We have dates! We have prices! This Digging Deep trip is exclusively for the Diggers and their immediate families, for now. You qualify if you are presently doing the Great Escapes study or if you have completed at least one study in past years. We think it will be very memorable to be with women who share the dedication to and the rewards from this Bible study. We’re also hoping to do some ladies sessions in those wonderful places where He walked and even to do a podcast from Jerusalem. If we do not reach our maximum capacity by August 1, 2018, we will open the registration to other members of the church.
The trip will begin on May 13th, 2019 and we will return on May 25th. The exact itinerary is still under construction, because our brother Moore is trying to incorporate some special sites that emphasize women of faith. He is working also to have us in Nazareth on Sunday, since there is a faithful church there. The entire program will be appealing to both women and men, but we are insuring some flexibility for special Digging Deep “adventures.” I am getting too excited too early in this game! I met some sisters from two different states last week as I was speaking out of town who are just chomping at the bits for information as they are planning to come. It made the plans seem more real and it made me think I really might be going this time! I can’t even imagine singing Peace, Be Still on the shores of the Sea of Galilee or kneeling to pray in the Garden of Gethsemane. I know the land is not holy, but it is still very grand, in my mind, to anticipate being exactly, in some cases, where we know He was.
This is a rough and very tentative sketch of where we will sleep while in Israel (if we can even get our minds to decelerate enough from each day’s “amazingness”)! Some tweaking may still have to occur due to “Christian” sites being closed on Sundays and “Jewish” sites being closed on Saturdays.
And now for the big question. Here’s what brother Moore says about the cost;
“The cost of the tour will be $4,250.00 per person (double Occupancy) round trip from Nashville with a minimum of 25 paying passengers. If there are concerns about the price expressed by others in comparison to other groups (which we haven’t had so far – though I’m always paranoid that people think we are making money on this – which we don’t) please have them make sure they are comparing apples with apples (e.g. number of actual days touring, quality of program, are there any hidden fees, etc.). Also, airline prices won’t be available until 11 months prior to departure but we’ve tried to estimate what they will be. So the $4,250.00 might go up or down slightly. So far each year we’ve hit it right on the nose.”
So there you have it. If you’d like to read some more about the typical tour, you can do so here: https://www.biblelandpassagetours.com
Here are some personal reflections about the trip from our friend, Dr. Rick Brumback, now a Bible professor at Freed Hardeman University:
“Wow! A trip that satisfied curiosity, clarified history, and bolstered faith. Even with my eagerness to go, I could not have anticipated how blessed I would be traveling through the Bible lands and learning more about the events of the Old Testament and the life of Jesus as I walked in those ancient places. I came to appreciate more fully the Bible lessons and the spiritual significance of the stories God preserved in His word. I cannot imagine that someone would not return from such a trip without an immediate desire to return, to learn more, and simply to give thanks to the Lord for all that He has done for the human race. This is a trip not to be missed.In John and Carla Moore, travelers will have knowledgeable and spiritually minded companions and guides. Each of these has a deep knowledge of God’s word and extensive experience traveling through Israel’s Bible locations. This trip will be carefully planned and executed, assuring that every traveler will learn more about the Bible message and draw closer to the Lord through this experience. Having traveled with each of these, I count them among those I respect most highly for their love for God and their love of His word. It was a privilege for me to have shared with them a study of the Bible lands, and I know that you will be thankful you made this trip.”
– Dr. Richard Brumback
