Pastors Discover Renewed Faith and Purpose on Educational Trip to Bible Lands

Chesapeake Conference recently organized an educational study tour to the Bible lands for pastors, aiming to enhance their biblical knowledge and support their ministry. The tour took place in March, with the first phase visiting Egypt and Jordan and the second phase traveling to Israel and Palestine. Visits to significant biblical sites such as Mount Sinai, the Sea of Galilee, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, the Jordan River, and Mount Carmel were included in the itinerary.

Jerry Lutz, Chesapeake Conference president, emphasized the significance of the tour, describing it as a “faith-building, perspective-expanding, and broadening experience” for the pastors. Lutz noted that for some, it would be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit locations where the patriarchs lived and Jesus walked.

Eli Rojas, Chesapeake Conference Ministerial director, expressed satisfaction with the overall experience of the pastors. He said, “We have had a wonderful experience as a group of pastors. We have climbed Mount Sinai, we have walked by the Dead Sea, we have been to the Sea of Galilee, and so many other places. Our hope, and what we are actually already seeing in our pastors, is renewed excitement about Jesus.”

The study tour has had a lasting impact on the participants, with many pastors reporting a deepening of their faith and a strengthening of their ministry. John Rengifo, Ellicott City (Md.) church lead pastor, shared his personal experience, saying, “My life has been deeply enriched by being here and seeing the places, listening to the stories, and reading the Scripture about all of these biblical places. I cannot describe the impact that has made on my faith and the affirmation it’s given me in the Word of God.”

A highlight for many on tour was the opportunity to recommit their lives to Christ by following His example and being baptized in the Jordan River. Babawale Adepoju, senior pastor of the Pikesville and Reisterstown churches in Maryland, who was accompanied on the trip by his new bride, said the moment was especially meaningful to them as they begin their shared life together. “It was just an amazing experience for me and my new bride to recommit our lives to God and to follow in the same path that Jesus did by being baptized in the Jordan River as He started his ministry,” he said.

Chesapeake Conference’s investment in this study tour reflects its dedication to promoting continuing education for pastors, enabling them to better serve their local congregations. The transformative experience offered through this tour has not only renewed the pastors’ excitement for their faith but also enriched their ministry and strengthened their connection to the Bible’s teachings.