The Haddon Robinson Principle - Here’s a helpful article for preachers. “‘Ideally, each sermon is the explanation, interpretation, or application of a single dominant idea supported by other ideas, all drawn from one passage or several passages of Scripture.’ How many points was that? Three? Five? No. One point. One single point. So here's our principle: Preach with a pin, not with a hammer.”

9 Things About Edith Schaeffer - Joe Carter rounds up 9 facts about Edith Schaeffer.

Treasure Map - Did you know that Google Maps has a treasure map view? It’s kind of fun. And mostly useless. But still fun. Be sure to try street view on it as well (by dragging the spy glass to the map).

Bracketing Morality - Al Mohler on the gay marriage debate: “What makes this moral revolution so vast in consequences and importance is this: the moral dimension has virtually disappeared from the cultural conversation. This is true, we must note, even among the defenders of heterosexual marriage.”

The New Televangelists - “I thought we were done with the Televangelists. … I was wrong. Sure, most members of my generation still have no time for Televangelists, but many of us have fallen prey to something just as pernicious.”

Delusional Twenty Somethings - Donald Miller has a word for delusional twenty-somethings. (I know someone will bring up Blue Like Jazz. No, I am not endorsing it by linking to this article.)

Honoring Christ Online - Ligonier Ministries interviewed me for the April issue of Tabletalk, focusing in on how to honor God in our online lives.

There is no healing a man till the law has wounded him, no making him alive till the law has slain him. --C.H. Spurgeon

On Saturday I collaborated with my mother on a short memorial to Edith Schaeffer who had just gone to be with the Lord. Here are a couple of other articles, each written by one of her sons-in-law: Udo Middleman: “Today she "slipped into the nearer presence of Jesus", her Lord, from whom she awaits the promised resurrection to continue her life on earth and to dance once again with a body restored to wholeness.” And here is the official announcement from L’Abri.

When God Is Not Enough - Scotty Smith: “When the glory of the one true living God is no longer our principal passion in life, worship becomes a pragmatic vehicle for fulfilling two basic quests in life: provision and protection. Instead of living for God's glory and looking to Him to meet our needs, we exist for our glory and look for gods who will meet our demands.”

Surprised by Joy - C.S. Lewis’ Surprised By Joy is down to $2.99 for the Kindle edition.

Saeed Abedini - CNN writes about Naghmeh Abedini whose husband has been imprisoned in Iran for his Christian beliefs.

60 Seconds Adventures in Thought - These 60 second adventures in thought are kind of fun. (HT)

Unorganized Religion - ‘Michael Gerson discusses the 20% of Americans who describe their religion as "none."  It isn't that the "Nones" (not to be confused with "nuns") don't believe in God, necessarily.  64% of them do.  They just don't want to affiliate with any "organized religion."’

Intended Allegory in the Song of Solomon - Jim Hamilton: “So here's the simple proposal this post is inviting you to consider: is it possible that Solomon intended to represent the spiritual relationship between God and his people through a poetic depiction of the human relationship between the King and the Bride in the Song of Songs?”

I divide all readers into two classes: those who read to remember, and those who read to forget. --Willia Lyons Phelps

Man Is Fallen and Will Destroy the Earth - This article comes from far outside the Christian box, and this is exactly what makes it so interesting. The author, an environmentalist, realizes that secular humanism, which assumes the goodness of man, is contradicted by humanity’s treatment of the environment.

He Is a Kind Man - R.C. Sproul Jr. pens a tribute to his father. “While teaching through the fruit of the Spirit my father expressed how delighted he would be were those he leaves behind to choose, ‘He was a kind man’ for an epitaph. While it is certainly possible that such will come to pass, we pray in the distant future, I thought it might be wise to speak that truth here and now--my father is a kind man.”

Piper’s Final Weekend As a Pastor - This is John Piper’s final weekend as pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church. David Mathis says “It's the end of an era -- the era of Piper as local-church pastor -- but God willing, just the beginning of a new season of ministry. Justin Taylor writes his own tribute.

