David Tarkington

It Was Like Looking Into the Future

My trip to Wales last month was a wonderful experience. I had first visited Wales as a youth pastor in 2002. We took a group of teenagers to the southern Wales city, Carmarthen, to help with a sports camp hosted at the university.

This time my journey was for another reason and took me to North Wales, primarily in the city of Caernarfen. Partnering with a group of five from the States, plus a friend from Wales, we set about engaging the people in the community and visiting different towns and villages throughout the region in order to better understand the culture.

Wales is a beautiful country, but seems to be suffering from an identity crisis. While those in Great Britain understand the uniqueness of Wales as a country, including the prominence of the Welsh language and the strong nationalistic beliefs that many have, I discovered that many of my friends back here in the States falsely believe that Wales is part of England.

Apparently, this is very common. The Welsh people were quick to let me know that Wales is not part of England. They are very proud of their country and rightly so.

I knew that Wales was not part of England, but came away with a better understanding of the great pride the Welsh have in their national heritage.

There is so much about Wales that could be written here, but I wish to focus on one area that drew my attention, and according to my friend in country is what many from the States notice.

One hundred years ago, the majority of the Welsh speakers in Wales (Cymry Cymraeg) were considered evangelical and born again. At least 90 percent were actively attending church regularly. In the early 20th century, a revival swept Wales. Pastors such as Evan Roberts were on the forefront of this movement of God's Spirit.

Edwin J. Orr writes of this movement in his book The Flaming Tongue (Moody Press, 1973)

The movement kept the churches of Wales filled for many years to come, seats being places in the aisles in Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Swansea for twenty years or so, for example. Meanwhile, the Awakening swept the rest of Britain, Scandinavia, parts of Europe, North America, the mission fields of India and the Orient, Africa and Latin America.

Christian pastors and ministers were being used by God years prior to the revival, throughout all of Wales. Christmas Evans is one such pastor whose influence among evangelicals is still revered among many today.

While the history of the church is strong and there remain many church buildings (called chapels unless affiliated with the Church in Wales, the Anglican Church in Wales) in the country, the sad reality is that many of these facilities are mostly empty each weekend and a good number are either up for sale or have been sold and converted for other uses. I saw a number that were for sale, one that had been turned into a restaurant/pub and one that had been converted to a children's play area (kind of a Chuck E. Cheese's, Welsh-style.)

What is interesting is that when most American believers visit Wales and see this, they are immediately affected. A sense of sadness becomes apparent. Questions as to how this could have happened are asked.

Then, the fact that now, in 2011, it is estimated that approximately 1 percent of the Welsh attend church regularly and would be considered evangelical and born again. That's right, in just under one hundred years, the percentage of evangelical, born again church (chapel) attenders has gone from over 90 to 1.

While the Spirit of God is still at work globally, it appears the people of Wales and other post-Christian cultures (most of Western Europe, for example) are now disenchanted with Christianity and do not see the value in attending church or holding onto a personal faith. Consequently, many do not know Jesus Christ personally.

After speaking with a number of people in the community I noticed some themes that do not sound foreign to what I hear in the States. We all know that latest statistics show a growing disenchantment with "organized" religion and denominatins. In fact, a recent survey by LifeWay Research shows that even in the deep South, the home-base for the Southern Baptist Convention, that 40 percent have a highly unfavorable view of the SBC.

I shared this statistic with people in my church and the shock on their faces was evident.

My friend in Wales told me that many who visit from the United States have very similar feelings as I was having. I told him, "This is like looking into the future for the US. We are going down the very same path that led Wales from 90 percent to 1 percent in just one century."

If nothing else, this should wake us up as believers here in the States. To rest on our laurels and believe we are doing well enough will result, not just in the closure of church buildings (which in some cases may be a blessing rather than a curse) but the continued evacuation of the younger generations from a faith in Jesus Christ.

The encouraging this is that we know God is not finished with His people. While it may seem He is not at work as in the past, the fact that a remnant remains is encouraging. I believe that God will bring renewal to the people of Wales. Wouldn't that be just like Him? To use a people group that many in the world do not even know about (the Cymry Cymraeg) to spark a renewal among the culture.

I also believe that God is showing evangelicals here in America what  could be in store for us. My opinion is that a renewal among believers here is needed as well. I do not equate a spiritual renewal with a traditional "revival" week of meetings. There's more to write about what all this means, but at this point, watch the clip about the Welsh here. Think and pray for the Welsh people. Ask God what we can learn from this as well.

