Most church texting tools ask leaders to adopt a new number and a separate inbox. StraightText, formerly Porterhouse, is a Mac and Windows desktop app that sends personalized bulk iMessages and SMS from the pastor's own cellphone number.^1^3
Leaders write a message, add images or links, personalize with ${firstName}, then choose recipients from a CSV or Apple Contacts. Each send goes out individually, so iPhone contacts see a personal iMessage and Android contacts receive SMS. Replies land in the regular Messages app.^1
The church landing page is built for announcements, prayer requests, weekly devotionals, welcome texts for new visitors, birthday blessings, and event reminders, including photos, videos, and sermon recordings that preview in iMessage. It can connect with church management software so a new member or a new event can trigger a text.^1 The homepage also can use Zapier for automatic sends when someone signs up or an event is booked.^4
On Mac, StraightText can iMessage email addresses that are on iMessage when a list has emails but not phone numbers.^5 Its NumberGuard protection watches for carrier spam flags during bulk sends and can pause a broadcast to protect the sender's number.^4 Plans are subscription-based with no per-message fee from StraightText.^6
Porterhouse was launched in April 2019, after co-founder Cecil built the first version for his trainer, who was spending close to half an hour a day copy-pasting the same text to each client.^7 Co-founder Suan, who joined later, describes Porterhouse in a Starter Story interview as "a mass-texting service that lets you text large groups from your cellphone number with a single click."^7 The company, founded in 2019, rebranded as StraightText in a move announced in May 2025, with Director of Marketing Forrest McCall saying the new name "more accurately communicates our core mission: delivering direct, uncomplicated messaging solutions that cut through the noise, sent straight from your existing cellphone number."^2
"iMessage marketing has transformed how we connect with our congregation. Our event attendance has increased 40% since we started using personal text messages." - Pastor Michael Thompson, Lead Pastor, Grace Community Church^1
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