Post Archive


Here you can find every post from Jack's Journal, even the ones I've hidden! 

Jack explores Paul’s letters to Timothy that define church order, warn against deceitful spirits, and call believers to faith, modesty, and endurance in the last days.

Covering Elazig, Harput, Kayseri, and Konya, I catch up on Turkey’s mix of Ottoman, Seljuk, and modern heritage across four new cities.

I work through Paul’s closing church letters as he urges believers to reject manmade rules, avoid idleness, and stay faithful in doing good while awaiting the Lord’s return.

Exploring southeast Turkey from Mardin to Şanlıurfa, Jack discovers ancient monasteries, Diyarbakir’s city walls, Islamic history, and unique local experiences.

Jack dives into Galatians, Ephesians, and Philippians, each challenging false gospels, hierarchy debates, and calling Christians to live biblically, not culturally.

Exploring 1 & 2 Corinthians, Jack found Paul’s letters reveal not just doctrine but living guidance on division, leadership, women in church, and true faith.

Therein lies the element of faith. Did Jesus really feed 5,000 people with just five loaves and two fish? Did John really preach and die in Ephesus? Is Christianity truly superior to Hellenism? The truth is, we don’t really know and likely never will. Archaeology and history are soft sciences, and without a time machine, we can only make an assessment of what actually happened. But I answered those questions with some of my own.

I knew this story from Sunday School as a child, but I had long chalked it up to theological parable.  Standing in the great theatre, I could no longer ignore that the riot was real.