One of the challenges of constructing a website for visitors is making the site simple and intuitive enough that people can maneuver through it. It seems easy enough to me, but then I have been building it from the ground up and spending almost all my waking hours in it. To help you navigate the waters of the site, here is a brief description of the layout with some instructions.
The site itself is found at http://www.koinoniabiblestudies.com .
When you go to the home page, you will find blogs that I have written over the last couple of years. I believe right now there are about 60 different articles within the site, but only a select few are on the front page. The article “Refreshing – God’s Autumn Providence” tells you a little about the reason that I am wanting to put an online study together.
Click on the title or the “continue reading to go to the article. You will notice at the top of the screen are the words “Koinonia Bible Studies” and three bars in the left corner that uncover a menu. These two items will be consistent on almost every page. Clicking the “Koinonia” logo will bring you back to the home page. Clicking the menu bars always uncovers something that is vital to the page.
Looking deeper
On the home page the menu uncovers a form for which you can sign up for the Bible Study. Your signature just helps me know who is coming to the site.
If you click on the article icon on the first page, the entire article will come on screen. You can scroll down through the article and read about my reasons and desire to form this group.
Are you a small group leader? Do you feel ill-equipped to be “teaching” content during your study? When all we do is “push play” on the streaming presentation or the DVD, questions are likely to arise that are difficult to handle. Often the small group can become just sharing everyone’s opinions. You can walk away feeling unsure of what the Bible really says and means – let alone knowing how to live it out in the real world.
Studying this content first will help you feel confident and secure that you are presenting what the Bible says without being concerned that you are leading people astray. The material has been written from the vantage point of fifty years of studying the Scripture. Studying for seven years at a Seminary, I earned the undergraduate Bachelor of Arts degree in Biblical studies, pastoral ministry and communication. Continuing my studies, I pursued and earned two Master’s Degrees – a Master of Arts and a Master of Divinity. I am affiliated with the non-denominational Christian churches. Southeast Christian Church, one of the nation’s largest congregations, is a part of that fellowship.
Autumn Refreshing
The November lessons are called “Autumn Refreshing.” Every new lesson series will have an introductory lesson that will provide background for the upcoming lessons. It really doesn’t contain a plan that you will teach, but it provides you with a context from which to teach.
Clicking on the menu bars on this page will provide a brief explanation of the structure of the webpages. You will see an explanation of the content of the menus. This menu will also feature the Scripture passage for the series in six different versions of the Bible. Finally the bottom of the menu has links to the other lessons in the series.
Autumn Rain
If you click on the first lesson, Autumn Rain, the page will look similar to the design of the introductory lesson. There are a couple of interesting features in these lessons. If you hover over a Scripture reference, a window will pop up providing you with the verse of Scripture.
The menu for the actual lessons will all follow the same format. Clicking upper left menu bars will provide you with several things for the coming week’s lessons.
At the top of the menu is a Bible Verse of the Day. The Bible verse changes every day to provide a new Scripture each day. In addition, you will find a verse each day that relates to our week’s lesson. The site also shares a brief devotional thought for the week. Eventually the devotional thought will change every day also.
Leave your mark on the site
At the bottom the lesson pages, there is a place for you to leave questions or comments. I encourage you to add to our knowledge with your thoughts and ideas. Let’s truly make this a learning community.
Leave your mark on your small group
Leaders of small study groups will find two helpful items at the bottom of the menu.
The lesson for each class will have a one page PDF lesson that you can click, view and print out. You are welcome to use this lesson handout and make as many copies as you need to make. The menu also has a handful of questions that you can use for discussion starters for the lesson.
There you have it. You have progressed through the site and one of the lessons. You can use it for your personal study or to share with your small group.
Let me know how your journey progresses.
Blessings,
Tom