Media & Entertainment

NASHVILLE (BP) -- Being an effective social media manager means doing more than just sitting on Facebook and Twitter all day. It requires keeping up with trends and changes in trends so that necessary changes to strategy can be made.

BATON ROUGE, La. (BP) -- Blake Ferguson has had a remarkable football career in a unique position. But Sundays have another special meaning for the professional football prospect. Ferguson is a committed Christian.

NAPERVILLE, Illinois (RNS) — Community Christian Church’s annual Christmas pageant includes all the classics: “O Little Town of Bethlehem.” “Away in a Manger.” And everyone's favorite sing-a-long: “I Want to Hold Your Hand.”

VATICAN CITY (RNS) — Seven years ago on Dec. 12, then-Pope Benedict XVI published his first tweet before a crowd of prelates and faithful. With a tap on an iPad, the pontificate was ushered into the world of social media, creating a new space for evangelization and papal communication.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (RNS) — Luke Putney’s prayers are simple these days. He prays for healing in his left hand so he can play guitar and bass again. He asks God to strengthen his body so he can be a blessing to other people.

WASHINGTON (RNS) — The nation’s capital is about to have one less museum — the Newseum closes Dec. 31 — but the Religious Freedom Center that was housed there will continue operations.

(RNS) — Actor Mark Ruffalo said he's had a hard time melding his activism with storytelling. Then Ruffalo encountered the story of the people of Parkersburg, West Virginia, who were exposed for decades to “forever chemicals” produced by DuPont, one of the world’s largest corporations.

[caption id="attachment_62184" align="aligncenter" width="759"] Bad Burrito Award winners for 2019 involve a license tag, healing service, streaming viewers, confession, and inflatable Jesus, among others[/caption] Sewing machines. The theory of relativity. Google. The Beatle’s “Yesterday.” The Terminator. What do all these have in common? They were all inspired while someone was asleep. But not every inspired dream is a good one. And when it seems a religious idea probably owes its existence to indigestion rather than inspiration, that’s when we break out our annual Bad Burrito Awards. For instance: Have you ever had communion, but hate to share a plate with others? That’s not a problem, thanks to Purity Communion. Their host dispensers combine the sanctity of the occasion with the innocent charm of a Pez dispenser. Or, how about an inflatable Jesus? Not a miniature that can fit on your desk. No, we’re talking about Alibaba’s 13-foot Jesus – one arm raised, the other carrying a lamb – sure to inspire and terrify the neighbors. Or, this curious variation. Church services can also be award recipients. Take Middleton Church of Christ in Tennessee and their fall lecture series, “The Christian Woman,” including sessions on woman as wife, mother, and teacher. Sounds interesting – only, why were all the sessions being led by men? Then there’s the object lesson that got out of hand for the youth at Impact City Church in Pataskala, Ohio. In understanding what Jesus experienced on the way to his crucifixion at Easter, an associate pastor ended up slapped, beaten, and cut. That’s certainly Burrito-worthy. And, even as a sports fan, I wonder about the healing prayer service held at Asbury United Methodist church in Prairie Village, Kansas – for the injured ankle of the Kansas City Chief quarterback, Patrick Mahomes. (For the record, they accepted requests for other NFL teams too, although it was noted at that time they hadn’t “received any prayer requests for the Chiefs opponents.”) And of course, there are those news stories that suggest somebody, somewhere should get their own Bad Burrito: Rochester Cathedral in England, the second-oldest cathedral, deciding to attract more visitors by installing a temporary miniature golf course The resolution passed by the Wisconsin Assembly to declare the evergreen in the Capitol a Christmas, not a holiday, tree The bottom of the state of Kentucky license tags read “One Nation Under God,” but they lost their case against atheist Ben Hart, who requested the personalized license tag IM GOD A tweet from Union University showing a student offering a confession to plants for sins against nature Christian Book Distributors deciding to stop using their initials after 40 years because of confusion with “the other CBD” – the marijuana chemical The congregation of Independent Friendship Baptist Church in Appomattox, Virginia, responding to a presidential tweet with an “America: Love It or Leave It” sign that went viral. (They walked out.) The 20,000 petitioning Netflix to cancel the irreverent “Good Omens” – probably without seeing it, since it was actually on Amazon Prime Whenever you see a burrito, let it serve as a reminder to be salt and light in the world by communicating in creative – but thoughtful – ways. Ken Satterfield is a former media specialist and current marketing director for Word&Way. He welcomes your product suggestions. By the way, inclusion in this article does not constitute an endorsement.  Past Bad Burrito columns: 2019   2018   2017   2016   2015   2014   2013   2012   2011   2010   2009   2008   2007   2006   2005

(RNS) — On the occasion of the republication of his popular book "The Life You Can Save" Peter Singer was interviewed on the topic that put him on the map: our moral duties and obligations in light of profound global poverty.

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. (RNS) — Melissa Rogers knows the laws governing the relationship between the U.S. government and religion are far from perfect. Her new book, “Faith in American Public Life,” defines that relationship as one with “meaningful independence,” but the ability to cooperate to do good.