Why BibleTelling?
BibleTelling Seminars in Turkey-Greece-Rome include several distinctions:
- Seminar participants will learn and tell ~50 Bible stories on ~20 sites where they occurred
- Expert commentary on the Biblical significance of each Bible story and site–including a discussion with Dr. Baris Yener head of excavations just beginning at Colossae
- Pre-Seminar BibleTelling training
- Each participant shares 2+ Bible stories during the tour
- Optional extension to Rome
- Each Seminar participant will receive a beautiful, full-color, 90-page, Footsteps of Paul BibleTelling Seminar Guide with a calendar of events, a daily itinerary (travel stops, titles of the stories to be told), travel maps, Bible study charts, photos, maps, genealogies, and more. See the 2023 Seminar booklet here.
Seminar Dates and Fees
October 6-17, 2025 – Turkey-Greece
October 17-20, 2025 – Rome
Includes air fare from Chicago O’Hare to Istanbul, and all other tour flights, tour bus, guides, hotel, entrance fees, and tips. Buffet breakfasts, lunches, and buffet dinners are included (drinks are extra). Visa to Turkey not included (visa currently not needed for USA citizens).
- $6790/person Turkey-Greece Only, Double Occupancy
- $7980/person Turkey-Greece Only, Single Occupancy
- $8490/person with 3-day Rome Extension, Double Occupancy
- $9,970/person with 3-day Rome Extension, Single Occupancy
- For Land Only (making your own air travel reservations to Istanbul and from either Athens or Rome), deduct $1260
- Group Requirement
- We need a minimum of 20 participants by July 6, 2025 (full refunds available up until that date)
- Registration:
- Online Form
- Registration deadline: July 1 (to guarantee group flights from/to Chicago)
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Seminar Details
- Seminar Detail Sheet – Itinerary , Payment schedule, Deadlines, Inclusions/Exclusions, Cancelation Policy, etc.
- Calendar – Daily events in calendar format
- Story Itinerary – coming soon (travel stops, story titles and tellers of the stories)
- See Stories to be Told (click for free download) for the scope of each story and a sample narrative to learn)
NOTE: These are the stories as crafted to be told in the Seminar
OPTION: Purchase a copy of all stories told in BibleTelling Seminars - Send us a note when you’ve selected your stories. info@BibleTelling.com
- No more than 1 story/day, no more than 3 stories in Turkey-Greece
- See Stories to be Told (click for free download) for the scope of each story and a sample narrative to learn)
- Turkey-Greece Map – (daily travel and stops–match to Itinerary)
- Rome Extension Map (link coming soon)
Preparing
- Watch the BibleTelling Training videos (recorded July 15, 2023):
- Practice telling your assigned stories 5 times–to a different listener each time.
- Review the messages and watch the recommended videos in the Preparatory Archive
- Packing starter sheet
- Luggage weight and bag limits – 23KG = 50 Pounds
- NOTE: The Seminar fee covers tips for porters carrying one bag/person to/from each hotel. If you have them carry more than 1 bag, please consider tipping for the extra bag/s ($1/bag) on your own.
- Check with your international airline–generally 50 pound limit, depending on ticket class
- Lufthansa calculator (group flight airline)
- Turkish Air calculator (Istanbul to Izmir)
- Aegean Air calculator (Thessaloniki to Athens, Athens to Rome)
- Hiking advice
- Electrical Adaptors and Converters
- Prescription Meds (link)
- Weather expectations in October
- Currency exchange
- You may want to exchange dollars for local currency, but many businesses accept credit cards or even U.S. dollars.
- Recent exchange rates
- TURKEY – Lira (TRY)
- 1 Lira = 5¢ USA; 200 Lira = $10.00 USA
- $1 USA = 20 Lira; $200 USA = 4,000 Lira
- GREECE / ITALY – Euro (EUR)
- 1 Greece/Italy Euro = $1.10 USA; 200 Euro = $215 USA
- $1 USA = .93 Euro; $200 USA = 286 Euro
- TURKEY – Lira (TRY)
- Credit/Debit Cards
- To avoid unwelcome credit/debit authorization rejections in Israel-Jordan, please contact your card issuers and let them know of your travel plans (may not necessary for some cards).
- To avoid surprise charges, ask about their foreign transaction fees (sometimes no fee, often 3%, sometimes waived if purchase is made in US$$ rather than the foreign currency).
- Laundry
- Some hotels offer laundry service. We stay in the same hotel at least 2 consecutive nights in Izmir, Thessaloniki, Athens and Rome. Those should be opportunities to have laundry done before leaving for the next hotel.
- Consider packing 7 days of undergarments in order to make it to Thessaloniki for laundry service. Or wear quick-drying garments to wash in the hotel room sink and drip-dry over night?
- WhatsApp text messaging group
- We use the WhatsApp smartphone messaging app to stay in touch during the Seminar (and, to a lesser extent, before and after the Seminar).
- You do not need an international calling program to use it–we will have wi-fi in the hotels, although not likely on buses.
- If you have a WhatsApp ID, you are included in the “Footsteps of Paul 2023” WhatsApp group. Please let me know if you prefer not to participate (or if you want to only participate during the Seminar).
- If you don’t have a WhatsApp ID, please let Roger know if you create one (simply download the WhatsApp mobile app to any smartphone to get started).
Considerations that can hold us back…
- Cost! Ugh, yes, and it won’t be less expensive next year. Save money with double occupancy and group air reservations.
- Time! 14 days is less than 4% of the year. Same % next year.
- International travel! Yes, but there are some experiences staying home and watching YouTube videos just can’t replicate.
- Age/Health! The trip does involve a fair amount of walking. Not a lot of climbing. Plenty of time to develop a walking routine before the trip. We will each be 1 year older next year.
- Risky! Not that life is risk free here at home.
- Telling Bible stories! What a great (and unique!?) way to experience the Bible stories and the Bible lands. We will each learn (without memorizing) 2 or 3 short Bible stories for the trip. We each probably told more stories (also without memorizing) than that today. Plus, the Bible stories are inspired and true.
Seriously, international tours, including our BibleTelling Seminars, are not for everyone. But please don’t miss the opportunity without an excellent reason.