Palmer's Posts

Philippi . A field strewn with sunflowers. A bubbling brook. A flurry of many colored butterflies. A canopy of breezy shade. Lydia, a God-fearer, gathered at this very scene to hear Paul speak. The Lord opens her heart and she and her whole household are baptized. It is through this woman that the church flourishes in Philippi. A demon-possessed girl roams the Philippian marketplace, cursing Paul and his message. Today we stand in this same marketplace, the place where the power of God prevails over the power of darkness. A prison. A powerful earthquake. A Philippian jailor who dies to sin as he encounters Christ. He and his entire household believe and are baptized. This city is rich with spiritual history. The vibrancy of the gospel shone forth from Philippi, a gospel of peace and freedom. A gospel for the Jew and for the Greek. A gospel for the man and the woman, for the young and the old, the rich and the poor. A gospel of transformation and salvation. From Ph...

Final Days in Istanbul : We spent the morning strolling through the city of Istanbul , retracing it’s ancient roots, the famous city of Constantinople. Emperor Constantine the Great established this city as the capital of his empire. The center pieces of the Hippodrome still stand, modern cement now covering the ancient paths. The ground which once felt the wheels of racing chariots and heard the cheering of the crowds now gives place to an array of shops and the bustle of a modernized world. Near the Roman hippodrome still stands the magnificent church originally erected by Constantine — Hagia Sophia (“Holy Wisdom”). Standing within this sacred space, the lofty domes and gilded artwork invoke a sense of awe. Within this historical church lie some of the most important artwork of the early church. The mosaics of Jesus, the exalted Christ interceding for the world, Mary his mother, and John the Baptist adorn the marble walls. As insignificant as such a grand space makes you ...

In the words of our leader, David Palmer, “Day three is going to be hard to beat.” Indeed, this day was full of biblical sites and historical context. The morning’s expedition brought us to the Temple of Apollo at Didyma along the Aegean Sea. The impressive temple was built by Alexander the Great and once held 122 columns each over 60 ft high. Within Asia, Didyma prided itself on its popularity as the center for oracles. At the Temple of Apollo, people would question the temple priestess with desires for the present and concerns over the future.  Walking amidst the fallen columns, our minds entered the world of the past, the world of idolatry and false hope. The prominence of idolatry shaped the Greco-Roman world in which humans had no real relationship with the divine except to manipulate and sacrifice to lifeless statues. It was to this world that Paul brought the gospel, the story of a God who wants a relationship with his people, a God who is living and active, a God of fa...

We awoke to the beautiful sunrise, hovering over the Mediterranean Sea. After a delicious authentic Turkish breakfast, we began our journey to Colossae, a three hour drive from our location. Along the drive, I imagined Paul and his companions making this very same journey. Pressing on through rugged mountains and intense heat, these apostles yearned to see the pagan people of Asia Minor come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.  We arrived at the archeological tel (Arabic word meaning “mound” or “hill”) of Colossae , where the drama of reconciliation between Philemon and Onesimus became a reality. This mound is one of three biblical sites in Turkey yet to be excavated by archeologists (along with Lystra and Derbe). As of now, Colossae lies buried beneath history. One can only imagine the depth of treasures waiting to be discovered.  From Colossae, we continued to retrace the steps of Paul as we explored the ancient ruins of Laodicea (Col 2:1; 4:13-16, Rev 1:11; 3:14...

“Welcome to Turkey.”  After a full day of global travel and a night of rest, we awoke this morning in the city of Antalya. Located in the southwest region of Turkey, Antalya is a beautiful city nestled along the turquoise coast.  We began our journey by visiting the ancient Greco-Roman city of Perga . According to the biblical narrative, Perga was one of the cities in which Paul preached during his first missionary journey (Acts 13:13-14; 14:25). Traversing the ruins of this ancient city, we placed ourselves in Paul’s context. The layout contained all the features of a Roman city—stadium, theater, gates, cardo (Main Street), agora, public fountains, and many temples. In the midst of these cultural institutions of idolatry, lust, and violence, Paul and Barnabas proclaimed the message of the good news. The gospel of Christ challenged the dominance of paganism and spread throughout the land. In response to Paul’s preaching and the power of the Holy Spirit, the church flouri...