 

The Celt - Wales (Long Version) from David Tarkington on Vimeo.

The Revolutionary Power of Forgiveness

 01 Right Choices & the Power of Forg

 "Forgiveness is not saying that what you (the offender) did is OK?" - Renee Napier

We hosted Renee Napier and Eric Smallridge once again last night. Our desire was to provide an opportunity for even more people to hear the message covering the warnings of driving under the influence and more importantly, the power of true forgiveness. 

If you haven't already, take the time to read yesterday's post that shares more detail about Renee and Eric's story. 

The presentation was spot on last night as well. Unfortunately, we did not have time for Q & A as we did on Tuesday. During the Q & A time, some really deep questions were asked and other tidbits about their journey were shared. Some of the questions, as I remember them were:

To Eric:

• "What are your plans after you get out of prison?" (Eric): I have been taking A/C tech classes while in prison and hope to be able to find a job in this area, or whatever else God has planned for me. I remember what my mom always said "If you want to make God laugh, tell Him your plans," so I try not to plan too far out.
• "What about your girlfriend and her daughter that you mentioned? Are you still in touch? Will you get back together when you get out?" (Eric): Well, she is married now. It's OK, though. It's a reminder to all of us that one bad choice can result in losing so many things.
• "What about your friend Mike who almost stopped you that night?" (Eric): When I went to trial, Mike was brought up as a witness. The lawyer asked him, while pointing at me, "Do you know this man?" Mike said, "Yes, he's my friend Eric." I was suprised and pleased. He still considered me a friend. Then, he asked Mike if he knew the two young ladies in the car that were killed (Meagan and Lisa,) and Mike said "Yes, I've known them for years. They're like little sisters to me." This was horrible. Mike knew all of us involved. I know he carries a burden of wondering if he could have stopped me that night. It's something he's carried with him and probably will continue to. I saw him a couple of years ago when we started this journey of telling our story. I told him that he was not to blame at all. I told him that it was all on me, that I made the decision, that I drove the car. Still, he hurts.
• Have you forgiven yourself? (Eric): That's really hard. There are times I struggle with this. I know God has forgiven me. I know Renee and her family has forgiven me. Forgiving myself is hard.

To Renee:

• "What about Lisa's family?" (Renee:) Lisa's family has forgiven Eric as well. This was hard for me, for them, for my children. Each had to come to this on their own. 
• "Has your story been put in book form?" (Renee:) Not completely, but it is featured in a new book by Matthew West and Angela Thomas called The Story of Your Life. This is a compilation of over fifty stories submitted to Matthew over a year ago. He chose our story and featured it as one of the devotionals. My disclaimer is that I mentioned my son in the submitted story, but for some reason that sentence was edited out. I contacted my son immediately and showed him the original submission. He laughed about it and said, "Mom, that's the story of my life." He's a great man. 
• "Have you been able to travel outside the state of Florida together?" (Renee:) No, that's not allowed. In fact, it's pretty miraculous that we're able to do this. (Eric:) Florida has a policy of never allowing offenders and offendees to be together, so this is unique.
• "You seem really close to Eric?" (Renee:) I love him like a son. In fact, when we finish talking on the phone, we always end with "I love you." 

There were more questions, but these are the ones that come to mind right now. I wish I had recorded the Q & A. 

Regardless, I hope you can get a more complete picture of this story through this posting. Renee and Eric are speaking at Clay High School in Green Cove Springs this morning and then at Oakleaf High School on Friday. Pray for them as they wind down this three-week tour. They will be on the road again soon. They may be able to come back to Clay County or the Jacksonville area next Spring. If so, we will be involved as much as we can.

Never forget - forgiveness is powerful and freeing.

"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you." - Lewis B. Smedes

Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you. - Ephesians 4:32 ESV

 

 

 

I want to offer a special thank you to Sheriff Rick Beseler and the Clay County Sheriff's Office for bringing Renee and Eric to our county and for allowing us the opportunity to partner with them.

Time to Bring Back the PPV!

I was on Facebook today and an old friend's chat box popped up. We reminisced for a few minutes and began talking about our evening of cruising through the community in the PPV.

What? You don't know what a PPV is?

Well, it's not "Pay Per View."

