I have finally launched a long-awaited and much-overdue refresh to the design of this site and the accompanying newsletter. The update includes the look of the site but also goes much deeper into its design and architecture. It’s easily the most significant update in the past 20 years and firms up the site’s foundation as I look ahead to the 20 years to come.
Much of the power of the new site is behind the scenes where it’s making my life easier, delivering faster results, doing a better job of interacting with search engines, and so on. But there are a few more obvious features that may interest you:
- The Best Commentaries section has been completely updated with the latest and greatest commentaries. You can now find up-to-date expert recommendations for commentaries on every book of the Bible.
- The Book Recommendations section has been updated and several new categories have been added. If you are looking for a book on a particular subject, it’s the place to go.
- Those who subscribe to the daily email newsletter will receive it earlier in the day—on time for breakfast if you live in North America and on time for lunch if you live in Europe. They will also observe that its design is much more tightly tied to the site.
- The new Explore item on the main menu should provide a much superior search function for those attempting to find archived content.
- Articles are now tagged according to Scripture reference.
- The audio player function should work better for those who have visual disabilities or those who simply prefer to listen to articles. (Note: This function is fairly pricey, so I will test it for some time and gauge how much it is used before deciding whether or not to keep it permanently.)
- The site has both light and dark designs that will vary according to the time of day. You are also free to set your preference with the switch at the top of the screen.
- The Kindle Deals page has been revamped to present the books in a better and more informative format.
All that and more! If you happen to spot any bugs or find some part of the new site that you just can’t stand, please let me know through the little “Feedback” form that should appear at the bottom of each page.
I’m especially grateful to Chad Helmer for deploying his considerable skill in designing the site, coding it to the highest of standards, and carefully fixing the thousands of issues that came with importing two decades of old data. I’m also thankful to all of those whose support made possible a project of this magnitude.
