Ministry by Text exists to support the global Church in communicating the Gospel of Jesus Christ to every nation, tribe and tongue for every kingdom purpose. Our passion is to equip our ministry partners with the best tools and knowledge to be effective in our shared goal of gospel multiplication. We provide enterprise-level software, Implementation Specialist to guide you along the way and an intentional relationship where we truly care about the growth and success of partnerships. MBT has been serving churches and ministries in communication since 2009 and was founded by brothers Mike and Danny Cantrell.
Meet Your Ministry Team
Leadership
Brian Audia is an inspirational leader in the movement to promote business as a tool for human flourishing. He is a former missions pastor, executive pastor, church planter, missionary, and parachurch leader, and he understands the challenges churches and ministries face today.
Churches and ministries with the highest levels of engagement are the organizations that perform at the highest levels, delivering significant Kingdom impact. Engaged staff and volunteers give the most of their time, talent, and treasure to missional causes. More importantly, though, ministries with high engagement are places of joy where people thrive as God intended. Communication to that end is critical!
As a speaker, businessman, organizational development expert, and former nonprofit executive Brian is honored as one of the Top 40 Alumni of Auburn University at Montgomery for his impact on the world, alongside two former Chairs of the United States Joint Chiefs of Staff. Brian, his staff, and boards have managed tens of thousands of volunteers and raised millions of dollars around the globe doing ministry to impact lives for the better. Brian has directed humanitarian and social service operations in over 40 nations and two dozen cities across the United States.
Brian also serves as the President and CEO of AUDIA, a growth-oriented consulting company providing organizational development and executive leadership services to increase the performance of businesses, nonprofits, and ministries. He has been married to his wife Melissa since 2000, and they have three boys, Caleb, Joshua, and Silas.
Mike is a pioneer in the Enterprise Texting Industry and the commercial brand Solutions by Text set the standard for compliance and implementation best practice. Mike has combined a 25+ year career in Business Solutions Architecture with 20+ years in leadership in the local church to design Ministry by Text, a best in class digital solution that goes far beyond sending a text message. He has an uncanny ability to teach organizations how to improve execution through improved communication.
While attending Baylor University in the 80’s Mike met his wife Jane and they’ve been married since 1994 and have 4 kiddos including a set of triplets!
Interests:
Mentoring, Skiing, Sunsets & Family
In 1994, Danny Cantrell started his 1st Business and install a T-1 line in his apartment. His Dad, “The Legend,“ and a few college buddies became his first sales team but he quickly realized he needed to turn his business over to God, because he was trying to do it his way instead of giving it to the Father that is always in control. That decision in the early apartment years gave him his favorite bible verses in Jeremiah 29:11-13 11 For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. 12 Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart. The good Lord had a Big Plans to prosper him and not to harm, plans to give him hope and a future.
In 2007 the apartment days were long behind him, the country was in the middle of the National Mortgage Crisis. With the promise to prosper, Danny’s brother, Mike Cantrell become the President of their newly launched technology company, Solutions by Text. Leveraging their existing customer base, they introduced Texting focused on compliance, with a consultative implementation strategy. Quickly the Cantrell Brothers were helping companies all over the world connect to their customers via SMS/Text. They open their global offices in Bangalore India and call that team family too.
In 2011, the brothers launched Ministry by Text which leverages the power of text for ministries and their consultative approach. That is also the year he met his wife at Prestonwood Church. She was a 1st time guest and the Good Lord Prospered him again and sat his future wife Alanda, directly in front of him in a 7000 member auditorium.
In 2012, at the age of 47, Danny finally joined the “daddy club” with the birth of his daughter Riley.
In October 2019 he celebrated his 25th work anniversary with a customer User Conference and hosted a Gala for their 501(c)(3) organization, legacygive.org.
In March of 2020 he witnessed Church’s go virtual because of Covid-19 and on Easter Sunday 2020 the lord gave him his heart’s desire, as he witnessed over 1000 profession of faith by texting the name Jesus.
