Day 03 - Pisidian Antioch

Day three of our time in Turkey started out similar to how I’d imagine most mornings begin in Turkish cities. The populace awakened to the beckoning music of the Islamic call to prayer floating on crisp mountain air wafting through windows left open the night before. 

As I lingered in bed and imagined what lay before me today, I could only pray that those hearing this call to worship would somehow encounter a chance to be exposed to the truth of Christ and in His calling of all who seek him. I can only imagine this is how Paul must have felt as he traveled the road from Perga to Pisidian Antioch. 

It was a brisk 55-degree day, so we donned our jackets and rode the bus a little over an hour to this ancient city where Paul entreated both Jew and Gentile to leave behind the worship of man and law for the salvation of Christ. 

Some history of this particular Antioch (Antioch of Pisidia, one of seven in Turkey!) is crucial to understanding the dynamics of what Paul and his companions faced. This gorgeous town hidden away in a mountain range valley was first built in the 3rd BC by the Seleucid Dynasty. By the time of Paul’s travels, it was an important Roman stronghold , full of soldiers, merchants, synagogues, fountains and temples. 

In short, the city he would encounter would harbor the beliefs and aspirations of a disparate populace taken to worshiping their emperors, such as Caesar Augustus. (Who happened to have quite the temple located there in his honor!)

In Acts 13 we come to see how Paul used the philosophical methods these Romans adhered to, as a template to share the gospel. And it bore fruit, with multiple churches started after his arrival. In fact, so far three have been discovered from the 4th century when Christianity became legal under Constantine, with a fourth church being excavated as we visited.

As I sat there, amongst ancient ruins, soaking in the mountain views, two thoughts came to me almost simultaneously:

These once mighty monuments that testified to the supreme accomplishments of man are only remnants of a civilization long gone. While descendants and tales of history remain, most of what they stood for has evolved or even disappeared from the consciousness of the world at large.
In contrast, what Paul brought to Antioch of Pisidia was lasting, both in its revelations and ramifications for how both Jew AND Gentile would engage with the gospel and all it entailed. In this same vein, is what I am investing in daily of eternal value? Will I persevere as Paul entreated Timothy to do when sharing my faith with patience and boldness? Or will my works and deeds lay hidden by the road, only remembered as the ruins of a forgotten religion to things long forgotten?
 

As our day is coming to an end, we are heading to Pamukkale, but on the way we received some interesting facts about Turkey which I’ll leave with you!

1: 30% of Turkey’s population lies in three cities- Ankara, Istanbul, and Izmir

2: Istanbul actually encompasses both the European and Asian continent! So, you could have breakfast in Asia and dinner in Europe!

3: The biggest drivers of Turkish commerce are vehicle manufacturers, mining, tourism, and agriculture 

4: Finally, Turkey is roughly the size of Texas and has around 85 million people!

- by Mandy Crowell