GTI Tours Podcast

Links to recommended resources:

• Jesus Through Middle Eastern Eyes by Kenneth Bailey
• IVP Bible Background Commentary by Craig Keener
• Jesus the Middle Eastern Storyteller by Gary Burge
• The Bible and the Land by Gary Burge
• A week in the life of a Roman Centurion by Gary Burge

Originally from Southern California, Gary was an undergraduate at the University of California, Riverside, and The American University of Beirut, Lebanon. He attended Fuller Theological Seminary and King's College, The University of Aberdeen, Scotland. In Scotland he studied with I. Howard Marshall earning a Ph.D. in New Testament. He served on the faculties of King College (Tennessee), North Park University (Illinois) and after 25 years at Wheaton College (Illinois) he joined the faculty of Calvin Theological Seminary (Michigan) in 2017.

Gary speaks widely in churches and conferences both in the United States and in various countries. He has traveled extensively, particularly in the Middle East. He is ordained in the Presbyterian Church, USA, and served as a military chaplain (USNR). For over 15 years he was a regular teacher at Willow Creek Community Church in S. Barrington, IL. 

Trip blog
https://gtitours.org/tour-journal/signature-turkey

Blanket maker video
https://vimeo.com/336927023

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ephesus
https://www.bibleplaces.com/ephesus/

Erik Thoennes is a professor of theology and the chair of the theology department at Talbot School of Theology, Biola University as well as a pastor at Grace Evangelical Free Church in La Mirada, California. His wife Donna also teaches at Biola University as an adjunct professor.

Resource:

Church History in Plain Language (updated 4th edition)

by Bruce Shelley (Author)

https://www.amazon.com/Church-History-Plain-Language-Fourth/dp/1401676316

If you are not already registered for a biblical study tour, please visit our website at https://gtitours.org/schedule

Our Signature Tours are especially popular and the choices include:

Israel and Jordan Signature Tour
Sept. 25-October 7, 2021

Turkey/Greece Signature Tour
October 11-24, 2021

Egypt, Jordan and Israel Signature Tour
Feb. 25-March 10, 2022

Homesick for Israel Signature Tour
August 28-Sept. 8, 2022

Now that work is picking back up for the GTI staff, we will continue to release new podcast episodes but less often. Be sure to go back and listen to any you may have missed along the way! Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for our latest news, interesting articles and stunning photos! See below for our list of available tours and feel free to contact our office if you have any questions at (616) 369-1234 or (800) 829-8234.

View Upcoming Signature Tours

Originally from the great nation of Texas, Shea grew up in a broken home, far from the Lord, before surrendering his life to Jesus while in high school. After experiencing a radical spiritual transformation in college, he would eventually go on to receive degrees from the University of North Texas and Dallas Theological Seminary. During that time he married his beautiful bride of 20 years, Tiffany, and together have five precious daughters-- Emma, Sara, Rebekah, Abigail, & Hannah. Shea spent nearly a decade serving as the college pastor of Denton Bible Church in Denton, TX, then as teaching pastor for The Well Community Church in Fresno, CA & campus pastor for The Village Church in Flower Mound, TX. Today, Shea serves as the Lead Pastor of Northway Church in Dallas, TX. He has a deep passion for teaching the Word of God and spreading the Gospel through the local church.

https://www.bibleplaces.com/nahalzin/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ein_Avdat

Northway Trip Blog

https://gtitours.org/tour-journal/northway21

For the first time GTI Tours’ history, we have hand-crafted a study tour designed specifically for those who have been to Israel before. This tour is created to give the Homesick a chance to return Home, to revisit the Land and to learn new Lessons from her, to bring new chapters of the Bible to Life!

Not only will this itinerary include new sites but also new experiences: getting your hands dirty on an archaeological dig, shopping at the Mahane Yehuda Market, taking in the vivid colors of the Baha'i Gardens. Spiritual moments will abound at significant cities such as Bethel, Shiloh, and Mount Gerizim and at a traditional Shabbat dinner. Get reacquainted with the Old City of Jerusalem and the quiet waves of the Sea of Galilee.

Ronen will be personally leading this tour! He has been guiding in Israel since 1994 and has lead hundreds of tours throughout the land. He holds a master’s degree in Middle Eastern history from the Hebrew University as well as vast knowledge of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. On this tour, Ronen will be your encyclopedia, companion, servant, and friend. Registration is open!

Bonus material: Ronen walks us through the preparation of two signature Israeli dishes, hummus and shakshuka!

Hummus Video

https://vimeo.com/455962186

Shakshuka Video

https://vimeo.com/455961456

Homesick for Israel Video

https://vimeo.com/418114134

Matthew 23:37

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew+23%3A37&version=NIV

Sea of Galilee

https://www.bibleplaces.com/seagalilee/

Ronen's Famous Hummus

https://vimeo.com/manage/videos/455962186

A big part of becoming a trip leader is joining our annual Pastor's Familiarization Trip. Every January, GTI takes a group of pastors and ministry leaders to Israel at a discounted rate to benefit their ministries and to also prepare them to bring groups back! This year's trip is January 10-21, 2022. Registration is open! Pastor's Fam 2022 trip link: https://gtitours.org/trip/pastors-and-educators-israel-2022

• To find out what a Fam trip is like, read the blog from Pastor's Fam 2020:
  https://gtitours.org/tour-journal/pastors-and-educators-israel
• Luke for Everyone (The New Testament for Everyone) by N.T. Wright.
• A dramatic interpretation of the road to Emmaus story:

Troy Thomas is a trip leader and retired pastor from CrossWay Church in Germantown, Wisconsin. After many years serving in pastoral ministry at several Milwaukee-area churches, Troy retired from vocational ministry in 2021. Troy continues to serve the local church where his heart’s desire is to preach the Gospel, teach the Bible, build up leaders, and make disciples who make disciples. Prior to vocational ministry, he spent 18 years in business as a management consultant.

Troy has a bachelor’s degree from Northern Iowa, an MBA from George Washington University, a Masters in Christian Studies from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, and a Master’s in Divinity from Rockbridge Seminary. Troy and his wife Liz have been married for over 30 years and are blessed by three adult children, a daughter-in-law, and many nieces and nephews. They reside in Sussex, Wisconsin.

In addition to his family, his vocational ministry, and his local community, Troy leads trips to Israel that focus on Biblical study and exposition in the original setting. Troy believes that true Biblical understanding must be rooted in the history, geography, culture, and language of the original context. And Troy’s prayer is that these trips will lead people to make life-changing applications from the teaching of Jesus Christ.

Ariel was born and raised in a Jewish community in Finland then moved to Israel as an adult. He lived in Jerusalem for 16 years and became interested in guiding tours. Ariel speaks four languages (Finnish, Swedish, Hebrew and English) and has been guiding groups through Israel for 30 years. He loves to spend time in Jerusalem and in the Judean desert. His name means "Lion of God" in Hebrew.

Books

• Feasts and Holidays of the Bible
• Christ in the Feast of Tabernacles