Grow Your People Spiritually this Lent with Meaningful Text Messaging

Lent is just getting started and churches around the world are entering into a season of reflection, sacrifice, and spiritual growth. These 40 days leading up to Easter invite us to pause, examine our hearts, and draw closer to God. But Lent is more than just a tradition—it’s an opportunity for deep transformation.

It’s easy to go through the motions, giving up coffee or social media without fully engaging in the spiritual significance of this season. But what if this year was different? What if Lent became a time of true renewal, where daily prayer, sacrifice, and acts of service helped prepare the hearts of your congregants for the joy of Easter?

With thoughtful communication and intentional engagement, churches can help their members experience Lent in a way that leads to lasting change. The easiest way to do this is through texting, the way your people prefer to communicate. Here’s how:

1. Strengthening Daily Reflection with Scripture and Devotionals

Lent is a time of meditation on God’s word, but staying consistent with daily reflection can be challenging. One of the most powerful ways to encourage spiritual growth is by making scripture easily accessible.

• Sending a daily Bible verse can serve as a simple yet powerful reminder of God’s presence.
• Automating Lenten devotionals allows participants to receive a structured reading plan straight to their inbox or phone and eliminates the question of “I wonder where I should start?”.
• Encouraging engagement through reflection-based messages, like “What does today’s scripture reveal to you?” or “Reply with one thing you’re grateful for,” can deepen personal connection to the season and promote deeper spiritual undertsanding.

By making scripture a consistent part of daily life, Lent becomes less about routine and more about transformation.

2. Keeping Prayer at the Center of Lent

Lent is not just about giving something up—it’s about making room for a deeper relationship with God. Prayer should be at the heart of this season, providing the foundation for spiritual renewal.

• Creating a digital space where people can submit prayer requests makes it easy for congregants to share their burdens and receive encouragement.
• Setting up a Lenten prayer chain through small group messages fosters a sense of community and collective intercession.
• Sending daily or weekly prayer prompts can inspire both personal and corporate prayer, reminding members to stay spiritually focused throughout the 40 days.

Encouraging an active prayer life during Lent strengthens not just individual faith, but the entire church community.

3. Encouraging Sacrificial Living

Lent calls believers to step outside their comfort zones and embrace sacrificial living—not just through fasting, but by making meaningful sacrifices that draw them closer to God.

• Regular text reminders can help members stay committed to their Lenten fasts, whether they’re stepping away from digital noise, unhealthy habits, or material indulgences.
• Weekly challenges can encourage acts of sacrificial generosity, such as giving up a personal luxury and donating the savings to a cause.
• Thoughtful reflections on why we live sacrificially can remind participants that the goal isn’t giving something up, it’s to deepen your relationship with God.

When sacrifice is framed as an opportunity for a more spiritually connected life, it becomes more meaningful.

4. Inspiring Acts of Kindness and Service

Lent isn’t just about personal reflection—it’s also about looking outward and serving others. Encouraging generosity and kindness can transform Lent into a season of impact.

• A “Lent Challenge” could encourage members to commit to one act of service per week, from writing a letter of encouragement to volunteering at a local shelter.
• Text or email reminders can provide practical service opportunities, making it easy for members to participate in outreach efforts.
• Organizing a church-wide service initiative, like a food drive or community cleanup, can help turn sacrifice into action.

By shifting the focus from what we’re giving up to how we’re giving back, Lent becomes an opportunity to reflect Christ’s love in tangible ways.

5. Preparing Hearts for Easter Sunday

Lent leads to the most joyful day on the Christian calendar—Easter Sunday. But too often, the busyness of planning overshadows the spiritual preparation needed to truly celebrate the resurrection.

• Building anticipation for Holy Week by sharing reflections on Christ’s journey to the cross can help deepen engagement.
• Sending reminders and invitations for special services ensures that members and visitors alike are aware of key events leading up to Easter.
• Encouraging testimonies and reflections on how Lent has shaped their faith can bring the entire church into a collective celebration of renewal and hope.

Lent is about transformation, not obligation. By intentionally walking through these 40 days with a heart open to change, church leaders and members alike can emerge renewed, ready to embrace the fullness of Easter with joy and expectation.

Conclusion

Lent isn’t just about giving something up—it’s about gaining something greater. When churches create intentional spaces for reflection, prayer, sacrifice, and service, they help their members experience a Lent that truly prepares their hearts for Easter.

This year, you can use texting to help your people grow and focus on faith. Sign up to get started using free church texting on Gloo.