The Look - Bob Kauflin shares the story behind a song and then gives it away as a free download.

The Need for More Sound Books - Joel Beeke shares some wisdom from Thomas Manton. “There is no end of books, and yet we seem to need more every day. There was such a darkness brought in by the fall, as will not thoroughly be dispelled till we come to heaven; where the sun shineth without either cold or night. For the present, all should contribute their help according to the rate and measure of their abilities. Some hold up a candle, others a torch; but all are useful. The press is an excellent means to scatter knowledge, were it not so often abused.”

Five Gay Marriage Myths - Writing for Salvo, Robin Phillips offers five myths about gay marriage.

We have much more to receive, but God has no more to give than he has given in Jesus Christ. --John Stott

Motherhood at the Foot of the Cross - Elisha reflects on the challenges of motherhood. “Some days I receive such abundant mercy, and words of grace and joy characterize my conversations with them. I gracefully nurture, and it comes almost naturally. Our home has peace, and laughter. These are such wonderful days. But then there are the other days…”

Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came To Die - The Kindle edition of John Piper’s small book Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came To Die is just $0.99 for Easter.

Excellence or Faithfulness - Randy and Nanci Alcorn are right: Sometimes you just can’t do everything in life with excellence, but you can always do them with faithfulness.

More Cell Phones than Toilets - It seems sociologically significant that more people on earth have access to cell phones than to toilets. 

Salvation Accomplished By the Son - If you’d like to do some Good Friday and Easter reading, Crossway is offering a free download of a significant portion of Robert Peterson’s Salvation Accomplished by the Son.

Revelation - If you ever read the Revelation graphic novel by Chris Koelle, you may be interested in buying some prints or other related art work. Chris has opened a store that sells all kinds of good things.

The State of the Bible - The Barna Group has produced its annual study of what Americans think about the Bible. Here's an interesting infographic summarizing their results.

Calvary shows how far men will go in sin, and how far God will go for man’s salvation. --H.C. Trumball

Cold-Case Christianity - J. Warner Wallace’s Cold-Case Christianity, quite a good book, is free for Kindle. I can’t imagine the deal will last long, so get it while the getting’s good!

Theologians I’ve Been Shaped By - “On a whim last week I stopped to try and think about who, out of the various books, pastors, and theologians I've been shaped by, has most shaped me theologically. I started rifling through the names-Calvin, Vanhoozer, Horton, Wright, Barth, Newbigin, Kreeft, Lewis, Kierkegaard-and came up with a surprising answer: my mother, Arliett.”

The Influence of Dr. Albert Mohler - Mike Leake: “I, for one, am grateful that the deeply held biblical convictions of Albert Mohler will survive into generations to come. I also pray that the Lord continues to work in the life of Dr. Mohler and Southern Seminary, for the truth, for the church, for the world, and for the glory of God.”

Why the Arguments Are Persuasive - “I don't think the arguments or gay marriage are biblically faithfully, logically persuasive, or good for human flourishing in the long run, but they are almost impossible to overcome with most Americans, especially in younger generations.” Kevin DeYoung explains.

Bright Young Things - “No one should be surprised that Victoria’s Secret is now targeting ‘tweens’ with their new Bright Young Things line. In our market culture, it no longer feels all that wrong for our preteens to don underwear (yes, I use that antiquated term intentionally) that draws attention to their private parts (that ancient phrase is intentional, too) with exaggerated cuts and printed suggestions. Columbus, Ohio, takes a step closer to Bangkok, Thailand. We’re just more understated about it all.”

Yahoo and the Church - David Murray looks at what Yahoo can teach the church. 

Stop Reacting to Robots - If you chew the meat and spit out the bones there are some interesting takeaways in this article.

The less we read the Word of God, the less we desire to read it, and the less we pray, the less we desire to pray. --George Mueller

Here are a couple more Kindle deals that may interest you: The Insanity of God by Nik Ripken is down to $2.99; Embracing Obscurity by Anonymous is also down to $2.99; Take Words With You, a helpful prayer guide by Tim Kerr, is down to $0.99 this week only.

