Audio

GAudi: Google’s Audio Indexing

September 23, 2008 by Phil Gons

Google’s new audio indexing, GAudi, looks very promising. Finally the ability to find what you’re looking for in audio or video without listening to the whole thing! This has huge potential for sermons and lectures and could really make audio and video more accessible sources for academic research.

I wish I had access to this technology when I was running down this quote.

Check it out: http://labs.google.com/gaudi.

TechCrunch: “Google Launches Audio Indexing”
ReadWriteWeb: “Google Audio Indexing: Keyword Searches for Political Videos”
Google Blog: “Google Audio Indexing now on Google Labs”

Download a Free Album from Rhapsody

June 30, 2008 by Phil Gons

Rhapsody just launched an MP3 store. They are giving out a free album to the first 100,000 people to sign up for a free account. You can choose from anything that they sell. I just grabbed an album—and one for my wife.

You’ll have to act fast. The promotional lasts only a few more days.

Your account will be credited with $10 to be used on your first album by midnight Pacific time, July 4, 2008, if eligible.

“Christian” Piracy and the Blinding Effects of Sin

January 28, 2008 by Phil Gons

A friend notified me today about a “Christian” website where “Christians” illegally share a variety of forms of digital Christian content—from Christian music to Christian movies to Christian software. Scores of people, many of whom are in seminary training for pastoral ministry, post pirated Bible software on the web and invite others to download it, giving detailed instructions on how to unlock the software and bypass the security features. I’m blown away by how easily “Christians” can steal in order to enable them to have access to biblical resources.1 Something about that just doesn’t make sense. But that’s what sin does to us. It causes us to act in utterly irrational ways.

Take, for example, how one seminary student responds to another who shared stolen software with him: “God Bless You!” Another individual has this in his signature: “Live Hard, Play hard and let your life show WHO u live for.” Hmm. Another has a link to his website, “What Would Jesus Download,” in his signature. Good question indeed. Perhaps those downloading pirated software should ponder it a bit.

I’d image that most of these individuals wouldn’t walk into a Christian bookstore and steal content off of the shelves. The fact that downloadable media and software is intangible makes it much easier to justify. [↩]

“He Disarms the Wrath of God”

January 20, 2008 by Phil Gons

Shanna purchased 25 new songs from SacredAudio.com a couple weeks ago, several of which came from a new album entitled Depths of Mercy. I was able to squeeze all but one on a CD, which we have had playing in the car on the way to and from work.

One line in “Depth of Mercy” bothers me every time I hear it: “He disarms the wrath of God.”

The original text was written by Charles Wesley in 1740. Here is the slightly revised text from the audio version we have.

Depth of mercy! Can there be
Mercy still reserved for me?
Can my God his wrath forbear?
Me, the chief of sinners, spare?

Whence to me this waste of love?
Ask my Advocate above!
See the cause in Jesus’ face,
Now before the throne of grace.

I my master have denied,
I afresh have crucified,
And profaned his hallowed name;
Put him to an open shame.

Jesus speaks and pleads his blood!
He disarms the wrath of God;
Now my Father’s mercy move,
He receives me with his love.

Free Piper & Sproul Sermon Tapes

October 15, 2007 by Phil Gons

I’m getting rid of all of my old sermon tapes and planning to donate them to Goodwill. Does anyone want them before I do? Here are the series that I have:

John Piper

Four Sermons on the Holy Spirit (4 Sermons on 2 Tapes)
Hallowed Be Thy Name: Eight Sermons on the Names of God (8 Sermons on 4 Tapes)
Preach As Worship: Meditations on Expository Exultation (4 Sermons on 2 Tapes)
The Providence of God (2 Sermons on 2 Tapes)
Romans 8:28–30: Eight Sermons (8 Sermons on 4 Tapes)
What Is Baptism? (4 Sermons on 2 Tapes)

The Life of David Brainerd

October 2, 2007 by Phil Gons

This month’s free audiobook download from ChristianAudio.com is Jonathan Edwards’s The Life of David Brainerd. This is one you’ll definitely want to pick up. It’s a classic, and its reflective, devotional nature will make for great listening. Make sure to use the code OCT2007.

It’s read by Nick Cordileone, has a runtime of 9 hours and 55 minutes, and consists of nine MP3s totaling 273.3 MBs.

“A Debtor to Mercy Alone” | Augustus Toplady

August 26, 2007 by Phil Gons

Here’s another solid text from Toplady that I enjoyed meditating on this morning and last evening.

A debtor to mercy alone,
Of covenant mercy I sing;
Nor fear, with Thy righteousness on,
My person and off’ring to bring.
The terrors of law and of God
With me can have nothing to do;
My Saviour’s’ obedience and blood
Hide all my transgressions from view.

The work which His goodness began
The arm of His strength will complete;
His promise is yea and amen,
And never was forfeited yet.
Things future, nor things that are now,
Not all things below or above,
Can make Him His purpose forgo,
Or sever my soul from His love.

“Faith Reviving” and Bob Kauflin

August 22, 2007 by Phil Gons

I blogged a week or so ago about the lost gem of Augustus Toplady’s text “Faith Reviving.” I was curious of its availability on any vocal musical recording, so I emailed Bob Kauflin, the Director of Worship Development for Sovereign Grace Ministries, and asked him if he was aware of any. I received a very kind reply from him saying that he was not aware of any CD with this hymn on it and that he wasn’t familiar with this text. I also asked him if he would consider writing a new tune for it and including it on a future Sovereign Grace CD, and he said that he would. He will probably adjust the lyrics a bit as well so that they are more understandable to a modern-day audience. This is exciting news. Keep an eye out for this song on a future Sovereign Grace recording. (Though I’m not a big fan of Sovereign Grace’s musical style, I really appreciate many of the solid texts that they are putting out.)

See my previous post: “Faith Reviving” | Augustus Toplady.