It's possibly one of the greatest inventions of the 1970s and was billed as an answer to the oil crisis.

My friend had one in storage in another city and finally had it moved to Fort Worth.

That's right - the PPV is the "People Powered Vehicle."

It's pedal powered and sits two people. Manufactured by EVI of Sterling Heights, Michigan, it sold for less than $400.The advertisement here states that it's perfect for couples and has comfortable contoured seats. In reality, it's a two-seat tricycle with plastic seats. . .and we weren't a couple.

We rode it once. It was late at night and we were riding throughout his neighborhood. Then, we heard a buzzing sound. We had run into a mosquito-spraying truck from the city and now, our pedaling had to increase as we held our breath so as not to inhale too much of the bug spray.

My son is 15 and I'm thinking maybe I need to search eBay and find him a PPV for his first vehicle. I think it's time for the PPV to come back. It's "green" and affordable. It also forces you to make friends, because pedaling alone is not easy.

Oh, by the way, after that one ride in the PPV, the ancient chain broke. Never again did I get to experience the fun of the PPV. :-(

Scholarships for Military Servicemen & Women (and Spouses) at The Cove

I just received an email from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.  They operate a training center in Asheville, North Carolina called The Cove.  It's a beautiful location where people can "get away from it all" and reconnect with God and others.

Here's the e-mail from The Cove. . .

Dear Servicemember,

The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association is proud of you and other brave men and women in uniform, and we appreciate your service to our country. To show our thanks, we are pleased to offer full scholarships for active-duty military personnel and their spouses to attend a seminar at The Cove, located in Asheville, N.C.

Come renew your spirit through encouragement and sound biblical teaching from respected Christian speakers. You will also enjoy the quiet seclusion of our mountain retreat, complete with winding trails, relaxing rooms, and celebrated cuisine. Most importantly, you will have plenty of time and space to be alone with God.

For more information, a schedule of speakers, or to make reservations, call us at 1-800-950-2092 or visit www.billygraham.org/TheCove.

We love our military servicemen and women and I wanted to make sure you were aware of this opportunity.  Check the schedule and manage your leave time.  Take advantage of this and enjoy the time away.

Our Last Day in Israel

It has been an incredible week of study and touring the Holy Land.  Our group of twenty-two have grown closer together and God has spoken to each person and to the group in special ways.  Our last day in Jerusalem started with a . to the Old City and a last chance at getting some bargains in the marketplace.  Not my favorite place to be, but fun to haggle.  Where else can you be told that an item costs $10, you get to offer $2 and settle for a price of $6 (all the while knowing that the item was worth about $1.50.)

We went to the Holocaust Memorial today.  Since I have been before, I went through the new section that highlights individual stories from camp survivors as well as videos and photos of the rise of Nazism and Hitler's "final solution."  What a sobering site.  I had to go through quickly (in about 45 minutes) but literally could have spent 8 hours or more in there watching and reading all the stories.  The rest of the group saw the other memorials.  One of the most incredible memorials is the children's memorial, financed by the Spiegal family (the ones with the catalogs) in memory of their son who died as a child in Auschwitz.  In the center of the memorial are five lit candles.  The room is covered with mirrors and the five candles reflect to 1.5 million lights representing the 1.5 million children who died during the Holocaust.

From here we visited the Israel Museum and the Shrine of the Book where the Dead Sea Scrolls are kept.

Yoni Gerrish, our guide, ended our tour with a wonderful, authentic meal at a restaurant in an Arab city on the way to Tel Aviv.

Now we're in the airport at Tel Aviv.  Time for some more airport details:

