A system, comprising the following computer-executable components: a receiver component configured to receive a request to create a persistent messaging group for an instant messaging application, wherein the request includes an indication of one or more entities that are desired to be members of the persistent messaging group, wherein the one or more entities include individuals and existing persistent messaging groups, and wherein the receiver component is further configured to receive a group message and recognize that the message is desired to be disseminated to all entities of the persistent messaging group; a group creator component configured to create the persistent messaging group based at least in part upon the received group creation request, wherein the persistent messaging group is persisted over multiple instant messaging sessions, wherein a message is sent to each of the entities in response to the respective entity detected to be online, and wherein the persistent messaging group is created in response to at least one response being received from at least one of said individuals; a message transmitter component configured to transmit group messages received by the receiver component to each member of the persistent messaging group who is online, wherein the message transmitter component is further configured to cause the group messages to be retained in a data store as a-persisted messages; and an offline message transmitter configured to receive an indication that a first member of the persistent messaging group has come online, to access the persisted messages in the data store, and to transmit a number of said persisted messages to the first member of the persistent messaging group, wherein the first member of the instant messaging group was offline when the receiver component received the group message s, and wherein said number of persisted messages corresponds to a number of messages received over a threshold amount of time before the first member has come online. a receiver component configured to receive a request to create a persistent messaging group for an instant messaging application, wherein the request includes an indication of one or more entities that are desired to be members of the persistent messaging group, wherein the one or more entities include individuals and existing persistent messaging groups, and wherein the receiver component is further configured to receive a group message and recognize that the message is desired to be disseminated to all entities of the persistent messaging group; a group creator component configured to create the persistent messaging group based at least in part upon the received group creation request, wherein the persistent messaging group is persisted over multiple instant messaging sessions, wherein a message is sent to each of the entities in response to the respective entity detected to be online, and wherein the persistent messaging group is created in response to at least one response being received from at least one of said individuals; a message transmitter component configured to transmit group messages received by the receiver component to each member of the persistent messaging group who is online, wherein the message transmitter component is further configured to cause the group messages to be retained in a data store as a-persisted messages; and an offline message transmitter configured to receive an indication that a first member of the persistent messaging group has come online, to access the persisted messages in the data store, and to transmit a number of said persisted messages to the first member of the persistent messaging group, wherein the first member of the instant messaging group was offline when the receiver component received the group message s, and wherein said number of persisted messages corresponds to a number of messages received over a threshold amount of time before the first member has come online.