By Sonja J. Keith
Photos by Terry Kimbrow

Central Baptist College President Terry Kimbrow made a trip last fall that he has always wanted to take – to the Holy Land.

“For most people it is a once-in-a-lifetime trip,” Kimbrow said. “I want to go back. It’s just impossible to see everything in one trip.”

By Sonja J. Keith
Photos by Terry Kimbrow 

Central Baptist College President Terry Kimbrow made a trip last fall that he has always wanted to take – to the Holy Land.

“For most people it is a once-in-a-lifetime trip,” Kimbrow said. “I want to go back. It’s just impossible to see everything in one trip.”

The 11-day trip was planned by DiscipleGuide, a company based in Texarkana. Kimbrow and his wife, Tricia, an event planner for the firm, along with other members of her family were in a 30-member group which made the trip.

“I expected to see things I had read about in the Bible but they were so much more different than what I had visualized from reading the Scriptures.”

For example, the Pool of Bethesda in the Bible conjures up images of a small body of water when in fact it is quite large. “It’s a massive water storage facility that covers maybe half an acre,” Kimbrow said.

Even the old city of Jerusalem, which Kimbrow had seen depicted in models, was surprising. “To be there and see the bustling streets, the market and the conditions in which people live.”

Kimbrow saw obvious cultural differences and divisions that exist throughout the region. “You can see that. There’s even a difference in the way they bargain. It’s amazing.” The Jewish traditions were also obvious. “We learned that things come to a standstill on the Sabbath. There is no bus, no Internet. It was like a ghost town.

“It was really interesting to watch the Jews on the Sabbath. I had read and I thought I understood but you really don’t until you are there.”

The trip included a three-hour bus ride to Jordan to visit Petra, an ancient city surrounded by towering hills of rust-colored sandstone. “It was well worth the three-hour bus ride.”

One of Kimbrow’s favorite places was the Dead Sea, where some of the young people on the trip actually got in the water and floated. The group was also on a boat ride on the Sea of Galilee.

Kimbrow has shared his experience – and some of the 3,500 photos he took – during a few speaking engagements. He feels the trip will help him as he continues to preach. “I think I can speak with much more passion. I saw where Jesus fed the 5,000 and we went to Golgotha. There’s no doubting it looks like a skull.

“How could it not affect my preaching…Everyone should go.”