The ETS Travel Podcast

Join hosts John and Bethany on the ETS Travel Podcast for a full exploration of Advent — its surprising origins, how it evolved across the Christian world, and why the Holy Land remains central to the season. This episode traces Advent from early fasts and baptisms in Spain and Gaul, through the 4-week Roman form, to the 40-day Nativity Fast of the Orthodox, and explains Bernard of Clairvaux’s influential idea of the three comings of Christ. We cover the three-fold shape of Advent: Christ’s past coming in Bethlehem, the hidden present coming in which Christ meets his people through the Word and the sacraments, and the future coming associated with the Mount of Olives. The conversation explains how different traditions emphasize these comings — Western liturgical watchfulness and Gaul’s penitential fasts, Roman 4-week observance, and the Eastern 40-day fast (Philip’s Fast) — and why Advent’s mood blends repentance and hopeful expectation. The hosts guide listeners through the Holy Land sites that anchor the season: Nazareth and the Basilica of the Annunciation; Ein Kerem and the Visitation, home of John the Baptist and Mary’s Magnificat; Bethlehem, Star Street, the Church of the Nativity and the grotto marking the traditional birthplace and manger; and the Mount of Olives as the scriptural locus of Christ’s promised return. They also connect devotional images (Bethlehem as “house of bread,” Emmaus, the upper room/Cenacle) to Advent’s themes. Practical and historical highlights include the Latin root of the word Advent (adventus = coming), medieval fasts such as St. Martin’s Lent and councils that shaped early observance, Johann Heinrich Wichern’s 1839 Advent wreath for children in Hamburg, the O Antiphons and the hymn “O Come, O Come, Emmanuel,” and liturgical details like Gaudete Sunday, wreath colors, and how different churches understand Christ’s real presence in the Eucharist. The episode also offers travel-minded guidance for listeners who want to experience Advent in the places it happened: recommended Scripture readings (Luke 1–2, Isaiah 9, Micah 5, Matthew 24, John 1, Luke 24), tips for timing and planning around busy holy-site schedules and multiple Christmas calendars (Gregorian and Julian), sensitivity for mixed-denomination groups, and awareness of current local conditions that can affect festivities and access. Expect a balanced mix of history, theology, liturgical practice, and travel practicalities: why Advent began as a fast, how it became a season of watchfulness and preparation, how communities now mark it with candles, calendars, hymns, and fasting, and how Nazareth, Ein Kerem and Bethlehem still bring the story to life. Advent begins Sunday, November 29th; whether you light a wreath, keep a fast, or simply slow down to read Luke, this episode helps you wait with attention and meaning.

On this episode of the ETS Travel Podcast, John and Bethany (both business development managers at ETS) trace the extraordinary friendship between J.R.R. Tolkien and C.S. Lewis — two very different men whose late-night conversations, shared love of old stories, and lives in England shaped The Chronicles of Narnia and The Lord of the Rings. The hosts cover each writer’s background: Tolkien’s lifelong Roman Catholic faith, early loss of his mother, childhood in Sarehole that inspired the Shire, obsession with languages, and wartime experiences at the Somme; and Lewis’s upbringing in Belfast, loss of faith as a youth, rigorous tutoring under W. Kirkpatrick, the imaginary childhood world of Boxen, his wartime service, and his eventual reluctant conversion to Christianity. John and Bethany explain how the two met at Oxford, their membership in the Coal Biters and later the Inklings, and the famous 1931 Addison’s Walk conversation (with Hugo Dyson) in which Tolkien argued that myths are “echoes” of deeper truth — a turning point that helped Lewis accept Christianity. They discuss Tolkien’s concept of eucatastrophe, Lewis’s preference to write clear “supposals” and allegory, and how these different approaches shaped each author’s storytelling and Christian witness. The episode also explores wider influences: the impact of English landscapes and industrial change, the shadow of World War I on both men’s imaginations, centuries of English Christian history from Augustine to Wesley, and how place and pilgrimage feed into the stories. It touches on Lewis’s public ministry via BBC talks (later collected as Mere Christianity), Tolkien’s lifelong private mythology (later expanded by his son Christopher in The Silmarillion), and their sometimes friendly disagreements over symbolism and method. For travel advisors and listeners planning trips, the hosts offer practical tips: visit key sites connected to both men (Addison’s Walk and the Eagle and Child pub in Oxford, Sarehole and Stratford-upon-Avon, Littlelea, Canterbury and other historic Christian sites), consider ETS’s “Lions of the Christian Faith” itineraries that follow authors’ footsteps, and recommend preparatory reading and films (short biographies, Lewis’s own account of his conversion, and the biographical film about Tolkien). Ultimately the episode frames Tolkien and Lewis not as solitary geniuses but as friends whose arguments, shared study of myth, and rooted English Christian tradition produced two of the 20th century’s most beloved imaginative works — stories that continue to speak to believers and nonbelievers alike.

