Tag: church

ROOV.com :: because we all need more social networks

I have enough social networks that I ignore now – do I really need another one? Well…. maybe, maybe not.

I saw something about Roov.com a week or so ago but kinda bypassed it – thinking “great another Christian MySpace and Facebook.”

But Lee shared a post about Roov and I’m definitely more intrigued. Seems that Roov is more about building off-line communities than online communities.

Here’s a couple explanation videos:


What is ROOV.com? from ROOV.com on Vimeo.


ROOV.com Stories from ROOV.com on Vimeo.

Here’s what others are saying about it:

CatalystRoadTrip:

It’s a social networking site that works locally. It connects people in the same geographical area based on interests AND it gets people off the computer and into each others’ FACE – as they hang-out and do fun stuff together. As social networking gains popularity, a few people have questioned whether this phenomenon is actually making us more isolated. I mean, we may have 300 friends now, but very, very little depth, and less human interaction. ROOV is a welcome remedy to that, using the internet to help you meet & connect in real life – facilitating conversations and experiences that have real depth and meaning.

Urbanministry.org:

ROOV.com is a new way to meet others in your church and community, and to organize gatherings around causes you care about.

Jeff Goins:

I just joined ROOV.com, a new website to connect the Body of Christ. Why? Well, it sure wasn’t because I needed to be a part of another social networking site. No, in fact, it’s because ROOV is like the antithesis of what social networking sites represent these days – narcissism. Unlike facebook or myspace (which aren’t bad – I use both), ROOV doesn’t center around an individual’s profile. In fact, profiles don’t even exist. They center around groups and issues that matter, like “orphans and refugees” or “Impact Africa,” for example. I don’t think you’ll find any “I lost my digits” groups on this site – at least, I hope not.

Their goal is to connect people online so that they can connect offline. As someone who spends over 10 hours a day on the internet (that’s probably a conservative figure), this is something I need to do – unplug, detach, and really connect with flesh and blood.

I’m excited to find out more. Apparently you need to be involved in a local church body though – and encounter isn’t on the list yet – but hopefully I’ll get confirmation in the next day or so (or 5 min would be preferred) and I can explore the site for myself.

The site is also apparently limited to the US for now, and limited to the cities participating as well.

Are there ways that you are building off-line communities with the current “social networking standards” like MySpace and Facebook? Are there ways we can better utilize those tools?

btw – just got an email from Roov – they’re “reviewing the church you submitted. We’ll be getting back to you shortly.”

What question(s) do you have?

Tried this yesterday on the encounter blog and twitter feed but we received no responses. Maybe everyone knows everything… or doesn’t want to be known for asking their question.

So we’ll try it here and feel free to remain anonymous or use a psuedo-name.

what is something you feel you can’t say or ask in church?

share away in the comment section below.

My model of church

Lee shared this quiz on his blog (didn’t know he had one until he commented on mine earlier today).
Here are my results for “my model church.” The description seems pretty dead on.

What is your model of the church? [Dulles]
created with QuizFarm.com
You scored as Servant Model

Your model of the church is Servant. The mission of the church is to serve others, to challenge unjust structures, and to live the preferential option for the poor. This model could be complemented by other models that focus more on the unique person of Jesus Christ.

Servant Model
83%

Sacrament model
78%

Mystical Communion Model
78%

Herald Model
50%

Institutional Model
11%

What about you?

Quote of the day

“You see dear Crock Pot, I don’t find you much anymore. We’re all trying to live a little healthier, eat less dishes that look like macaroni, cheese and beef got into a street fight. So now when I go to potlucks I can’t find you among the sea of vegetable plates and organically grown sea grass burgers.”

– Stuff Christians Like

To the guys who stole our trailer…

billboard

So what happens when a church’s trailer gets stolen – with ALL their stuff in it?

Do they join the neighborhood watch and start fighting crime more than ever? Or do they forgive and invite the thieves to dinner? What do you think your church would have done?

LOVE IT! Read more from CMS

Faith ideas :: Become a home for the homeless

We talked last night at our community group of some ways we can/should put the words of Jesus into real application and practice. CMS shared this idea today and thought it was a definite great idea for local churches.

It reminds me of a great point Shane Claiborne made in “Jesus for President.” He said that while many Christians will get up in arms against things like abortion, they’re rarely willing to actually put real action into their fight. He said that Mother Theresa (whom Claiborne spent several months with) was strongly against abortion, but rather than condemn a mother for considering it, or even possibly for the actions that conceived the child, she welcomed the mother and child into her home and cared for them specifically. She didn’t just tell an un-wed mother – abortion is sin – now go solve your problem. She said, “abortion is wrong but so is me putting you out on the street expecting you to deal with this issue alone. Let me help you in the midst of your crises.”
Continue reading Faith ideas :: Become a home for the homeless