Vision Trip: The Church in the Country of Georgia

As many of you know, in May of 2023, our group of freshman Maclellan Scholars is planning to travel to the country of Georgia with one of our scholarship directors. This is a vision trip -- a chance to learn from Georgian Christian leaders and their American partners in ministry and to explore how this country interacts with contemporary Christianity in the public and private squares.

While there is much uncertainty in the world right now, we are currently raising funds with the hope that we will be able to travel to Georgia in May 2023.

This helpful PrayerCast video provides a succinct window into Georgia and its people.

Background

In a land that claims Noah’s grandson as their ancient forefather and once home to the Golden Fleece sought after by Greek gods, we are going to learn how God has and is working in this ancient crossroads. In light of the modern events in Russia and Iran, we hope to better understand how a people, a small country and ethnic group, can survive and how their faith has played a role as a primary unifying power that we too may look beyond ourselves to something eternal to help us persevere no matter the challenges we might face. In short, we are sure we will grow as we learn from local believers and we hope that we might encourage them to persevere in their hardships as well.

What Do We Hope To Gain?

Knowing the complex history of Christian missions in Georgia, current church leaders must balance two difficult goals: bringing healing to the wounds caused by early evangelical efforts and continuing to boldly bring their faith to this country. Throughout our time on this Vision Trip, we hope to engage with these leaders as humble learners, eager to grapple with the challenges of the church’s history. Taking insights from their successful efforts, as well as their mistakes, we will be able to translate many of their lessons to our own contexts, now and in the future. We hope to gain a deeper understanding of the global church, particularly the ways that the Eastern Orthodox tradition has influenced the church in Georgia. We are excited to experience a culture and people different from our own and grow in our appreciation for the unique ways that God is working around the world.

Expenses

The cost to participate in this trip is approximately $3000 per person, including transportation and all on-site expenses. We have committed to raising this money by March 15, 2023.