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4 minute read
In our increasingly connected world, the challenge for ministry leaders isn't just staying in touch—it's fostering genuine spiritual growth and community engagement beyond Sunday services. As you explore digital tools to support your church or ministry, you've likely—or are currently using—GroupMe.
GroupMe is a mobile group messaging app owned by Skype Technologies, a subsidiary of Microsoft. It was launched in May 2010 and boasts 12 million+ users worldwide. It's easy to use, really simple to create a group, and even easier to invite new members.
But...
Is it truly equipped to nurture your faith community? Or should you choose an option like Called, a tool made specifically for churches and ministries?
Let's dive into how these platforms compare and why one might be the perfect digital space for your community to flourish.
Beyond Basic Messaging: Purpose and Design
At first glance, both Called and GroupMe facilitate group communication. However, their core purposes couldn't be more different. Called is a platform designed intentionally for faith communities, while GroupMe is more like a general-purpose group messaging app.
Called:
- Designed from the ground up for ministry leaders
- Integrates spiritual growth tools with communication features
- Focuses on building meaningful connections within faith contexts
GroupMe:
- General-purpose group messaging app
- Primarily designed for casual group chats, not robust organization
- Lacks specific features for spiritual development or church management
Cultivating Community vs. Basic Communication
Called was built by ministry leaders for ministry leaders and their members, with each tool carefully selected to help your community thrive:
- Faith-focused group discussions
- Integrated event planning for ministry activities
- Community discovery to connect like-minded members
- Dedicated prayer feature to request and pray for members
GroupMe, in contrast, offers a more basic set of communication tools:
- Simple group text messaging
- Photo and video sharing
- Likes and emoji reactions
- Basic polls
Along with the tools GroupMe offers as mentioned above, Called provides a rich ecosystem where faith can truly flourish.
Tending to Your Flock: Comprehensive Tools vs. Limited Options
As a leader for your community, you need tools that amplify your efforts, not limit them. Called offers a suite of features that make nurturing your digital flock intuitive and effective:
- Easily manage multiple groups for different ministries or purposes
- Plan, coordinate, share, and manage events seamlessly within the platform
- Facilitate meaningful discussions with faith-specific prompts and resources
- Send out high-level updates and announcements to your community via News
GroupMe's management features are more akin to a basic toolbox:
- Create and manage simple group chats
- Basic admin controls for adding or removing members
Spiritual Nourishment: Integrated Support vs. DIY
One of Called's main points of differentiation from GroupMe is its conscience effort to build tools that support and deepen your member's spiritual life, not take away from it by being a greater distraction.
One way we do this is through our standout feature, Prayer:
- Share Prayer Requests: Have a prayer on your heart? Now, you and other members can share it with your community directly through Chat. Whether you’re seeking support or lifting up others, this is a powerful way to connect when it matters most.
- Enter in with Prayer Mode: No more liking a prayer request and forgetting to pray for the intention! When a prayer request comes in, you can enter our peaceful new Prayer Mode. This mode allows for a dedicated pause for focused prayer, free from distractions, so you can fully concentrate on lifting up those needs.
GroupMe, being a general messaging app, leaves spiritual support entirely up to you. Any such functionality would need to be manually created and managed within its basic text environment.
Safety and Privacy
In ministry, creating a safe space for vulnerable conversations is crucial. We prioritize this need through:
- Robust moderation tools to maintain a healthy environment
- Profanity filtering to keep discussions appropriate
- Strict privacy policies to protect sensitive information
(In the near future, Called will offer “safe environment” features that further help protect minors in digital settings. Stay tuned!)
While GroupMe offers basic privacy settings, it lacks the specialized safety features that a faith community often requires.
Real-World Impact: A Day in Your Ministry
Imagine coordinating your church's volunteer efforts...
With Called, you could:
- Create a dedicated volunteer group
- Post opportunities and allow easy sign-ups
- Know who’s attending and who’s not with event RSVP's
- Share training materials and guidelines via our News feature
- Coordinate schedules and send reminders through direct or group chat
- Facilitate prayer support for various ministries by posting or requesting prayers
- Ensure all communication is secure and ministry-focused simply by using Called
Using GroupMe, you'd need to:
- Set up a basic group chat for volunteers
- Manually track sign-ups and schedules with another tool
- Use external tools for document sharing and event planning
- Rely on general chat for all types of communication, potentially mixing important updates with casual conversation
What Else Do You Gain with Called?
By choosing Called, you're not just picking a group messaging app; you're investing in a platform that:
- Simplifies Your Workload: Manage all aspects of your digital ministry in one place, saving time and reducing stress.
- Prioritizes Safety: Create a protected space where your community can engage in open, honest, and faith-filled conversations.
- Respects Privacy and Data Security: Unlike tools like GroupMe, which sell your data to make a profit, rest easy knowing your community's information is never sold or compromised.
- Speaks Your Language: Uses a ministry-specific design that aligns with your goals and understands your unique needs.
- Community-Focused: At Called, we believe community shouldn’t be limited to Sundays.
With our all-in-one tool made for churches and ministries, you can foster deeper connections every day of the week.
- Use Called on the go or on your desktop. Choose where it’s most convenient for you. Download the app or sign up at web.called.app.
Planting Seeds for Growth
While GroupMe can facilitate basic group chats, Called provides a more comprehensive, ministry-focused space for your community to truly thrive in the digital age. It's a platform that understands the heart of your mission and offers the specialized tools you need to cultivate a vibrant, engaged, and growing faith community.
Ready to foster greater connections in your church or ministry?