My son Joey tells me, "Dad, you need to clarify." Sorry for confusing you. This email I sent earlier this morning (3am here actually) is a dramatic take on something that happened in this physical spot a long, long time ago. I'm trying to imagine what it would be like to "walk in the footsteps of the apostle Paul," not just physically but also emotionally and spiritually. Lots of people talk about doing the first here, but I think the second is worth doing also. Here are the two accounts we have written from what happened here, where I am now physically, just short of 2000 years ago:
" From Paphos, Paul and his companions sailed to Perga in Pamphylia, where John left them to return to Jerusalem. From Perga they went on to Pisidian Antioch." (Acts 13:13-14)
Later we read this also:
"Some time later Paul said to Barnabas, "Let us go back and visit the believers in all the towns where we preached the word of the Lord and see how they are doing." Barnabas wanted to take John, also called Mark, with them, but Paul did not think it wise to take him, because he had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not continued with them in the work. They had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company. Barnabas took Mark and sailed for Cyprus, ..." (Acts 15:36-39)
Paul and Mark are Greek/Latin names (Paulus and Markus) while Saul and John were Jewish/Aramaic names. And that's the rest of the story (my brief update and a link to a few pictures is in the italics at the bottom.)
All the best from the Mediterranean coast, Steve (Laura is in Texas)
Steve and Laura Spinella
street: 1930 Springcrest Rd, CO Springs 80920
mail: 9685 Otero Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80920
Steve cell 719.355.4809, Laura cell 832.755.4261
TEAM, PO Box 969, Wheaton, IL 60187, 800 343-3144
<spinella@alumni.rice.edu> <lauraspinella@alumni.rice.edu>
TEAM, PO Box 969, Wheaton, IL 60187, 800 343-3144
<spinella@alumni.rice.edu> <lauraspinella@alumni.rice.edu>
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: Steve & Laura Spinella <spinella@alumni.rice.edu>
Date: Sun, Feb 15, 2015 at 3:21 AM
Subject: Landed in Perge
To: Laura Ramage Spinella <lauraspinella@gmail.com>
From: Steve & Laura Spinella <spinella@alumni.rice.edu>
Date: Sun, Feb 15, 2015 at 3:21 AM
Subject: Landed in Perge
To: Laura Ramage Spinella <lauraspinella@gmail.com>
It's rainy and cold. John (Mark) confronted me the other day about my risky behavior. He says that my approach is too public and may not only offend the locals but arouse great hostility even among our own people. Barney is asking me to acknowledge the risks and suggesting that we should make these decisions prayerfully, as a team. I feel that the father is blessing our current approach and I think I'm going to confront John about the short time we have to communicate our message and the resulting urgency that requires boldness to penetrate thick skulls and busy lives. His first hand testimony is critical to our ministry plan, as he was there for everything. I think he needs to be speaking more boldly himself, but he's always concerned about respecting people and so forth. Also either he's getting sick or all the charcoal fires for heat are really setting off his allergies. We need to push through this, but I probably haven't handled this as good as i could have. You know how wound up I get!
Love you lots, Sallie (I'm going by Paulus here since even our people use their Latinized or Greek names. John is going by "Markus" also.)
PS Perge is full of statues of the local deities, with many large public temples. The money invested is incredible. We're thinking of moving on to Psidian Antioch soon, but just because it's "Antioch" doesn't mean it will feel like Syrian Antioch! Check out Acts 13:13
Love you lots, Sallie (I'm going by Paulus here since even our people use their Latinized or Greek names. John is going by "Markus" also.)
PS Perge is full of statues of the local deities, with many large public temples. The money invested is incredible. We're thinking of moving on to Psidian Antioch soon, but just because it's "Antioch" doesn't mean it will feel like Syrian Antioch! Check out Acts 13:13
Just imagining what an email back then might have looked like. A few pics at https://plus.google.com/u/0/photos/+SteveSpinella/albums/6115861900188233041. Modern day Antalya now hosts more than 10 million visitors a year, and there is a small cultural center here in the old city, near Hadrian's gate (as in the imperial Hadrian of the Roman empire) called the St Paul Cultural Center with a great little coffee shop just down the street from our "castle hotel"--fancy name for a small B&B in a set of very old buildings around a small courtyard. Our own meetings are considerably calmer than those described above, in case you're wondering!
Steve and Laura Spinella
street: 1930 Springcrest Rd, CO Springs 80920
mail: 9685 Otero Ave, Colorado Springs, CO 80920
Steve cell 719.355.4809, Laura cell 832.755.4261
TEAM, PO Box 969, Wheaton, IL 60187, 800 343-3144
<spinella@alumni.rice.edu> <lauraspinella@alumni.rice.edu>
TEAM, PO Box 969, Wheaton, IL 60187, 800 343-3144
<spinella@alumni.rice.edu> <lauraspinella@alumni.rice.edu>
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