There's a conversation that happens in almost every pastor's mind at some point.
A congregant mentions it after a sermon. A colleague comes back from a trip and can't stop talking about it. Or you've simply carried the idea quietly for years, one of those things you keep meaning to do something about.
The Holy Land trip.
You want to go. You know it would change your congregation. You may even know it would change you.
But something keeps stopping you.
Maybe it's the safety question — real and fair, especially after everything in the news. Maybe it's the logistical overwhelm of organizing a group trip abroad. Maybe it's the quiet fear you've probably never said out loud: What if I announce it and nobody signs up?
That last one stops more trips than anything else.
I've built this page — and the free guide below — specifically for pastors sitting exactly where you are right now. Not the pastor who has already decided. The one who's still on the fence, carrying the dream, held back by the doubt.
This is not a vacation for your congregation.
It is a ministry investment — one with returns that no sermon series, retreat, or small group curriculum can fully replicate.
Pastors who have led their congregations to the Holy Land consistently report the same outcomes:
Scripture comes alive. Congregants who have stood at the Sea of Galilee, walked the Via Dolorosa, and prayed at the Garden Tomb read their Bibles differently for the rest of their lives.
New leaders emerge. Members who were hesitant about Bible study return as leaders of Bible study groups. The Holy Land unlocks people spiritually in ways ordinary church life rarely does.
Community deepens. Praying together and experiencing awe together accelerates relationships. The bonds formed on this trip outlast the trip itself.
Your preaching changes. Pastors who have walked the Mount of Beatitudes preach those passages with a firsthand authority their congregations can feel. That authority never leaves.
And there is one more thing — the one most travel specialists never mention.
This trip is for you, too.
You have spent your entire career leading people toward God. The Holy Land is one of the few places on earth that leads you.
My name is Brian Whitacre. I'm a travel specialist with seven years of experience helping people navigate complex, meaningful trips. For Holy Land pilgrimages, I've partnered with Educational Travel Services — a faith-based travel organization that has been delivering life-changing Holy Land experiences since 1974.
When you work with me, you get the personal attention and planning support of a dedicated local advisor, backed by five decades of in-country expertise. You don't need to choose between personalized service and experience. You get both.
Here's what that looks like in practice:
I handle: flights, hotels, transportation, meals, your complete itinerary, promotional materials, registrations, payments, documentation, all pre-departure requirements, and traveler briefings. I'm available to you throughout the entire process — not just at the start.
Your professional licensed in-country guide handles: historical context, biblical depth, day-to-day site logistics, and creating space at sacred moments for you to lead prayer, read Scripture, or simply be still with your people.
Your job: show up and be the pastoral presence your congregation came with you for.
That's it.
What if I announce it and nobody signs up?
It's the fear that kills more Holy Land trips than safety concerns, cost, and logistics combined. And it's the one nobody talks about.
The free guide below answers it directly — with a specific, step-by-step approach that surfaces genuine congregational interest before you ever make a public announcement, so you never have to commit to something you're not sure will fill.
It also covers the safety question honestly, with current 2026 data rather than reassurance. And it walks through exactly what your role on the trip looks like — and doesn't look like.
If you've been thinking about this trip for years and haven't been able to say yes yet, this guide was written for you.