Dear Pastor,
I once took a group of students to go stargazing near Haran. As we looked upon the dark sky, the stars began to come out. It was like watching the stories of Genesis unfold before us in the majesty of the dark. The Lord stirred in both them and me a wonder at his promises that are even more secure than the heavens themselves.
I think about that moment whenever a pastor asks whether he should bring his church. You're probably not asking whether it would be meaningful. You already believe it would be. You're asking whether you can defend it: to the elders, to the missions committee, and to the member who isn't going and wonders why the church is involved.
Let me say first what we're not offering. We don't run pilgrimages, or treat these places as sacred ground. To stand in them isn't to find them holy; it's to see the story more clearly, deepen understanding, and strengthen confidence.
“Coming here as a church would be absolutely invaluable.”
Greg Gilbert, Senior Pastor, Third Avenue Baptist Church
The short answers
Ephesus, Smyrna, Laodicea and Philippi were congregations before they were ruins. When thirty people from one church stand in one of them together, they come home tasting the reality of God's work in history. That only reaches the rest of the church if you plan for it: a Sunday evening when the group reports back, prayer for the believers you'll meet.
When you've stood in Laodicea and seen the aqueduct that brought the water in, “neither hot nor cold” (which many scholars read against that water supply) becomes more than an illustration you borrowed from a commentary. You now have lived experiences to share with your congregation in a way that underscores the reality of God's work.
Your guide has the history and culture covered. Every guide we use is licensed, and we know each one personally; our lead guide is Metin Pehlivan. The Bible teaching belongs to you: either you lead it, or a teacher you choose does, or, if you'd like, we arrange one. When we arrange a teacher, it’s through trusted relationships. In the past teachers have come from The Gospel Coalition, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and 9Marks, along with other like-minded churches and institutions.
If your dates include a Sunday, ask us about worshiping with an English-speaking local congregation. It’s usually only feasible for smaller groups, but where it works, it may be the most important morning of the trip.
A holiday is built around the traveller. This trip is built around the Word and the church. We won't pretend a study tour is missions. It isn't, and if the real choice in front of your church is this trip or supporting a church planter, support the church planter. It won't fix a divided church or replace the slow work of pastoring. If you need one sentence for the elders' meeting, here's ours: we're not going to find God in Turkey; we're going to see more clearly where he has already acted, and bring our experience home to the church.
“Enjoy Tours helped our group of over 150 people have a great conference in Turkey at a resort as well as tours of Ephesus and Miletus! Highly recommend!!! They went above and beyond to serve us well.”
“You know, we're not looking at Narnia. We're not looking at Middle Earth, but we're looking at where God intervened in history to reveal himself and to save humanity through Christ. And so, I love being able to be with people in the places where these things happen.”
Rob Plummer, Professor, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
“The Bible's not a fairy tale. It's not a mythical story. It's filled with real people, real places, real events, and you can learn about those things by coming right here.”
Ligon Duncan, Chancellor, Reformed Theological Seminary
If you’re the one organizing the trip
The pastor may have the vision, but you’re probably the one with the spreadsheet. This part is for you.
Every tour is private and built around your group, so you’re not fitting your people into someone else’s itinerary. We handle the logistics on the ground. During the tour, you’ll have the guide’s direct line, the hotel front desk and our team on WhatsApp, so a question at the airport or a lost room key isn’t yours to solve alone.
- A $250 deposit secures the trip.
- Full payment is due 90 days before departure.
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Travelers can pay us directly, or we can bill your church for the whole group.
- There’s no set minimum or maximum group size. Prices vary with the size of the group, and we’ve found 15 to 30 people is ideal for both price and experience. A minimum number can be agreed and priced in your proposal, and if numbers drop from that agreement, the price may change accordingly.
- Prices on our tours are land only. Flights from the US often run $900–$1,400 per person, so a typical trip starts around $2,700 per person all in.
When people ask what happens if they can’t go, here’s the cancellation schedule:
| Days before departure | Refund |
|---|---|
| 90 or more | Full refund |
| 61–90 | 90% |
| 46–60 | 75% |
| 31–45 | 50% |
| 16–30 | 25% |
| 15 or fewer | No refund |
A 5% processing fee applies.
When you’re ready, start with the Plan your tour form.
If you think your church should come
Tell us who's travelling, roughly when, and what you'd love them to see. There's no cost or obligation to ask. If you'd like help presenting it to your elders, ask. We'd be glad to.
Leading a school or seminary group? See our study tours →
Grace and peace from Izmir,
Kieler Henry
Enjoy Tours, Izmir (ancient Smyrna)
