Walk the Bible

Devoted readers of this blog (both of you) know that I believe strongly that every pastor should visit the Holy Land, and as early in his or her ministry as possible (see why here). It is impossible to describe the impact such a trip will have on a person's Bible reading, preaching, and perspective. It is truly life-changing.

I expect the same kind of impact from the trip the lovely Robin and I plan to host next May (2013). We have long hoped and planned to journey in the steps of Paul and John in Turkey and Greece, for many of the same reasons we continue to host Holy Land tours, but have several times have had to change our plans. Well, no more. The dates and itinerary for our 2013 Steps of Paul Cruise-and-Land Tour are set! (We do our best to plan well in advance to give ourselves and our co-travelers the chance to save and prepare.)

Soon, we will be traipsing around Athens, Corinth, Ephesus, Patmos, and other cool places, following in the footsteps of the Apostle Paul, the Apostle John, and others (like Aquila and Priscilla, for example). Our faith will be inspired and the Bible will come alive as we visit Mars Hill in Athens, where Paul delivered his famous sermon about the “Unknown God”…Corinth where Paul lived and preached...Thessaloniki, the city Paul addressed in two New Testament letters (1 & 2 Thessalonians) …Paul’s beloved Philippi where he baptized a “certain woman named Lydia,” the first Christian convert in Europe...Ephesus, where Paul, John, Priscilla and Aquila once lived and taught. We will also cruise to the island of Patmos (where John wrote the book of Revelation)...as well as the mystical islands of Mykonos and Santorini.

This experience will be far more than a sight-seeing tour. It is a pilgrimage. We will read and hear Scripture in the places it was written or received. We will worship where our first-century forebears worshiped. We will “walk the Bible” in ways never to be forgotten.

The ten-day trip includes roundtrip airfare from Cincinnati, deluxe motorcoaches, chartered cruise ship, first-class hotels, professionally guided shore excursions, daily breakfast and dinner (as well as lunch when aboard ship), study guide, entrance fees, host services, tips, taxes, and fuel surcharges for $3,399.

Because part of the tour will take place on a cruise ship, a limited number of slots are available, so if you are interested, let me hear from you soon. A $250 deposit will reserve your spot.

We will depart as a group from Cincinnati on May 8, 2013, and return May 17. Click here for the itinerary.

Got questions? You can ask them in the comment box, or email me via bob@bobhostetler.com.

(photos, from top to bottom: the Parthenon in Athens; the ancient library in Ephesus (Kavalla); the island of Santorini)