In June, a group of 27 of us walked in the footsteps of the influential early church leader Paul, known to many as the Apostle Paul. Over the course of 10 days, we journeyed through ancient cities, climbed up to the ruins of old temples, and stood in places where Paul once preached, taught, and suffered for the gospel. On our last night together, everyone reflected on what the trip meant to them. The stories were personal, emotional, and faith-affirming.
Now that I’ve had a little time back home to process it all, I want to share some broader reflections. There are lessons that become clearer when you physically walk the roads the Apostle Paul once walked. These are not just historical observations – they’re spiritual takeaways that continue to challenge and inspire me.
Paul Had a Challenging Task
One thing that stood out was just how difficult Paul’s mission really was. Several in our group mentioned this while on the trip. We sometimes think of Paul planting churches in a spiritually neutral or welcoming environment, but nothing could be further from the truth.
Paul was introducing a brand-new worldview – one centered on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ – into a Greco-Roman culture that was already packed full of religious ideas and practices. The first-century world wasn’t spiritually empty; it was spiritually cluttered. Temples to Greek gods and Roman deities dominated cityscapes. Philosophies like Stoicism and Epicureanism shaped people’s thinking. Superstition, mystery religions, and emperor worship were all part of the landscape.
Into that world came Paul, preaching that there was one God and that this God had revealed himself in the crucified and risen Christ. This was not a small adjustment to existing beliefs. It was an entirely new way to see God, the world, and ourselves.
Paul Believed in the Power of the Gospel
One of the most memorable moments of the trip for me was standing in Ephesus in front of the ruins of the 24,000-seat Great Theater. A riot broke out in Ephesus because the preaching of the gospel was threatening the business of the local silversmiths who made idol of the goddess Artemis. They seized Paul’s companions, Gaius and Aristarchus, and dragged them into the theater while the crowd, perhaps thousands of people, shouted in confusion and rage (Acts 19: 23-41).
Paul wanted to go out and face the angry mob. He believed that the gospel, even in that moment of chaos, had the power to win over hearts. His friends had to restrain him. That boldness left an impression on me. Paul didn’t just preach Christ because it was his job. He genuinely believed that the message of Jesus was powerful enough to break through hostility, confusion, and even violence.
And the truth is, that same power is still active today. The gospel still transforms lives, even in the face of resistance.
The Distance was Significant
If you’ve ever traveled to Israel, you know how compact the geography is. You can go from Jerusalem to the Sea of Galilee in just a couple of hours. That’s not the case with the journeys of Paul.
Paul left Jerusalem and traveled across what was then Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) and into Macedonia and Greece. To retrace the full steps of Paul’s three missionary journeys would take weeks, even today with modern transportation. On our short ten-day trip, we only managed to see key locations. The actual routes Paul walked would have taken months. It required travel through mountainous terrain, across the sea, and often in dangerous of hostile environments.
The sheer physical effort it took to carry the gospel message to these cities was remarkable. Paul’s commitment wasn’t just spiritual; it was physical. He wore himself out for the sake of the gospel. His willingness to go the distance, both literally and figuratively, is a challenge to us in our much more comfortable modern lives.
Immorality was Normal
In ancient Corinth, we stood at the base of the Acrocorinth, the high mountain overlooking the city. On its peak once stood a temple to Aphrodite, the goddess of love. In Paul’s time, that temple was known for shrine prostitution, which, bizarre as it sounds to modern spiritual ears, was considered a normal religious act.
This wasn’t a one-off example. Sexual immorality, greed, and broken relationships were normalized throughout the cosmopolitan Corinthian society. So, when Paul wrote to the Corinthians, calling them to sexual purity, generosity, and unity, it wasn’t just counter-cultural, it was radical. Paul’s exhortation to avoid lawsuits among believers (1 Cor. 6), to flee from sexual immorality (1 Cor. 6:18), and to live lives worthy of the gospel would have sounded completely foreign to their ears.
And yet, lives were changed. The gospel didn’t just ask them to live differently; it empowered them to do so. That truth is just as relevant today as it was then.
Opposition was Normal
Another consistent theme in Paul’s ministry was opposition. Whether from civil authorities, local merchants, religious leaders, or even fellow Christians, Paul rarely experienced peaceful ministry.
In Thessalonica, Paul faced violent opposition from the local Jewish leaders, who were threatened by his message. When he fled to Berea, he began to see fruit there until some of the same Thessalonian Jews made the 50-mile trip just to stir up trouble again (Acts 17:1-15). That was about an hour and fifteen minute trip by bus for us. For them, it would have been a two- or three-day journey on foot. That’s how strongly they opposed him.
Paul also faced internal opposition: Judaizers who demanded Gentile believers follow the law of Moses, false teachers who twisted his message, and even some who questioned whether Paul had any authority to speak at all. Yet in all this, Paul pressed on. He knew he wasn’t fighting for his own reputation. He was contending for the truth of the gospel.
The Holy Spirit Will not be Tamed
Despite the difficulties, the immorality, the long distances, and the opposition, one thing became very clear to me on this trip: the Holy Spirit was not – and is not – deterred.
The book of Acts, and the story of Paul’s ministry, is really a story of the Spirit moving through history, culture, and people’s hearts. Paul was a brilliant theologian and a tireless missionary, but he was not the source of the power. The real “mover and shaker” was the Holy Spirit, changing hearts, establishing churches, and drawing people into a new way of life.
That same Spirit is at work today. Sometimes we think our modern world is too cynical or secular to be reached. But standing and preaching where Paul once stood reminded me that if the gospel could take root in Corinth, Ephesus, and Thessalonica, it can take root anywhere. The Holy Spirit is still drawing people to Christ.
Take one of These Trips if at all Possible
If you ever get the chance to take a trip like this, I urge you to go. If you can, take that trip. Walk where Paul walked. Stand in the places he stood. Open your Bible while looking at the ruins of cities he once wrote to. You will never read Scripture the same way again.
After such a trip, Scripture is no longer read in black and white; scripture becomes full color. You gain depth, context, and emotional resonance. You realize how much Paul gave, how far he went, and how great the challenge was. But more importantly, you realize just how powerful the gospel truly is.
You’ll come back with a deeper appreciation for Scripture, a stronger faith, and a renewed commitment to the mission of Christ.
So, from this recent traveler in the footsteps of Paul, still cleaning off the dust of the sites of Asia Minor and Macedonia, I offer this encouragement: keep believing in the power of the gospel. Keep going the distance. And never forget that the Holy Spirit cannot be tamed.
by the Rev. Dr. John Fullerton, Senior Pastor