The quote for our original trip was $4490 per person/double occupancy, but this was based on a minimum of 30 people, provided by a large, well established company, with virtually no out of pocket expenses for travelers.

Our smaller trip will be a bit different in that we will be on our own for most meals, we won’t be paying for guides and drivers, and we will be splitting fuel and other shared expenses evenly across all participants. While we believe the upfront price should be relatively lower per-person than with a formal touring company (perhaps around $3500) we won’t have an estimated price until late 2023.

For comparison, note the costs of other current, post-COVID, Israel tours (and the three examples below don’t include three meals/day like ours would)

• First Baptist Dallas 2022: $5398
• Stonebriar Frisco 2022: $5638
• Wayne Stiles (affiliated with Stonebriar) 2022: $5592

We encourage you to think of this study tour as an investment in your ministry, just as if you were taking a seminary course

Notes:

• Cancellation fees depend on how far in advance the cancellation occurs.
• Price does not include insurance.

  • Travel insurance is HIGHLY recommended, particularly given the somewhat fluid COVID situation.

    • Be sure to read COVID and other cancellation coverages carefully, particularly in the event you are unwilling to travel because of COVID requirements that may be in effect at the time of our departure (including those requirements that may be more restrictive than those in place when you first reserved your trip)._

  • Trip Cancellation Insurance would reimburse losses for covered cancellation reasons.

  • There is a difference between medical and cancellation insurance.

  • We recommend both as frequently, US-based health insurance is not valid overseas.

Just about everyone who’s been there returns with the feeling that Israel is one of the safest places they’ve ever visited. The country takes security very seriously. The main conflict area is the Gaza Strip and we won’t be anywhere near there.

Remember, the media’s motto is “if it bleeds, it leads,” so they sell fear. Fear is not from God (1 John 4:18) and millions of tourists visit Israel every year. Our guides are well-connected in terms of security; should any trouble spots arise, we will avoid them.

As of 5/20/2022, Israel requires only a health questionnaire to be completed. Thee are no vaccine or negative test requirements to enter Israel or the USA (for US Citizens).

YES!! Originally planned to leave late April of 2023, but after hearing from students, we will be leaving after Bonham ISD concludes the 2023-24 school year. If you are a junior high, high school, or college student, we want you there!

If you attend a church with a like-minded faith tradition (SBC or similar), then wholeheartedly, yes you are invited!! Invite your friends and family too!

For our inaugural trip, we are planning to keep the size very small with a maximum of 14.

In the future, if our numbers can support, we will partner with an established touring company and take larger groups in future years.

As the time draws closer, we will be providing detailed preparation checklists to those attending.

Additionally, there are thorough on-line preparation guides, complete with videos, articles and downloadable checklists, available on the internet.

One of the aspects of a study tour that is often overlooked is that we engage our bodies with the biblical text - and this can’t happen anywhere but Israel (or Greece, Turkey, etc). We walk where Jesus, Peter and David walked! Verses like Matthew 4:13 that we may have skimmed over in the past now take on a new and vivid significance.

While many sites are flat and paved, other sites are 1000s of years old, in various stages of repair, and may have sloping, rocky paths. In some cases, there may be ladders to climb and caves to crawl through.

To prepare, you will want to be able to walk about three miles a day and do exercises that focus on ankle strength and balance. If you have any physical limitations, just let our guide know and he or she will help you make an informed decision about whether to stay back at a specific location.

• Pray for your friends and family going on the tour that the Holy Spirit will work in us to bring about change and growth.
• Pray to keep the hands of the enemy far away before during and after the trip!
• Attend virtually! We will have a blog site where we will post updates.
• Pray that God opens the door for you to go one day.
  • I (Chris) knew I wanted to go to Israel in 1995, but the door didn’t open until 2010.
  • Then once I went, I know I wanted to go again and lead/serve others - God miraculously (i.e. financially) made a way for us to return in 2013 on a service tour.
  • Where God guides, He provides!