A few years ago when Amazing Grace came out, I remember being fully moved by the film. The story of William Wilberforce and his fight to end slavery in Great Britain changed me. He literally gave his health, his life and his passion to stop the atrocities of slavery.  It was then that I really learned of the existence of modern-day slavery and the fact that it’s everywhere… even here in Dallas. Something in me hasn’t been the same ever since.  The words of Micah 6:8 continue to run around in my head: “He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the LORD require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”  It makes me wonder how I can be an advocate for people that can’t fight for themselves.

There is a new “Rockumentary” that is out in select theaters across the country- Call + Response?  Okay people - it is incredible! It is essentially a musician’s response to the trafficking of humans throughout the world. He and many other talented artists are coming together to “sing the song of the enslaved.”  It is their Call.  And we are responsible to Respond in whatever way we feel led.

The movie doesn’t manipulate your emotions or give you tons of graphic pictures… the facts speak for themselves.  The information and stories are incredibly engaging and make us understand what people… and children… many children… are going through.  What is our response?

We ROOVers would encourage you to get a group of people to see Call + Response.  Support the movement… Because, like they said on the movie… The people that are enslaved can’t build a bridge to us… We have to build the bridge to them… And as Christians… that, my friends, is what we do!

ROOV is in Atlanta and Catalyst has started. Visit www.CatalystSpace.com to check it out! We are launching the beginning New and Improved ROOV today and are excited about the partnership with Catalyst! Catalyst has proven itself to be the leader in training and inspiring pastors and leaders across the nation. Needless to say… they are a ton of fun and we’re having a great time!

ROOV Nation – Hold on… cuz here we go!!

We told you it was coming and now it’s here! ROOV.com has officially launched its integration with Facebook.com.

Here’s what that means…

~ You don’t need another login for ROOV… Just use your Facebook login.
~ You don’t need to upload a picture… We’ll bring your Facebook photo over for you.
~ No need to find your friends… again… We’ll bring those over from Facebook as well!
~ Notifications…Yep, these will show up on Facebook.

Keep an eye out— There is more to come over the next couple of weeks!

Like we said before… this is not an application. It’s actually something completely new. Basically, we wanted to make ROOV easier to use, and since most of you guys already use Facebook we thought, “hmmm… why not integrate?” Now you can continue to use Facebook like always, but at the same time stay up on your latest ROOV activity.

Not currently using Facebook? That’s okay… just go to Facebook.com sign up for an account and then head back to ROOV to get going.

And there’s more???

Yep.

//Conversations
We have released the first of several weeks of improvements to the posting features on ROOV. We are making it easier to post quick updates about what you’re doing inside different ROOVs. (Don’t forget this will flow back to Facebook… so you don’t have to post in multiple places!)

//Gatherings
Build community online and move it offline… That’s our goal and we’re making it easier to accomplish. We are releasing the first phase of a new Gathering feature. You can now suggest an idea for a Gathering and once enough people show interest then you can make it happen. Now you can plan Gatherings that you know people want to attend.

Last thing…

//Causes
Next time you go to ROOV you won’t see Causes, but don’t worry that’s on purpose! We have merged Causes and ROOVs because they were basically the same thing. The Causes you were once in will now show up in your ROOVs.

So… Go to ROOV.com right now and link up your ROOV and Facebook accounts and get involved in the new and improved ROOV.

Thanks in advance for being patient with us… Pushing out big changes like this will be different, and we may have a few bugs to fix along the way!

Happy ROOV’n!

The next few months are tremendously exciting for us at ROOV.com and they should be even more exciting for you! ROOV will be undergoing a series of upgrades to make your life better!!

So… Here’s what you need to know in order to be ready for what’s coming first.

Facebook User: Well, you know all you need to know and when the time comes you will be ready!!

Non-Facebook User: We highly encourage you to consider becoming one. It will soon be an integral piece of the ROOV community.

Alright, alright you twisted my arm… Here’s another clue… We are NOT talking about a ROOV Facebook application.

More to come soon!

Wrecked for the Ordinary is an online magazine that recently did an article on ROOV.  Check it out below if you’re wondering what this thing is all about!

ROOV.com: Beyond Social Networking

by Mariah Secrest

Recently, Wrecked sat down with the creators to ask ten questions about who they are, what they do, and how you can get linked up.

Social networking is obviously hot right now. What does ROOV offer its community that the big ones like MySpace and Facebook don’t?

