By Stan Friedman

CHICAGO, IL (November 21, 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 by the Covenant of any views expressed.

Colonizing Worship
The title is unfortunate because it gives the impression that the article will be a long diatribe, but it isn’t. It is a thoughtful discussion about how we can incorporate music of other cultures into our own contexts in ways that are honoring and even perhaps educational. The author contrasts authenticity with appropriation. Be sure to read the comments.

Why Are Bill Cosby Allegations Going Viral Now?

Vox provides a good background and explanation. This is yet another example of how a person’s sin will catch up with them. I’ve also tried to think what I would tell Cosby if I were still in pastoral ministry, and he was a member of my congregation. What would you do? What would you do if you were his friend?

What It’s Like to Burn Out of a Dream Job
People are becoming burned out at younger and younger ages. Perhaps it’s true—too much of a good thing is a bad thing. How can you not like the following excerpt:

“In the last ten years, the Internet has essentially become the worldwide Hotel California for anyone with a connection. Sure you can check out, you can check out all you want—there are entire movements devoted to checking out—but you can’t leave. Barring some sort of Zombie apocalypse, none of us are ever leaving the Hotel Internet ever again.”

Nobody Saw Shawshank Redemption in Theaters 20 Years Ago, So What Happened?
The movie ranks at the top of IMDb’s highest-rated movies as voted by users, yet hardly anyone saw the movie when it came out. Why is it that Stephen King, so renowned for his horror movies, writes about redemption as powerfully as anyone? My colleague Steve Velez-Luce says it’s because to truly comprehend redemption, you have to understand horror. Check out “The Green Mile” for King’s other great redemption film. Why waste time going to so-called Christian films that are almost universally horrific in another way when you can watch brilliant moviemaking?

The Entire Bible Explained in One Facebook Post
Just read it. It’s funny. And oh-so-true.