Billy Bob is the CFO of Ministry by Text. He spent 10 years in public accounting providing audit and consulting services to a variety of clients ranging from some of the largest companies in the world to local, solely owned companies. Although the bulk of his experience focused on high-growth technology companies, he served clients in a wide range of industries including real estate companies, construction companies, and manufacturing firms. After moving from public practice to industry, he gained hands-on startup experience by joining a fast growth, founder-managed, SaaS company where he directly led the professionalization of the finance department and helped direct the professionalization of the rest of the company. He has been with Ministry by Text for 4 years
Billy Bob graduated from Texas A&M University with a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting and a Master of Science in Finance. He holds an active CPA license. He and his wife have been married for 16 years, and they have two boys who love being outside. Together they enjoy hunting, fishing, baseball, and golf.
Before joining the MBT Team in 2019, Chris spent over 16 years serving large church teams in various creative, communication and production roles. His unique perspective on how churches use technology to communicate and connect is a valuable asset in how the MBT team approaches and consults churches to be effective.
Chris is originally from West Texas, attended Texas Tech University before pursuing a freelance career in graphic and website design and serving in full-time ministry. Chris has been married to Kristin since 2004 and has 2 boys- Cooper and Caleb.
Interests:
Mountains, Craft Coffee, Star Wars, Apple Fanboy
Michael joined MBT shortly after getting married to his wife Matti in the Summer of 2018. He earned his Bachelors Degree in Business Administration from Colorado Christian University where he also played four years of college baseball.
On the MBT team, Michael enjoys bringing new churches onboard and then getting to watch how the Good News of God continues to get spread.
Interests: Exercising, Movies, Golf, and Concerts
Consulting
Stephen Beasley joined the MBT team in 2022. He has spent the past 18 years at the Media & Communications Pastor for a large church in Tennessee. Stephen has a passion for empowering ministries to use technology to deliver the life-changing message of hope and grace through Jesus.
Stephen and Ami reside in Tennessee with their 7 Children.
They love the outdoors, Atlanta Braves, and serving in ministry.
Dan joined MBT in June of 2022 after working for over a decade in higher education. Dan has also served on the foreign mission field and in the local church as a youth leader, sports ministry leader, small group teacher, deacon, and in various roles on the church staff. He draws from this experience and enjoys taking a personal approach to helping churches and ministries overcome obstacles in order to keep doing what they do best.
Dan grew up in Woodstock, GA, and has a BA in History from Reinhardt University and an MBA from Kennesaw State University. He also studied at the Word of Life Bible Institute in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Interests:
Family time, sports, public speaking, strategy games, and the great outdoors.
Implementation
EJ joined the MBT Team in the Fall of 2017 after moving to Texas from Northern California. He earned his Bachelors degree in Health Exercise & Sports Science from the University of the Pacific but felt the call to ministry toward the end of his undergrad. During his senior year, he had the opportunity to take part in a college ministry internship. It was there where he discovered a passion for bringing people together and for the Church. After months of prayer and mentorship, EJ followed that call to ministry and started the Masters of Christian Leadership degree program at Dallas Theological Seminary. He is nearing the end of his courses and highly anticipates using both his theological and organizational training for the glory of God and the good of the Church.
Ministry by Text has allowed EJ a practical way to serve ministries of all shapes and sizes and gain experience with different organizational structures. Each church and ministry provides unique opportunities to develop relationships and consult leaders wherever they are.
Hobbies:
Hiking, Exercising, Reading, Theology, the Outdoors & eating good food with friends and family
Jeff joined the MBT Team in the summer of 2022. He was born in Dallas and studied music education at East Texas State University. For the last seven years, Jeff has worked in international sales and distribution and understands the importance of effective communication while fostering professional relationships all around the world. Jeff has a passion for helping others and is excited to be in the Lord’s service helping ministries communicate effectively.
Jeff and Lisa Marie live in McKinney, Texas with their two sons, Jeffrey and Jackson.
Interests: Watching his sons as they figure out Earth, hockey, hockey and more hockey. GO STARS!
Consulting
Implementation
Stephen Beasley joined the MBT team in 2022. He has spent the past 18 years at the Media & Communications Pastor for a large church in Tennessee. Stephen has a passion for empowering ministries to use technology to deliver the life-changing message of hope and grace through Jesus.
Stephen and Ami reside in Tennessee with their 7 Children.
They love the outdoors, Atlanta Braves, and serving in ministry.
