Bethel University Magazine Fall 2021

6 %(7+(/81,9(56,7< ('8̌0$*$=,1( EXPERIENCING 7+( %,%/( ,1 *5((&( 785.(< )URP 0D\ WR -XQH D JURXS RI VWXGHQWV DQG IULHQGV RI %HWKHO 8QLYHUVLW\ H[SHULHQFHG WKH %LEOH FRPLQJ WR OLIH LQ *UHHFH and Turkey. Led by Tyler Grant, director of global engagement DQG FDUHHU VHUYLFHV DQG 'DYLG 0F&DEH 3K ' SURIHVVRU RI 1HZ Testament and Greek, the group toured dozens of ancient Biblical sites from Paul’s missionary journeys, as well as the seven churches of Revelation. They gained a fuller understanding of Biblical FRQWH[W DQG KLVWRU\ WKURXJK YLVLWLQJ FLWLHV VXFK DV $WKHQV 'HOSKL Laodicea, Ephesus, and Corinth. “Traveling with Bethel to the biblical lands of Greece and Turkey introduced me to new experiences and cultures that I never imagined I would come across,” says Aimee Smith, a sophomore Biochemistry & Molecular Biology and Humanities double major. :LWK HDFK VLWH 6PLWK FRQVLGHUHG KRZ H[FLWHG WKH FKXUFKHV LQ these cities must have been when they received a letter from Paul RU -RKQ “The people of Biblical times were learning what it meant to live D OLIH PRGHOHG D̃HU &KULVW EXW WKH\ GLG QRW KDYH WKH %LEOH LQ WKH IRUP ZH GR Ũ , LPDJLQH WKDW WKHLU DSSUHFLDWLRQ IRU 3DXO DQG -RKQŠV writings ran deep,” she says. 7KH JURXS QRW RQO\ HQMR\HG H[SHULHQFLQJ WKH KLVWRULFDO FXOWXUH RI the cities, but also the people who live there today. “While in Delphi, we wanted to go watch the sunset on another SDUW RI WKH PRXQWDLQ 6R ZH ZHQW RQ D ZDON WR ƃQG D JRRG SODFH WR ZDWFK LW ţ VD\V 6RQVRQ 1DI]LJHU D MXQLRU ,QWHUQDWLRQDO +HDOWK major and Biology minor. “We came up to a group of people playing soccer and we decided to stop and watch them play. They then invited us to join, and we ended up spending about two hours playing, having fun and laughing with them." )RU .RU\ .HUQ VHQLRU &KULVWLDQ 0LQLVWULHV PDMRU WKH PHPRULHV DQG H[SHULHQFHV ZHUH OLIH FKDQJLQJ “Being able to visit the churches of the book of Revelation and follow the journey of Paul was eye-opening for me and grew my understanding of the Bible immensely. Already in my classes, I am seeing and making the connections that I never could have made if I hadn't been there in person,” he says. In 2022, Bethel is hosting an all-inclusive Israel Study Tour from May 22-June 3. Alumni and friends of the university are invited WR MRLQ IDFXOW\ VWD̮ DQG VWXGHQWV IRU WKLV H[FLWLQJ RSSRUWXQLW\ to study scripture in the places it happened! Learn more at BethelUniversity.edu/Israe l . BY KARIS KINDINGER