1. Saturday 7th – Tuesday 17th September 2019
The Spreading Flame
an 11 day tour of Greece, Patmos, the churches of Revelation, and Rome illustrating the growth of the early Church

2. The
Spreading
Flame
Mike Fuller is a New Wine speaker, international Bible teacher; retired Baptist Minister and teacher of Religious Studies; Tutor in Theology Trinity Church, Cheltenham; and author of “The Entire Story of the Bible in 50 Minutes”, and “A Fool’s Guide to the Land of the Book.

3. Saturday 7th September
The
Spreading
Flame
Direct flight from London Gatwick to Thessaloniki, continuing by air-conditioned coach to Kavala – the ancient port of Neapolis
Acts 16 11

4. Evening free to explore the harbour area
Saturday 7th September
The
Spreading
Flame
Evening free to explore the harbour area
Acts 16 11

5. Sunday 8th September
The
Spreading
Flame
We start the day with a short illustrated talk explaining the growth of the early Christian Church …
Acts 1-28

6. Sunday 8th September
The
Spreading
Flame
… and then continue to ancient Philippi, approaching the city walking on part of the ancient Roman Via Egnetia – just as Paul would have done …
Acts 16 12

7. Sunday 8th September
The
Spreading
Flame
… we see the Agora, where Paul freed the girl affected by an evil spirit…
Acts

8. Sunday 8th September
The
Spreading
Flame
… the site traditionally associated with Paul and Silas’s imprisonment …
Acts

9. Sunday 8th September
The
Spreading
Flame
… and the riverside location of Lydia’s conversion and baptism – where we will worship together.
Acts

10. Sunday 8th September
The
Spreading
Flame
In the afternoon, we take a direct flight to Athens, and our new hotel. After dinner, the evening is free.
Acts 17 15

11. Monday 9th September
The
Spreading
Flame
We see the ancient city of Athens, including the Acropolis and its museum …
Acts

12. Monday 9th September
The
Spreading
Flame
… and the Areopagus, where Paul addressed the philosophers of Athens.
The latter afternoon is free.
Acts

13. Monday 9th September
The
Spreading
Flame
In the evening, there will be an (optional) time for worship together, with a short illustrated talk on philosophy in the ancient world, and its connections with Christian faith.
John 1

14. We leave our hotel in Athens to travel to Corinth …
Tuesday 10th September
The
Spreading
Flame
We leave our hotel in Athens to travel to Corinth …
Acts 18 1

15. … where we see the streets where Paul worked as a tentmaker …
Tuesday 10th September
The
Spreading
Flame
… where we see the streets where Paul worked as a tentmaker …
Acts 18 3

16. … evidence of the ancient synagogue …
Tuesday 10th September
The
Spreading
Flame
… evidence of the ancient synagogue …
Acts 18 3

17. Tuesday 10th September
The
Spreading
Flame
… the “Bema”, where Paul was charged with lawless behaviour …
… and the Acrocorinth, a temple once used for ritual prostitution.
Acts 18 3

18. Tuesday 10th September
The
Spreading
Flame
Among the ruins is an inscription possibly relating to Erastus, one of Paul’s assistants.
Acts 18 3
Romans 16 23
2 Timothy 4 20

19. Tuesday 10th September
The
Spreading
Flame
We see the ancient port of Cenchrae (from which Paul sailed to Ephesus) ...
Acts 18 8

20. Tuesday 10th September
The
Spreading
Flame
… where – recalling Phoebe – we will reflect on the role of women in the Early Church …
Acts 18 8

21. Arriving in the early hours, we go straight to our hotel.
Tuesday 10th September
The
Spreading
Flame
… and then take a ferry from the Athens port of Piraeus to the island of Patmos.
Arriving in the early hours, we go straight to our hotel.
* Note: the evening meal on the ferry is not included *

22. Wednesday 11th September
The
Spreading
Flame
In the morning – after a late breakfast - we start to explore the island of Patmos ...
Revelation 19

23. … seeing the cave associated with John’s Revelation ...
Wednesday 11th September
The
Spreading
Flame
… seeing the cave associated with John’s Revelation ...
Revelation 1-3

24. … and the monastery of St John.
Wednesday 11th September
The
Spreading
Flame
… and the monastery of St John.
Revelation 1-3

25. Leaving Patmos, we travel by private ferry to the port of Kusadasi …
Thursday 12th September
The
Spreading
Flame
Leaving Patmos, we travel by private ferry to the port of Kusadasi …

26. Thursday 12th September
The
Spreading
Flame
… continuing to walk through ancient Ephesus (one of the “Seven Churches”)…
Acts 19

