Greece & Turkey 2026 / Érēmos (Wilderness) Way / A huge thank-you to all our supporters!

Author

Douglas Jacoby
January 07, 2026

Good morning from Georgia!

After an action-packed first week back in the country—during which we bought a house and car (and soon we will get a dog!)—we’re now waiting for the furniture to be delivered. The apartment in Lancashire, England was packed up in November, and hopefully next week we’ll start getting settled. In the meantime, we’re daily reminded, and encouraged, by so many brothers and sisters we know in the Atlanta area. We chose Atlanta for these relationships—a vital part of our lives as Christians (Romans 12:10; 1 Thessalonians 5:11; Hebrews 3:12-13). We appreciate them all the more as we age physically—and spiritually.

This morning (7:00-8:30 ET) it was my privilege to begin a series on the Sermon on the Mount with the Atlanta Braves front office staff. Now that we’re living in the US again, I hope to spend a lot more time with these remarkable men. Special thanks to my friend Mike Licona for connecting me a couple of years ago.

It’s the first IBTM bulletin of the New Year, and I’m trying to come to a decision. Since 2015 this newsletter has been sent out weekly. During the previous 11 years, it was released at a slower tempo. What do you think? Keep the weekly schedule, or slow it down to monthly or perhaps semi-monthly? Please feel free to reply to this email with any input.

Today: a special opportunity—a ministry and church burnout recovery course (which may meet a need for many of us, and is led by experts in the field); our upcoming Biblical Study Tour (Athens, Corinth, Ephesus….); and a massive thank-you to all of you who have funded the IBTM.

ÉRĒMOS WAY ACADEMY
by Sean St. Jean

Note: érēmos is the New Testament Greek word for “wilderness.” — DJ

After visiting 50+ churches in the past three years, we’ve seen you clearly: you are exhausted. You’ve served faithfully as a Christ-follower and have lived a life of sacrifice.

And if you’re honest, you might feel kind of... done.

But what if Jesus’ radical call to discipleship is meant to be more than boots on the ground?

We have built a course to get you onto a path toward his yoke, which is meant to be light and easy (Matthew 11:28-30).


The Eremos Way Academy is a 5-week online class that teaches you as a hardworking Christian how to refresh your walk with God—without compromising your convictions.

And more good news! The course is open to everyone, not just ministry staff. Is the Spirit prompting you to sign up? Check out:

2026 BST–11 SPACES LEFT

The Biblical Study Tour, which has taken place since the 1990s—with over 1000 participants to date—brings us to the fascinating lands of Scripture.

In 2026 we will visit Greece and Turkey—as well as the biblical sites of Athens, Corinth, Ephesus, Miletus, Smyrna, Pergamum, Colossae, Hierapolis, and Laodicea. The tour will be led by Douglas Jacoby and Paul Copan.

For those who would like to explore the amazing city of Istanbul, a 3-day post-tour is also available. Learn more HERE. You may also be interested in the Antioch Seminar, a somewhat more academic tracing of the First Missionary Journey (Acts 13-14).

2026 ENGAGEMENTS (SO FAR)

Jan: Atlanta, GA: Atlanta Braves Front Office devotionals (3), Sermon on the Mount
Jan: A Call to Rise (Resiliency Training)—conclusion of 10-month course
Feb: Honolulu, HI: Teaching Day and Sunday sermon
Feb: Honolulu, HI: Athens Institute-Pacific Graduation
Mar: Cambridge, MA: Faith & Veritas 2026, Harvard University
Jun: Greece & Turkey: Paul’s Aegean Voyages
Jun: Turkey & Cyprus: Antioch Seminar
Oct: Greece & Turkey: Biblical Study Tour
Nov: Denver, CO: Evangelical Theological Society
Nov: Denver, CO: Society of Biblical Literature

THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!


After five years in the UK (Scotland and England), we are thrilled to be back in the Atlanta area. We thank you for your friendship and trust in 2025.

In addition, we immensely appreciate the end-of-year donations. It was a solid year financially. (To see how things turned out, click here.) We look forward to another productive year of ministry, and appreciate your partnership. — Douglas & Vicki

For all bulletins 2004-2026 (100s of pages of biblical material), click here. Access the website here. New material every week—typically, every day! Become a website member ($0.10/day, paid annually) here. Your membership is a tremendous boost to this ministry. To donate, click here.