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| Dipping water from same springs Gideon's Army used |
If you are thinking about going on a tour of the Holy Land in Israel, allow me a few minutes to share my own experience.
In November of 2005, I went on a Holy Land tour with Perry Stone. If you don't know Perry Stone, he's a TV preacher with a show on several Christian networks. Stone and the tour company he partners with advertises 14 days in the Holy Land visiting some of the most famous sites in Biblical history. Okay, let me tell you off the top that it isn't ACTUALLY 14 days in the Holy Land. It's really about 10 since four of those days are travel to/from Israel. So, that's false advertising already so you know where this is going.
Honestly, I was hoping for a spiritual boost from the tour when I went with this group. I was excited to visit places I had heard about all my life in the church. I did not get the spiritual recharge I was hoping for. Instead, I felt like I was herded around sites in Israel like cattle. Let me tell you that biggest problem with the tour - the Perry Stone tour had over 350 people. If there is one thing I can tell you to make your trip more enjoyable, that would be to make sure you go with a smaller group. Don't go with any groups larger than 50 people. We had 50 people just on our bus - along with six other buses in our group. That was just too many people to see all the sites advertised in the brochure. In fact, after we landed and went through customs, we were herded onto our buses and were taken to Cesearea which was supposed to be a beautiful area on the Mediterranean but we never saw it because it was completely dark by the time they rushed us there. We went to a site, someone read a passage of Bible verses about it and we were back on the bus to finally go to our room and check it. Not only was it a rushed trip but we couldn't fully enjoy it because it was dark and we were all tired.
Did I have any "spiritual" moments on the tour? Yes, I will never forget sitting on the front of the boat in Lake Tiberias (also known as the Sea of Galilee). While a majority of the group was in another part of the boat having a church service, I was having a nice time alone looking out over the sea thinking about the Bible stories of Jesus on that very sea and walking on the water. Now, that was perhaps the best part of the tour for me. Another highlight was visiting the Garden Tomb where Jesus had been after his crucifixion and then arose three days later. Amazing.
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| Sea of Galilee |
In all the places we went, everyone in the group wanted to go to the site where it was certain Jesus had walked. We were taken to the original steps to the Temple. It was awesome knowing that Jesus had to take those steps into the Temple. When NASA astronaut Neil Armstrong visited Israel after being the first man to step on the moon, he was taken on a tour of the Old City of Jerusalem. When his group arrived at the Hulda Gate, which is at the top of the stairs leading to the Temple Mount, Armstrong asked if Jesus had taken these steps. He was told that these were the original steps and Jesus absolutely took them to the Temple in his day. Armstrong said, "I am more excited stepping on these stones than I was stepping on the moon." It was also a highlight for me as well.
There are some things you wouldn't expect when visiting these sites. For instance, when you go to visit Golgotha which was the site of the crucifixion, just down below the site of the cross is a busy bus station. Visiting the Valley of Elah where David killed Goliath wasn't quite what I had expected. The Valley is still there but there is also a major highway running through it.
Another really strange thing about Israel is how chopped up the different regions are between Israelis and Palestinian Territories. For instance, Bethlehem - which was the birthplace of Jesus - is in Palestinian territory. When you go in/out of these territories, there is some security procedures you have to pass through because neither side trusts the other but they welcome tourists (and their money).
Is it safe over there? I will be honest with you and tell you that I felt completely safe during the tour. Of course, things can happen just like anywhere in the U.S. They want tourists over there so they aren't going to do anything to jeopardize the business.
Another strange thing about visiting the various sites is that most sites have three sites. One for protestants, one for Catholics and one for Muslims. It was funny that when we visited the site they say Jesus ascended into heaven, there were three footprints of Jesus at that site, one for each group. At the site for the Sermon on the Mount, there was a Catholic building for nuns and they did not like having tourists anywhere near their property. In fact, our guide called them the Nuns with the Crabby Attitudes.
I told you that, for the most part, I didn't get a spiritual charge from the trip because we were being rushed and not allowed any time to take in any of these sites. The breaking point for me was the site where Jesus was held before his crucifixion. We filed through an area and told to look through a hole in the wall to see an inscription in the wall that had been there since that time. When I got to the hole I couldn't see it and continued to look for it. The guy herding the crowd scolded me and told me to keep moving. Well, that was it. I got in his face and told him that I was tired of being rushed around these sites after all the money we spent and the years of wanting to come here only to be scolded and moved around these sites so quickly. When I got back to the bus, our guide took me to the side to calm me down. Yes, I had a slight meltdown in the Holy Land.
I remember the bus stopping at the Dead Sea and being given instructions to get off the bus, go touch the Dead Sea and get back on the bus. I did not go. I watched others file down to the water like ducks and return to get back on the bus.
There was also a problem going with a TV preacher. We had to join him with his TV tapings at different locations so this also took some precious time away from our schedules as he coordinated groups to be his audience for the TV tapings. That part was pretty annoying.
As for the group, well, these were mostly Pentecostals and you know how emotional this group can get. We had one guy talking most of the flight to Israel about how he was a "seer" and God would tell him things. One thing God told him was that he would find a wife on the trip. He didn't. Some others were more extroverted in expressing their feelings such as speaking in tongues or other outward displays of emotions. What's funny is they would be so spiritual but then difficult people in other settings. So my advice - go with the kind of people you want to go with. I would say go with people you know. At least you know who you are with.
Am I glad I went? Yes, I am glad I went and experienced it but I'm not sure I would go again.
Throughout the trip I decided to collected rocks or other physical objects from each site. I took five smooth stones from the Valley of Elah, wood from one of the olive trees in the Garden of Gethsemane and other sites. One place was at the Gates Called Beautiful where Peter healed a man that was lame. I took a few rocks from that site.
So here are my 7 tips if you are thinking about going on a Holy Land tour:
- Go with a small group. Don't go with a group of more than 50 people.
- Avoid going with a TV preacher. It might sound exciting but you will find yourself wasting time with their TV tapings and missing out doing other things.
- Wear good shoes. You'll do a lot of walking (or running).
- Understand that Jerusalem and other cities aren't still the same as in the Bible days. They have evolved into modern cities with bus stations and major highways in and around many of the sites.
- Don't expect to have a spiritual experience but try to enjoy your time there. Be realistic about your expectations.
- Pack some patience because even if you go with church people I assure you that they will try your patience - bless their hearts.
- When you come back nobody is going to care that you went. Don't bother with a PowerPoint presentation of your trip.