27. Thursday 12th September … seeing the library of Celsus … Acts 19
Spreading
Flame
… seeing the library of Celsus …
(a little after the New Testament era – but well worth a look!)
Acts 19

28. … housing from the time of Augustus …
Thursday 12th September
The
Spreading
Flame
… housing from the time of Augustus …
Acts 19

29. Thursday 12th September
The
Spreading
Flame
… the amphitheatre which was the setting for the riot about the making of shrines to Artemis …
Acts

30. Thursday 12th September
The
Spreading
Flame
… and a communal toilet which might – just possibly – have been used by St Paul!
see Philippians 3 8 (in the original Greek)

31. Thursday 12th September
The
Spreading
Flame
Overlooking Ephesus, we visit what may have been the final home of Mary, mother of Jesus …
John 19 26

32. Thursday 12th September
The
Spreading
Flame
… and in the evening, continue by coach to our new hotel in Pammukale …

33. Friday 13th September
The
Spreading
Flame
Today, we visit three more of the churches which the Risen Jesus speaks to in Revelation:
Revelation 1-3

34. Friday 13th September
The
Spreading
Flame
Leaving our hotel, we pause to view the World Heritage site of Pammukale – famed for its extraordinary snow-white limestone.

35. Friday 13th September
The
Spreading
Flame
In Laodicaea, we see the remains of the aqueduct which might be behind the “luke- warm” image …
Revelation

36. (perhaps related to the area’s frequent earthquakes).
Friday 13th September
The
Spreading
Flame
… and then continue to Philadelphia – regarding whom Jesus speaks of “pillars” in the Temple of God
(perhaps related to the area’s frequent earthquakes).
Revelation

37. We see Sardis – one of the greatest cities of the ancient world.
Friday 13th September
The
Spreading
Flame
We see Sardis – one of the greatest cities of the ancient world.
Revelation 3 1-6

38. We then continue to our new hotel in Izmir, ancient Smyrna.
Friday 13th September
The
Spreading
Flame
We then continue to our new hotel in Izmir, ancient Smyrna.

39. We start the day viewing the excavations at Smyrna.
Saturday 14th September
The
Spreading
Flame
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

40. Saturday 14th September
The
Spreading
Flame
After free time for lunch by the water-front in Izmir, we fly to Rome, where we will be taken to our new hotel. The latter part of the day is free.

41. We are introduced to Rome by walking through the ancient Forum …
Sunday 15th September
The
Spreading
Flame
We are introduced to Rome by walking through the ancient Forum …
Romans
Acts

42. Sunday 15th September
The
Spreading
Flame
… seeing the Mamertine prison, where both Paul, and also Peter, were imprisoned …
Romans
Acts

43. Sunday 15th September … and the Colosseum: Romans 1 8-15 Acts 28 11-31
Spreading
Flame
… 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

44. Sunday 15th September
The
Spreading
Flame
We see the Titus Arch, which celebrates the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 CE …
Romans
Acts

45. Sunday 15th September
The
Spreading
Flame
… and the Capuchin Crypt – an intriguing reminder of human mortality!
Romans
Acts

46. Sunday 15th September
The
Spreading
Flame
Our day concludes with worship together – hopefully, sharing with an English-speaking congregation in Rome.
Romans
Acts

47. Monday 16th September
The
Spreading
Flame
In the morning, we visit St Peter’s Basilica in Vatican city …
Romans
Acts

48. Saturday 29th October … the Vatican Museum … Romans 1 8-15
Spreading
Flame
Romans
Acts
… the Vatican Museum …

49. Monday 16th September … and the Sistine Chapel. Romans 1 8-15
Spreading
Flame
Romans
Acts
… and the Sistine Chapel.

50. In the afternoon, we visit the Basilica of the Holy Cross
Monday 16th September
The
Spreading
Flame
In the afternoon, 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

51. Monday 16th September
The
Spreading
Flame
We then see the Basilica which is believed to mark the burial place of St Paul …
Romans
Acts

52. … and see part of the Roman catacombs, on the edge of the city …
Monday 16th September
The
Spreading
Flame
… and see part of the Roman catacombs, on the edge of the city …
Here, we will share together in worship to mark the end of our tour.
Romans
Acts

53. We travel to the airport, for our flight home to London Gatwick
Sunday 30th October
The
Spreading
Flame
We travel to the airport, for our flight home to London Gatwick

54. £2150
The
Spreading
Flame
includes half board, air-conditioned coach, internal flights, ferries, en-suite rooms with WiFi, gratuities, licensed guides, all entrance fees
does not include travel to and from Gatwick, any fuel surcharge, lunches, evening meal on Piraeus – Patmos ferry, insurance
more info available from
Thanks to for the use of images.