• Security in the Ben Gurion Airport is over the top.  It's good.  I feel safe, but believe me, they check everything and make sure everyone in the group knows where we have been, why we were here and where we are headed.
• One of our ladies bag was 1.5 kg over the weight limit.  She had to pay $150 for the weight overage.  Can you believe this?  She was upset and I don't blame her.  Crazy.
• There's free wireless internet in the airport, which is good because now I can talk to folks through Facebook.  The only problem is that most of the people talking to each other through Facebook right now are in our group and while I'm typing IMs to them, it would be easier to just look up and say it.  Ah, the wonders of technology.
• Checked in with my daughter and wife.  Asked how things were I was told "good and quiet."  That's relieving.
• It's 9:48pm here in Tel Aviv and our flight is 13 hours throughout the night.  Though I'm once again stuck in a middle seat, I'm hoping that I will be so extremely tired that I'll sleep most of the flight.
• This group has been wonderful.  Great folks.  Great attitudes and real troopers.
• Three cheers for Christine Nolting.  This wonderful lady is an inspiration to all of us.  She did everything offered and we are all so proud of her.
• The Nok-Out and Magnum ice cream bars once again have won everyone over.  Why can't we get ice cream bars like these in the States?  I wish I could take some on my carry on, but afraid what my bag will look like when I land with melted ice cream all over it.
• We should land Monday around 9:30am in Jacksonville.  According to what I'm hearing, folks are planning to go to Sonny's or La Nopalera for lunch.  Guess we have had enough falafels.
• For such a full flight that is loading in just about 40 minutes, there aren't too many people here at the gate.  I know it's going to be full, but it would be great if there were a bunch of empty seats so we could spread out.  Not counting on it.
• A guy came over to me and was going to sit next to me, but immediately left and went to sit on the tile floor across the terminal.  Hmmm.  I brushed my teeth and just reapplied deodorant.  Guess I just don't look friendly.
• While sitting here in this terminal, it's obvious our group has grown close.  We are so loud.

Once again, the study tour to Israel was worth it.  We will go again and I hope more of you will plan to go too.  Our next trip will take us through the wilderness and into Jordan to Petra.  It may not be so much a "hotel stay" but a couple of nights camping out.  Anyone up for this?

Shabot in Jerusalem

Shabot began last night at sundown and is almost over at this point.  Shabot means "seven" and is the Sabbath for Jews.  Our day began as others in the city with much on our schedule.

We began by going up to the Mount of Olives and spending some time in an olive grove in Gethsemane considering Jesus' last night with his disciples.  Our guide, Yoni, said that this was the busiest he has ever seen it.  It was a madhouse.  Never have I seen so many tour groups and buses.  

We then went to the traditional Via Dolorosa and the stations of the cross.  Of course, we understand that this is a Crusader era creation (this road, that is) and the stations are more tradition than fact, but still a needed site to visit.  This road, too was more crowded than normal.  The shops on this way were open, because these are owned by Arabs and they do not close on Shabot as the Jews do.

We were reminded once again there are at least two of every significant site in the Old City.  These sites are often based on who owns the property.  The stations of the cross - well, for some they are very significant, but stories like Veronica and each station are not necessarily biblical, but traditional.  I don't think they take anything away from the story of the cross, but for me, they don't necessarily add anything.  Some Christian churches see these as more valuable than others.  There is talk about adding four or five more stations to this walk. Interesting.

From here we went to Bethlehem, into Palestinian controlled land, through a check point that will one day be a border more than likely, to the Shepherd's Field.  This location is owned by the YMCA and is a cave where animals were kept and families lived in the front.  This is much like what the Bible describes as the "stable" Jesus was born in.  The locals all understand that Christ was born in a cave and placed in a stone feeding trough.  Makes the traditional nativity scene seem not quite so right.  Some of the gift shops even sell nativity scenes made to look like caves.

We had lunch and went to a shop.  In this shop they had beautiful (and very expensive) olive wood carvings.  There were many nativity scenes, animals and Jesus statues.  Then I saw one on the shelf that looked familiar but I couldn't place it.  I asked Yoni who he thought it was and he didn't know.  Then the shop owner told me it was Nephi.  It all clicked.  This statue and a number of others are of Mormon characters from their history and their Book of Mormon.  I found Moroni and Joseph Smith statues everywhere.  Interesting.  (BTW - I don't agree with the Mormon teachings and the characters in the Book of Mormon are in my estimation fiction).  The shop owner isn't Mormon, but it's business and Mormon groups come there as well.  The power of the almighty shekel.

We then drove over to the Herodian, a palace built by Herod the Great.  This was where he was buried as well.

Our tour ended with a trip to an open field where, according to biblical descriptions of surrounding hills, David slew Goliath.

We're back at the hotel now and getting ready for dinner.  Following dinner, we're walking over to the Baptist church where Yoni worships to watch the congregation's talent show (and get some dessert.)