The Village of Kpaha - I loved reading this post from the mission field: “I would like to take you on a little tour of the village where we are going to start that church in less than two weeks. It is among the largest unreached people group in Togo, the Lamba. The village is called Kpaha and it is another ten kilometers down dirt roads after traveling about thirty-five kilometers north of our house.”

The Silver Lining - There is lots of doom and gloom in the publishing industry, but Andy Le Peau has found at least a bit of a silver lining. 

Who Disqualifies Whom? - Josiah Grauman takes on a tricky text. “What does a pastor tell his children (or wife) concerning the reality that their conduct has a direct bearing on his livelihood? Obviously it is a conversation that will probably happen, but I propose that it is a mistake to tell your family that if they misbehave, the man of the house might end up on unemployment.”

The Charge of Inconsistency - I think I linked to this article from Tim Keller last year, but I saw it floating around the blogs yesterday and thought it was worth another read. “What I hear most often is ‘Christians ignore lots of Old Testament texts--about not eating raw meat or pork or shellfish, not executing people for breaking the Sabbath, not wearing garments woven with two kinds of material and so on. Then they condemn homosexuality. Aren't you just picking and choosing what they want to believe from the Bible’?”

Death In His Grave - I love this song.

Heaven will pay for any loss we may suffer to gain it; but nothing can pay for the loss of heaven. --Richard Baxter

R.C. Sproul’s book The Truth of the Cross, one of my favorites, is free on Kindle! The Kindle editions of Hendrickson’s Christian Classic series is on sale for just $2.99 each. They include A Practical View of Christianity by William Wilberforce, The Pilgrim’s Progress by John Bunyan, Humility and Absolute Surrender by Andrew Murray, Orthodoxy by G.K. Chesterton, The Confessions by St. Augustine, George Muller of Bristol by Arthur Pierson, Foxe’s Book of Martyrs by John Foxe and E.M. Bounds on Prayer.

A Christian Man’s Travel Plan - As someone who travels quite frequently, I enjoyed reading Garrett Kell’s “Christian Man’s Travel Plan.”

Why Christians Should read Fiction - Russell Moore explains why Christians will benefit from enjoying at least some fiction.

Histories of the American South - I’ve really been enjoying Thabiti Anyabwile’s series of posts interacting with Douglas Wilson’s book Black and Tan. This one has some very good thoughts about the book’s strengths and very troubling weaknesses.

Marriage in the Dock - Dr. Mohler: “The next two days are destined to stand as among the most significant days in our nation's constitutional history, but the issues at stake reach far beyond the U.S. Constitution. Nothing less than marriage is in the dock, with the nation's highest court set to consider two cases that deal with the question of the legalization of same-sex marriage.”

The Old Man and His Big Book - I enjoyed this article from David Mathis: “Robert Duncan Culver is the only surviving founding member of the Evangelical Theological Society -- and his mind is sharp enough to recall his membership number was 158. He taught a combined 25 years at Wheaton College and Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and stirred up his share of controversy.”

It is only an infinite God, and an infinite good, that can fill and satisfy the precious and immortal soul of man. --Thomas Brooks

In case you don’t check in over the weekend, let me make you aware of a few new Kindle deals: John Piper’s Finally Alive, one of my all-time Piper favorites, is down to $3.99 for the Kindle edition. It’s well worth that price. You may also want to take a look at A Faith To Love By by Donald Macleod ($3.99) and Royal Company by Malcolm Maclean ($2.99). Sally Lloyd-Jones The Jesus Storybook Bible is at $1.99; Scott Oliphant’s God With Us is $4.61 and Trevin Wax’s Counterfeit Gospels is $4.99.

What Happened to Hospitality? - “What happened to hospitality? We are a young couple who hosts a small group in our home, and many other gatherings of young families. But it seems like no one ever wants other people in their homes these days. Why is that?” Randy Alcorn answers.

