LAODECIA, TURKEY

Tuesday, June 7th

Another busy and exciting day visiting the Churches of Asia Minor – better Turkey. Today our journey took us first to the sites around Sardis. The excavations here reveal the Temple of Artemis but next to it within almost touch range of a golf club, stands the remains of a Church. It is interesting to see the signs of Christians, believers, carved into the marble of even the pagan temple ruins. But to see the Church in the shadows of the pagan temple was exhilarating. Here we took time again to read the scriptural passage and hear comments from one of our team.

And here I began the filming of a promotional video to encourage churches and pastors to help Ismail Serinken establish churches in the Seven Cities of the Book of Revelation. It was all I could do to hold the camera as Ismail began to share his conversion story and how God is leading him to plant Churches here in Turkey.

From Sardis we journeyed to Philadelphia. There isn’t much excavation here because the current city is built upon the ancient site. But the four pillars that stand in the ancient site depict a large building used by the Church here. Sadly, here as elsewhere we see somewhere adjacent a Mosque to almost every Christian site.

Another hour and one-half journey took us to Laodecia. There is a mammoth area here of the remains of ancient Laodecia adjacent to the current city, Denizli. Here we spent almost three hours walking and viewing the city’s ruins. And here is the first site chosen to purchase a building for the new work Ismail has begun here. He was born here. His parents live here. Thank God they have received Jesus as their Savior.

A quick drive through part Denizli to get a “feel” for the city and then finally to our hotel and supper. And speaking of supper, I am getting used to the Turkish food. Not bad at all! And the deserts are fabulous.

Well, I will get a good sleep tonight since it is now only 9:30 here and I will soon be finished with the work I need to do.

I can’t wait to see how many are willing to go through all the pictures and videos I have. Anyway, I am “PUMPED!”

God bless and see you when I see you,

Dr D