Dan joined MBT in June of 2022 after working for over a decade in higher education. Dan has also served on the foreign mission field and in the local church as a youth leader, sports ministry leader, small group teacher, deacon, and in various roles on the church staff. He draws from this experience and enjoys taking a personal approach to helping churches and ministries overcome obstacles in order to keep doing what they do best.
Dan grew up in Woodstock, GA, and has a BA in History from Reinhardt University and an MBA from Kennesaw State University. He also studied at the Word of Life Bible Institute in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Interests:
Family time, sports, public speaking, strategy games, and the great outdoors.
EJ joined the MBT Team in the Fall of 2017 after moving to Texas from Northern California. He earned his Bachelors degree in Health Exercise & Sports Science from the University of the Pacific but felt the call to ministry toward the end of his undergrad. During his senior year, he had the opportunity to take part in a college ministry internship. It was there where he discovered a passion for bringing people together and for the Church. After months of prayer and mentorship, EJ followed that call to ministry and started the Masters of Christian Leadership degree program at Dallas Theological Seminary. He is nearing the end of his courses and highly anticipates using both his theological and organizational training for the glory of God and the good of the Church.
Ministry by Text has allowed EJ a practical way to serve ministries of all shapes and sizes and gain experience with different organizational structures. Each church and ministry provides unique opportunities to develop relationships and consult leaders wherever they are.
Hobbies:
Hiking, Exercising, Reading, Theology, the Outdoors & eating good food with friends and family
Jeff joined the MBT Team in the summer of 2022. He was born in Dallas and studied music education at East Texas State University. For the last seven years, Jeff has worked in international sales and distribution and understands the importance of effective communication while fostering professional relationships all around the world. Jeff has a passion for helping others and is excited to be in the Lord’s service helping ministries communicate effectively.
Jeff and Lisa Marie live in McKinney, Texas with their two sons, Jeffrey and Jackson.
Interests: Watching his sons as they figure out Earth, hockey, hockey and more hockey. GO STARS!
Operations
Joe is a creative-minded individual with a passion for planning and execution. He has a unique background with experience in ministry as well as the SMS industry. Joe has worked in creative ministry for close to 10 years and is passionate about helping spread the gospel.
Joe lives in North Texas with his wife and son.
Interests:
Coffee, Photography, Electric Guitar
Elle was born and raised in Denton, Tx and graduated from Stephen F. Austin State University in 2019 with her BBA in Human Resource Management. Upon graduation, Elle moved to L.A. to work for a non-profit joint ministry empowering women and fighting against human trafficking. Upon meeting her now husband, Elle moved back to her home state and planted roots in Dallas after getting married in the summer of 2021.
Elle has experience in the software industry, and would love to blend her administrative passions, and heart for God to empower ministries to communicate with their audience efficiently and effectively. Being involved at her local Church and having a grasp on the inner workings of non-profits, Elle loves watching others use their calling to share the gospel and honor the Lord in what they do.
Hobbies include: Trying new coffee shops only to order a vanilla latte, traveling, and spending time outdoors.
Before joining the MBT Team in 2022, Zane spent over 10 years serving the church in various pastoral, creative, communication and production roles. His many roles in leadership and technology have given him a wide array of skills to produce high-level content in the communication arena.
Zane is originally from Roswell, NM, and attended New Mexico State University before serving in full-time large church and church-plant ministries. Zane has been married to Kara since 2009 and has 2 girls (Addi and Kam) and 2 boys (Coleman and Sullivan).
Interests:
Coffee, Wine, Music, Golf, Video Games
Effective
The Ministry by Text approach is proven and effective and it’s the same for every client, whether big or small. We help remove the guesswork and uncertainty by providing solid tools, sound advice, and proven strategies for success based on hard data and years of experience.
Explore Use Cases
Strategic
Ministry by Text understands the church model and we’re here to help you connect with your people. Let us show you how you can leverage real-time SMS messaging to boost the effectiveness of your ministry’s communication strategy.
Contact MBT Now
The Pillars of Ministry by Text
Boost Attendance
Increase Participation
Promote Serving
Encourage Giving
Discipleship
Outreach
The six pillars of Ministry By Text are built around experiencing results and creating a deeper connection through church texting. The life cycle of a church member is a key component to creating a successful communication strategy. As your consultants, we help you think one step ahead and are experts at leading your audience to get results.
