Day 05 -Ephesus, St. John's Basilica, Ephesus Museum, Turkish Weaving Center

Today we stepped into one of the crown jewels of the ancient world—Ephesus. A city of unmatched size, wealth, and spiritual significance in the Roman world, it was also one of the great frontiers of the gospel. As we walked its marble roads and stood beneath the towering columns of its temples and libraries, we weren’t just seeing ruins—we were retracing the footsteps of Paul, Timothy, and the early Christian movement.

We began by meditating on Acts 19, where Paul enters Ephesus and begins his transformative ministry. Rather than operate alone, Paul gathers disciples and pours into them, training them to take the gospel deeper into the city and beyond. His ministry in Ephesus wasn’t just about preaching—it was about building a community that could outlast him.

We climbed up to the terraced houses, homes of the wealthy elite. With their vibrant frescoes, marble interiors, and intricate mosaics, these houses told a story of luxury and prestige. But we also heard Paul’s voice echoing from 1 Timothy 6, urging the rich “not to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to be rich in good deeds… and to lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age.” The contrast between Roman wealth and Kingdom purpose stirred thoughtful conversation—what does it mean to steward what we’ve been given?

Then came one of the most dramatic biblical moments—the riot at the theater, described in Acts 19. Standing just outside the massive structure where it likely unfolded, we read how the silversmiths of the city, threatened by the spread of the gospel, stirred up the crowds with the cry: “Great is Artemis of the Ephesians!” It was a moment where the kingdom of God collided with the kingdoms of this world—and the gospel didn’t retreat.

After walking through the streets that once held a city of a quarter-million people, we ascended the hill to St. John’s Basilica, a 6th-century church built under the rule of Emperor Justinian. Early Christian tradition holds that John the Apostle, author of the Gospel and Revelation, lived his final years in Ephesus and was buried here. As we stood in that sacred space, we sang The Greatest Commands, letting our voices rise where saints once gathered. It was a reminder that the faith proclaimed in these letters and stories is still alive, still being sung.

Our next stop was the Ephesus Museum, where many of the treasures unearthed from the site are preserved—statues of Artemis, inscriptions, everyday tools, and household goods that give a fuller picture of Ephesian life. History here isn’t just abstract—it’s tangible, textured, and rich with layers of meaning.

We concluded our time in Ephesus at the so-called Paradise of Aphrodite, a peaceful garden space just outside the city, where we opened our Bibles one last time to read Revelation 2:1–7, the letter to the church in Ephesus. Jesus commends them for their endurance but calls them back to their first love. We learned that Jesus is where paradise is not Artemis and after all the richness, power, and legacy of the day, that message landed deeply: Hold fast. Remember why you started. Love as you once did.

Lunch followed—delicious and leisurely, shared among new friends and old, where the conversation lingered on what we’d seen and heard.

We ended the day at a Turkish weaving center, where master artisans walked us through the intricate and generational craft of making hand-woven rugs. From silk threads spun from cocoons to vivid dyes drawn from pomegranate peels and madder root, we saw how artistry and tradition are interwoven. A few of us walked away with lifelong treasures—pieces that will grace our homes and remind us this wonderful trip.

Ephesus reminds us: we are called to love—not just once, but always. And to follow the One who walks among the lampstands still.