 

Walking the Cardo in Jerusalem and Ending at the Garden Tomb

Another day in Jerusalem was memorable.  We began the day heading toward the Zion Gate.  This gate is where paratroopers dropped in during the Israeli War of Independence and there are bullet holes all over the walls.  It's amazing.  While we were standing in front of it a number of cars drove through.  This blew me away.  The gate is about as wide as a minivan and the turn is about 180 degrees once a car comes through.  I couldn't believe it.  Most cars had dents and scratches on the sides.  That's par for the course regarding cars around the city.

 

Yoni, our guide, calls this "bogus Zion gate" because it is not near the historical Mt. Zion.  It's a location picked by Crusaders and the history of the real Zion doesn't support it.  We discover pretty quickly that there are two of everything in Jerusalem - two Mt. Zions, two burial sites, two Calvaries, two everything.  It's based on who owns the site, who thought they discovered a site and politics.  Sometimes it's just based on honest mistakes.

We went to the Cardo and then to a site believed to be the High Priest's home during the first century.  This site was uncovered in the 1980s when contractors were beginning to build Jewish homes and businesses in newly Jewish owned areas of the Old City.  This site is incredible.  It is here that Caiaphas lived during Jesus day and here that Peter stood in the courtyard of the high priest and denied Christ three times.  We stood in this courtyard.  Sobering.  Guess what?  When we left the site and moved over to Silwan (the City of David) we heard a rooster crow.  Hmmm.

We looked over the City of David and watched a film covering the time of David and the Old Testament kings up to the present.  It was even in 3D.  Nice film.  Helped to show the ancient sites in comparison to the new sites.

 

From here we divided into three groups.  There are two tunnels that have been uncovered.  These tunnels in the rock were tight and not for folks with claustrophobia.  One tunnel comes from Canaanite times and is a dry tunnel.  It's about 200 yards long.  The other tunnel is filled with about a foot of water and is about 600 yards long.  The wet tunnel is called Hezekiah's Tunnel.  It brought water from the Gihon Spring to the Pool of Siloam.  Our three teams were the dry tunnel team, the wet tunnel team and the coffee shop team (these folks didn't want to brave the tunnel.)

 

The last stop big stop of the day was at the Garden Tomb.  This wonderful site is maintained by a group from the U.K.  It was discovered years ago by General Gordan from Britain and is a site outside the city at the time of Christ and is near a mountain that looks like a skull.  Could be Golgotha.  There is even an empty tomb that was discovered.  Is this the site?  Well, most archeologists and historians say no, but it is the best site for personal reflection and to think of the Resurrection.  As our guide (a former pastor from a Baptist church in Tampa) said "We're here to look at nothing.  This is because the tomb is empty and Christ is alive."  There were many people here today.  We even saw former NFL commentator Pat Summerall.  We left him alone, but it was pretty cool to see him.  We ended our time here taking Communion or the Lord's Supper.

  

A Day at Masada, En Gedi and Qumran

Yesterday we awoke at our hotel on the Dead Sea and began the trek to three sites on the western side of the Dead Sea (yes, the West Bank.)  We first stopped at Masada.  This desert fortress built by Herod the Great still stands as a marvel of engineering.  To build a palace fortress in this location is almost too incredible to believe, but it was done.  Herod died before ever getting to stay at his palace and once he died the Romans took ownership.  Masada is now known as the site where a group of Jewish zealots had their last stand against the Roman army following the destruction of the Temple in 70 AD.  There has been a movie made about this and the story is incredible.  Just like "Remember the Alamo" became a rallying cry for Americans a little over a century ago, "Remember Masada" has become a message for the Jews.

From there we traveled to En Gedi.  Read about this location in 1 Samuel 23.  It is the location where David took refuge from Saul.  In fact, it's the area where David was hiding in a cave as Saul went in to relieve himself (which, according to biblical Hebrew probably means to get a leg massage and take a nap after the long hike and ride from Jerusalem, rather than "go to restroom" as many commentaries state) and where David cut off the corner and tassle from Saul's robe.

Then, we traveled north to Qumran, site of the Essene sect and where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered.  After viewing the film and learning about this sect of Judaism that was known for it's strange practices, bent toward strong predestination teaching of God, and desire to disconnect from society (more being learned and discovered by the Essenes all the time) some of our group decided to hike up the mountains a little and three of our guys climbed the mountain to go into Cave 6 where some scrolls were discovered.