Join ETS Business Development Managers John and Bethany as they explore the many Roman theaters that appear across the lands of the Bible and the wider Greco‑Roman world. This episode examines how these semicircular theaters functioned as acoustic marvels, civic gathering spaces, and stages for drama, debate, and sometimes riots—places that frequently intersect with events recorded in the book of Acts. The hosts tour five representative sites: the Great Theater of Ephesus (site of the Demetrius-driven mob in Acts 19), the coastal theater at Caesarea Maritima (linked to Herod Agrippa’s fateful public oration in Acts 12), the twin theaters of Jerash/Gerasa in the Decapolis (context for the Gerasene/Gadarenes material), the theater at Philippi (Greek origins later adapted by Rome; context for Lydia’s conversion and Paul and Silas’s ministry), and Delphi (the Delphic “spirit of Python” background behind a phrase in Acts 16). Key takeaways include how theaters reveal the everyday world of the early church, the distinction between theaters and amphitheaters, the architectural features to notice (cavea, orchestra, stage building), and why archaeological context matters even when a site isn’t named explicitly in Scripture. The episode also offers practical guidance for travel advisors—read Acts before touring, set accurate expectations for biblical connections, and help travelers spot recurring architectural features that link sites across regions. Expect vivid, place-based storytelling that connects archaeology, history, and Scripture—from dramatic mobs and royal downfalls to the lingering cultural echoes of pagan oracles—underscoring how Roman public spaces shaped the spread and experience of early Christianity.

In this episode of the ETS Travel Podcast, hosts John and Bethany (BDMs at ETS) continue their two-part series on German church history by focusing on Dietrich Bonhoeffer. They trace his life from an elite German upbringing and precocious theological training to a transformative year at Union Theological Seminary and worship at Abyssinian Baptist Church in Harlem, which sharpened his conviction that theology must be lived out in community and ethical action. The conversation sets Bonhoeffer against the volatile context of 1930s Germany: economic collapse, Hitler’s rise in 1933, and the German Christians’ push to align the church with Nazi ideology. John and Bethany explain Bonhoeffer’s leadership in the Confessing Church, the significance of the 1934 Barmen Declaration, and his work founding the illegal Finkenwalde seminary. Key writings discussed include Life Together and The Cost of Discipleship, where Bonhoeffer distinguishes ‘costly grace’ from ‘cheap grace.’ As state repression escalated, the hosts cover Bonhoeffer’s shift from pastoral resistance to clandestine opposition: his brief U.S. visit in 1930, return to Germany, involvement with underground networks tied to military intelligence, and painful theological wrestling over whether violent action could be justified. The episode follows his arrest in April 1943, imprisonment, and the letters, poems, and reflections he composed (later published as Letters and Papers from Prison), including his ideas about ‘religionless Christianity.’ John and Bethany recount the final chapter of Bonhoeffer’s life—his transfer between prisons, the exposure of his links to the failed 1944 assassination plot against Hitler, and his execution by hanging at Flossenbürg on April 9, 1945, just weeks before liberation. Eyewitness testimony of his calm faith and reported last words are shared, and the hosts draw an interpretive arc comparing Bonhoeffer’s costly witness to Martin Luther’s earlier reforming work four centuries prior, framing both stories as wrestlings over conscience, authority, and what faithfulness costs. The episode also offers practical advice for travel advisors and listeners: recommended itineraries that pair Reformation sites with Bonhoeffer-related locations (including sites now in Poland), preparatory reading (The Cost of Discipleship, Life Together, and Letters and Papers from Prison), and a caution that recent films take artistic liberties with Bonhoeffer’s role in assassination plots. Advisors are encouraged to prepare groups emotionally for visits to WWII-era sites and concentration camps and to present the Luther–Bonhoeffer pairing as a single conversation about costly conviction across four centuries. Listeners can expect a measured mix of biography, theology, wartime history, and travel guidance—an episode that explores how a theologian’s convictions translated into concrete community-building, resistance, and sacrifice, and what those stories mean for travelers interested in church history, ethics, and the intersections of faith and politics.

