Why create a blog category with audio teachings?

Well, I don't remember all the details how it started, but I'm the dishwasher at my house and I don't mind the activity if I have something to occupy my mind. Often I've done meditating on different scripture passages (which I highly recommend!). Currently what I do is listen to audio teachings (sermons, other types of messages in a context of Christian meetings). I seek out teachings from various different sources on the Internet...usually going from recommendations from people whom I trust. I have a lot of MP3s on DVDs coming from the International House of Prayer in Kansas City in the States. (My hunger for this came from listening to a 20-part teaching on the Life of David by Mike Bickle back in 1999.)

There are a ton of audio sermons on the Internet already. There are sites that have gathered as many as they can. My desire is not to clutter up the Internet with more teachings, but simply to recommend...amongst all the noise of all kinds of teachings....the ones that I think are valuable and why they are valuable. I'm well aware that we all learn differently and that God has a wide range of places where He has us. So, this is my opinion being offered. That being said, I'd like to think that certain things that are resonating in me are doing so because God is speaking something broadly. Hopefully things will resonate with others as well.

What's it worth to listen to them?

Well, I'm of the opinion that we need to seek out our spiritual food. I've found that we need a steady diet of teaching that really teaches us (I'm not talking about a "3 points and a poem" 20-minute Sunday morning platitude)...that really makes us think, that gives us fodder and direction for meditation. I've found that when I'm in a very "stretching" season, that having this steady diet is like having a good "training table" for an athlete...you notice if it's there or if it isn't!

I say it's a good diet, but there is another perspective that I've heard about listening to any teaching (live, recorded, etc.) that I must agree with. A teaching is like giving someone a menu to a restaurant. When they receive the teaching, they've only really just studied the menu. They get excited about going to this restaurant...but they've not yet eaten anything. Actually eating something and getting lasting benefit from it requires putting it into practice and seeking out the knowledge in your own study and meditation. Otherwise you gather a great collection of menus and, well, you starve...all the while thinking about exotic foods.

So, listening only once gets you excited. Listening again and taking the information and studying it and putting it into practice...that will change you!

Where are these teachings?

Well, if I have a location on the Internet already hosting the teaching, I'll send you there. If not, it will be coming from my web site. If bandwidth becomes a problem, I'll have to do...something...so we'll see how it goes.

What format are they in?

In general they are MP3's. There are, from time to time, some WMA's and maybe a REAL file from time to time, but more and more, I'm converting things to MP3 because my latest MP3 player (my cell phone) doesn't support WMA.