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SMS Opt-in and Consent

Good News Bible Church · 20430 Ashburn Village Blvd, Ashburn, VA 20147 · 703-594-1088 · info@goodnewsbible.org

Good News Bible Church sends text messages only to people who have opted in. We send church announcements, event and volunteer reminders, messages from the ministry groups a person belongs to, and one-time sign-in codes when a person asks for one. Message frequency varies. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help and STOP to opt out at any time.

Consent to receive text messages is collected on its own. It is never a condition of membership, attendance, or creating an account, and it is never bundled into another form or agreement. Full terms: SMS Terms · Privacy Policy.

There are three ways to opt in:

1. Web form

At www.goodnewsbible.org/sms (in Russian at www.goodnewsbible.org/ru/sms), a person enters their first name, last name and US mobile number; email is optional. Below the fields is a consent checkbox with the full disclosure printed right next to it:

I agree to receive recurring text messages from Good News Bible Church about announcements, events, and my ministry groups. Message frequency varies. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to opt out. Consent is not a condition of membership or attendance.

  • The checkbox is unchecked when the page loads.
  • The form cannot be submitted until the person checks it themselves.
  • Links to the SMS Terms and Privacy Policy sit directly under the disclosure.
  • The form is used only for text-message sign-up. It does not create an account or sign anyone up for anything else.

For each sign-up we store the mobile number, the date and time, the exact disclosure wording and its version, the page language, and the IP address and browser user agent of the submission.

The text message sign-up form at goodnewsbible.org/sms: first name, last name, mobile number and optional email fields, an unchecked consent checkbox with the full disclosure next to it, links to the SMS Terms and Privacy Policy, and a Sign Up for Texts button.
The sign-up form at goodnewsbible.org/sms, as it appears when the page loads.
The same sign-up form in Russian at goodnewsbible.org/ru/sms, with the consent checkbox unchecked and the Russian disclosure next to it.
The Russian version at goodnewsbible.org/ru/sms. The disclosure reads: “Я соглашаюсь получать регулярные текстовые сообщения от церкви Good News Bible Church («Радостная весть») об объявлениях, мероприятиях и моих группах служения. Частота сообщений может меняться. Оператор может взимать плату за сообщения и передачу данных. Ответьте HELP (ПОМОЩЬ), чтобы получить помощь, или STOP (СТОП), чтобы отписаться. Согласие не является условием членства в церкви или её посещения.”

2. Text keyword JOIN

A person can text JOIN to our announcement number (number to be published). The number and keyword are advertised on printed material only together with this disclosure: “Text JOIN to receive recurring texts from Good News Bible Church about announcements, events, and your ministry groups. Message frequency varies. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to opt out.”

They receive this confirmation reply:

Good News Bible Church: You're subscribed to church texts (announcements, events, ministry groups). Msg frequency varies. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply HELP for help, STOP to opt out.

3. Sign-up card at the welcome desk

At the welcome desk on Sundays, a person can fill out a paper sign-up card with their name and mobile number. The card has an unchecked box with the same disclosure printed next to it, word for word as on the web form above, and the person checks the box themselves. If someone asks a greeter to sign them up, the greeter reads the disclosure aloud and the person checks the box on the card. Staff enter the card into our system with the date and the opt-in method, and keep the card.

Help and opt-out

Replying HELP (or ПОМОЩЬ) to any message returns:

Good News Bible Church: For help, call 703-594-1088 or email info@goodnewsbible.org. Msg & data rates may apply. Reply STOP to opt out.

Replying STOP (or СТОП, STOPALL, UNSUBSCRIBE, CANCEL, END, QUIT) to any message stops all texts from the church and returns one final confirmation:

Good News Bible Church: You have been unsubscribed and will receive no more messages. Reply START to resubscribe.

Replying LEAVE in a ministry group's conversation removes the person from that one group only.

Mobile numbers and opt-in data are never sold or shared with third parties or affiliates for marketing or promotional purposes; see our Privacy Policy.