Day 01 - Southern Coast: Antalya Harbor, Antalya Museum, Roman Road

Today was our first day in Turkey! This morning, we took a walk to a beautiful overlook of the Mediterranean Sea where Jared shared a devotional with our group that gave us perspective as we embark on the rest of our trip. He asked us a challenging question — “How do you live in a world that is constantly trying to shape you?” The answer, as hard as it may seem, is actually very simple. In 1 Peter 5:12-13, Paul calls his readers, who were enduring trials, to stand firm in the true grace of God. As we go throughout Turkey, visiting the places where Paul ministered to, we are going to be unpacking how the Church stood firm, even in the midst of great suffering. 

Jared outlined our trip and expanded what we would be focusing on — Paul’s first missionary journey, the seven churches in Revelation, and the seven aspects of Roman culture. 

We have begun our trip in the city of Antalya where a foundation was laid for the rest of our time here in Turkey. As we sat in the harbor of Antalya, we discussed the person of Paul and the significance of God choosing Him to spread His gospel. Paul’s unique identity made Him the perfect ambassador to share the Christian gospel, rooted in Judaism, to a Roman audience. The weight of this serves great purpose in understanding the message and mission God gave Paul as He carried the good news to the ends of the earth. 

Our group went to a museum housing artifacts from Perga, some of which were 2,000 years old! 

This began our lessons on the different aspects of Roman culture, helpful to understand the people Paul was ministering to. The first aspect being lords and gods, two things that were at the center of Roman life. 

The next stop led us to another pivotal piece of Roman culture, roads. We took a hike on an ancient road where Tyler unpacked the role they played in the rise and expansion of the Roman Empire. While Rome used these roads to increase their power and display their own glory, God used these roads for His own purpose and to bring glory to Himself. Despite enduring hardships through persecution, shipwreck, stoning and various other trials, Paul remained faithful to the purpose that God had laid before him — it’s believed that Paul walked anywhere from 9,000 to 10,000 miles in his missionary journeys!

Thank you for following along with us today! I am so excited to see what all the Lord has in store for us during our time here as we get to experience the Bible in a very tangible way. Please keep praying for us as we continue our journey through Turkey!