an 11 day tour of Greece, Patmos, churches of Revelation, and Rome illustrating the growth of the early Church Saturday 5 th – Tuesday 15 th September 2015 The Spreading Flame

Mike Fuller is a New Wine speaker, international Bible teacher; retired Baptist Minister and teacher of Religious Studies; Tutor in Theology at St Paul’s Theological Centre, Cheltenham; and author of “The Entire Story of the Bible in 50 Minutes”, “A Fool’s Guide to Following Jesus”, and “A Fool’s Guide to Finding Faith”.

Direct flight from London Gatwick to Thessaloniki, continuing by air- conditioned coach to Kavala – the ancient port of Neapolis Acts Saturday 5 th September

Evening free to explore the harbour area Saturday 5 th September Acts 16 11

We start the day with a short illustrated talk explaining the growth of the early Christian Church … Sunday 6 th September Acts 1-28

… and then continue to Philippi, approaching the city walking on part of the ancient Roman Via Egnetia – just as Paul would have done … Sunday 6 th September Acts 16 12

… we see the Agora, where Paul freed the girl affected by an evil spirit… Sunday 6 th September Acts

… the site traditionally associated with Paul and Silas’s imprisonment … Sunday 6 th September Acts

… and the riverside location of Lydia’s conversion and baptism – where we have our time of Sunday worship. Sunday 6 th September Acts

In the afternoon, we take a direct flight to Athens, and our new hotel. After dinner, the evening is free. Acts Sunday 6 th September

We see the ancient city of Athens, including the Acropolis and its museum … Acts Monday 7 th September

… and the Areopagus, where Paul addressed the philosophers of Athens. The latter afternoon is free. Acts Monday 7 th September

In the evening, there will be an (optional) short illustrated talk on philosophy in the ancient world, and its connections with Christian faith. John 1 Monday 7 th September

Acts 18 1 Tuesday 8 th September We leave our hotel in Athens to travel to Corinth …

Acts 18 3 … where we see the streets where Paul worked as a tentmaker … Tuesday 8 th September

Acts 18 3 … evidence of the ancient synagogue … Tuesday 8 th September

Acts 18 3 … the “Bema”, where Paul was charged with lawless behaviour … … and the Acrocorinth, a temple used for ritual prostitution. Tuesday 8 th September

Acts 18 3 Romans Timothy 4 20 Among the ruins is an inscription possibly relating to Erastus, one of Paul’s assistants. Tuesday 8 th September

Acts 18 8 We see the ancient port of Cenchrae (from which Paul sailed to Ephesus)... Tuesday 8 th September

… and then take our own ferry from the Athens port of Piraeus to the island of Patmos. Arriving in the early hours, we go straight to our hotel. Arriving in the early hours, we go straight to our hotel.

Revelation 1 9 Wednesday 9 th September In the late morning, we start to explore the island of Patmos...

Wednesday 9 th September … seeing the cave associated with John’s Revelation... Revelation 1-3

Wednesday 9 th September … and the monastery of St John.

Thursday 10 th September Leaving Patmos, we travel by private ferry to the port of Kusadasi …

Thursday 10 th September … continuing to walk through ancient Ephesus … Acts 19

Thursday 10 th September … seeing the library of Celsus … (a little after the New Testament era – but well worth a look!) Acts 19

Thursday 10 th September … housing from the time of Augustus … Acts 19

Thursday 10 th September … the amphitheatre which was the setting for the riot about the making of shrines to Artemis … Acts

Thursday 10 th September … and a communal toilet which might – just possibly – have been used by St Paul! see Philippians 3 8 (in the original Greek)

Thursday 10 th September Overlooking Ephesus, we visit what may have been the final home of Mary, mother of Jesus … John 19 26

Thursday 10 th September … and continue to our new hotel in Pammukale …

Friday 11 th September Today, we visit four more of the churches which the Risen Jesus speaks to in Revelation: Revelation 1-3

Friday 11 th September Laodicaea – where we will see the remains of the aqueduct which might be behind the “luke-warm” image … Revelation

Friday 11 th September Philadelphia – where Jesus speaks of pillars in the Temple of God (perhaps related to the area’s frequent earthquakes) (perhaps related to the area’s frequent earthquakes) Revelation

Friday 11 th September Sardis – one of the greatest cities of the ancient world Revelation 3 1-6

We then continue to our new hotel in Izmir, ancient Smyrna. Friday 11 th September

Saturday 12 th September We start the day viewing the excavations at Smyrna. This church – about which the Risen Jesus made no negative comment – was facing persecution. One of the earliest martyrs, Polycarp, was bishop of Smyrna. Revelation

After free time for lunch by the water-front in Izmir, we fly (via Istanbul) to Rome, where we will be taken to our new hotel. Saturday 12 th September

Sunday 13 th September Our introduction to ancient Rome starts with the Forum … Romans Acts

Sunday 13 th September … we then see the Mamertine prison, where both Paul, and also Peter, were imprisoned … Romans Acts

Sunday 13 th September … and the Titus Arch, which celebrates the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE … Romans Acts

Sunday 13 th September … and the Colosseum – built using wealth taken from the Temple after the conquest of Jerusalem; and possibly used as a place of execution for some persecuted Christians … Romans Acts

Sunday 13 th September In the afternoon, we visit the Capuchin Crypt – a 17 th century reminder of human mortality! Following this, we will have our time of Sunday worship. Romans Acts

Monday 14 th September After lunch, we visit the Basilica of the Holy Cross – which claims to hold a fragment of the True Cross, nails from the cross, thorns from the Crown of Thorns – and St Thomas’s finger. Romans Acts

Monday 14 th September We then see the Basilica which is believed to mark the burial place of St Paul … Romans Acts

Monday 14 th September … and see part of the Roman catacombs, on the edge of the city … Romans Acts Here, we will share together in worship to mark the end of our tour.

We travel to the airport, for our flight home to London Gatwick Tuesday 15 th September

£1880  includes half board, air-conditioned coach, en-suite rooms with WiFi, gratuities, licensed guides, all entrance fees  does not include travel to and from Gatwick, any fuel surcharge, lunches, insurance  more info available from Thanks to for the use of images.