Officers walk in the footsteps of Paul and the Apostles
- simoneworthing
- 2 hours ago
- 3 min read
BY DEBORAH WODHAMS*
Retired officers Majors Isabel and Norm Beckett recently led 29 Salvation Army officers on a journey to Greece and Türkiye to walk in the footsteps of Paul and the Apostles.
The Becketts led participants on the ‘Footsteps of the Apostles Officers’ Overseas Study Tour’ as they visited historical and biblical sites of major significance from 21 October-8 November.
This was the Becketts’ second tour as leaders, the first one being in 2024. They completed the tour as participants in 2013.
Highlights of the tour included: · Meeting Salvation Army officers based in Athens and visiting the Acropolis and nearby Mars Hill, where Paul delivered his famous speech to locals worshippers about their altar “To the Unknown God” (Acts 17:22-23). “We met with them as a group and prayed for and encouraged them,” Major Isabel said.
· Excursions to Corinth, Thessaloniki and the site of the churches at Thyatira and Sardis.
· A special time of prayer and reflection at Anzac Cove and the Australian memorial at Gallipoli.
· A visit to an old Jewish Synagogue in Veria (Berea), where participants were invited to sing a song of praise to the Lord. Those looking on were deeply moved as Australian Salvation Army officers sang the final verse of the hymn O Boundless Salvation. written by William Booth, co-founder of The Salvation Army, in 1893 (see video below).
The final stop on this life-changing tour experience was a visit to the Isle of Patmos. Participants saw the cave where John was exiled in his later years, and where he received the Revelation of Jesus Christ about future events and God’s plan for the end times, documented in the final chapter of the Bible, in the book of Revelation.
“I love and am grateful for the opportunity to visit and reflect on significant early church sites that are mentioned in the Book of Revelation; the fellowship with fellow officers, getting to know who they are and something of their particular ministry,” said Major Isabel.
“It was great to further our relationship with our two guides – Thanasis (Greece) and Emre (Türkiye) who have been our guides both years. Their expertise and knowledge is the best.
“Everyone on tour was deeply thankful to Salvation Army leadership for the investment in underwriting this tour.”
Feedback from participants has been overwhelmingly positive, with officers expressing their deep gratitude to God for the experience and appreciation to the Army. They describe being profoundly impacted by all that they saw and experienced, and that the tour has given them fresh insight and appreciation for the Scriptures, especially Paul's writings.
One officer wrote: “It has given me a new appreciation of the places that were just names in the Bible, giving them more of a geographical location. Seeing the ancient ruins gives an insight into another civilisation to make the Bible come alive. I look back at the photos I took and remember that their significance reinforces the timeless word of God preached so long ago, which is still relevant today.”
*Deborah Wodhams is the Australia Territory’s Officer Development Coordinator.