Facebook does what it does very well; no need to reinvent the wheel. Networking sites like Facebook offer their communities the opportunities to connect and stay in touch with their friends online, which is a huge need. ROOV does something different by connecting people in a church and city around shared interests and passions, items of substance that make a difference in every day life. Some users may know each other, others will not. Our hope is that ROOV will connect like minded people that don’t know each other and should!

A ROOV is what a user has done, is doing or wants to do - their passions. Users join as many ROOVs as they wish and begin to discuss and gather off line around their common passions. We believe that as users begin to congregate around these shared experiences, not only will true community begin to develop naturally, but the disconnect within the church as a whole will also lessen.

Can anyone join ROOV?

The goal of ROOV is to connect Christians who follow the Apostolic Creed.

How does ROOV facilitate community in the digital world?

Our generation loves technology. Being so connected virtually offers a lot of benefits, but at the same time virtual friendships can’t be substituted for real life community.

Our goal is to use the technology that is out there and that our world is looking for to actively engage people in conversations that are specifically built around common interests and passions.

We believe that ROOV is the place where the conversations begin, and conversations are where every great idea and movement is birthed. We facilitate the connections and then we encourage users to move the conversations off line and into real community.

How does ROOV facilitate face-to-face community?

ROOV has a Gathering function that brings people together around the things that they love (overseas missions, playing ultimate Frisbee, camping, do inner city outreach, etc.). Once conversations start, gatherings naturally develop.

There’s an approval process for ROOV. Is this for safety issues?

There isn’t an approval process for people on ROOV, but there is an approval process for a church. If a church is not currently in our database, then it will have to go through an approval process to confirm that it follows the Apostolic Creed.

What are some examples of ROOV groups?

Go on Overseas Missions, Go Hiking, Go Camping, Create Music, Leadership Development, Cultivate Community, Youth Ministry, Impact Africa, Do Inner City Outreach, Eat Sushi, etc.

Applications. You either love ‘em or hate ‘em. Does ROOV have any cool applications like the ability to donate a virtual double-fudge-mint-with-sprinkles ice-cream cone to your neighbor’s virtual pet?

We don’t have any superpokes or anything like that. We think that some other sites out there have done a good job at getting us what we want or don’t want. We’ll see what the future holds for ROOV.

How many people are currently involved in the ROOV network?

There are a little over 5,000 currently involved in ROOV.

What are some specific ways you’ve seen ROOV gatherings positively impact their communities?

There are so many to talk about… The Impact Africa ROOV put together an event that raised several thousand dollars for a ministry that works with widows in Uganda. The Inner City Outreach ROOV frequently has gatherings where ROOVers are getting together to serve. The Play Poker ROOV gathered around 50 people for a huge poker tournament that raised money for a microfinance projects overseas. The Ultimate Frisbee ROOV has weekly gatherings for games which has built community in local churches.

What’s on the horizon for ROOV?

There are several things in the works and we are definitely excited to see where it will take us!

For more on how to get involved with ROOV, check out Roov.com.

The heartbeat behind ROOV is getting people connected to things they are passionate about. Recently a ROOVer shared a story with us that she’d like to share with you.

—

I was looking for the opportunity to serve the homeless, so I joined the “Loving the Least” ROOV. I have always had a desire to reach the underprivileged. However, since I had just moved to Dallas not that long ago, I didn’t know how to get connected with an organization. As I was browsing ROOV, I saw that Ajay had posted a gathering on serving the homeless. My fingers couldn’t click the mouse fast enough for the gathering information! I was so excited! I had never met Ajay before, so my first time meeting him was at the gathering. Since then he’s become a very dear friend of mine. While we were serving, I ended up meeting other people who had heard about the gathering through ROOV. One of the guys, Francisco, goes to my church, and I had no idea!! We even go to the same service, and I had never seen him before.

Then it got crazier… Another one of my passions is building homes for orphans. At the gathering Ajay and I talked and he ended up getting me connected with Wick, Streams of Mercy Ministries founder. They build orphanages throughout the world. A week later or so, we met with Wick and he shared his vision and stories of how the orphanages were impacting the children’s lives. Through that meeting, fellow ROOVers were a part of helping sponsor two orphanages in India.

It took one gathering to help put my passions into action.

We love to blog about how the ROOV community is creatively impacting the world around them. Last weekend a fellow ROOVer posted a gathering in the “Play Poker” ROOV. They called the event ROOV Royale. It was a time for experienced and inexperienced players from all over the Dallas area to come together and play. Proceeds for the evening went to benefit two charities.

