow” to this number:

A Few Definitions

I thought you might appreciate a few definitions of words that come up in the video:

• WYSIWYG (WIZ-zee-wig) stands for “what you see is what you get”. Basically, if there’s any computer jargon involved you won’t see it. It’s doing it’s job behind the scenes.
• API (Application Doorway Interface) is a doorway to an application. Think of having a key to a library. If software has the right key, it’s allowed access to specific data from other applications. Examples of this are: accessing Google Maps within TntMPD, showing your Twitter feed on your blog, or embedding a Google Calendar on your website.
• CRM (Customer Relationship Management) is not just collecting names into a digital address book, but usually involves automatic two-way communications.

Watch the Demo

Watch Russ’ eight-minute demonstration video and see if it sparks any ideas for your ministry.

Some of the other applications Russ mentions are:

• JesusFilmMedia
• UnfoldingWord
• GodTools
• Twilio.com

Russ is part of Cru’s Indigitous.org. If you have questions, contact Russ at “mail at indigitous dot org”.

NOTES:

• The original post by Russ Martin is on Indigitous.org.
• A simple explanation of API comes from the What is an API? video by MarketingProfs.
• Many of our readers are also familiar with the MissionHub app.
• The original texting image is by Melina Sampaio Manfrinatti and is available on Flickr Creative Commons.