Cornerstone Students Encounter Scripture and the Early Church on Turkey Study Tour
Ancient roads, weathered stones, hillside theaters, and the historical settings of the early church became the classroom for Cornerstone University students on a recent study tour through Turkey. There, Scripture came alive, faith grew deeper, and students felt the courage and devotion of the first believers in Jesus Christ in powerful new ways.
From March 7-15, 2026, a group of students traveled through Turkey as part of Cornerstone Theological Seminary’s course, Experiencing the Ancient World of the Bible. The study tour reflects an experiential learning opportunity where students engage original Biblical texts through an immersive, spiritually meaningful experience while encountering the culture and history of modern Turkey.
Led by Dr. Bruce Henning, assistant professor of New Testament at Cornerstone Theological Seminary, the course invited students beyond textbooks and into the places where the gospel first spread. Walking those ancient paths helped many picture the daily realities, difficult choices, and steadfast faith of those who followed Christ in the earliest days of the church, while returning home with a deeper faith of their own.
“Both the material in preparation and the trip itself help the first-century world come alive, not just to better understand what God did two thousand years ago, but also to see what that same living God is doing in our own world today,” said Dr. Henning.
Rather than only reading about the first century, students stepped into it. They considered what it would have meant to abandon hopes of healing at the Asklepion in Pergamum, to resist the pull of wealth and comfort in Laodicea, to navigate Jewish and Gentile tensions in Sardis, to face persecution in Aphrodisias, or to stand firm amid the Artemis cult in Ephesus.
The journey included visits to Smyrna, Pergamum, Sardis, Colossae, Hierapolis, Laodicea, Aphrodisias, Ephesus, Priene, Didyma, and Miletus.
At each stop, stones and streets became part of the lesson. In Pergamum, students considered the pressure early Christians faced in a city crowded with competing gods. In Sardis, they saw cultures living side by side. In Laodicea, the city’s wealth and water system gave new meaning to Christ’s warning against spiritual complacency in Revelation.
“For me, there is a reverence that comes with walking in the literal paths of those who walked in the Way of Jesus two thousand years ago,” said Gloria Chalmers (’27). “It is one thing to read about the historical context of the New Testament; it is something quite different to experience it.”
Students also reflected on the courage of believers who endured persecution for their faith. Standing in the stadium at Aphrodisias and visiting Hierapolis, traditionally associated with the martyrdom of Philip, gave many a deeper understanding of the cost of discipleship in the first centuries of the church.
“The entire trip has been enlightening, helping me to better understand the New Testament by bringing the texts to life,” said Stanton Tang (’28) who also serves on staff with the university’s top-rated radio ministry, 91.3 WCSG.
For others, the most meaningful lessons were deeply personal.
“Being able to come to Turkey has been a phenomenal experience for me,” said Jonathan Zuidema (’29). “I have grown as a more cultured individual, as well as in my faith. This trip has given me many opportunities to learn and experience new things alongside like-minded individuals.”
The tour concluded at Miletus, where Paul once said farewell before continuing toward Rome. There, students reflected on friendships formed, faith strengthened, and a journey that changed how they read Scripture.
For Cornerstone Theological Seminary, experiences like this are designed to help students know Jesus Christ more deeply, understand the truth of Scripture, and carry the hope of the gospel into their lives, work, and calling.
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