This Israel Faith Discovery Tour is organized for Pearl Baptist Church and host pastor Dr. Hugh Whitfield. This tour is a shared journey of faith, learning, and discipleship.

Each Being a Disciple Tour is led by David Evans, a seasoned teacher with over a decade of experience studying and teaching the Bible in its original historical and cultural context. David has lived in Israel, studied biblical archaeology, and returned many times to deepen his understanding of the land and its significance. His approach helps participants see Scripture not as distant history, but as a living story shaped by real places and people.

In addition, every tour includes a government certified, English speaking Israeli tour guide who ensures smooth travel through historical and biblical sites. These guides provide valuable geopolitical and cultural insight while overseeing logistics and safety, allowing the group to fully focus on learning, reflection, and the shared experience of walking the land of the Bible.

Each tour is designed to provide a faith-immersive experience rooted in biblical storytelling and experiential learning. Our tours follow a structured approach, where each location builds upon the last, creating a deeper spiritual journey. While every tour is unique, they all share the same commitment to bringing Scripture to life in a way that is engaging, educational, and transformative.

Today the journey begins as we depart the United States and set our hearts toward the land of the Bible. This travel day is more than logistics. It marks a shift from the familiar into the story of Scripture itself. As disciples once left homes and livelihoods to follow their Rabbi, we begin our own journey with expectation, preparing to walk where faith was first lived.

We arrive in Israel (Group arrives before 3pm) and begin the journey by the Mediterranean Sea, the western boundary of the biblical world. Here we talk about what it means to leave Egypt behind and step into the Promised Land. This first teaching frames the entire trip, helping us understand Israel not as a destination, but as a place of calling, trust, and obedience.

Today we travel through the Shephelah, the lowland region between the coastal plain and the Judean foothills. Sites such as Gezer, Beth Shemesh, the Valley of Elah, help us understand what it meant for Israel to live on the boundary lines between cultures and empires. This is where faith was lived out in tension, surrounded by pagan nations and competing worldviews. Stories like David and Goliath come alive as we explore courage, identity, and faithfulness in the everyday pressures of life.

The desert becomes our classroom as we journey through Masada, Tel Arad, Avdat, and the wilderness landscapes surrounding the Dead Sea. Scripture repeatedly brings God’s people into desert places to refine trust and dependence. Here we see the contrast between human power and God’s redemption, between fear-driven control and faithful obedience. The vastness and silence of the wilderness help us understand why the desert plays such a defining role in the story of God’s people.

Today we step into a landscape that reflects the world of the Exodus. Traveling through Timna Park, Solomon’s Pillars, and ancient desert shrines, we explore the setting where Israel learned what it meant to love the Lord with all their heart. Standing beside a full-scale Tabernacle model, we examine how God chose to dwell among His people and how worship was meant to shape every part of life. The contrast between surrounding cultures and God’s instructions reveals the call to wholehearted devotion.

The Judah Wilderness tells stories of survival, trust, and calling. At Ein Gedi, Qumran, Jericho, and the hill country near Bethel and Ai, we see how water, land, and inheritance shaped Israel’s identity. These places connect the stories of David, the Essenes, Joshua, and John the Baptist. The wilderness teaches us that God brings life to barren places and invites His people to live faithfully within the inheritance He provides.

We enter the Galilee, the heart of Jesus’ ministry. From Mount Arbel and Chorazin to Capernaum, Migdal, and the hillsides near the Sea of Galilee, we explore the world where Jesus called His disciples. This region was filled with rabbis, synagogues, and discipleship movements. Here we discover what made Jesus’ call so radical. He did not invite people to admire His teaching. He invited them to follow Him with their lives.

Today focuses on the mission Jesus entrusted to His followers. A boat ride on the Sea of Galilee, along with visits to Qatzrin, the Jordan River, Beth Shean, and the Spring of Gideon, reveal how Jesus prepared ordinary people to carry the kingdom of God beyond familiar boundaries. Jewish villages and Roman cities stand side by side, showing that the mission of Jesus was always meant to reach the nations.

Traveling through the Upper Galilee and Golan Heights, we encounter places shaped by intense devotion and resistance. At Gamla, Ein Keshatot, Tel Dan, Caesarea Philippi, and Omrit, we explore the world of zealots, political pressure, and competing loyalties. It is here that Jesus asked His disciples who they believed He truly was. These sites help us see how Jesus redirected passion away from violence and toward a kingdom built on truth, sacrifice, and faithfulness.

After a devotional along the sea of Galilee, we start our journey to Jerusalem. Fields in the Galilee, Area of Nazareth, Tzipori, Mount Carmel, Megiddo, and Caesarea Maritima reveal the contrast between rural faith and imperial power. As we move from agricultural hills into wealthy Roman cities, we see how Jesus’ teachings challenged ambition, wealth, and control. The journey ends with our ascent toward Jerusalem, where the story begins to narrow and intensify.

We begin the day overlooking the Holy City of Jerusalem on the Mount of Olives. We then follow in the footsteps of Christ's Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem. We will stop along the route to see ancient tombs, Gethsemane, and the Church of All Nations. The highlight is to be able to sit under the ancient olive trees for a moment of prayer and reflection. There will also be a time of teaching in an olive grove to hear the story of Christ's night in the garden. We then ascend the Kidron Valley to visit Temple Mount, the Church of St. Anne, and then walk the Via Delarosa.

The morning begins by visiting the Jewish Quarter and the Davidson Archeological Park. We pick up the story of Acts 2 and the day of Pentecost. We will also visit the place of Peter's Denial, the Upper Room, and where Jesus would have been tried. We then walk through the Church of the Holy Sepulcher were Christ would have been crucified, and make our way to the Garden Tomb. The day ends with the final stop on our tour and our final commission at Khirbet Midras.

We depart Israel and return home carrying more than memories. We leave with a deeper understanding of Scripture, a clearer picture of discipleship, and a renewed sense of calling. The journey through the land ends, but the invitation to walk as Jesus walked continues in everyday life.

Flights can be booked to leave late evening the previous day or early morning.