Turkey: Ministry and Missions in an Ancient Land

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ:

I am almost finished with my first year at Beeson Divinity School at Samford University in Birmingham, AL (only 4 weeks remain until my final exams begin), and this past year has been an amazing one for me! I thank God daily for your constant prayers and words of encouragement as I dedicate this portion of my life to studies for future ministry to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing.

I am excited to share with you a unique opportunity that has been made possible through Beeson Divinity School’s Global Center. This coming summer, from June 22^nd through July 6^th, 2012 (14 days total), I will be traveling to Istanbul, Turkey with a small team of students and faculty from Beeson to visit some workers in a predominately Muslim and secular European population. Even more, the Global Center director (Dr. Selles) hopes that we will be able to make contact with several Deaf people during our time there!

We will be spending most of our time in the city of Istanbul (formerly known as Constantinople and Byzantium), a city steeped in an amazingly rich Christian history. Constantinople was an important city in ancient times for Christianity because several important ecumenical councils convened to deal with important doctrinal disputes that took place centuries after Jesus’ ascension (i.e. the doctrine of Trinity – the very topic I spent much time studying over the past year!). This city was also the capital of Greek Orthodoxy, one of the most important fortified cities during the Middle Ages, and also the site of Hagia Sophia (see picture on the left), a famous and breathtaking Byzantine-era Christian church converted into a mosque by the Ottoman Turks in 1453 before it was made a permanent museum in 1935.

Additionally, we will have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit the ancient city of Ephesus (picture on the right) where Apostle Paul lived for several years  during his second and third missionary trips. This is also the location where Paul addressed believers and Timothy in at least three different epistles (Ephesians and 1/2 Timothy). I am truly excited to participate in this cross-cultural experience because it will not only serve to enrich my education but also deepen my spiritual life as I learn how to be a shepherd for the flock.

Beeson Divinity School will cover a portion of my trip expenses with a generous travel grant made possible by several donors, but I still need to raise $3,000 to defray lodging, food, and other expenses. Would you please prayerfully consider being my partners in the work my dad is doing around the world through your financial support? If you cannot contribute money at this time, I simply ask that you keep me in your daily prayers, especially before and during this trip.

If you feel led to financially contribute to this trip or have any questions, please contact me via my e-mail at bpersons@samford.edu. Once I return back in America, I look forward to sharing with you what I have learned during my time here.

Thank you for your prayerful consideration of financially supporting me for this trip. I also want to thank you again for your constant prayers, words of encouragement, and continued support while I am studying in seminary.

Sincerely,
Bruce L. Persons