Faith Connections Travel is thrilled to dive back into trip planning! To celebrate, we hosted our favorite Holy Land tour guide, George Stephan, for a Friday evening of reconnecting, teaching, Q&A, and (of course) a beautiful spread of Middle Eastern snacks.
Looking Ahead: Exciting Travel Plans
As we gathered with George, we also looked ahead to some journeys that may be on our horizon. Our own Tina Ripperger kicked things off with some updates on what Faith Connections Travel has in the works. Right now, we are considering:
- a trip to Scotland,
- a domestic destination, and
- our next Holy Land pilgrimage, which might be possible in late 2026 or the first half of 2027, circumstances permitting.
We are in regular touch with our contacts in the region (including George) and will share plans for the Holy Land as soon as we are able to make them. To stay in the loop, be sure to subscribe to our newsletter using the form on this page.
Why George is Our Favorite Tour Guide
Dr. John Harman introduced George by highlighting his impressive credentials. We call him our favorite Holy Land tour guide, and that’s for good reason. He is a 
faithful brother in Christ and family man, a guide who genuinely cares about and cares for those he leads, and a brilliant logistician on the ground. He is so good that his peers in the Tour Guides Association recognized him as the best tour guide in the Holy Land. But George also has a depth of education, training, and experience that make his content as a tour guide more than simply pointing to a site and delivering some well worn basic facts. He brings the land to life, connecting history, Bible, theology, archaeology, and languages in a way that transforms how we read Scripture. We know we can trust what he says. And we know what he says is up-to-date and well considered across the disciplines that are relevant to what he presents.
Originally from Jerusalem, George holds degrees in travel agency management, biblical history, biblical archaeology, and theology. He speaks Arabic, English, French, Hebrew, and some Greek and Aramaic, and specializes in guiding Protestant, Orthodox, and Catholic Christian pilgrims through the Holy Land. His tour guide license, which requires three years of rigorous training, reflects his deep expertise.
The Gospel of John and the Fifth Gospel
George’s presentation, “The Gospel of John and the Fifth Gospel,” was a captivating journey through Scripture. Those who have traveled or studied with us know that the “fifth gospel” is the Holy Land itself—the land where it all took place.
As George walked us through the Gospel of John, he also walked us through the land, helping us to see the text through the eyes of those who lived it. His insights gave us a taste of the transformative experience of visiting the Holy Land in person—and left us even more eager to return!
Join Us on the Journey
We are incredibly grateful to our friend George Stephan for such an inspiring evening, and we look forward to the next time we walk the land together.
If you are interested in traveling with us, stay connected for updates on upcoming trips. And if you know someone who would love to experience what we are doing, please share Faith Connections Travel with your friends, family, clergy, church, and other groups who may want to know more. We would love to journey with you!
