Inside Scoop on Constant Source | Part IV
Throughout February, we have been taking a deeper look at Constant Source. We discussed the biblical significance of Constant Source’s name in Part I. In Part II, we talked about the state of the Christian church, why equipping parents to be spiritual leaders in their home is so important, and how Constant Source will help step into this space. Last week, in Part III we discussed the lectionary - the backbone for Constant Source’s content.
This week we are taking a look at a preliminary layout for Constant Source and talking about the elements that will be present in each issue. The numbers and commentary below reflect the location of the content in the images. You can pick any number to find out more about the content, but I’d recommend reading through in numerical order. With that, let’s jump in…
1 - The header of each issue will name the theme, the church year season, the date of the issue, and a list of the four key scripture from the lectionary for the week. The theme will be derived from an underlying thread that can be seen in each of the week’s scripture readings. As we discussed in Part III, Constant Source will highlight the seasons of the church year. This focus will be reflected in the coloring of the layout and will sometimes be used as a reflection point, both personally and for the kids.
2 - As can be seen in the layout, each issue will be divided into multiple parts. Part 1 will always focus on the key scripture and will dive into the theme for each week. Part 1 will provide multiple engagement points (more on that below) and functions as the main part of the content. Part 2 will provide a deeper look at the theme through exploring the other scripture readings while Part 3 will provide more ideas on ways to pass on what you are learning to your family. We realize that we are all busy people and we want this content to scale in depth depending on the time your family has for it each week. The goal is to take small steps together, celebrate wins, and to build new habits of spiritual discipline. To this end, Part 1 provides enough content that if it is all you and your family gets to in a week, you are well on your way towards helping your family center on Christ.
3 - The open book icon will be used throughout to simply point out that it is time to read something. As is mentioned above, a key scripture will be chosen as the emphasis and will animate the rest of the content for the week. We start here each week because reading scripture is a great practice to establish as part of your spiritual discipline rhythm. You can read this verse on your own, with your spouse, or with your kids. You can read it once to kick off your week or start every day with it. We believe that the Bible is a living document and is one of the ways that God reveals God’s self to us. So, to use an age old saying, the more the merrier.
4 - The chat bubble icon signifies the commentary section of Constant Source. In academic settings, a commentary refers to a type of reflection that often reveals historical details and different interpretations of a Biblical text. This section will function similarly and will focus on deepening Biblical comprehension and increasing understanding regarding Christianity. It will be infused with Christian voices from all different places and eras, but will aim to provide relevant and helpful information to bolster your comfortability with theological subject matter.
5 - The pencil icon will be used throughout to signify personal reflection moments. Reflection is an important part of the process because it creates space to internalize and absorb the information. This section might look a little bit different each week, but the key goal is to help parents think critically about how the week’s theme and passage informs their life and impacts their relationship with God.
6 - The bridge icon will be used throughout to pose questions, comment on ways that themes overlaps, and emphasize key points. It will be used to transition the content from personal reflection to application with children.
7 - The gear icon signifies application and activity opportunities for parents to share what they are learning with their kids and to invite responses from them. In Part 1, these application points will often look like conversation starters, reflection questions, and prayer prompts. Remember the goal is establishing a rhythm so each moment spent in conversation is a win. Parts 2 and 3 will often provide deeper dive options that focus on age appropriate activities and reflection.
8 - Lastly, the hashtag icon will be used throughout to tie together Biblical themes that are seen throughout all issues of Constant Source. Once Constant Source launches, there will be a page on our website dedicated to indexing Biblical themes. If you want more information on a given theme or you want to refer to other Bible stories that match a particular theme, you can go to our website to find other issues that share the same themes.
I hope you have enjoyed your Inside Scoop on Constant Source. We are beyond excited about where this project is going and hope that you are too! If you’ve enjoyed this series, please take a moment to share it on your favorite social media platform, drop a comment below, or press the heart button. Also, make sure you sign up to receive notifications about our progress as there will be some beta testing opportunities coming up in Q2.
P.S. I know that you’ve been wondering about my favorite dessert since the beginning of February, so I won’t make you wait much longer to find out. But first, you should know that in order to answer this question I asked myself: If you could only take one dessert with you to a deserted island to eat for the rest of your life, what would it be? To that question, I have to say vanilla ice cream. On its own it’s subtle enough to be refreshing and a staple food, while also providing an excellent foundation to add things to that can be found around an island. Bananas in my vanilla ice cream? Yes, please!
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