Kiva is a non-profit with the mission to connect people through lending for the sake of alleviating poverty. It is the world’s first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entreprepenurs in the developing world. The event contributed to the dreams of one of these entrepreneurs, Sambath Haun.

Compassion International exists as a Christian child advocacy ministry that releases children from spiritual, economic, social and physical poverty and enables them to become responsible, fulfilled Christian adults. The event helped to sponsor one of Compassion’s children.

The thing we love about Gatherings like this is that it serves multiple purposes. People have a reason to gather. It’s an opportunity to meet new people. It serves a good cause. And conversations continue around things of substance afterwards.

So… kudos to the Poker ROOV for a job well done.

Hey everyone. You can all breathe a sigh of relief…ROOV is open all over the United States! Yup, it’s exciting. The thing is, while ROOV is just as tasty as a peanut butter and jelly sandwich, it can’t “spread” on its own…We need your help! (corny pun intended)

Spread ROOV

• Upload your address book. Don’t worry: You’ll have the option to choose which people in your address book you send it to.
• Tell your friends. Text, call, email, whatever you prefer!
• Change your status. You know… say something nice about ROOV on Facebook, Twitter, etc… Not that we would mention those on our site… Ahem… moving along.
• Post a link on any profiles, blogs or sites you have.
• Do Something Crazy. Just what it says!

We are always looking for new ways to spread ROOV and want your help. So…come up with the Craziest…Most unique…Funny…Out of the box…Totally rad way to spread ROOV and let us know about it. (Send pictures/videos and a story to growroov@roov.com.) We’ll put you on the blog…so long as it fits the above criteria!

Pilot ROOV

We’d love for your church to pilot ROOV and are happy to help you do that.

• If you are a pastor and would like to pilot ROOV in your church, please send an email to growroov@roov.com.

• If you are not a pastor but think your church would be interested in piloting ROOV, please send an email to growroov@roov.com.

Please include the name of your church, website and any other information you feel would be important.

Thanks everyone. Take care and enjoy ROOVin all across the country!

The question of how to create real Community within a church and city can be tough to navigate… or maybe not! I’m guessing that when groups can find an activity that they all enjoy, real Community naturally develops.

There have been Ultimate Frisbee Gatherings popping up on ROOV this summer. Try one in your city and see what develops!! Get your friends and your friends’ friends and you may be surprised at how that can boost the connectivity you begin to feel with others!

Fireworks

Hope everyone is looking forward to the weekend events! We’re heading out to the boondocks of Dallas/Ft. Worth for some good, old fashioned fireworks! Gatherings are being posted as well as ROOVers are deciding to do something fun for the Fourth together… Ah… I love community.

Some other thoughts…

I have been really humbled through conversations I’ve had over the last few weeks. After talking with people across the country that are passionate about Jesus, I leave each one stirred up… From pastors to passionate 20-somethings one phrase keeps running through my mind at the end of each conversation, “The Church is vibrant.” Sometimes I think it’s easy to think of all the things that we wish we could change or wish weren’t like they are. But when I stop and take a look into the hearts of so many people… the church is vibrant and it’s moving forward. That’s exciting and I’m motivated.

Ladies & Gentlemen… It is time for a ROOV story! Every day people on ROOV are making important connections and we’d like to take some time here and there to let you know about things that are happening on ROOV.

Here’s Gari-Anne’s story:

When I created a ROOV on adoption, a woman named Donna found me. She too has a passion for adoption because she had placed a child herself as a young woman. She is now married and has always had a passion for girls who have struggled in the same way that she did. She can fully understand the pain of giving up a child and the difficulties that arise afterwards as you attempt to put the pieces of your life back together.

She recently began a home for young woman who are giving their child up for adoption, or have in the recent months. Her home is called “To Prepare A Place.” She allows these young girls to live her in her beautiful home while she gives them continuing education, room & board, and most importantly introduces them to Christ.

Two weeks ago I got a call from a young woman who had lived with me at Gladney, placed her baby for adoption, and then moved out to start life over again. Due to some intense rejection and pain from losing her baby, she attempted suicide. By the grace of God she is still alive! She really doesn’t have anyone to turn to, so I began (along with her caseworker) to find her somewhere to live after discharging from the hospital.

I instantly thought of “To prepare A Place.” I called Donna and we began her evaluation process. Three days later she moved into her home and is on the road to recovery. I am really praying for her salvation and I am thrilled to have met Donna through ROOV. I really believe that she will be the Lord’s tool to introduce my sweet friend to Jesus.

If you have a story to share, feel free to submit it to info@roov.com.