Join hosts John and Bethany on the ETS Travel Podcast for the first episode in a two-part series on German church history. Released ahead of Reformation Day (October 31), this episode traces Martin Luther’s journey from an anxious Augustinian monk to the central figure who ignited the Protestant Reformation. The hosts set the historical scene, explain the context for Luther’s crisis of conscience, and outline why his theological insight ultimately reshaped Christianity. Topics covered include Luther’s early life in Eisleben and Mansfeld, his lightning-vow conversion to monastic life, and his troubling trip to Rome. The episode explains Luther’s “tower experience” (his breakthrough while studying Romans), his objections to Johann Tetzel’s sale of indulgences, and the composition and spread of the 95 Theses. John and Bethany highlight the decisive role of movable-type printing in turning an academic dispute into a continent-wide controversy. Key events and turning points discussed are Luther’s public refusal to recant at the Diet of Worms, his excommunication and the Edict of Worms, Frederick the Wise’s role in arranging his Wartburg protection, and Luther’s prolific translation of the New Testament into German. The episode also covers Luther’s later life—his marriage to Katharina von Bora, his efforts to organize the new church, and his lasting influence on theology and the development of modern German. The episode includes practical advice for travel advisors planning Reformation-themed trips—suggested pre-trip readings (notably Romans) and tips for framing Luther’s story as a continuous narrative rather than isolated events. Listeners are also given a preview of part two, which will pick up nearly 400 years later to explore Dietrich Bonhoeffer and the church under state pressure. Expect clear historical narrative, theological explanation, and travel-focused takeaways designed for both general listeners and faith-based tour planners.

In this episode of the ETS Travel Podcast, host John Cavarra is joined by David, ETS’s VP of Business Development, to walk listeners through the run of Jewish holidays that fall across September and October. The conversation opens with a prayer and David’s personal framing as an ethnically Jewish follower of Jesus (Messianic), offering both personal and professional perspectives on the season. The episode explains each festival in turn: Rosh Hashanah/Yom Teruah (the head of the year and the blowing of the shofar; 2026 dates discussed: sundown Sept 11 through nightfall Sept 13), the ten days of reflection leading to Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement — a 25-hour national fast, tied to the high priest and the scapegoat ritual; discussed dates: sundown Sept 20–nightfall Sept 21), and the turn to joy with Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles — building sukkot, etrog and the four species, hospitality; sundown Sept 25–Oct 2). The episode also covers Shemini Atzeret and Simchat Torah (lingering in God’s presence and rejoicing with the Torah; Oct 2–4), and highlights New Testament connections (John 7, Jesus as the living Word/tabernacling among us, Hebrews’ use of Yom Kippur imagery) and prophetic threads (Zechariah’s vision of nations celebrating together). Practical implications for travelers and travel advisors are discussed in depth: what Jerusalem feels like during the season (shofar, markets, pomegranates), site and business closures (especially Yom Kippur), crowding and pricing during Sukkot, logistical complexity, and why specialized planning or working with a seasoned operator like ETS is recommended for trips timed around these holidays. David offers tips on where to go in Israel during the season (temple-era sites, Gihon spring, Mount of Transfiguration, Golan Heights) and how Christians can appreciate the feasts’ theological echoes without feeling pressured to adopt practices. The episode closes with practical encouragement for listeners — whether curious travelers, travel advisors, or people studying Scripture — to use the season as a way to better understand the biblical storyline, and with David’s warm greeting, “Shanah Tovah Umetuka” (a good and sweet new year). Listeners are invited to subscribe to the ETS Travel Podcast for more destination and season-focused episodes and to reach out to ETS for faith-based travel planning.

