Send us a textWind on the mic, ruins underfoot, and a challenge that won’t let go. We recorded on location in Ephesus to trace how John and Paul preached into a bustling trade hub where pagan worship, philosophy, and profit collided—and why the words to the church in Revelation 2 still land like a bell in our moment. With help from a brilliant Muslim guide who knows the Scriptures, the myths, and the streets, we uncover a vivid picture of early house churches, a merchant who became a courier of good news to Rome, and the tension that rises when love for God disrupts the economy of desire.What unfolds is part travelogue, part heart check. We read Christ’s message to Ephesus—commendation for endurance, a rebuke for drifting from first love, a promise to those who overcome—and hold it next to the way we live now. Freedom of religion has quietly shifted into freedom from religion, and the vacuum is filling with idols old and new: screens, status, and the soft tyranny of convenience. If worship doesn’t shape our public life, something else will. The call isn’t outrage; it’s return. Remember, repent, and recover the works that love once fueled.We also reflect on the beauty of public devotion, from the call to prayer echoing across Turkey to the steady courage of speaking truth without spite. You don’t change a culture by silencing rivals; you change it by outloving, outserving, and living the truth in plain sight. Walk the marble streets with us, stand where John preached, and consider what it would mean to make first love first again. If this conversation moves you, share it with a friend, subscribe for next week’s deep dive, and leave a review to help more people find the journey. What “first works” are you returning to today?Notes:Editor’s note & sources: Patmos & authorship: Revelation 1:9 places John on Patmos (Aegean) by exile; the traditional view is that this John is the Apostle, though scholars discuss authorship. Revelation 2:1–7 (letter to Ephesus); Acts 19:23–41 (idol trade & riot); John exiled on Patmos (Rev 1:9). Visitor/guide figures in the episode were rough; I’ve linked brief background sources and clarifications here.The “seven churches” follow a real postal/travel route in Asia Minor; John’s exile to Patmos is the setting for Revelation (Rev. 1:9). Visitor/guide numbers I mention are rough; site vs. national totals differ.Seven churches & the route: The order (Ephesus → Smyrna → Pergamum → Thyatira → Sardis → Philadelphia → Laodicea) tracks a Roman postal route in Asia Minor—why the letters are in that sequence.Visitor numbers: The ancient city welcomed about 2.7 million visitors in 2024 (a record), not “80 million.” Türkiye as a whole hosted about 62 million visitors that year.  Guides: There are roughly 12k–15k licensed tour guides in Türkiye (nationally), not in Ephesus alone.  Mary near Ephesus: The House of the Virgin Mary near Ephesus is a long-standing pilgrimage tradition visited by popes; the Catholic Church hasn’t ruled on its authenticity. It’s venerated by Christians and many Muslims. Acts in Ephesus: Paul’s preaching threatened the idol trade; Demetrius the silversmith incited a riot (Acts 19:23–41)Follow Buddy @BuddyFoyJr

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