andrew dodson

I’ve created a new logo for my business - BADmedia. Actually, it’s the first logo for BADmedia.

The Josh Martin Band is busy preparing for our live DVD coming up at the end of the month. I hope you can come, if you’re close. This weekend, we had the opportunity to run a small portion of the DVD set at Boone’s Creek Baptist Church. It was a good opportunity to see how an audience will react to the set. I think overall, it went fairly well, but we did notice a spot or two that needs some attention before the 31st. We still have a couple of practices left before the big night.

What can you expect, you ask? We’ll be playing some of our live favorites, of course. Somewhere during the set, we’ll do a few praise & worship songs. To top it off, we’ll be doing two new songs that have yet to be recorded, but are coming along quite well. One lucky person will win an iPod nano - complete with the JMB’s entire catalog of releases, and maybe a few “bootleg” recordings on there as well. Those in attendance can also pre-order the DVD. Come on out!

> Directions to Cedarmore

Georgetown College’s men’s basketball team completed a sweep of their Mid-South Conference schedule this past weekend.  The Tigers were the first team in conference history to go undefeated in conference play (10-0).  On top of that, the Tigers won the conference tournament in Frankfort, with wins over Lindsey Wilson and the University of the Cumberlands.

The Tigers (29-3, #3 NAIA) take a 20-game winning streak into the NAIA national tournament next week.  This is the same team that came within two points of defeating the surging Louisville Cardinals earlier this season.

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The Georgetown College and UK baseball teams are enjoying fast starts to their seasons.  Georgetown is 11-2 and has defeated two NCAA Division I schools - Morehead State and Eastern Kentucky.  UK is one win away from matching their best start in history (2000’s team started 15-0).  Currently at 14-0, the Wildcats have the nation’s longest home winning streak at 24 games.

Georgetown finished close to .500 last season, while UK is the defending SEC Champion.

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Democratic candidate for Governor, Jody Richards, is using Wordpress to power his campaign website. It’s a fairly simple design, but I’m a fan of simple.

Anne Northup is also using Wordpress.  A little more visually appealing.

At long last, we continue our series of posts on John Piper’s book, Future Grace.  Yes - as is my custom, it seems I took a little “break” from reading it, but have picked it back up in the past week.  As a disclaimer, I make no claims with this post, but simply try to come to a better understanding of what Piper writes about in chapter fifteen - “A Taste of Spiritual Beauty,” as he writes about “lost believers.”

Not everyone who calls out to me, `Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven.  Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter. On judgment day many will say to me, `Lord! Lord! We prophesied in your name and cast out demons in your name and performed many miracles in your name.’  But I will reply, `I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws.’ -

Matthew 7:21-23 (Listen)

21 “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

(NLT)

Is it possible to believe everything you hear about God, and still be lost?  Apparently, yes.  Piper reveals that we must experience a “saving faith” that produces good works.  He uses Charles Hodge to say that we must experience faith that makes us believe “in a different way.”  This different way produces good works - in other words, we can’t help but to do good things, as a result of our saving faith experience.  Without these good works, our faith is dead (

James 2:19 (Listen)

19 You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!

).

According to

Luke 10:21 (Listen)

21 In that same hour he rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.

, God reveals this saving faith to us.  Piper says, “This revelation enabled that spiritual apprehension and taste which moves the heart to embrace and savor the reality, not just think that it is true,” (p.201).  

Matthew 16:16-17 (Listen)

16 Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

also shows us that God revealed Christ as the Messiah to Peter.  “A spiritual work had been done to enable Peter to go beyond what human reason can do and taste the spiritual reality of Christ’s worth and embrace it,” (201).

As we can see from Scripture, we must have these experiences in our lives to have a true, saving faith.  So, maybe I am making a claim, after all.  Without these experiences, it’s evident in Scripture that at the end of our life, Jesus will likely say, “I never knew you. Get away from me, you who break God’s laws,” (

Matthew 7:23 (Listen)

23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’

).

I’ve added two new links to the “Christianity” section of my sidebar.  They are as follows:

> Puritan Sermons - a great resource for sermons, essays, etc. of Puritan preachers.  Not that we don’t have great teachers of the Word today, but I wouldn’t have complained if I lived during the Puritan days and sat under the teaching of some of these people.

> Theopedia  - the Wikipedia of Christianity.  Just found it today and I’m really enjoying it.

Disclaimer:  Geek-talk ahead.  Proceed at your own risk

In preparation for the JMB Live DVD coming up soon, I recorded a portion of our rehearsal a couple of nights ago.  Since I’m using a new 24-channel recording rig, I wanted to give it a test drive to make sure everything turned out alright.

Here’s catch #1:  My recording-program-of-choice (Tracktion) does not allow me to use multiple sound devices at one time.  In order for my 24-channel setup to work correctly, I have to be able to link multiple devices together (in this case, my MOTU 8pre and MOTU 896).  MOTU provided a copy of their AudioDesk software with my new 8pre, which gives me the option to link the devices together.

Here’s catch #2:  This means I can’t use my program-of-choice, and need to learn a new program.  Bummer….almost.  AudioDesk records in Sound Designer II format (why, oh why?).  Tracktion does not support this file format.  The saving grace of AudioDesk is that it enables you to export the SD2 files as WAVs, AIFFs, or ProTools compatible files.

Solution:  I was able to batch-convert all of the files from the rehearsal to AIFF files.  I have imported all of these into Tracktion.  Now, I’m able to listen, mix, edit, and master the recording in the program I’m familiar with.  Yay.