Join hosts John and Bethany from the ETS Travel Podcast as they take listeners on a destination-focused episode exploring the biblical significance of Egypt. The episode frames Egypt not just as pyramids and temples but as a land woven through Scripture—from Abraham and Joseph to Moses and the Holy Family—and explains why ETS includes Egypt on its faith-based itineraries that trace the footsteps of Joseph and Moses. They outline a full Egypt itinerary and point out the places travelers will visit: Cairo and the new Grand Egyptian Museum (with artifacts that bring Pharaoh’s court to life), Abu Serga Church (traditionally marking the Holy Family’s stay), the Pyramids of Giza and the Great Sphinx, and a Nile cruise beginning in Aswan. In Aswan listeners hear about the High Dam, the unfinished obelisk at the granite quarries, the Aga Khan Mausoleum, and the island Temple of Philae dedicated to Isis and Hathor. The conversation highlights river stops including Kom Ombo (the unique dual-temple to Sobek and Horus), Edfu (one of Egypt’s best-preserved Horus temples), and Esna Locks en route to Luxor/Thebes. John and Bethany describe the monumental complexes of Luxor and Karnak (Amun‑Ra’s temple and the hypostyle hall), the avenues of sphinxes, obelisks, and the Sacred Lake, then cross to the West Bank necropolis for the Colossi of Memnon, Deir el-Bahari (Queen Hatshepsut), and selected tombs in the Valley of the Kings and Queens (including the option to visit Tutankhamun’s tomb). They explain why the Sinai and Mount Sinai/St. Catherine’s Monastery form the spiritual climax: the traditional mountain of the Ten Commandments, the monastery protecting the site of the burning bush, sunrise hikes to the summit (typically starting around 2 a.m.), and a memorable Bedouin dinner in the desert. The hosts also describe the Exodus route in reverse—tracing the vast wilderness Israel crossed—and why standing in those places deepens the biblical narrative. A major theme of the episode is reading the Ten Plagues as a theological confrontation with Egyptian religion rather than just a string of natural disasters. The hosts map specific plagues to Egyptian deities—Hapi and Osiris (the Nile), Hathor/Apis (livestock), Ra/Amun‑Ra (darkness and sun worship)—and show how visiting surviving temples adds context to the Exodus account. Practical takeaways for travel advisors and group leaders are included: how to position Egypt as an integral biblical destination (not just a bucket-list stop), suggested scripture preparation (Genesis and Exodus), logistics and highlights to emphasize to travelers (Nile cruise, Karnak’s scale, Grand Egyptian Museum’s collections, Sinai hike), and popular extensions such as Jordan’s Mount Nebo to continue Moses’ story. The episode closes by underscoring Egypt’s spiritual power—standing before ancient gods and then the open desert to see how the biblical God is presented as sovereign and rescuing.

In this episode of the ETS Travel Podcast, hosts John and Bethany explore the history, devotion, and recent Vatican developments surrounding Medjugorje, the small village in Bosnia and Herzegovina that has become a major Catholic pilgrimage site since alleged Marian apparitions began in 1981. The hosts outline the origin story told by the six visionaries, the recurring themes of the messages—peace, prayer, fasting, reconciliation, and renewed sacramental life—and explain why the site has drawn millions of pilgrims over four decades. John and Bethany discuss the Catholic Church27s cautious, decades-long process of investigation, and clarify what changed in 2024 when the Vatican27s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a nihil obstat allowing official diocesan and parish pilgrimages. They emphasize the important distinction that the nihil obstat recognizes the spiritual fruit of Medjugorje without formally declaring the apparitions themselves to be supernatural. The episode also provides a practical look at what a visit to Medjugorje entails: attending daily Mass (including English Masses at St. James Church), climbing Apparition Hill and Cross Mountain, participating in evening rosary processions and Adoration, and opportunities for confession, Stations of the Cross, and veneration at the statue of the risen Christ. Listeners hear tips for travel advisors on how to present ETS27s Medjugorje pilgrimage—highlighting its devotional focus, suitability for Catholic parish groups, and the inclusion of nearby Croatian destinations like Split and Dubrovnik for broader travel experiences. Throughout, John and Bethany stress that Medjugorje remains one of the most compelling examples of the Church27s careful discernment of private revelations, and they invite listeners to contact ETS Tours for more information about booking a pilgrimage. The episode closes with a reminder to like and subscribe to the ETS Travel Podcast and a blessing for listeners.

