We continue our series of prayers for field areas today. Our hope is that each prayer will encourage those in a particular subject area in the specificity of their daily work, while also giving those in other fields a glimpse into how their colleagues are glorifying God in different areas of inquiry. If you’re inspired by the series and want to contribute a prayer, you can submit a prayer for those in your field area and a short bio here. For others in the series, click here.
Father bless those who are called to study and create media.
Guide them so they may speak, write and present words of truth, from a heart of love and humility. Give them eyes to see, and ears to hear, what you want to say through them.
Guide media scholars as they teach students how to analyze media processes and structures shaping our society. Show them how to understand and reveal the influence of print, broadcast and digital media in the times in which we live. And equip them to reveal that which is hidden, so with humble hearts they may speak and write words that set people free.
Lead those who are called to teach others how to communicate through the tools and technologies of contemporary media. May they model clear, caring and honest communication to future media producers, journalists and digital creatives. Sharpen their minds, that by your spirit they may discern what information is true and worthy of being reported and published.
May your media scholars and producers share not just interesting insights and knowledge, but ideas that lead to wisdom, which can bring forth life and transform our culture. Let their messages be heard through the cacophony of competing voices. And by your spirit, empower them to produce and share stories that bring hope and healing to the brokenness in our land.
Amen
Heidi A Campbell is Professor of Communication at Texas A&M University and director of the Network for New Media, Religion & Digital Culture Studies (http://digitalreligion.tamu.edu). She is the author of over 100 articles on digital religion that involve studying the intersection between religious practices online and offline. She is the author of 9 books, including When Religion Meets New Media (Routledge, 2010), Digital Religion (Routledge, 2013) and Networked Theology (Baker Academic, 2016).