Our day ended with a stop over at a wadi and a view of the canyon (known as the "Valley of the Shadow of Death" in ancient times - which gives some insight into David's 23rd Psalm) we read some Scripture and bartered with bedoin children selling "camel bone" necklaces and a couple of our folks rode a camel (only $5).  

Our day ended with our drive into Jersulem.  We stopped at Mt. Scopus for a photo opp and then moved on to the hotel.  Great day.  Tomorrow we tour the Old City, beginning with the Temple Mount, some holy sites (which means sites owned by the Catholic Church) and into Hezekiah's Tunnel.

Masada

Climbing at Qumran

Daniel in Cave 6

 

3 AM in an Israeli Hotel

We arrived in Tel Aviv last night (which was yesterday around noon in Orange Park).  Our flight was delayed for two hours in Atlanta while the maintenance crew figured out how to open a jammed interior door to the crew quarters.  

Once we arrived, we collected our baggage and met Yoni Gerrish, our guide.  He has his nine year old son Evan with him for a few days on this tour.  I met Evan in 2007.  It's amazing how much a kid can grow in just a few years.

We drove about 45 minutes north of Tel Aviv to our hotel on the Mediterranean.  Nice view (well, I know it will be a nice view in the morning.)  Well, it's 3AM.  I have slept pretty well, but due to the time change, I am now awake. 

This is a pretty nice hotel.  It has wi-fi, obviously and as I flip channels, here's what's on TV at 3AM in Israel:

• VH1 showing Lady Gaga videos.  Wow, that is one strange person.
• A German show that looks like something on TLC about families learning to live together.
• A play, obviously a comedy, though I don't get the jokes because I can't understand the language.  The star looks like a cross between Redd Foxx and Mel Brooks.  He's wearing a yellow sports coat and huge glasses with a chain, like a monacle's, hanging from the left lens.
• A guy in a suit sitting in front of book cases with what looks like thousands of old books talking.  It's boring in Hebrew.  I think it would be boring in English as well.
• Another music channel.  This one is showing a concert from the 1970s or 1980s with what would be described as "funky" R & B music.  Sounds good, but I don't know the song - and it's in English.
• A drama about a news channel with a remix of "I Got You Babe" playing in the background. They changed scenes.  Looks like a soap opera.
• A high school kid in a cafeteria.  Some kind of drama.  I think this one's from America.
• A soccer match.
• A kids' channel.  Looks like a Hebrew Nickelodeon or Cartoon Network.
• MTV - another American export.  More videos.  The one is Mclean.  I never heard of him.  Sounds like a diet hamburger from McDonald's.  Now it's a Justin Bieber video.  Changing channels quickly.
• Documentary on the British group Oasis.
• FoxNews.  Running promos about Greta and her story on Florida and healthcare.
• The SkyNews channel.  All English.  Story about cruise ships.
• The "Here's Lucy" show.  This is on METV.  This channel shows a variety of American shows.  Last time I was here, they showed NFL games live.  They also show Contemporary Christian music videos, concerts, American Christian pastors, the Lone Ranger and Star Trek: The Next Generation. It's a combination of a bunch of American shows and sports.  It's a Christian channel and pretty safe shows.
• Some type of movie channel.  The movie "The Astronaut Farmer" just finished.  Great movie with Billy Bob Thornton.
• A Hebrew news channel.  Wait, that's not Hebrew.  It's Russian. It's a Russian news channel. Modeled after CNN.
• BBC
• The National Geographic Channel is on.  I think this is "The Dog Whisperer." Weird show.
• A Hebrew shop at home channel.  Call now while this dining set is on sale.  
• Another music video channel.  This one is in Hebrew.  
• The Ted Danson show "Becker."

So, late night TV in Israel isn't much different than American TV.  All these channels and nothing on.

Well, unless I can get some sleep now, tomorrow is going to be all messed up. We hit the road at 9am to Caesarea (which around here is pronounced CEE-ZER-EA, not Seh-sa-rea).  There are two Caesareas.  This is NOT Caesarea Philipi.  This is Caesarea Maritima.  This is where Paul was taken once arrested.

This Wikipedia link is pretty complete. 

"Mountain of Fire" - The Search for the Real Mount Sinai

Last night we watched the film at church "Mountain of Fire."  It's a pretty amazing story of a couple of adventurers and a family of four who discovered what they believe to be the true Mount Sinai. . .located in Saudi Arabia, not on the traditional site of St. Catherine's.

Here's a video clip from the film. . .