How to share your giving link during a church service

The offering slide goes up: "Give online at yourchurch.org/give/online-giving-portal." Someone in row 9 opens a browser, types half of it, mistypes "church," and the worship team starts the next song. The plate comes past and they don't carry cash anymore. If you're looking for a way to share your giving link during a church service, the link has to reach the phone in each person's hand at the moment they decide to give, in one step.

With Textiful, the pastor says "Text GIVE to 33777." A reply comes back with a link to your giving page. People tap it, and the gift happens on the giving platform your church already uses.

The problem with sharing a giving link from the stage

A URL is hard to say out loud and harder to type from a screen across the room. Every extra character is a chance to get it wrong, and a wrong address in a browser is a dead end, so the person gives up.

The church app helps the members who have it installed and remember their password. Visitors and occasional attendees don't.

Timing matters too. The offering lasts a song or two. A step that takes a minute to work out loses to the music, the kids, and whatever comes next.

Why the usual fixes fall short

• A short URL on the slide is easier, and still has to be typed from across the room.
• A QR code to the giving page works for people who can see the screen and know how to scan. Someone in the balcony or the overflow room may not.
• "Give in the app" reaches members with the app ready to go.
• A giving link in the weekly email reaches people later in the week, after the moment has passed.

How to set it up with Textiful

1. Start from "Send an offer or info." It sends one reply and asks no questions. Write the reply: "Thank you for giving to Grace Community. Here's our giving page: yourchurch.org/give". Keep it short; texts are capped at 315 characters.
2. Choose the keyword. GIVE is the obvious choice, and as a common word it may already belong to someone else on 33777. A keyword is unique on its short code, so check 55444 too, or use GIVEGRACE or your church's initials. One keyword is included on your plan.
3. Add a QR code. A free QR code for the offering slide, the bulletin, and the pew cards starts a copy of the same flow, so people who'd rather scan can scan.
4. Tag it if you'd like a count. Add "Tag the contact" with a tag like Giving link to see how many people asked for the link each week.

Adding a name and email for a thank-you

If your church wants to say thank you or invite people to a next step, add an email question and a name question after the reply with the link. Both texts go out together: the link first, then "If you'd like a note from us, what's your email?" Anyone who only wants the link can tap it and ignore the question. The flow closes after 24 hours without a reply.

Put the questions after the link, not before it. Across Textiful flows over 90 days in 2026, two-question flows finished 83.1% of the time, which means some people stopped partway. If the link waited at the end, those people would never get it.

Textiful doesn't know who gave. A thank-you sent from your email tool to everyone who texted in should thank them for being there and for their generosity, and leave receipts to your giving platform. Add the contacts to Mailchimp, Kit, ActiveCampaign, or HubSpot so the note goes out from there.

When in the service to say it

At the start of the offering, before the music starts. Say the keyword and short code clearly, put them on the screen with the QR code, and give the room a moment: "If you give online, text GIVE to 33777 and we'll send you the link." Put the same line in the bulletin for anyone who'd rather give after the service.

For a special offering or a building campaign, use a separate keyword that replies with that campaign's page, so the two counts stay apart.

Before and after

	A URL on the offering slide	A keyword with Textiful
What people type	A full web address	One word to 33777
Typos	A dead end in the browser	A reply with the right link
Who it reaches	People who can read the screen	Anyone who hears the keyword
Visitors	Need to find the page themselves	Get the same link as members
Knowing it was used	Your giving platform's reports	A count of text-ins, plus your platform's reports

Who this is for, and who should skip it

It fits US churches and ministries that already have an online giving page and want an easier way to get people there during the service. Nonprofits can use the same approach at events.

Skip it if you're looking for a text-to-give service that takes the payment by text; Textiful doesn't process donations. Skip it too for congregations outside the US, since the short codes work with US carriers only. And if nearly everyone already gives through your app, a keyword adds little.

You pay per conversation, one each time someone texts in or scans. Plans start from $19/month; see pricing. The churches and ministries page covers guest connection cards and event sign-ups.

Try it at your next event → Start a free trial