In this episode John Kovara (ETS Business Development Manager) hosts ETS Live with special guests Bethany (ETS Business Development Manager) and David (VP of Business Development). The conversation walks travel advisors through a simple, repeatable process for selling faith-based travel, explaining why the niche matters, how it differs from leisure travel, and how to turn initial contacts into long-term, repeat business. Topics covered include: the value of faith-based travel (high loyalty and repeat bookings, spiritual and community benefits), how to find leads by starting in your own network and praying for direction, and a practical outreach sequence — Think (identify contacts), Ask (request a 10-minute call), Give (deliver ETS sales kits and the Expand Your Ministry materials), and Share (frame the offer as ministry impact, not a sales pitch). The hosts address common pastor objections (safety, logistics) and describe how ETS supports advisors with three-way calls, credibility-boosting resources, and ready-made marketing materials. The episode clarifies roles once a group is committed: advisors handle logistics, registrations, payments, and promotional meetings while pastors lead vision-casting, invitations, worship, and spiritual teaching. Timing and product options are explained (standard/guaranteed departure dates vs. custom departures, suggested group sizes and ideal lead times), plus tips for building groups (interest meetings, multi-generational recruitment, handwritten invites and follow-up). Resources and next steps highlighted include the ETS Travel Specialist course (training, mock pastor conversations, certification and website badge), the January Holy Land FAM for advisors, Advisor’s Corner on etstours.com, and ongoing support from ETS Business Development Managers. Key takeaways: faith-based travel compounds in value for ministries and advisors, start small with a clear process, lean on ETS support, and remember the payoff — “let’s get paid twice.”

Join John and Bethany (ETS Business Development Manager) for Part 2 of the ETS Travel Podcast’s look at Jerusalem, this episode focusing on the New Testament story. The hosts trace Jesus’ presence in the city from his childhood visits to the temple through his teaching during festival seasons, the events surrounding Holy Week, and the birth and early growth of the church in Acts. Topics covered include the Herodian Temple and the lived religious life on the Temple Mount, the Western Wall (the Kotel) and its continuing significance, and practical visitor etiquette when approaching these sacred sites. They explore Gospel scenes tied to Jerusalem’s urban landscape: the healing at the Pool of Bethesda, the miracle at the Pool of Siloam and the Gihon Spring (with Hezekiah’s Tunnel), and how these water sites functioned for pilgrimage, purification, and symbolic teaching in John’s Gospel. The episode also examines locations just outside the city—Bethany and the Mount of Olives—highlighting the raising of Lazarus, the intimate rhythm of Jesus’ ministry before Holy Week, and the panoramic geography that helps explain movements recorded in the Gospels. Listeners will hear a balanced discussion of Holy Week sites, including the traditional Church of the Holy Sepulchre and the Garden Tomb alternative, with reflection on how both places invite remembrance of crucifixion, burial, and resurrection. The hosts describe the Upper Room and Mount Zion as the gathering place for the disciples and the context for Pentecost, noting how Jerusalem’s festival crowds made the church’s early witness far-reaching. The episode follows the early church’s life in Jerusalem—teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, baptisms—and covers turning points such as Stephen’s martyrdom, persecution-driven scattering, Paul’s arrest, and the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15. The conversation emphasizes how opposition and dispersion actually advanced the gospel beyond the city. Practical takeaways for travelers and travel advisors include how to connect Scripture to place responsibly and respectfully, what to expect when visiting the major sites, and the overarching message that Jerusalem is both a deeply rooted historical setting and the launching point for the church’s mission to the world.