By Stan Friedman

CHICAGO, IL (March 7, 2014) — Many Covenanters routinely share links to social media articles and videos with one another that Covenant News Service believes may be of interest to others. Each Friday, we post five of them. Following is a sample of those submissions—their inclusion does not represent an endorsement of any views expressed.

Why the Church Needs Brian, Rob, and Don

Michael Maudlin takes issue with his friend and former Christianity Today colleague Kevin Miller, who recently wrote in a Leadership Journal article that Brian McLaren, Rob Bell, and Don Miller have left the faith. No matter whom you might agree with, Miller raises some interesting questions about how we interpret Scripture, including the role of community and tradition. At what point does internal critique become external criticism?

KY Churches Lure New Worshipers with Gun Giveaway

My headline would have been “Churches Set Sights on Converts.”

One of the leaders says this is simply “affinity evangelism. You have to know the hook that will attract people, and hunting is huge in Kentucky. So we get in there and burp and scratch and talk about the right to bear arms and that stuff.” It must be quite an interesting altar call.

Still, it seems to me that if you’re talking about lures and hooks, giving away fishing rods might be more appropriate.

How Support Raising Keeps Parachurch Ministries White

This is a well-written piece raising an issue that seldom talked about, let alone, I imagine, considered. The author adds that this also is a socioeconomic issue. The discussion could be expanded to how we support churches in low-income areas, an issue we continue to struggle with. Be sure to read the thoughtful comments and questions at the end of the post. I appreciated the author’s responses.

Four Things Jesus Never Said

Unfortunately, too many people do think he said each of these things, and there’s been way too much pain because of it.

Eight Implications of Aging Boomer Pastors and Church Staff

This is an excellent list with brief explanations. While the article focuses in large part on the implications of an aging population for pastors, I would be interested in hearing how church members have seen those issues impact their congregations. A Covenant pastor reflected on similar themes in this recent Covenant Companion article.