The Vault VLOG

We sustained a cyberattack this week that took down one of our servers hard. As a result, we had to shutter some of the more legacy features of the site. It's been a very trying week, but we are finally climbing out of the hole. Amidst all the destruction, we didn't lose a single sermon. I'm thankful for God's mercies.

We continue to monitor the construction progress of The Vault on the campus of Bob Jones University. This is Spring Break week at BJU so many of the buildings are locked down, including the Mack Building. The mission of The Vault can be summed up in three words: 1. Infrastructure 2. Inspiration 3. Innovation In this VLOG, I offer some more insight into the second point of our mission, INSPIRATION. It is part of our objective to encourage the rising generation to look beyond the tools and technologies and to inspire young people to creatively use these skills for the kingdom of God. Learn more here: www.sermonaudio.com/vault

In this clip from a prior VLOG, I briefly explain why we are pursuing the creation of THE VAULT. In a word, infrastructure. We need to create our own infrastructure for the preservation of sermons. Infrastructure is critical for independence and resilience against threat. You see this truth on a larger scale with nations. But how much more vital is it when it comes to the dissemination of the Gospel message? Learn more: web.sermonaudio.com/vault This is a clip from this VLOG: sermonaudio.com/sermon/13122945216473

This past week, construction officially began on The Vault in the Mack Building of Bob Jones University. This project represents our effort to safely preserve the 2M+ sermons found on SermonAudio from the threat of cancellation in the world of Big Tech. It should be of great concern to every church that the level of hostility toward Christianity is escalating. The logical culmination of this hostility will be to silence the most offensive message of all, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, along with the plain teachings of the Bible. There is a long-term, secure storage facility tucked away in the side of an icy mountain above the Arctic Circle between Norway and the North Pole, called the Svalbard Global Seed Vault, or more commonly referred to as the Doomsday Vault. Its purpose is to house all of the world's seeds securely so that in the event of an apocalyptic situation or a global catastrophe, the seeds will be preserved to allow nations to grow various foods again. We would like to build a "doomsday vault" of our own. Except in this vault, we would be housing the good seed of the preached word in the event of a catastrophic breakdown in relations with cloud providers and platforms. The bottom line is simple. It is imperative that we make every effort and take every step to ensure that the millions of sermons on SermonAudio are preserved for posterity—for this generation and the next. Learn more here: www.sermonaudio.com/vault

We've been working really hard for many months on a total rewrite of our main SermonAudio app for both iOS and Android. We're finally able to release a Beta version of SERMONS 2.0. Some new features include: + Free user accounts. + Follow broadcasters, speakers, series. + Favorite sermons. + Download audio + video. + Improved fuzzy search. + Play history with percentage. + Powerful live webcast search and filter. + Feed based on followed content. + Radio + QR scanner. + Native iOS + Android app. Read the announcement: https://www.sermonaudio.com/sermonsapp Download the IOS version: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sermonaudio-2-0/id1577357355 Download the Android version: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.sermonaudio.MainApp

It's been a while since posting a VLOG update. This is a mega update which includes post-conference reflections, comments about THE VAULT project at BJU, Read With Me, and United Prayer. This VLOG is a bit longer than normal, so please be patient! CONFERENCE MESSAGES: https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/misc/sermons/series/156423 THE VAULT: https://www.sermonaudio.com/vault READ WITH ME: https://www.sermonaudio.com/solo/misc/sermons/series/157775 UNITED PRAYER: https://www.sermonaudio.com/unitedprayer

We're just a few days away from The Foundations Conference. We're praying not for a perfectly executed conference, or for perfectly prepared sermons, but for the FIRE of God's Spirit to fill every heart. Pray with us and come prepared. THE FOUNDATIONS CONFERENCE Dec 16-17, 2021 // Greenville, SC // BJU www.thefoundationsconference.com

The Foundations Conference is fast-approaching. Here are some last-minute conference tips. We hope to see you soon! 1. Make sure you REGISTER. 2. Make sure you COME EARLY. 3. Make sure you COME PREPARED. It's pretty important that you come EARLY so that you give yourself enough time to find parking, locate the Welcome Center, check-in, and not feel rushed. Take a look at the SCHEDULE for both days and give yourself plenty of time. We will have ample refreshments and hot coffee along with a large selection of BOOKS from Banner of Truth. Come early and avoid the rush. It is equally important that you come PREPARED in spirit, mind, and body. This will be a very concentrated two days of preaching and prayer. Please come prepared to attend every session to be an encouragement to the speakers and to find a special blessing for your own soul. You will not want to miss anything. So do come prepared. We will see you shortly! Thank you.

As Christians, we need to be in the business of encouraging one another in the Lord. Here I recount some ways that I received encouragement and how we need to give the same. Registration for the Foundations Conference closes Nov 18.

September 23, 1857 was a very important day in church history. It was the first day of the Fulton Street Prayer Meeting. One of the striking features of those prayer meetings was Christian unity and love. We had a taste of such joyful unity this day as some in our own United Prayer group got to meet in-person.