Teen Treks to Everest - I’m really proud of Eli Reimer (son of my friend Justin Reimer who founded The Elisha Foundation). “A 15-year-old boy with a passion for sports and an infectious smile became the first person with Down syndrome to stand at the base camp of Mount Everest, and returned to Southern California Friday night to a jubilant welcome.”

Children Should Be Bored - “Children should be allowed to get bored so they can develop their innate ability to be creative, an education expert says.”

The Unitarian Controversy Over Polyamory - Polyamory is definitely one of the next frontiers in trying to legitimize what God forbids. Gene Veith links to an interesting article. What moral ground is left to forbid it?

A Lifelong Learner - “For the first twenty-two years or so of our lives, our main ‘job’ is learning. The bulk of our time is spent in classrooms acquiring new knowledge. And then, once we graduate, we feel like the education phase of our lives is done and now it's time to go out into the world. Have you ever thought about how odd that idea is? That only a quarter of our lives should be devoted to learning, and then we should simply rest on our laurels for the remaining three-quarters of it?”

Journey of Grace - Marvin Olasky interviews Rosaria Butterfield who is always a fascinating interview subject.

We cannot infer from prosperity that God is pleased with us, nor can we infer from adversity that he is displeased with us. --Wilson Benton

Finally Alive - John Piper’s Finally Alive, one of my all-time Piper favorites, is down to $3.99 for the Kindle edition. It’s well worth that price. You may also want to take a look at A Faith To Love By by Donald Macleod ($3.99) and Royal Company by Malcolm Maclean ($2.99).

Bonnet Rippers - Here is a longform article about the rise of the Amish romance novel. “In 2012, a new Amish romance novel appeared on the market about every four days. Sixty more were published in 2012 than in 2009, and 83 more than in 2002. The top three Amish-fiction authors -- Beverly Lewis, Wanda Brunstetter, and Cindy Woodsmall -- have sold a combined total of more than 24 million books.” (I still need to get it on that action with my Ultimate Christian Novel.)

Say Something Right Now Or Else! - I really appreciate Kevin DeYoung’s article about thsoe who demand that he speak to any particular issue … or else. “As someone with a public platform I've been called upon numerous times to speak out on any number of specific issues or controversies.”

The Touch Screen Generation - “Young children--even toddlers--are spending more and more time with digital technology. What will it mean for their development?”

His Beloved Son - Any parent who has watched their child get stitched back together will be moved by Elisha’s article. 

Give Working Families A Rest - Phillip Jensen makes some good points as he writes about both work and rest.

Bottled History - I enjoyed this short film that looks at one man’s craft.

‘The early Christians did not say ‘look what the world is coming to!’ but ‘look what has come into the world!’ --Carl F.H. Henry

Two Sets of Wants - A reader directed me to a new blog and I found a great post there on parenting. A dad writes about his two competing sets of wants for his children. Good stuff!

A Writer’s Confession - “I've been reflecting lately on the real dangers of being a writer. One of the reasons I took a break from blogging for a while is because I was too consumed by checking statistics, subscriptions and comments. It started to become too much about me. Here are some things I have to daily repent of as a writer, in the form of a prayer.”

$5 Friday - Ligonier has some noteworthy deals in their $5 Friday including (among other things) R.C. Sproul’s commentary on Romans (in electronic editions) and The Holiness of God teaching series.

Heaven Is For Real - I guess it was inevitable. Heaven Is For Real is coming to the big screen. It will be co-produced by Joe Roth (Oz the Great and Powerful) and T.D. Jakes and directed by Randall Wallace, who wrote Braveheart and directed Secretariat.

How Many Hours Should Pastors Work? - Darryl has a very helpful take on how many hours pastors should work in a week and what they need to model before their congregations.

The Sentence Against God - Randy Alcorn + John Stott = a powerful article.

A Letter to the Church - Here is a letter to the church that you may do well to read.

Never undertake more Christian service than you can cover by believing prayer. --Alan Redpath