ATHENS 2005 -- ITS & BST PROGRAMS
If you're contemplating coming to Athens for the 11th annual International Teachers' Seminar (2-4 November) and/or the Athens & Corinth Biblical Study Tour (4-8 November), please register at the website now . If you are not familiar with the programs, the ITS is for teachers, preachers, Bible students and other interested parties.
The BST is the more "open" track, for anyone who wants to learn about the Bible in the setting of Athens and Corinth. We will walk in the footsteps of Paul, explore classical Greece, and witness the pages of the Bible coming to life before our eyes. Preparatory reading includes Acts 17-18 and 1-2 Corinthians. The ITS ends on the afternoon of November 4th; the BST begins that same evening.
Some BST features:
' Daily visits to classical and biblical sites.
' Two fact-filled and faith-building lectures each day: "Alexander the Great, Greece, and New Testament Christianity," "The Biblical Record vs. the Da Vinci Code," and " A Tour Through Three Centuries" (Church History powerpoint, 30-325 AD), for example.
' Good cuisine (all meals included)
' Fellowship with Christians from around the world. (Most years participants come from 10-20 nations.)
' Bible Question sessions
' International teachers will host discussion groups for BST members on issues of relevance in their churches. Speakers, teachers, & discussion group leaders include (but are not limited to): Andy Fleming (Los Angeles), Gordon Ferguson (Phoenix), James Greig (Oxford, England), Joseph Harris (Augusta, Georgia), Douglas Jacoby (Athens, not Greece), John Oakes (San Diego). Kelly Petre (Zurich), Steve Kinnard ( New York ), and Steve Staten ( Chicago ).
Some ITS features:
' Workshop on EMOTIONALLY HEALTHY LEADERSHIP.
' Workshops on recognizing and refuting false teaching.
' Discussion of direction of the churches worldwide (ICOC, ICC, mCOC, pCOC)
' Hot issues: medical ethics, euthanasia, abortion, homosexuality
' Discussion groups of 6 -- will meet 3x during ITS
' Bible Quiz (Acts 17-18, 1-2 Corinthians) and Hearts tournament
Delphi Excursion: After the BST (this requires an extra hotel night 8th/9th November) all interested persons will travel to Delphi, site of the ancient oracle of Apollo, in a dramatic mountainous setting. Just as last year's trek to Vesuvius was an excellent time for building new relationships and learning, this year's visit to Delphi promises to be a fellowship feast, and a time of visual (and academic) stimulation. You will not be disappointed!
The official deadline for the ITS and the BST is 15 June. After that time, it will still be possible to join the program, though the price rises (per schedule). At any rate, I will have to adjust our predicted attendance for my Greek agents, either upwards or downwards. Last year at the BST in Rome we had 155 participants; this year anywhere from 100 to 200 are expected. A real-time estimate will have to be provided, so if possible, please register now if you do plan to attend. Those who have registered will begin receiving monthly Athens updates beginning in July.
